Aune T1 Driver Download
Leto Corrales
The AR5000 headphones feature an innovative MLD (Multi-Layer Distributed) driver, a carefully designed high-tilt acoustic structure and a patented concentric circle wearing system that provides a relaxed and rich sound, a deep and wide soundstage, a comfortable wearing experience and an authentic reproduction of the exquisite texture of music.
The AR5000 headphones feature a 50 mm dynamic driver with an open back and an innovative structure. The MLD (Multi-Layer Distributed) diaphragm provides a balance of stiffness and damping, further solving the problem of break-up often found in large drivers. This reduction in distortion across the entire frequency range results in high transparency and a frequency response that easily extends to 40 kHz, allowing the AR5000 to faithfully reproduce even intricate musical details.
I have reviewed a few Aune devices in the past and I have always found that they offer a lot of quality for the price they sit at. The brand has been making DAC and amps of good quality for quite some time and they also have a set of IEMs, the Aune Jasper, that I reviewed quite some time ago and also enjoyed. The AR5000 is their first set of headphones and, as with all first ventures, it is always a risk to release something that you are not really known for.
The AR5000 are aimed at being easy to drive, with a published impedance of 28 Ohms and 108dB/Vrms (@1kHz). I think further proof of their aim to make them easy to drive is that, along with the headphones, they also sent me their dongle DAC, the Aune Yuki. The Yuki is a device that has a decent amount of power for a dongle device but is by no means the most powerful on the market and it is a long way behind a desktop setup.
I am not going to discuss the Yuki today, as that deserves a review of its own, and I am going to focus on the AR5000, which I have used with the Yuki but have also used with a combination of other source devices.
The outer sleeve of the packaging shows a large image of the headphones (which I have to say do look great in photos) on a white background. Along with the make and model, we also get the basic specs listed on the back of the box.
Removing the sleeve reveals a black box, with AR5000 on the lid, which opens to reveal the user guide and the headphones sitting below in a silk covered foam cut out. There is also an accessories box that contains the 3.5mm unbalanced cable with a 3.5mm to 6.35mm adapter.
My first impression when taking them out of the box was that they are much smaller than I expected. I mean, they are not exactly tiny, they are definitely a full sized set of over ear headphones, but for some reason I had expected them to be even bigger after seeing the photos.
My second impression was that they look great. These headphones do look very good in photos but they look just as good in person. Of course aesthetics are a totally personal thing but I think they look very good. They are built from a combination of metal and plastic yet the plastic is of good quality and matches the metal to the point of only knowing it is plastic when tapping on it. This makes them quite lightweight but not too light as to feel cheap.
The earpads are hybrid and perforated, which helps keep the ears cooler, although, as with all overear headphones, if you live where I do, the daily >40C (>105F) temperatures will still take their toll, at least they do on me
The earpads are also angled, along with the drivers inside the cups being angles, this places the sound source towards the front. I believe that this is in an attempt to mimic the sound presentation of speakers and we will see how this works out in the sound section.
The outer side of the cups have a grille with oblong openings, that has a pinkish grille with circular opening behind it. This works well for the aesthetics of the headphones and, in general, they give of a more premium look that their price point would indicate.
As far as build quality, yes there is quite a bit of plastic but everything seems to be well assembled, as with all Aune products, a seems like it should have good durability, although only time will tell.
The included 3.5mm cable is a double twist that is covered in black fabric with metal hardware to match the headphones. I have to say that I like the included cable, in fact, as far as my tastes go, I prefer the included cable to the extra 4.4mm cable that they added in extra.
The extra balanced cable is by no means bad, it is actually quite a nice cable, with a quadruple braid and nice silver hardware. The only reason I prefer the stock cable over the additional cable is because I am more of a fan of fabric covered cables than I am of those covered in a clear finish which are slightly more rubbery. Of course, this is a personal thing and either of the cables is a good option.
While I would still not say that these are as wide as something like the Arya v2, it is still a nice sensation of width and I have found a lot of liver performances, especially those that have been accompanied with video (live concerts etc.) to be very enjoyable. For example, I found watching Tiny Desk Concerts to be very enjoyable. Of course, the sound quality on YouTube is not the best but I usually enjoy the Tiny Desk stuff anyway and the AR5000 added to the enjoyment with that presentation angled from the front.
I use the HD6XX as a reference due to me not really having an overear reference like I do with my in ears, so I have always just leaned towards showing the HD6XX due to it being one of the mostly widely known headphones out of the ones I have.
The upper midrange does a nice job of bringing vocals forwards, examples would be the two tracks I just mentioned, although it works better for some vocals more than others. Certain female vocals can be just a little too harsh in this range, such as Beth, whereas certain male vocals can just be a little too lost in the music, especially when it is a busier track, such Zack De La Rocha.
Upper ranges are not the most extended but are pleasant, without any nasty peaks or other artifacts that spoil the presentation of the music with unexpected harshness or sibilance. Some may find that they would like a little more air but I feel that Aune have played it safe in this regard and ended up with a treble that is not the most lively but is not going to be a negative for the majority of people.
Details are pretty good throughout the whole ranges although I do find that when a track gets busy, especially in the lower half of the frequency spectrum, then the AR5000 can seemingly struggle to keep up with all the details of a fast moving lower end. This is not really a complaint but it is something that I feel could be improved but the question is at what price?
Yes, there are a few things here and there that could be improved but I think what we are getting at this price point is something well worth considering for those who are looking for a decent all rounder set of headphones.
It is going to be a little expensive for those who want the lowest price they can find, it is not really going to appeal to those who are immersed in the TOTL headphone world and I think that it may be a little too tame for those who are proclaimed bass heads. However, for those that are looking for a balanced set of easy to drive headphones at a reasonable price, then the AR500 should be on the radar.
I came across the Aune S6 via similar route. I was asked by a third party with a good relationship with Aune to be the final leg of a Head-Fi official tour and keep the unit for review at the end. This unit was with many people before me, so it got a little wear from being packed and shipped and packed and shipped. After my experience with the Aune M1s, I was more than happy to help out.
I had half of this review written on a Windows 8 PC that then was lost with a piece of luggage. Installing drivers on that machine worked fine. All I had to do was download the file and install. Easy peasy. Windows 10 is also easy, but not in the way you expect.
The Aune S6 was provided to me free of charge by Aune. I do not have to return the unit, but am not free to sell it or give it away without express permission. I have received no compensation for this review and the thoughts contained within are my honest opinion. Thank you Aune for supplying the review unit.
This is a good all-in-one headphone amp/DAC/pre-amp. There are a lot of good units of this variety now, and more entering the market all the time. This one has more driving power than most, and is definitely worth a flyer when it goes up on Massdrop.
Thesycon provides a free evaluation driver which can be used with the XMOS audio development kits. This driver includes all the features above, but is restricted to use with XMOS devices and after 60 minutes use introduces a beep tone every 5 mins into the output.
Anna joined XMOS in 2022 and brings extensive experience in Human Resources having worked within rapidly expanding international organisations across a variety of sectors in pharmaceutical, communications and FMCG.
Jan-Hendrik holds a Diploma in Economics and Business Engineering (focus: Telematics) from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Germany and studied in Seville, Spain. He was a research fellow at QUT Brisbane, LBS London and IESE Barcelona. He obtained a Dr. rer. pol. from Technical University Dortmund, Germany.
Bill co-founded Foundation Capital in 1995. Investing primarily in cloud applications and infrastructure, he operates on the belief that substantial, sustainable companies are the result of matching technology and market opportunity with the right entrepreneur and management team.
Bill has a BSEE and an MSEE from Purdue University, and an MBA from the Stanford GSB. But he learns the most from the entrepreneurs, whom he helps to build strong organizations from the ground up.
Serial Entrepreneur and Co-founder of Amadeus Capital Partners, Dr Hermann Hauser KBE has wide experience in developing and financing companies in the information technology sector. He has founded and co-founded a significant number of companies across a wide range of technology sectors, including Acorn Computers which spun out ARM.
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