Sonic Compass · Mojo Review · Over-ear (open) · Session Review
Aune AR5000 MK2
A light, all-metal open-back with a big, well-separated stage, forward and natural vocals, detailed treble without sibilance and controlled, deep bass, easy to drive from almost anything.
A light, all-metal, very comfortable open-back with a big stage, natural forward vocals, detailed non-sibilant treble and deep controlled bass, and it needs no desktop amp.
- Large 3D stage
- Detailed treble without sibilance
- Forward, natural vocals
- Deep, controlled bass
- Light all-metal build, very comfortable
Where it sits
Sonic Compass does not score gear out of ten. Gear and listeners are plotted on the same seven axes, so a review tells you where a product sits — and you can see how far that is from where you sit. A position is a description, not a grade.
- Tone ColourBalanced · 45%
- Texture DetailVery detailed · 86%
- Dynamics JumpPunchy · 78%
- Space & ImagingVery spacious · 90%
- Timing & FlowBalanced · 58%
- Comfort & FatigueVery easy-going · 85%
- Emotional EngagementImmersive · 72%
Detailed, open treble with no sibilance, forward natural mids, and a warm full low end. Brighter and more detailed than the Edition XV, but cooler than the other planar he compared, which he found warmer. Reported as brighter and punchier than the MK1 (high = warm, so just under the middle).
Resolving, detailed and dynamic treble. More detail and resolution than the Edition XV and the second planar, with snappier transients.
Deep bass that slams when a track calls for it, punchy and full on Billie Jean, well controlled with no bleed or bloat. Not a bass cannon.
Large 3D stage from the tilted drivers, wide drums, sounds all around the head, well separated. Bigger and better imaging than both comparisons.
Placed just above the middle with thin evidence. The only direct comment is snappier transients than the second planar. No remark on timing as such.
Very comfortable at about 365 g, secure clamp that does not feel like a vice, no sibilance or harshness at loud levels, and no fatigue even with a lot of high-end detail.
Vocals present and lifelike, 'you are going to melt in your chair', and a staging he calls surreal. He did not describe an emotional pull in other terms.
Sonic Compass does not grade gear. We plot gear and listeners on the same seven axes, so a review tells you where a product sits and you can see how far that is from where you sit.
The Aune AR5000 MK2 is the second version of Aune's open-back dynamic headphone. The pair was sent for review. I listened through an Aune A17 headphone amplifier and a Gustard R30 DAC, streaming Tidal from a PC over USB.
I did not hear the first AR5000. Anything I say about how the MK2 differs from it comes from my research and from what others reported, not from my own listening.
Listening journey
Treble — The MK1 was reported as very relaxed, easy on fatigue but short on air and resolution. The MK2 opens up the top end. It is resolving, detailed and dynamic, and I hear no sibilance or harshness. On Donald Fagen's IGY there is a lot going on, with synth, guitar and cymbals, and it stays clean with plenty of high-end detail and no fatigue. On Metallica's One the cymbals and guitars can turn crisp at the start of the track. I listen loud, and I get a lot of resolution without harshness. They are not smooth in the sense of rounded off, and I mean that as a good thing.
Mids — Forward and intimate. Vocals are clear and realistic. On Dire Straits' Money for Nothing the voice sits nicely in front of me, neither pushed forward nor hidden, with weight, power and a lifelike timbre. Stevie Nicks on Fleetwood Mac's Dreams sounds organic and present.
Bass — Warm and full-bodied with decent weight, and it goes quite deep. On smoother tracks the bass sits in the background where it belongs, and when a track calls for it, it slams. Sting's An Englishman in New York has a lovely bass run and the MK2 plays it low and supportive. The run on Michael Jackson's Billie Jean is powerful, low, punchy and full. On Dreams the bass is deep and commanding, and on Steely Dan's Black Cow the deep bass beat is well controlled. I would not call them bass cannons, but they handle the low end with aplomb, without bleed or bloat.
Stage and imaging — The drivers are tilted inside the cups, and the stage is big. It feels like I am not wearing headphones. On An Englishman in New York the staging is 3D with sounds all around my skull, and on Billie Jean the staging is expansive and instruments are thrown around me yet well separated. For a dynamic driver at this price, the vertical imaging and the lateral spacing impress me.
Driving them — At 28 ohms and 112 dB sensitivity they will run from a dongle, a portable player or a game controller, and I do not think you need a very expensive stack. They also scale: on the A17 I heard more again, so better gear gets more out of them.
| Track | Position | Note |
|---|---|---|
| IGY | 88% | Busy mix stays clean with plenty of top-end detail, no fatigue |
| One | 84% | Cymbals and guitars crisp at the start, loud, resolving but not harsh |
| Money for Nothing | 88% | Voice in front of me, not pushed forward, with weight and lifelike timbre |
| Dreams | 88% | Voice organic and present, bass deep and commanding |
| An Englishman in New York | 90% | 3D staging, sounds all around the skull, lovely low bass run |
| Billie Jean | 90% | Powerful, low, punchy bass and an expansive, well-separated stage |
| Black Cow | 86% | Deep, powerful and well controlled bass beat |
Critical observations
Where the AR5000 MK2 sits — Resolving and detailed up top without fatigue, forward and natural in the mids, warm and full in the low end, with a stage that is large for the price. Strongest axes are Space and Imaging, Texture and Detail, and Comfort.
Build and comfort — The first version used plastic parts on the headband that reportedly suffered structural fatigue. The MK2 uses metal in the headband mechanism. It clicks with authority and I have no concern about it snapping. It feels premium. It weighs about 365 g with all that metal, and the clamp is secure without feeling like a vice. It is a very comfortable headphone. The cable is a woven modular one with interchangeable 3.5mm, 4.4mm balanced and 6.35mm plugs, and I found it a clear step up from the scratchy cable reported on the first version.
Against the HiFiMAN Edition XV (planar) — The Edition XV is a much more relaxed listen. The AR5000 MK2 gives me more detail and resolution without getting fatiguing, though smoother and mellower listeners will like the Edition XV. Bass is similar on both with no clear winner. The stage is bigger on the AR5000 MK2 and the imaging is better. I prefer the MK2.
Against another planar I reviewed on Head-Fi — Its treble is closer in. The AR5000 MK2 still gives more detail and snappier transients. Vocals sit further back on the planar, which gives a slightly dipped mid presence. Bass is excellent and deep on both. The planar is overall warmer than the AR5000 MK2. Of the three I prefer the AR5000 MK2: the most comfortable, the best looking, and the better cable.
Against the MK1 — From research and my listening, this is an entirely different flavour, not only a structural fix. I expect it to be noticeably brighter and punchier than the dark, ultra-relaxed MK1.
Read this against your own profile — I like detail without fatigue, natural vocals and a big stage, and I want a headphone that does not need a desktop amplifier. If that is you, this fits. If you love a dark, warm, very relaxed sound, it will feel brighter and more in your face.
Honest limits — The pair was supplied for review. By ear only, with no measurements. I listened mostly through one amp and one DAC. I never heard the MK1, so the MK1 comparison is from research only. The comparisons are against headphones I reviewed earlier, from memory of that listening, not a level-matched A/B. I made no direct remark on timing, so Timing is placed near the middle with thin evidence.
- IGYDonald Fagen
- OneMetallica
- Money for NothingDire Straits
- DreamsFleetwood Mac
- An Englishman in New YorkSting
- Billie JeanMichael Jackson
- Black CowSteely Dan
- Driver Configuration
- 50mm dynamic open-back driver, Multi-Layer Distributed (MLD) diaphragm, large-tilt-angle driver design
- Driver Details
- Impedance 28 ohms; sensitivity 112 dB SPL at 1kHz, 1Vrms; frequency response 5Hz to 43,500Hz; THD below 0.03% at 1kHz (retailer listing of maker specs)
- Weight
- Approx. 365g (headphones)
- Build Materials
- All-metal headband assembly, acoustic memory foam earpads, champagne gold finish
- Cable Connectors
- 1.5m oxygen-free copper cable, interchangeable 3.5mm, 4.4mm balanced and 6.35mm plugs
- Isolation Leakage
- Open-back: no isolation, sound leaks both ways
- Power Requirements
- Easy to drive: 28 ohms and 112 dB sensitivity
- Accessories
- Interchangeable cable with three plug types, quick start guide
- Build Quality Notes
- Maker/retailer specs: headphones.com listing and Aune Store. Price: US$339 (headphones.com listing; Aune Store lists EUR 369). Photos: Aune.
A light, all-metal, very comfortable open-back with a big stage, natural forward vocals, detailed non-sibilant treble and deep controlled bass, and it needs no desktop amp.
<p><strong>Buy it if</strong>… you want a very comfortable, open-back headphone with a large stage and plenty of detail that you can run from almost anything without a desktop amplifier.</p><p><strong>Skip it if</strong>… you already own the first AR5000 and love its dark, ultra-relaxed, warm signature, because the MK2 is reported to be noticeably brighter and punchier.</p>