Aune SR7000 closed-back dynamic headphone

Designing a headphone that exhibits a closed architecture, that is, with the earcups containing closed speakers, is not a feat for just anyone-you have to know how to do it. In classic home listening, a good check on the effects that the geometry of the listening environment has on sound propagation should always be done. Enhancements, cancellations and various reverberations are the most frequent effects in an enclosed room, however large it may be. Environments as large as a concert hall-a bounded volume then-have dimensions that exceed those of the wavelengths of sounds perceptible to the human ear, and typically in problem shifts from distortion to even diffusion to all listeners. The problem of sound distortion becomes even more complicated if the enclosed volume is that of a small pavilion of a headphone where the speaker emits at an extremely close distance both on the side directly facing the ear and on the opposite side toward the bottom of the pavilion

Aune Audio, a firm based in Wuhan, China (right in the middle of this immense country), has found the square and proves it with its headphone-the SR 7000 model. giving proof of what it takes to accomplish this feat where so many have failed. The SR 7000 headphone is the only closed-architecture model in the Aune catalog, the driver is of the dynamic type, and its appearance is of the most classic for in the headphone segment that occupies the mid-to-high end of the market. The whole design revolves around two basic technical concepts and an ergonomics designed to make even prolonged use of it absolutely fatigue-free. The earcups are very wide and allow the entire ear to be covered, this choice is then combined with the fact that the ear pad is shaped in such a way as to leave uncovered are a narrow but calculated space around the driver thus allowing the sealing of the anterior space of the earcup whatever the size of the ear of the wearer. This makes it possible to keep the acoustic load of the driver almost constant thus ensuring stable sound performance. Of course, likewise must be done on the other side of the dynamic loudspeaker membrane.

In fact, if we look at what is found in this inner section of the headphone we find a circle mi high-density absorbing and damping material and a structure that eliminates any resonance or alteration that may be created in the cramped rear space. Figures measuring Frequency Response, Impedance and especially Waterfall confirm what has just been said. The 50 mm diameter dynamic driver is made with a polymer diaphragm covered with a ceramic layer to increase the rigidity of the structure and thus avoid annoying break-ups. As we said, the measurements underscore the goodness of the realization. The trend of the frequency response has a classic line with a robust interpretation of the first part of the spectrum, a very regular middle segment devoid of excessive exaltation due to the conformation of the human pavilion, and perhaps a just sudden decay in the last part of the spectrum.

The listening test will tell us the truth about the tonal impact, if any, of this choice. A slight uncertainty is present in the graph between 100 and 200 Hz but so narrow as to be inaudible as our ear cancels out the band-limited depressions. The distortion measured at 90 dB pressure at 1 kHz is very low. The Impedance curve also confirms the smoothness of the response with minimal curvature in the first part-resonance with a very low factor of merit-and just two minimal uncertainties at 1.9 and 3.5 kHz. The impedance value measured at 1 kHz is very close to the 55 ohms stated in the specifications and this should warn those who want to use the headphone with a smartphone but the power measured to obtain 90 dB of sound pressure is just 0.2 mW confirming the high sensitivity of the SR 7000, in any case to get the most out of it even on the move it is always recommended to use it through a dedicated Digital Audio Player. The excellent work of the rear chamber is reflected in the performance of the Waterfall graph: the tails sink below the 30 dB level in a matter of milliseconds.

The designer, however, did not stop in caring for performance at just the earcup chamber but mounted the driver at an angle to the plane of the ear so as to simulate the front direction of the sound source to the benefit of creating a very realistic headstage, the virtual soundstage. The support headband is made from a steel support structure for lateral pressure and hold and an adjustable band underneath that well distributes the 390 grams of the headset. The pads are of varying thickness, higher at the rear, allowing together with the rotating joints for comfortable headphone positioning. The connection cable is detachable and is equipped on the headphone side with two very classic 3.5 mm jack connectors that allow the user to turn to the aftermarket should he or she wish to replace the connections. However, this is a difficult eventuality because two cables are supplied, one unbalanced with a 3.5/6.3 mm stereo jack connector and one balanced with a 4.4 mm pentaconn connector. A handy hard carrying case concludes the headset’s package.

Listening

The Aune SR 7000 headphone wears easily and the good mass distribution means that no fatigue was revealed even after a listening session lasting several hours. A quick listen with some well-known and reference tracks immediately revealed a modern and lively timbre and audio performance setting. The bass range is full-bodied, lively and realistic, the middle part of the spectrum is perfectly balanced while the part from 7 kHz and up is sweet and not in evidence deserving a final judgment that deserves a definition as: “balanced, low-fatigue, dedicated to Pop/Rock and Jazz with a still good performance also in Classical Music.” It is precisely because of these characteristics that we wanted to choose a track from Steven Wilson’s latest live effort – “Impossible Tightrope” – which if purchased on Wilson’s website also offers a binaural version.

In the track “Home Invasion – Regret 9,” the bass and drums immediately engage, the snare drum and kick drum are full and fast, and the performance of the 50 mm driver associates full-bodied sound pressure with enough resolution to make the strokes of the sticks sound clearly on the skin. Guitars and keyboards accompany the singer, filling a virtual soundstage extended in three dimensions, especially in the horizontal one extended well beyond ear distance. At minute 4 it stops for the riff of the guitars giving space to Wilson’s voice that by naturalness immediately brings us back to the live performance heard about a year ago at his concert. The cymbals are distinguishable, so no worries about that part of the spectrum, but in this song the onstage involvement and the riff take the lead. The rendering of the keyboard solo after minute 7 is remarkable. To better assess the balance and attitude of the SR 7000 headphone we then switched to a beautiful album from 2025 where Klaus Makela conducts the Orchestre de Paris in an engaging performance of Berlioz’s Sinfonia Fantastica. Given the attitude of this headphone we immediately turned to the fourth movement-“Songe d’une nuit du Sabbat”-which in the first minute introduces the scene with the low strings taking center stage. The interpretation rendered is again impetuous, the scene wide and the double basses are clearly placed behind the other strings on the right side of the sound front.

The first minute and a half thus passes with the woodwinds conversing with the double basses and then exploding with the timpani and tuba. The famous bells (2′.50″) are aptly placed far away, high up, but full of resonance picked up in full by the bass tuba that shakes the driver without, however, pointing out any annoying coda. From minute 4 onward the woodwinds and percussion take center stage, rightly placed behind the strings. Here one appreciates the smoothness of the reproduction of the upper part of the spectrum, which allows the volume not to be lowered despite the fact that the brass goes full throttle. To conclude and assess whether this is true sweetness of reproduction we cast a live recording from 1999 where Anne-Sophie Mutter performs Vivaldi’s Four Seasons together with the Trondheim Soloists. The third movement of Summer with the thunderstorm overhead makes no regrets in the voices of the strings pressing in closely, arranged on a wide sound front. The Mutter is really pleasant and well rendered in this interpretation that the album flows nonstop to the end.

The Aune SR 7000 headphone gave evidence of the excellent work done by the Wuhan brand’s designers. The realization of a closed architecture that therefore allows for isolated and faultless listening in sound performance has succeeded in full. The headphone will appeal to a wide audience that loves the most diverse with a timbral signature capable of betraying no one.

Technical characteristics:

Type: circumaural dynamic closed architecture headphone.
Transducer: 50 mm diameter dynamic.
Sensitivity: 106 dB SPL / 1mW.
Frequency reposition: 5 Hz – 44.5 kHz.
Impedance: 55 Ohm
Weight: 390 g.

Standard equipment: removable cable with unbalanced 3.5 mm stereo jack connector and 6.3 mm adapter, removable cable with balanced pentaconn 4.4 mm connector hard carrying case.

Price: €639

Manufacturer: Aune Audio

Distributor: Polaris Audio