Closer Examination

The stock cable that comes with the Aune AR5000 is adequate, but there's a reason Aune would rather you purchase the optional upgrade cable instead. The stock variant is a simple fabric-lined cable that unfortunately exhibits some microphonics in use. It's black and silver in color, including on the source termination where Aune has opted to go for 3.5 mm to be used with laptops, phones etc. as well as more prosumer sources with the included 6.35 mm (1/4") adapter. The housings are made of aluminium given a bead blasted finish, with the splitter having the Aune logo on it. The cable is 1.5 m long and uses oxygen-free copper conductor in two strands—one per side. It has two 3.5 mm TRS connectors on the headphones side with the connector housings having L/R makings to help indicate the left and right channels, respectively. The metal plugs are gold-plated for oxidation resistance.


The $49 upgrade cable is a significant improvement in user experience, so much so that it almost feels like a must-have accessory. I urge Aune to consider selling the AR5000 with this cable as a separate SKU for an additional price and skip out on the other cable altogether, even though I know some will prefer the monochrome colors of the stock cable. The Aune AR3 cable has no microphonics, is lighter and easier to shape compared to the stock cable, and has a 4.4 mm termination to use with, say, a portable DAC/amp or a DAP. This does mean reduced compatibility with more consumer-class clients though. It is a 4-strand, 56-core cable using 6N (99.9999% pure) copper in a Litz-style arrangement and uses a thermoplastic polyester elastomer (TPEE) sheath on top for the added supple and soft feeling. The metal hardware is polished aluminium this time, and it retains the L/R markings on the headphones end. The cable is the same 1.5 m in length and all three metal plugs come gold-plated for oxidation resistance.


Holding the Aune AR5000 in my hands helped explain why these have become so popular despite Aune not having much of a history when it comes to headphones. It's light without compromising on structural integrity thanks to the use of an aluminium chassis and ear cups. The champagne gold plating is a bold choice though, these might end up being too blingy for some. The headband is made of steel with large cutouts at the top to further reduce weight, and we see the use of an extremely wide, thick suspension band to help better distribute the headphones mass on the top of your head. The suspension band is made of protein leather with good stitching throughout, although I do wish it had holes to prevent hotspots from forming due to lack of ventilation. "Air Reference Series" is embossed on the suspension band, and we see the same printed on the outside where the headband meets the ear cups. The various parts appear to be held together with screws, so this bodes well for repairability and longevity.


There are L/R markings on the inside to help indicate the left and right channels of the headphones, respectively. The contoured ear pads also help identify the two sides. A plastic mechanism helps guide the steel band up and down for vertical sizing. Plastic moving on metal is not a good idea in my books, but thankfully it's not like you will keep moving it once you have settled on the headband position. There are discrete sizing steps which helps align both sides at the same equivalent position. I felt there was enough room here to accommodate those with larger heads quite easily, although the smallest/default position may still end up being on the larger side for smaller/thinner heads.


The C-clamps holding the ear cups and connecting them to the headband allow for articulating points that the ear cups rotate and swivel around. There is a hard stop on either end, meaning the AR5000 is unable to rest flat on your desk. This, combined with the lack of a storage/carry case, means Aune expects you to keep using the AR5000 enough to have it occupy a permanent spot on your desk—a headphone stand feels quite necessary in this case. There is enough rotation and swivel to help accommodate a wide section of people using the AR5000, and this bodes well for achieving a secure fit around the ears.


The grille and ear cups used in the Aune AR5000 standout, although I see some HIFIMAN Susvara inspiration with the horizontal cutouts and the branding in the middle—not a bad product to be reminded of! The champagne gold color is complemented by a light pink mesh underneath, with more venting along the sides as seen above. The ear pads are easy enough to remove given they fit into grooves in the ear cups, although putting them back is easier said than done. The stretchy part of the ear pads on the back is too easy to lose shape and this is a telltale sign of a cheaper material employed. Pad rolling with new pads should hopefully be easier. At this point we can also see the drivers installed at an angle firing into the ear canals. I also disassembled the ear cups to get a closer look inside, although Aune doesn't have a lot to reveal here unless you peel off the individual layers of this multi-layer distributed (MLD) dynamic driver used in the AR5000. I do appreciate the non-skimpy internal wiring and the good solder quality, it's a welcome change from the norm.


The ear pads are specific to the Aune AR5000, with the materials chosen based on acoustic and practical performance, and hopefully we will see replacement pads being sold sooner than later. These do not have a dust guard on the inside, are contoured to be thicker on the back to better fit around the human ear, and adopt a hybrid composition of suede on the contact surface and faux leather elsewhere. The pads also come partially fenestrated for added breathability, and use medium-density foam filling which is soft to the touch and adapts to your ears/cheeks well.

[Update: Aune has listened and has made replacement earpads available for purchase.]


On the bottom of the ear cups, angled towards the front, is where we find small cutouts for the cable connectors from before. These have the cable plugs connect easily enough, which naturally directs the cables away from your body and comfortably sets them down at the splitter on your chest, or a desk when sitting down. The Aune AR5000 has dual 3.5 mm TRS connectors on the ear cups to increase compatibility with aftermarket cables, which is handy if you don't like the stock cable. With the two cable sections meeting centrally at the splitter and moving to the source, weight balance is still centrally placed as it then heads to the source. I ended up mostly using the upgrade cable which is better ergonomically and also matches the aesthetics of the headphones. This also allowed me to natively use the AR5000 with the Aune S17 Pro headphone amplifier without needing the adapter for the single-ended connector, so let's allow this segue to lead us into an overview of this amplifier now. I will also mention that if you end up going with a headphone stand, then choose one which allows you to support the AR5000 off the steel band and not the suspension band—the Aune stand works well enough here.