Fit and Comfort

Seen above is the Aune AR5000 placed on a mannequin head to help show how these headphones would look on the human head. Note that the head is slightly under average sized, so account for the discrepancies accordingly. As with all headphones, getting a good fit and seal is crucial, so make sure to properly use the various pivot points, along with the height adjustability of the headband and ear cups. This section is mostly a summary of the points expanded upon in more detail on the previous page, but I will point out that the AR5000 weighs ~350 g, which is about average for dynamic driver headphones—especially those using a metal chassis. Plastic body headphones can certainly weigh less, although comfort is actually a strong point here. The wide suspension band distributes the weight evenly over a larger surface area, and the clamp force was perfect for my head too. The ear pads are also fairly plush against the sides of your head, and the end result is I had no problem using the AR5000 for hours on end as needed. I do not know how well the faux leather parts will last over time, especially given the ear pads were already softer on the inside than I'd like, but I have no complaints for now. The contoured pads also allow for a secure seal around the ears, especially combined with the cup swivel and rotation on offer. Note that this is an open-back set with plenty of venting, so it's not something suited for environments where sound isolation is important.

Audio Performance

Audio Hardware

Aune goes into very little detail about its dynamic drivers used in the AR5000 despite marketing being all over it. These are called MLD, or Multi-Layer Distributed drivers, which are 50 mm in size and use a diaphragm that is composed of multiple layers, hence the name. The goal here is account for driver stiffness and damping in a controlled manner, and this just tells me the driver has damping materials on it—we can see this on page 3 too. Aune claims low distortion across the rated frequency range and the angled position helping achieve a deep and wide soundstage. The AR5000 is not the easiest dynamic driver set of headphones to drive with a rated impedance of 28 Ω (presumably at 1 kHz, expect a non-linear curve) and sensitivity of 108 dB/Vrms at 1 kHz (~92.5 dB/mW), but the lower impedance means even a good portable DAC/amp should have enough current and voltage to get this going without issues. I used it with the Aune S17 Pro, which was overkill but so good nonetheless, and had a satisfying experience with the likes of the FiiO KA17 too. The 1.5 m long stock cable makes more sense now, as does the use of a 3.5 mm termination suggesting Aune expects people to have the AR5000 connected to something closer to them.

Frequency Response Measurement and Listening

I will mention that I have a general preference for a warm-neutral signature emphasizing a slightly elevated bass and smooth treble range with detailed mids and good tonal separation. I also generally prefer instrumental music over vocals, with favored genres including jazz and classical music.


Our current headphones test setup uses a set of two custom in-ear microphones for the two channels. These microphones closely adhere to the IEC711 class, but have been tweaked to be more reliable in the >10 kHz frequency range, the precise issue with my previous setup, that is otherwise still very good and will continue to be used for IEMs and earphones. Two soft silicone pinnae are installed on the sides, separated by a distance matching my head, and multiple "height" adapters have been 3D-printed for further customization based on fit, head size and shape. Each set of microphones has an XLR output I separately adapted to 3.5 mm. I used a transparent source—the FiiO K19 as a DAC feeding the Aune S17 Pro—for measurements. This artificial head simulator feeds the microphone lines into a reference USB sound card, which in turn goes to a laptop that has ARTA and REW running. I begin with an impulse measurement to test for signal fidelity, calibrate the sound card and channel output, account for floor noise, and finally test the frequency response of each channel separately. Octave smoothing is at the 1/12th setting, netting a good balance of detail and signal-to-noise ratio. The default tuning was used for testing, and no app or program-based EQ settings were chosen, unless specifically mentioned. Each sample of interest is measured at least thrice with separate mounts to account for any fit issues, and an average is taken of the individual measurements for statistical accuracy.


As per usual, you can find my headphone frequency response measurements on VSG.squig.link, along with all the earphone measurements. Scroll to the bottom and choose different targets there, including two from Harman Kardon, developed after years of R&D. The Harman 2018 over-ear target in particular is a reference curve many headphone makers aim for now, but I find it too bass-boosted. As such, I am opting for the Harman 2018 curve with the bass target from the Harman 2013 curve, which is what is being referred to as the "Harman Combined" target there. Before we get talking about the sound signature of the Aune AR5000, I want to first talk about the channel balance achieved here. You will notice how the left and right channels are extremely close to each other all the way from 20 Hz to 20 kHz, which is the region of interest for human hearing. Keep in mind that positioning of the headphones on the measurement rig plays a role too, as does the part where it is only so much accurate in the first place. I certainly was not able to pick out any channel imbalance in my ears though! I will also mention that using the headphones for ~25 hours didn't change anything either, for those curious about burn-in.

Aune is going for a warm and relaxed sound signature for the AR5000, which will no doubt attract a lot of people. This is also a good step from the more mainstream V-shaped tuning towards something far more balanced, allowing people to use the AR5000 with a more versatile and diverse music library. There's a lot which is well executed here, and yet some things remain which can be disappointing depending on how you perceive them. Take the bass, for example. It's not easy to get that minimal drop in the mid-bass and sub-bass for an open-back dynamic driver set. Aune has definitely used dampening materials to help achieve this, as with many others recently, with the result being significantly improved sub-bass presence compared to the likes of the Sennheiser HD 600/650. You will perceive this quite easily with electronic/house music, although I found things to be fairly soft hitting. This is even more obvious in the mid-bass where kick drums didn't have that impact, although 4/5-string bass guitars had a better showing. The dynamic range was large enough to appreciate leading and trailing ends of tones, although I suspect that the looser punch and impact might put off people. This is not immediately obvious in the first few minutes trying out the AR5000, and some of this could well be the result of the tonality in the lows and upper mids alike.

By comparison, the mids are very well reproduced here. Vocals feel fairly natural and forward without being shouty or honky. That dip at 1.5 kHz also does not come off as noticeable as the measurements indicate and perhaps some of this is to do with the ear gain being just right for me. It may also be contributing to a wider soundstage, and imaging is fairly precise up front. I would not say the AR5000 is a detail monster by any means though, with the likes of brass instruments and some piano keys coming off blunted/hollow. That's the issue with going for a slightly darker tuning in the mid-treble, which means you lose out on the sparkle and air which can add to a sense of increased resolution. At the same time, I thought string instruments in general were quite good to listen to here, and timbre is generally on point. There is also minimal fatigue as a result of the tonality, and no sibilance in play either.


There's increasingly more competition in the price range that the Aune AR5000 finds itself in, although the obvious one has to be the Sennheiser HD 600/650 series. The HD 6XX costs less but is localized to the US, and is a good example of what I meant with some newer dynamic driver headphones going for a damped driver approach to get more sub-bass, but possibly at the expense of mid-bass impact and contrast. The AR5000 looks better on paper, although I'd personally pick the HD 6XX for anyone listening to a lot of rock, metal, and even vocal-centric country and pop music. The AR5000 handles classical music better, especially for strings and harps, and I'd also say it looks more premium with the metal chassis. Then there's the FiiO FT3 which, at least with the 350 Ω version, is an even more direct contender for your money. You get even fancier/more expensive metals used for the chassis, although I dare say it looks tacky by comparison even accounting for the champagne gold on the AR5000. I would also give Aune the win on comfort, especially given the relatively smaller ear pads on the FT3. FiiO does offer two ear pad sets that result in two different tonalities out of the box, going from a U-shape to a more warm-neutral sound. FiiO also offers better accessories, including a carry case and a more universal cable, so it is a valid option if your ears are fine with the pads and your eyes are fine with the design. There's also the Sivga Luan which has a similar tuning as the AR5000, also goes the damped route, and is even softer in the treble if you wanted something with wooden ear cups and a sound signature that is leaning more towards the lows. The bigger competition, outside the Sennheiser offerings, has to be the planar magnetic HIFIMAN Sundara. It's also not the most recent release, and I'd argue is bested tonally by a lot of headphones now, but has developed almost a cult following which, when combined with the faster, more accurate presentation it offers suggests you may want to try it out. I'd personally save the extra and go the Edition XS route if you prefer the planar magnetic sound though.