The Aune SR7000 was kindly provided free of charge in exchange for an honest review. I didn’t receive monetary or any other kind of compensation and I don’t use affiliate links. The price of the Aune SR7000 is €639 and you can buy it from here.
Aune Audio
Aune audio is a brand from China that makes audio devices that are well regarded for their excellent value. Their products combine high quality craftsmanship and sound quality at affordable prices. Notable examples are the Aune S9c Pro Pro DAC/amp and the Aune S17 Pro headphone amplifier which is considered as one of the best values in the market right now. A newer model, the Aune S17 Pro EVO is also available.
Aune SR7000
The Aune AR5000 is an affordable, comfortable, lightweight and good sounding open-back headphone, the first one produced by the company.
Aune is now back with a newer model, a closed-back this time, the Aune SR7000. Priced at $599, the SR7000 is two times more expensive than the AR5000 but for a good reason as we are going to find later on.
Technical highlights
Aune has spent countless hours of research and development to make the SR7000 sound as open as possible. In order to achieve this the SR7000 employs many unique and innovative features as the company informs us.
First of all, a W-shaped ceramic-reinforced polymer composite diaphragm, provides a larger effective piston area. Optimized with Multi-Layer Distributed compensation (MLD), it ensures integral piston vibration across the entire frequency range while effectively enhancing the upper limit of high-frequency extension.
Secondly, the specially optimized, independent and flexible suspension surround gently supports the ceramic-polymer cone in the air and ensures stable positioning with large cone movements. The air flow channels are specially optimized for the reproduction of low and resonant frequencies.
Then, the Tilted Acoustic Matrix, an imaging correction system utilizing computer-aided design, incorporates drivers with a steep tilt, paired with ear cups which are also tilted. Thanks to this technology, the closed-back SR7000 maintains an open and expansive soundstage, not regularly found in closed headphones.
Lastly, through the innovative integration of acoustic metamaterials into the headphone design – the patented acoustic prism “Dragon Scale” – the sound waves from the rear chambers are precisely modulated. This leads to a significant improvement in the sound image and at the same time eliminates typical acoustic colorations such as resonances that often occur with closed headphones.
Build quality and appearance
The Aune SR7000, just like the AR5000, is designed with many plastic parts that help reduce weight but they do not look as durable and premium as aluminium. The headband is divided in two parts, a stainless steel outer frame and a suspension leather strap. The gimbals and the protective grills are made of aluminium while the ear-cup enclosures and the headband adjusting mechanism are made from high quality plastic. The drivers are protected with an exterior fine mesh that keeps debris and dust outside.
Despite the use of plastic, the Aune SR7000 is a well made and assembled headphone that is sturdy and doesn’t make noises during adjustment or use. The quality of the materials and the overall craftsmanship are not that different from similar headphones like the Sennheiser HD660S2.
The outer appearance of the SR7000 is the exact same with the AR5000, the only real difference is their color pattern. The SR7000 has a rich, dark green finish accentuated by golden lines that are visible through the protective grilles, in contrast to the silver finish and red lines of the AR5000. Generally speaking, the SR7000 is a beautiful looking headphone with a minimalistic yet modern design.
Comfort and wearing experience
The SR7000 features the “Concentric Circle” wearing adjustment system that was introduced with the Aune AR5000. The headband size and overall curvature have been improved and optimized again and again to enhance compatibility with different head shapes. Truly enough, the adjusting mechanism of the SR7000 has enough margin to fit both smaller and larger heads with ease and without looking bulky.
The user replaceable ear-pads are stuffed with soft acoustic slow-rebound foam and are designed to fully cover the ears without them touching the drivers. Their exterior material is entirely made from synthetic leather that feels cool to the skin but doesn’t breathe as well as the hybrid design of the AR5000.
The clamping force is strong enough to hold the headphone stable during movement and help with isolation but not that much to exercise annoying pressure. The SR7000 is a lightweight (380g) headphone that fits extremely comfortably and offers great wearing experience even after hours of use.
Noise isolation is very good, especially for home use, but the SR7000 doesn’t isolate as well as professional closed-back headphones that have a much stronger clamping force.
Cable and accessories
The bundle of Aune SR7000 is much more generous than that of the AR5000 as it now includes a high quality and stylish carrying case plus two detachable cables. The first one is a standard OFC TRS cable and the second one an OCC upgrade cable with a 4.4mm plug.
The 3.5mm cable is rather ordinary with too much microphonic noise but the balanced one is very well made. It is soft, it doesn’t get tangled and has low friction noise. Aune should have included two high quality cables or one balanced with a 3.5mm adapter.
Power requirements
With 55Ω of rated impedance and 106dB of sensitivity, the Aune SR7000 is not that difficult to drive and feels at home with both portable and desktop sources. It doesn’t require too much power but it scales very well and sounds even better with higher quality desktop sources, like the Aune S9c Pro that was used by the brand as the basis for its tuning.
Aune suggests that the SR7000 needs 30 hours of playtime to reach its optimal performance and thus I did.
Listening impressions
The SR7000 has a balanced tuning and great sound coherency all the way from the bottom to the top of the frequency range. Great sub-bass extension, neutral bass, present mid-range with a touch of emphasis and a sparkling yet inoffensive treble. Don’t judge from frequency response graphs that you will find in the web, the Aune SR7000 is a classic example where graphs have little to do with its actual sound signature. It is always better to trust your ears than read graphs.
The overall tuning is so balanced and tonally accurate that it reminds more of a monitor rather than a consumer headphone. However, the Aune SR7000 is far from sounding clinical and sterile as it is very musical and engaging with all kinds of music.
The tonal accuracy of the SR7000 is really impressive, especially considering its price point and in contrast with the competition. This is a headphone where all instruments of the symphony orchestra and voices, male and female, sound extremely close to reality and are faithfully reproduced with their full range of fundamentals and harmonics.
More listening impressions
The bass is almost neutral with great sub-bass extension and the right amount to sound natural and present without overpowering or bleeding into the mid-range. The low frequencies are reproduced with excellent precision without audible roll-off or any kind of emphasis that would end coloring the sound, compromising tonal accuracy.
The SR7000 is ideal for critical listening and at the same time it can become quite fun and enjoyable with most kinds of music but don’t expect too much bass excitement.
The technical performance of the SR7000 is striking for a closed-back and it manages to outperform many rivaling open-back headphones. The bass is fast, tight and controlled with excellent timing and pace. It is crystal clear and defined with class leading layering and texture within its category.
The Aune SR7000 succeeds to overcome all the usual shortcomings that are associated with closed-back headphones when it comes to the reproduction of the low-end. The bass of the SR7000 has exceptionally low distortion, even when listening to louder volumes, and is entirely devoid of cup resonances and echoing reflections.
The SR7000 is punchy and dynamic with a physical impact that surpasses many open-back headphones. If there is a minor downside is that the textures remind more of planar rather than dynamic driver headphones. The bass is not that muscular or visceral, it is slightly dry and lean but not to the point to sound thin and fragile or lose its elasticity.
And more…
The mid-range is strong and present with a touch of upper mids emphasis which is rather necessary to help add the clarity and definition that a closed-back headphone needs to avoid an overly dark or constrained sound. The SR7000 is far from sounding dark or veiled, its mid-range has exceptional clarity and definition, class leading articulation and resolution, all while avoiding sibilant and piercing effects even at louder listening volumes.
The timbre is natural and organic with plenty of colorful saturation. The ST7000 is undeniably expressive, the music flows in a lifelike and vivid manner while the textures appear as lush and rounded, however not that full bodied or thick.
The treble takes over in the same, mildly emphasized manner but it is cleverly adjusted to balance between brilliance and a gentle smoothness. The SR7000 has plenty of luminosity and energy to show, it resolves well for the category but it doesn’t sound too bright and certainly not fatiguing.
The higher frequencies have a sparkling attitude to them but they are not sharp or edgy. The SR7000 is clear and transparent but not analytical or too revealing. It is not lacking in detail retrieval but on the other hand, it doesn’t belong to the headphones that dive too deep inside the recording.
The note weight is in total harmony with the lower frequencies so higher pitched instruments don’t appear thinner or drier as it sometimes happens with other headphones. The timbre is natural enough with just a few traces of metallic artificiality here and there, depending on the recording. The SR7000 is fast but not that much to affect the natural decay of the sound.
A closed-back headphone that doesn’t sound closed at all
The soundstage of the Aune SR7000 deserves its own paragraph because it has nothing to do with what is usually expected from closed-back headphones. Aune has managed to make it sound exceptionally open and spacious with plenty of width and depth layering. The headphone has excellent imaging skills while it sounds surprisingly holographic and immersive. The Aune SR7000 puts to shame many open-back headphones and the only thing really missing is the sense of the air circulating through the open ear-cups. The Aune acoustic engineers need to be congratulated for their innovative approach and accomplishing the goal to make the closed-back SR7000 as open as possible.
Vs the Aune AR5000
The AR5000 was Aune’s first headphone, an open-back model with the exact same exterior design as the SR7000 and good sound quality for the money. So, what does the SR7000 have more than a couple of extra accessories to justify its price difference?
Well, simply enough, the SR7000 is more balanced and tonally accurate and offers much better sound quality than the AR5000. The AR5000 is not that extended in the sub-bass, it is more colored in the mid-bass and sounds brighter. The bass is not as punchy and impactful, the textures are not that refined and is less resolving. The timbre is not as natural and sounds more artificial and sharper in the treble. Even the soundstage is better in the closed-back SR7000 than the open-back AR5000. The SR7000 is undeniably a maturer and better sounding headphone that deserves all the extra cash.
In the end
Second time’s the charm as they say and nothing holds more true in the case of the SR7000. Aune has not only managed to make their second headphone much better sounding than their first but they also made one of the best closed-back headphones on the market.
I have tested many closed-back headphones of the same category, like the Sennheiser HD620S, the Focal Azuris and the Neumann NDH 20 among others, and none of them can really match the tonal balance and the overall sound quality of the Aune SR7000.
And to go even further, I can honestly say that the SR7000 is much better sounding than several open-back headphones within its category, at least for someone who values tonal accuracy and natural timbre.
The SR7000 is actually so good that it has now become one of my reference headphones both for audio gear evaluations and critical listening to my favorite classical music.
The Aune SR7000 is a lightweight and comfortable headphone with exceptional sonic performance for the price that has all the benefits of a closed-back design with none of its drawbacks. A headphone that isolates well and sounds more open than many open-back headphones is a rare achievement that deserves your attention.
Copyright – Petros Laskis 2025.
+ Exceptional tonal balance and sound coherency
+ Excellent bass technicalities
+ Punchy and impactful bass
+ No cup reflections and excellent control
+ Good transparency and clarity
+ Natural and realistic timbre
+ Ideal for critical listening yet fun and enjoyable
+ The soundstage rivals most open-back headphones
+ Easy to drive and scales well
+ Above average noise isolation
+ Lightweight, low clamping force and very comfortable
+ Well made with a modern appearance
+ High quality carrying case and two cables
+ Outstanding price to performance ratio
- Relatively lean textures
- A touch of artificiality in the treble but not always
- Lacks a bit in insight
- The 3.5mm cable is rather mediocre
- Doesn't isolate as well as professional closed-back headphones
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