Hey everyone,
Today I’m reviewing the N7 amplifier from Aune, a brand that really needs no introduction. It sits in the middle of their lineup.
A big thank you to Aune @auneaudio for sending the unit over for review 🌹
Before we start:
Aune sent me this unit before I became their dealer, and they asked for my honest opinion. That’s exactly what you’ll get, God willing. If anything, I’ll be harder on it than on other gear, because it’s one of the products we sell in the IEM WORLD store.
Contents
Sources
Streamer: Lumin U2 Mini
DAC: DENAFRIPS Ares 15th R-2R DAC
Headphones:
HEDD2 & Sivga PENG & Verum One MKII
Speakers:
Kef LS50 Wireless
connected with an RCA cable
I’ll lay out the full chain at the end of the review.
Pros and cons
I’ll start with the pros and cons.
Pros
– Small footprint, it won’t crowd your desk
– Color info display
– Class A amp
– Drives any headphone you plug into it, no matter how power hungry
– A purely musical sound signature (if you want neutral or analytical, you won’t like it)
– True balanced inputs and outputs
– Two current levels to choose from (one of the best features, especially if you own a planar)
– R2R volume control, which you rarely see on anything under $1000
– Preamp mode, and you can still control the volume in that mode
– Comes with a metal remote that handles most of the functions
– Exceptional performance for the price
Cons
– No XLR headphone output
– No standby mode. It’s either fully on or fully off, and the power switch is on the back!
– Volume control, from the remote or the unit itself, isn’t very precise (sometimes it jumps two steps when I only pressed the remote once)
– It runs fairly warm (normal for a Class A amp in this category, but I wanted to mention it)
– You can’t use your own power cable with it. You have to use the adapter that comes in the box
– The sound signature won’t suit a lot of people, especially anyone chasing every last detail or an analytical presentation, and gamers too
Specs
Inputs and outputs
Technical performance
Now for the technical performance, point by point:
– Sound signature:
Warm.
Purely musical, and honestly, gear with this kind of signature is really rare.
I can say with confidence that this amp gave me the most musical, emotional listening I’ve had so far, second only to the holo audio bliss kte, which I reviewed on my YouTube channel and which costs $3600.
– Soundstage:
Wide, and very, very, very deep.
One of the most beautiful stages you’ll ever come across.
– Layering:
Excellent. The spacing between the layers is easy to hear.
– Clarity:
It fits the signature. If clarity is what you want most, go for its big brother, the Aune S17 Pro EVO.
That doesn’t mean clarity is bad on this unit. Not at all. It’s just not the best.
– Background:
Excellent. No noise and no hiss at all.
– Separation:
Great for this kind of signature. This also depends on your headphone, which has to be good at it too.
– Detail retrieval:
For its signature, I’d call it excellent.
Compared with gear that has a neutral signature, though, those will obviously do better.
To put it simply: if detail is your top priority, this amp isn’t for you.
The sound
Bass:
The strongest, most beautiful bass I’ve heard so far.
The N7 lifts the bass and brings it forward, especially the sub-bass, and no matter how I describe it, I can’t fully get the picture across.
It gives the bass more air, more quantity and more warmth, and you hear all of that on whatever headphone you use with it. The Sivga Peng and the HEDD2, for example, are both weak in the sub-bass. On this amp the problem was completely gone. The sub-bass came forward and gave the sound an amazing musical warmth.
And if your headphone already has a lot of bass, it will go up even more, so be careful, unless that’s what you like.
It was also the best amp I’ve used with the Kef speakers. It brought the bass forward in a really beautiful, fun way.
Mids:
Slightly behind the bass. Warm, enjoyable and natural. Every sound has weight, with no thinness and no harshness.
Treble:
Last in line after the bass and mids, but only by a little. The sparkle is moderate, with no harshness or sibilance. Even if your headphone is on the bright side, it will calm down a bit on this amp.
Treble detail is moderately forward. If you want gear that pushes the details out at you, you won’t like it. You’ll hear them clearly, they just don’t jump out.
Extension up top is great. I honestly don’t know how they kept it with this kind of signature.
The full chain
Router
Ethernet Cable From ERUMPENT
https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_oF9AtUB
⬇️
Streamer
LUMIN U2 Mini
https://www.suncoastaudio.com/collections/lumin/products/lumin-u2-mini
⬇️
Coaxial cable
https://iem-world.com/ar/DppYAOb
By: IEM World
⬇️
Dac
DENAFRIPS Ares 15th R2R DAC
https://iem-world.com/ar/YgEbZwE
⬇️
ULTRA Copper X / XL cable
https://iem-world.com/ar/vAXDmDl
By: IEM World
⬇️
AMP
Aune N7
https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_olwOi5H
Headphones
Blue Orbit headphone cable
https://iem-world.com/ar/WzAARZP
By: IEM World
Kef LS50 Wireless, over RCA
To wrap up
If you’re looking for an amp with a warm signature and a musical, emotional presentation, that can drive any headphone at a very reasonable price, the Aune N7 is the first choice, hands down.
Best regards,
IEM World
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