Y’all know the name. Beyerdynamic has been in the game for over 90 years. In fact, they’re only a stone’s throw away from making their first century. Think about that for a minute. In 1924 they developed their first loudspeakers and in the 1930’s, they developed the first dynamic headphones (Wikipedia). Fast forward to today and we’ve got the Beyerdynamic Aventho Wireless; a Bluetooth on-ear headphone with touch controls and sound personalization software. My, how times have changed…

At the time of writing, the Aventho Wireless is $449.

Available at:

This product was provided for the purpose of an honest review. I’m not affiliated with the company and all observations and opinions here are my own.

Specifications

• Transducer type………………………………….dynamic
• Operating principle………………………….. closed
• Frequency response…………………………..10 – 40,000 Hz
• Nominal impedance…………………………. 32 Ω
• Nominal SPL with jack plug cable…. 105 dB SPL (1 mW / 500 Hz)
• Nominal power handling capacity… 100 mW
• T.H.D……………………………………………………. 0.3% @ 500 Hz
• Sound coupling to the ear………………. on-ear
• Cable length and connector……………..1.2 m, detachable, 3-pole mini stereo jack (3.5 mm)
• Bluetooth version………………………………. 4.2
• Frequency range……………………………….. 2.4000 – 2.4835 GHz
• Power class…………………………………………. 2.0
• Supported profiles……………………………..HSP, HFP, A2DP, AVRCP, GAVDP
• Supported codecs…………………………….. aptX™, aptX™ HD, AAC, SBC
• Operating range……………………………….. up to 10 m
• Battery runtime…………………………………. > 30 hrs.
• Charging time……………………………………. 2 hrs.
• Battery capacity………………………………… 1050 mAh
• Charging port……………………………………. USB-C
• Operating temperature……………………  0 – 40 °C
• Weight without cable………………………  238 g

Package and Accessories

The Aventho Wireless arrives in a black cardboard box with an image of the headphones amongst some swirling, coloured smoke. On the back of the box is another image of the headphones and an outline of some of the features.

Here’s what you’ll find inside the box.

• Aventho wireless headphones
• Audio cable with mini-jack plug (3.5 mm)
• Charging cable USB-A to USB-C
• Soft bag
• User manual
• MIY app information brochure

It’s everything you need but feels a little underwhelming, considering the price. A rigid carry case would have been nice to see, although admittedly the soft bag is well-padded and of good quality.

Build Quality and Design

Do I really need to go over this? I mean come on – it’s Beyerdynamic we’re talking about! Alright then, let’s dive in.

The Aventho Wireless is crafted from metal and plastic. It sports a spring steel headband, covered with a plush PU leather cover. This is connected to the metal adjustment bars, which in turn, are connected to the metal brackets that hold the earcups.

All the metal parts are expertly machined and feel light yet very strong. The exposed wire connecting the two earcups add some interest to the aesthetics. A thick, dense plastic makes up the bulk of the earcups. On the exterior of each earcup is a textured metal ring for added strength and aesthetics.

The left earcup is bare apart from the Beyerdynamic logo on the outside. All the controls and ports are on the right earcup. These include a USB-C port for charging the headphones, a power/Bluetooth LED indicator, Power on/off button and 3.5mm jack.

On the outer side of the right earcup is the single touch-sensitive panel used for controlling the headphone’s functions, which I’ll cover in more detail later.

Inside each earcup is an L or R indicator for easy identification of each side. This is a feature that more and more manufacturers are adopting and I’m all for it. The earcups can be rotated 180° which is great because it’s equally as easy to lay them flat around your neck or on a flat surface like a desktop.

Finally, the earpads are quite thin but very plush and soft. They are replaceable and can be purchased separately from the Beyerdynamic website. Removing them is very simple; you can just pull them straight off and then click back into place easily.

Comfort and Isolation

Despite the earpads being quite thin, I find the Aventho Wireless to be pretty comfortable. Having said that I do get some hot spots after an hour or so and feel the need to take them off just for a couple of minutes to give my ears a rest. I would love to see an option to buy a set of slightly thicker pads.

The clamping force is a little strong for my preference but it’s likely the headband could be bent a little to relieve the pressure on your ears (I would give this a try but the sample unit I have needs to be returned…)

As for the headband, it does wrap around your head so the pressure on top of your head is spread out somewhat. The only discomfort I had was on my ears so the headband seems to be fine, at least for my anatomy

In terms of passive noise isolation, these are actually pretty darn good. With music playing at low-moderate levels I rarely get distracted by any outside noise. As such, I think the Aventho Wireless should be fine for use on public transport, noisy office areas etc.

Functionality and Battery

The Aventho Wireless is really simple to use. Its 4-directional touchpad on the right earcup is intuitive and responsive. I did have the occasional wayward swipe, resulting in skipping a track instead of adjusting the volume for example, but over time with some practice, I was getting it right nearly every time.

Pairing via the Bluetooth 4.2 is fast and painless and I had no trouble connecting the headphones to my Android smartphone or AR-M20 DAP. Of course, the Aventho Wireless also comes with a cable, so you can use it as a wired headphone if desired or if you have a depleted battery.

However, it’s pretty unlikely that you’ll find yourself without any battery power unless you’re quite careless. The Aventho Wireless’ 1050 mAh battery lasts over 30 hours on a single charge. And you can fully charge it in just 2 hours. That’s really impressive! 30 hours with aptX HD? Yeah, audiophiles can get down with that I reckon.

MIY (Make It Yours) App

The MIY app can be used to personalize the sound of the Aventho Wireless to work best with your hearing. It’s pretty easy to setup and takes about 10 minutes to complete.

Once connected to the headphones via the app, it takes you through a series of hearing tests for each ear. Once completed, your personal sound profile is uploaded to the headphones and can be enabled or disabled with the touch of a button.

I found it quite interesting and the results for me turned out pretty good. I noticed a bit more energy in the treble and upper midrange after uploading my profile. Vocals, in general, became more forward in the mix as well. However, it did take away some of that lush smoothness that I was enjoying prior to setting it up and gave it a bit of raw edginess.

Sound

What struck me from the get-go about the Aventho Wireless is how it’s so warm and inviting yet still really resolving. It’s a silky smooth presentation with plenty of mid-bass emphasis and body but at the same time is full of detail and has great instrument separation.

It’s smooth from top to bottom; perfect for an on the go portable headphone and has more of an easygoing nature than the other Beyerdynamic headphones I’ve heard in the past.

There is a definite noticeable difference between aptX and aptX HD when using a compatible device. The quality of aptX HD is fantastic and is getting very close to the quality of a wired connection. The Aventho Wireless gives you a voice prompt when paired and tells you which aptX mode is enabled.

Sources used for testing

• Acoustic Research AR-M200 (atpX HD)
• PC/MusicBee > Topping DX7 (wired)
• Samsung Galaxy Note 5 (aptX)

Bass

There’s a mid-bass focus that creates an overall warm tonality. The Tesla drivers provide incredible control, sufficiently thick notes with a fast decay and no unwanted bloom or resonance. Although there is an emphasis on bass, it sits behind the vocals and midrange in general, adding to its resolving capability.

Sub-bass is not as prominent as the mid-bass. It has a fast rumble and extends well but at times leave me wanting for just a little more oomph and authority.

Mids

The Aventhos midrange is rich and has a lovely warm, natural tonality. Vocals are dense and lifelike and are positioned slightly ahead of the mid-bass with no noticeable bass bleed. The progression from the lower to upper midrange is fairly linear, with no noticeable peaks or emphasis on any particular area apart from a small lift in the upper mids adding presence and clarity.

Male and female vocals alike sound vibrant and engaging, whether it be Lisa Gerrard in “The Host of Seraphim” or Scarface and 2Pac in their “Shine” duet, the Aventho Wireless shines (pun intended).

Treble

When it comes to treble, it’s crisp, clear and airy. The Aventho’s treble presentation is so very smooth – no harshness here at all but the extension is still there. It hits the right timbre but is non-fatiguing and laidback, contributing to the warm tonality of the headphones.

Soundstage

Soundstage is very wide, reaching to the very outside of the headspace. Depth is less defined, making vocals fairly close and intimate. Vocals are positioned in front of and slightly above the listener.

Comparisons

Thinksound On2

The On2 has a little less warmth, as it has a smaller mid-bass hump. Mids and vocals aren’t as dense or forward as the Aventho, which has a more tangible presence. The Aventho also has crisper treble notes with superior definition, resulting in stronger detail retrieval but makes it sound more V-shaped compared to the On2.

Being considerably lighter, the On2 has a slight advantage in comfort. The On2 is also more portable thanks to its folding design. Overall, the Aventho is more technically adept (Bluetooth aside) but it also costs around 3x the price of the On2.

Jays U-Jays

The midrange on the U-Jays is a touch more recessed but has increased clarity. There’s a little more authority in the U-Jays’ sub-bass and a similar mid-bass punch. Both headphones have a similarly relaxed and smooth treble. The Aventho’s sound has more body and warmth and is a bit more tonally accurate.

Both headphones are very comfortable with the U-Jays coming out slightly ahead due to its larger earcups/earpads that spread the clamping pressure over a larger contact area. Overall, the Aventho Wireless has a better sound but you’d expect that, with it being over 4x the price.

Beyerdynamic Aventho Wireless Conclusion

The Beyerdynamic Aventho Wireless is a beautifully crafted headphone that looks, feels and sounds great. The freedom of going wireless is a real boon for an on-ear headphone and with its exceptional battery life, the Aventho is a perfect travel companion.

One shouldn’t confine it just to a portable setup though – hook it up to a good desktop DAC and you have scalability as well. If you’re shopping for a high-end wireless on-ear, the Aventho Wireless is a fine headphone and I highly recommend it.

Available at:

Have you tried aptX HD yet? If so, how do you think it compares to aptX and perhaps more importantly, how does it compare to a wired sound? Share your thoughts in the comments below.