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Beyerdynamic Aventho Wired
Beyerdynamic might not be the flashiest brand when it comes to audio products, but their products are usually some of the best out there. We’ve checked out a fair number of headphones from the company including the Aventho Wireless, which Lily reviewed earlier this year. But the biggest issue with those is the insanely high price tag for a pair of Bluetooth headphones. What if you don’t care about Bluetooth and wouldn’t mind saving a small bit of money by picking up a wired pair? That’s where the Beyerdynamic Aventho Wired headphones come in. You might think these headphones are the same minus the Bluetooth, but you’d be wrong. The Beyerdynamic Aventho Wired is a completely different product.
Editor’s note: this Beyerdynamic Aventho Wired review was updated on April 9, 2021, to include a content menu and expand the sound quality section.
Who should get the Beyerdynamic Aventho Wired?
- Commuters should consider these extremely compact on-ear headphones. The lightweight build and bass-heavy sound are perfect for daily use, but if you want headphones that will actively cancel outside noise, look elsewhere.
- Listeners with cash to burn will be perfectly happy to splurge on these handsome headphones.
How’s the build quality of the Beyerdynamic Aventho Wired headphones?
I’m completely torn on whether or not I like the build of these headphones or not. One day I wake up wishing they were just a little sturdier and the next day I’m thankful that they’re so flexible. That said, there is one thing in particular that I wish were better about the build quality of these headphones, especially when you take into account how expensive these are.
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My main issue with these is the headband. As on-ears, I expect the Aventho Wired to fit tightly because otherwise: they’d just fly off my head every time I turn around. Beyerdynamic did a great job in making the clamping force just tight enough to stay on your head, but not too tight that they hurt. Still, I think these could benefit greatly from some more padding at the crown of the head. As it stands, I feel a constant, slight pressure that makes me very aware of the headphones.
Besides that, these headphones basically check all the boxes when it comes to what you’d expect from a premium build. The entire frame of the headphones is made of a thin metal that seems to do fine under small amounts of stress—even the plastic along the inside that holds the headband in place feels tough. The headphones don’t have folding hinges, so you can’t compact them too much.
The ear cups have a matte black finish that is surprisingly resistant to fingerprints and the thin metal ring that surrounds each ear cup is a nice accent. Of course, they’re still on-ears, so the fit and isolation aren’t great. You’ll easily hear what’s going on around you, but that just comes along with the form factor. Thankfully, they are pretty comfortable thanks to the plush leatherette padding that you can easily replace on their website if they get worn down over time. Similarly, the audio cable is also removable for easy replacement.
The Beyerdynamic Aventho Wired headphones have a removable 3.5mm audio cable
The cable’s size and weight are nearly perfect for a pair of portable on-ears. Plus, the built-in mic and controls are universal so regardless of which smartphone you own, you’ll get basic controls like pausing and playing music as well as answering phone calls. While the remote is universal when it comes to media playback and call control, you might not be able to control the volume. On my iPhone X volume control wasn’t an option, so every time I needed to adjust it I had to pull my phone out and do it manually.
How do the Aventho Wired sound?
So I’m not sure if I’m just used to the Beyerdynamic over-ears which always impressed me, but I didn’t come away from the Beyerdynamic Aventho Wired headphones feeling the same way. Sure, they sound fine for their intended use case, but not nearly as good as other headphones you can get for the price.
Lows, mids, and highs
Lows were emphasized, which makes sense because those are usually the first notes to be masked by outside noise. Still, I think it was overdone here. The bassline in the song Let It Happen by Tame Impala tended to jump into the lower mids at times, and with everything going on in that song it just got in the way of the overall clarity. On the bright side, I felt like vocals (especially female vocals) are handled beautifully by the Aventhos.
Natalia Lafourcade came through clear with plenty of detail in her song Para Que Sufrir. Something that isn’t reflected in the highs is how easily they fade into the background in most songs. These give me the impression that they were tuned for bass and vocals, which to be fair is arguably the most important parts of a mix when you’re surrounded by city traffic and want to hear your music, but doesn’t really help if you just want to sit back and pick apart your favorite tracks.
Should you buy the Beyerdynamic Aventho Wired?
While I think these would have been a killer pair of headphones for most people anywhere near $150, the fact that they cost $339 at the time of this review makes them a no-go for me. I don’t know many people who don’t mind blowing close to $350 on a whim, but if that’s you then sure, get the Beyerdynamic Aventho Wired headphones. They’re not bad at all and even though the sound isn’t great for critical listening, that isn’t their intended use case. The emphasized low end and vocals make for a pair of on-ear headphones that make your music easier to hear in the cacophony of the outside world. And though it’s a practical sound, it isn’t a very exciting one to me.
The Aventho Wired are well-built and, for the most part, surprisingly comfortable for a pair of on-ear headphones, but that doesn’t mean you should spend $339 on them. If you’re going to spend that much you might as well just spend a little more on the Aventho Wireless. Or if you really want one of the best sounding headphones around, spring for the Amiron Wireless and you won’t be disappointed. Otherwise, I’d say these are just too expensive for what you get.
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