I had the privilege to test the Golden Ear Aon 03 last week. Here’s my take on it:
Construction and Design
It does not follow the mold of typical speakers in its price range. The shape is certainly odd (like a chopped-off pyramid), with a grille that wraps around the speaker. Many will find it under-embellished, but it does carry a minimalist appeal. The speaker itself is fairly light, but it feels solid nonetheless.
Sound
Lows: The woofers are clearly tuned for midrange duties, so a big chunk of the heavy lifting is handled by the passive radiators. The bass hump that’s common with most speakers happen at a lower frequency, which is a little different. Blending between the woofer and the radiators is passable, but can use some work. The opposed passive radiators are brilliant in preventing the cabinet from shaking when playing low notes (the reciprocating masses cancel each other). They give you weight that belies the speaker’s size, especially if you have them fairly close to the back wall. Being passive radiators, they do have a steep roll-off below their tuning frequency, which takes some getting used to.
Midrange: The Aon 3 delivers a clean and dry midrange (not the rich and chesty presentation that some may prefer). It’s cleverly voiced with a mild depression in the frequencies that excite enclosure resonances (not that there is a lot). Resolution is good and I didn't notice anything sticking out (that is a great thing). Images are in soft focus because of what seems to be a depression in the presence region. The woofer transitions to the tweeter very smoothly, which is a feat for a 2-way design.
Highs: The Aon 3 delivers an airy and sparkling top end. Extension isn't a problem with its ribbon tweeter. Shimmer from instruments like Cymbals and Triangles are almost lifelike. It seems to have a sizable dip in the 3 - 8kHz region, which gives it a very amiable flavor. People who want a lively presentation will find it a bit wanting in bite and attack, however.
Overall: The Aon 3 is definitely worth a listen. Quite easy to drive, even small amps like the DDA-100 can provide satisfactory motivation. It lacks the neutrality of more conventional designs, but it delivers a sound that will please many. It excels in bringing a sense of space around instruments and conveying a good rendition of live venues. The sweet spot is huge, which makes it great for group listening and HT. That last bit is probably its greatest advantage, as it will sound good in almost any part of the room. MLY is very willing to have you give them a go, so do stop by their showroom for a demo.
