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I have ATH-AD900's with w5000 pads and a Nuforce Icon HDP. I'm really happy with them in general, from all the types of music I listen to daily to being able to hear a Cheeto bag crumple from some fat neckbeard on the opposite corner of de_train in Counter-Strike. I managed to get the Icon as part of a package deal on Craigslist and sold the stuff that came with it to make the HDP effectively free, too.  That said, the Audeze LCD-3 caught my eye. Oh god. 2 grand new. But I have headphones on about a third of my life and audio quality is hugely important to me. I can save for a nice pair of headphones and amplifier over the course of a year or two, no problem, because I manage my finances well enough and don't have many expenses. That said: what am I really gaining by upgrading? Can the quality be that much better? Would it "wow" me in a way that my current headphones wouldn't? Upgrading from MDRV6's unamped to Grado SR-60i's with an Avenue pocket amp was "wow" for me. Going from that to an Asus Xonar STX with ATH-AD700's was wow for me. Going from this setup to the one I have now definitely had the wow factor as well. Really, how long will it last before I should basically give up, curl up, and die as a human being, knowing anything past a point is psychoacoustics?
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Oct 7, 2013 23:46
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It's not a matter of taking a year to save up for headphones because I can't afford them; I just don't want to sound like a sperg by saving a month to buy them if I'm happy with my current set. A year gives me time to wait on reviews of the LCD-X and see if at that point I wanna get something different or put that money toward another motorcycle or upgrading my car or getting A/D/S L1290's and a dedicated 2ch amp.
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Oct 8, 2013 00:22
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I'm an avid FPS gamer and directional audio is hugely important to me. I'll say hands-down that the AD700 and 900 headphones offer the best directional audio of any other headphone I've used to date, and it seems to be the consensus on the Internet. I'm using an 8ch audio card, too, which definitely is important for this (Xonar STX), but success is owed to the sound stage of the headphone drivers in both. I think the AD900 suffers most from "thin" (but present) bass due to source amplifiers and because of how the pads rest on the ears. When I put W5000 pads on and stuffed paper towels behind my AD900's, after the pads broke in a bit (sealed better) I ended up with a huge improvement to bass. Of course, the AD900-X variants have a pad setup similar to the AD700's, so this issue is remedied (but the W5000 are loving nice and I'd recommend them anyway). I am running my Icon HDP as a preamp for my Nakamichi TA-2A receiver right now and while the mids are not as present as using the Icon HDP by itself, I'm literally growing a beard headbobbing to sludge rock and heavy metal (Orchid, Kyuss, Dream Evil, Dio, Rainbow). I think that if you don't mind EQing and having a proper source to drive them, the AD900's are up there in "slam" with a lot of the other "slam" headphones. There's a reason they got an A+ on the flagship review thread on head-fi. They still bring a smile to my face every time I put them on and I've owned them for almost three years now (and my AD700's for five, which my girlfriend now uses and loves). If you like the AD700, the AD900's may be everything you enjoy but better.
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Oct 14, 2013 19:31
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Update: My Nakamichi Stasis vintage receiver I got for free sounds better than the amplifier portion of my Nuforce Icon HDP. The receiver allows you to bypass its internal preamps in favor of any other source so I did some experimenting. Right now I'm running s/pdif through my Xonar STX to the Icon HDP, which is being used as the preamp and DAC for my Nakamichi TA-2A. I thought the Icon sounded great before but holy poo poo, something about the Nakamichi just fills out music. I'm hearing stuff I've never heard before, in extremely great detail. It's really true that old receivers have some magic in them that you just don't find often in newer setups. I was about to drop coin for a Schiit Mjolnir and DAC stack but at this point I don't even see a need. 
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Oct 17, 2013 17:31
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Anybody have any experience with ATH-AD2000 headphones? How do they compare to ATH-AD900's?
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Oct 28, 2013 07:01
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Midorka posted:Ah man, it's a whole new world, for better and worse. The Ad2000 are magical headphones, as are the Ad900. If you can read this and not want to buy the Ad2000 then don't buy them. If you feel that there isn't much that entices you then don't. I find the Ad2000 better in every aspect to many other high-end headphones. Man, yeah, they are really piquing my interest. I started with the AD700's for three years with my Xonar STX before giving the 700's to my girlfriend and now have been using the AD900's with W5000 pads for 2ish years through the Icon HDP. I'm like, on the fence between keeping the Icon HDP for my girlfriend and getting the 2000's with a great paired amp or saving until next Christmas for a Mjolnir + Gungnir + LCD-3 combination or something equally as crazy (or both, really). Knot My President! fucked around with this message at 18:06 on Oct 28, 2013 |
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Oct 28, 2013 18:03
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Midorka posted:Dude, you are me, except without the worry about fancy amps. I think that you could definitely buy a used Ad2000. At worst you spend $400-$450 and don't like them, then re-sell at the loss of shipping costs. At best you realize they are your end-game headphone like many who own them do. Excellent! I think I'll do this for this Christmas then. I wanted an endgame setup but truthfully I'm so happy with the way the ATH-AD's are designed that outside of a set of Stax I don't think I'd be fully satisfied.
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Oct 28, 2013 19:24
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Easy-to-drive, great for classical music, great for gaming, and comfortable are the four reasons ATH-AD700's are highly regarded headphones. The ATH-AD700X's are the latest ones I believe. You could probably get some used on Head-Fi and have change left over for a Xonar DG or equivalent sound card ($25-$30), which would be perfect for driving them. I used mine for three years before retiring to my girlfriend for my 900's and without a doubt they're phenomenal headphones.
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Oct 30, 2013 21:52
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Starting my first real DIY projects: gonna build a b22 amp, o22 power supply, and y1 & y2 DAC for winter. If you see me on Maury or the 6 o'clock news, you know why
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Nov 4, 2013 23:59
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I'm going through Glass Jar for the kits. I should clarify though: I've built and rebuilt crossovers before and have taken a high school electronics class based on building speakers and circuitry and whatnot. I've also rewired my car to support fuel injection and am decent diagnosing with a multimeter. I am jumping in the deep end with a b22 as an amp project but I figure meticulousness and careful planning should get me through without too much agony since I've done quite a few DIY projects of various sorts.  If I gotta do a project, I wanna do a project, ya know?
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Nov 5, 2013 01:49
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Skim Milk posted:So I have the HD650s and a good amp and DAC. Where do I go from here? What amp and DAC? I'd recommend using Foobar with ASIO and make sure you don't have oversampling through each source (meaning, say, 24/96 through the whole system). Then get HD800's and then realize you need a better amp to power it so build a b22 
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Nov 30, 2013 20:16
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For those of you who might want to make something fun, Glass Jar Audio has 15% off purchases of $95 or more right now. Best time to pick up your DIY kits!
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Dec 2, 2013 18:46
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I think I've hit endgame   Now I just need front panels made and better headphones 
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Dec 30, 2013 04:45
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eddiewalker posted:Endgame? Have you gone through the electrostatic zealot phase? If I go electrostatic, it will be with a DIY Blue Hawaii and Stax-009's, so not for another five or six or seven years or so when I hate money. But as far as solid state headamps go, I'm absolutely content with this. 
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Dec 30, 2013 05:48
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In line behind ATH-AD2000's 
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Dec 30, 2013 05:55
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Why not get a separate microphone? I had a labtec USB mic I got for $4 that worked decently well and just used whatever headphones I could find. ATH-AD300's are like $40 last time I checked and use the AT "3d wing" system which is way comfier than anything else in that range. If you need sound, I'd honestly go with those on comfort factor alone.
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Jan 2, 2014 23:35
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neogeo0823 posted:The thing that I really liked about my last headset was that it was able to distort the sound coming out of it to make it seem like surround sound. I understand this was likely due to the fact that it was a logitech headset, but I was hoping to find a new set that would get that effect as well. Beyond that, it'd also be nice to not disturb everyone else in the apartment with whatever it is that I'm playing at the time. I could get a stand alone microphone, I suppose, but I also tend to sit kind of far away from the desk, and I think I'd feel like I have to shout at the mic to get it to pick up my voice decently. Ah, so emulated Dolby. I believe most sound cards have this built in now, actually. You can get an Asus DX or DG with Dolby 5.1 and will do this and cost you only ~$20. It also has a built in headphone amplifier and is all around a pretty good card, so you're not tied to a headset and can mix and match as needed. Logitech, Turtle Beach, Razer, and Steelseries headsets are basically your options for headphones in this category, but it's hard to recommend them if you're looking for something with longevity as you've mentioned, hence the rec for ATHs. Also, most are really uncomfortable.This guy seems to have a pretty complete list of headphones in your range, too: http://www.head-fi.org/t/534479/mad-lust-envys-headphone-gaming-guide-updated-12-27-2013-mrspeakers-alpha-dog-added and the Steelseries seem to be your best bet, although he doesn't find them to be hot in the sound category and they seem open-backed. If you poke around there I'm sure somebody will be able to recommend something. Oh, and: http://www.headphone.com/selection-guide/closed-headphones.php?price=50
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Jan 3, 2014 03:28
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neogeo0823 posted:Ah, thanks, this is good info. I didn't know that emulated dolby was a thing, much less that it was a feature of my computer, and not the headphones. I recently upgraded my motherboard to an MS-7817(specifically B85M-P33) Does anyone know if that board has the same functionality? My googling doesn't seem to be turning up anything of worth on the subject. It's mostly a feature of sound cards and some quick googling makes me think that your motherboard is one of the 99% that does not have it integrated. But it's cheap enough that it's worth adding on via a sound card if you enjoy that form of directional audio.
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Jan 4, 2014 01:19
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I really think your limit will be your cartridge, followed by a DAC for non-vinyl listening. I'd invest in even a basic $100 DAC for anything that isn't your vinyl. For headphones, it's really a matter of your sound preference. Sennheiser is known for a sound stage that I'd assume would be great for vinyl listening and your budget puts you at the HD650, which is a solid headphone. ATH-AD2000X's have a great sound stage as well, but are a flatter frequency response. The 650's are around $350 and the 2000X's can be had for ~$500 on eBay. From there, HD700's are apparently really good but are in the 500-and-above price point. But all of this considered, I would honestly invest in a good vinyl needle/cartridge for your record player. The sound quality difference will be substantial for not much more money, and you've said it's your main source for listening so I'd start there and then work on headphones, followed by proper amplification. Now, an ideal setup would be to buy a good amplifier with a preamp for phono and a pair of headphones, as receivers typically have a very weak headphone output and are put in as afterthoughts.
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Jan 4, 2014 05:09
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Yeah that's a good cartridge. Basically you want a phono preamp with specs for your turntable and some form of dedicated amplification for your headphones if you really want to get the most out of a setup of that nature. Your budget is good enough that you're in really quality amp category if you decide to go that route, but unfortunately I can't comment any further since I'm pretty green to vinyl. I would stop over to Headphonia and check out their reviews in your budget range as well: http://www.headfonia.com/buyers-guide/ All headphones are different. If you're going for a specific style, I think they do a good job of describing without having to put on a pair yourself. edit: for layman: preamplifier: http://www.head-fi.org/t/553588/do-turntables-require-preamps Then you attach that to an amplifier, which ensures proper power goes to your headphones so you don't lose certain frequencies otherwise lost with power issues. If you want your mind blown, it's an entire source change down the line to the turntable/ipod/etc. I've heard great things about the HD700 (500+ range) http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD-700-Headphone-Black/dp/B0070U8KSM/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1388817157&sr=1-1&keywords=hd700 and with that cartridge, a proper phono preamp, and an amplifier rated for the HD700 you'll definitely be in for a treat. Of course, good hi-fi can get expensive but having recently built a Beta22 to experience that level of music, I can say the rewards are tangible and worth it. But this is one of many options which is why it's difficult and scary and why I haven't upgraded my ATH-AD900's yet.
Knot My President! fucked around with this message at 07:46 on Jan 4, 2014 |
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Jan 4, 2014 07:28
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head-fi posted:If you main goal is to use it with headphones, I would recommend a proper headphone amplifier/DAC. Also, the other main issue with vintage electronics is the capacitors go out pretty regularly, requiring $300-$500 at a shop if you cannot replace the components yourself (since you want a complete rebuild). Also, the quality of integrated amplifiers in these devices varies pretty wildly and documentation of circuitry is hard to come by, although it does exist... somewhere. Maybe. Vintage electronics are awesome but do require a lot of TLC (and DeOxit) and they're fairly heterogeneous/hit-or-miss. I have a Nakamichi TA-2A I've used for my headphones (and my A/D/S speakers, which are awesome and I got for $40, but that's for another thread) and while it has gobs of power and works, it just doesn't sound right due to the aforementioned damping issues, among other things (capacitor plague being one of them). If you're handy, DIY amplifier kits are fun and really rewarding but you'll burn a hole in your wallet from tools and casework if you're a huge sperglord like me.
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Jan 4, 2014 09:25
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beergod posted:Ok, what about this? Good headphones for your price range: (great, really) http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-9969-HD-650-Headphones/dp/B00018MSNI And for an amplifier, this: http://www.bottlehead.com/store.php/products/crack-otl-headphone-amplifier-kit (with the "speedball" upgrade) has stellar reviews and is a great project to get into the DIY scene. Or, alternatively, you can have somebody build one for you, with the amplifier, upgrade, and build cost coming to a total of ~$500-600. Used for ~$450. Pre-built alternatives: (used) http://wooaudio.com/products/wa6.html http://www.amazon.com/Schiit-SCH-03...ords=schiit+lyr, but the Woo and Crack are the leading complements to the HD650, in the consensus of random Internet strangers. Phono preamps have pretty serious diminishing returns, so I'd upgrade that absolutely last. But with a setup listed above you'd have great sound for pretty much anything. If you decide to have digital media, you'll have to consider a DAC, but those aren't more than $100-200.
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Jan 5, 2014 02:08
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Very nice. Glad you like them! It's amazing what proper headphones can do! I've only heard the HD600's through a Nuforce Icon HDP and thought they were great. I can't find any information about the headphone-out impedance for your brand of receiver but I'd reckon with a proper amplifier it would be tangibly better nonetheless. Diminishing returns do exist until you get to "flagship" levels of audio where things start to really sound the best. As far as an amplifier goes, it really depends on what your budget is now that you have the HD650's. The sky's the limit with amplification but high-end amps do have tangibly better sound. If you're already into vinyl, I feel that you're definitely gonna want a tube amp, but the question is how deep down the rabbit hole you wanna go now that you've tasted quality audio.
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Jan 5, 2014 08:34
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Ideally it would go Record Player --> Phono Preamp --> (L/R preamp out to L/R in) Amplifier --> Headphones, but you may be able to do Player --> Phono Preamp --> Receiver, through Tape Out --> Amplifier --> Headphones, but I don't know much about receivers nor their bypass functions to comment. On an aside, I'd like to just say that the Beta22 is scary good. I've been in professional studios and truthfully this amp is the closest thing I've experienced to a live studio recording. I can see how this type of amplification isn't for everyone, but almost every time I listen I jump a bit in my chair thinking somebody or something is happening near me only to realize it was just the song. I've never been pulled so close to the living breathing flesh of musicians playing and if anybody is questioning whether making one is worth it, I'll be a personal testimony by saying yes, it's worth it. Now to shell out for the front panels from Front Panel Express.
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Jan 5, 2014 09:19
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The e09k isn't really a proper driver for high impedance headphones though. At the very least, a Schiit Lyr or a Bottlehead Crack are the two contenders for a potential match for HD650's if he's looking for a solid upgrade to his receiver under $1000. I'd recommend perusing head-fi with search terms like "best amp for hd650" for ideas as to what's out there. Also see what headphonia recommends for pairings as well.
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Jan 6, 2014 00:45
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Midorka posted:Searching through those terms is just going to lead to a lot more confusion. Any amp over $200 will power the HD650 with ease. It's about finding something that does it cleanly, which most of them do, with the output options needed. People play up "amp synergy" far too much. In most cases I wager those people have no idea what they're talking about, they're simply expecting one to sound better. It's one of those things I'd thought had disappeared in all honesty, ever since the NwAvGuy came around. Now I will say that I've experienced a few amps by now and yes they sound differently, but searching amp synergy is going to bring up nothing but a million different conflicting opinions. For me, it's about a more advanced circuit that handles power/gain better with whatever impedance you are matching to it. Smaller amps just don't have the potential for efficiently driving larger headphones despite what specs on paper say. Of the ~six or so stats amp makers try to aim for, there are ways to reach these with everything down to a CMOY or pimeta, but due to their electronic simplicity, you end up losing out on a lot of the finer intricate aspects of sound. An amp like the Fiio, despite having 80mw of power, doesn't necessarily mean it can deliver that well into a large part of the audible frequency range and can cause different parts of music to sound "hot", "sharp", or even "cold" and (as the rumor probably got its start with Sennheisers) "veiled". 600 ohm headphones are pretty inefficient and require a lot of power to drive, and that power needs/should be delivered cleanly. As for synergy, it exists, but I feel that most people need to specify what exactly they're looking for in music. Amps and headphones both have their strong suits in various frequency ranges and sound stages. Having a hot/treble-emphasized amplifier with AT headphones, for example, can sound pretty harsh and bright to a lot of people, but with a tube amp it may found more neutral. I'd consider each of these a synergy that would cater to a specific crowd.
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Jan 6, 2014 05:16
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grack posted:Well, that was a lovely effortpost with zero useful content. Because there's more to amplification than power and gain. He wanted something that sounds better than his receiver; the Fiio's circuitry may be able to make music sound fuller and technically drive the headphones, but it cannot offer the reproduction of attack, decay, depth, imaging, and overall microdetail of more advanced amplifier designs, which on a BOM cost-to-cost comparison will be objectively more expensive than the Fiio. $280 for an amplifier (Bottlehead Crack) is not that much money and what I would consider entry level to quality audio. It costs this much because of the parts involved and not because some magic fairy engineer is trying to scam you out of money. Objectively they sound better because they're designed to sound better. Unless you've heard various levels of amplification in AB testing it won't make much sense. Try to go to a headphone meet and see just how different amplification is at various price points. He wanted something that makes him go "wow". The Fiio won't sound much different than the integrated amplifier in his receiver which is why I can't recommend it. It doesn't mean it isn't a good amplifier, but it's not what he's looking for. On a side note, I'm probably gonna make an EHHA Rev A or another Beta22 for my girlfriend since she won't stop listening to mine.  I was considering making a Gamma2++ but it DACs have such diminishing returns that the money would be better spent elsewhere.
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Jan 6, 2014 06:47
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grack posted:You've made two effort posts with precisely zero content in them. Instead of giving vague pseudo-scientific bullshit reasons as to why the Fiio would be unsuitable, how about you describe the actual reasons why it would be unsuitable. You could look it up yourself instead of being a dick on the Internet. I'm not Mr. Wizard with electronics, $100 TPA6120 is not going to be audibly and electronically comparable to more robust circuitry like, say, the O2, a $100 DIY amp that would go for $300+ if sold pre-built with a regulated power supply. Just because it's good doesn't mean it's "wow" good. O2 is a good example of a contender for even flagship amplifiers and it's not very expensive, but it comes down to parts cost nonetheless due to the features that make it have the specs it does. Internet posted:TECH SECTION SUMMARY: In many ways the E9 measured very well. The distortion is impressively low—especially into higher impedance loads. But I do have some concerns: It's a good amp for $100 but there are higher-priced contenders that will be audibly better. I'd argue that an O2 would be better up until the Class-A designs if made correctly but he's not looking for a DIY project. Also, tubes, which I was recommending initially, are a completely different sound profile that I personally feel is fun for vinyl and most tube-based amplifiers aren't going to be found at this price point. WugLyfe posted:Just awakening from my slumber to chime in and say that this is a bit of a trap for someone just getting into headphones. It's fine enough to listen to other cans, but other people are best to be avoided in this situation. They may tell you all sorts of pure, unadulterated bullshit, and you'll leave knowing less than when you went in. If you do go, just remember that just because they're enthusiasts, does not make them right (or an expert). I agree on the groupthink aspect. 90% of headphone quality concerns comes down to headphone brand heterogeneity and amp/headphone impedance mismatching, bitrate and hz mismatch, and low quality files. But going to a meet and objectively comparing is a great way to realize that some amplifiers do sound subjectively better than others even with all the snake oil Head-Fi loves to pass around. Amps do sound different and it goes beyond a lot of what's measurable on a graph.
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Jan 6, 2014 08:00
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grack posted:You made the claim that the Fiio would be unsuitable. I'm asking why. How is that being a dick? You made two stupid long posts neatly avoiding the question. If you don't need an advanced amplifier to create quality sound, then how come more advanced schematics exist? In fact, how come more advanced DIY schematics exist, open source with no profit to be had for those who make and distribute? You can argue that it's Veblen pursuit or status or art through design, but it's more than that. There's more to sound than frequency response, THD, SNR, gain, noise floor, and any graph you could find through an oscilloscope or frequency software. Neutrality is an aspect of a solid state design, but the amount of variation reproduced through various types of amplification is what gives amp their uniqueness. Is the Fii9 a bad amp? No. But it's still a Class AB being pushed into its upper echelons of power and gain. http://sound.westhost.com/amp-sound.htm http://www.audioholics.com/audio-amplifier/the-sound-of-an-amplifier Psychoacoustics aside, there's a very real phenomenon to explain reproduction through various amplifier designs. That said, the Mangi and Fiio will still be a good amps and likely offer an improvement over the receiver based on output impedance and THD alone, but there's still a lot to be had from circuits that handle clipping, switching, and gain levels differently. Outside of tubes and going to a Class A design, there are marginal returns to solid state design, but they are there.
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Jan 6, 2014 21:15
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Just put in an order for Asr's ATH-AD2000X's on Head-Fi. I figure the price is low enough that if I'm not happy with them I can always put them back up and save for HE-500's or a pair of T1's. Plus I get to wear what a headphone nerd wrote like five thousand words about 
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Jan 8, 2014 04:47
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Midorka posted:Well technically he wrote that dissertation about the Ad2000. I think, and many will agree, that you'll never hear another headphone like the Ad2000. It's hard to explain properly unless you hear it for yourself, but it looks like you'll find out shortly! Haha, true, and several other spergs wrote their disapproval which is why I feel the prices are so low for the AD2kx secondhand. I am hoping to bank off of their grandeur here; I've liked my 700's from the start, my current 900's still a lot, and I can only assume the 2kx's are more of what I like, even without the "colorful mids" of the originals. For $400 it's not that big of an investment and can easily be resold for no cost to myself. Plus, a settlement went through with Starbucks for meal break violations from when I worked there years ago and netted me enough to pay for them in full.  beergod posted:Need some help guys. I have my magni hooked up with RCA cables to the zone 2 output on my receiver. I have a turntable running through a preamp into the RCA inputs on the receiver. What's the volume on the receiver set to? Is it hooked up record player --> phono preamp --> analog input of receiver --> zone 2/tape out of receiver --> Magni with Zone 2 set to the playback device?
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Jan 8, 2014 06:17
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DACs are impossible to differentiate in blind trials so the receiver will be perfect if it supports a digital source (coax, USB, etc.) Your setup is basically perfect until you decide to experiment with tube amplification, then your wallet will cry. Thinking of getting my girlfriend a nice pair of headphones with more bass since she really loves electronica (Royksopp, Sneaker Pimps, Tron OST, etc.). I offered my 900's but she said she likes the 700's better. Recessed mids of the 700 maybe?  700's are way more plush though...
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Jan 8, 2014 06:34
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Midorka posted:You talkin about the Ad700/Ad900? Yeah, I originally had the AD700's and gave them to her when I got my AD900's. I think she doesn't like that the midrange is more prominent and wants a darker headphone in general but I don't know what to offer her in that respect. I'm gonna be making her an O2 DAC and amp combo for Valentine's Day so at the very least she'll be able to pick any headphone without worrying about it being underpowered.
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Jan 8, 2014 07:44
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Of course man, it's all about making sure you can connect to your music in ways you've never experienced before. We've all been in your shoes. Sit back and enjoy re-listening to every record you have in your collection.
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Jan 8, 2014 08:11
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Electric Bugaloo posted:Beyer DT-990 Pro 250 ohm? They're $150 and ugly as balls, but they seem right up her alley and they'd pair well with that amp- and they're a steal at that price. If you want, you can pay an extra $110 for the sonically identical but slightly more attractive Premium version (I personally think it looks worse, all plain and bulbous and gray). I was thinking the 600 ohm version of the DT-880's for her would be great, actually. I figure our combined budget is about $400 and they seem to have stellar reviews. (although the 990's are no slouches either) beergod posted:I think it might be time to upgrade to a tube amp. What's good? Are aesthetics important to you? What's your budget? It's a pretty different sound signature in general depending on how you roll your tubes and if you go pure tube vs. hybrid. Tubes are also really pretty to look at:       edit: I should also add: What don't you like about solid state that you feel would be accomplished with tubes? Knot My President! fucked around with this message at 09:19 on Jan 9, 2014 |
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Jan 9, 2014 09:08
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drat, that's an awesome setup. A lot of my friends are audio engineers (two in studios) and those space stations never cease to amaze me.
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Jan 9, 2014 23:18
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Allnic HPA5000. I think you need a small loan to buy it though edit: YEP ONLY SEVEN GRAND
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Jan 10, 2014 01:28
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Elentor posted:So after owning a HE400 for over a year I kinda reached the conclusion I prefer the AD900s. I enjoy the HE-400 and I could live happily with it, but it's just not as good for me. I just put in an order for AD-2000X's and they'll be here Tuesday. I'll give you a thorough opinion as currently I'm using the AD900's which I love a lot. I love the AT lineup (had 700's prior to these for several years) so I'll try to give you details within perspective.
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Jan 10, 2014 07:24
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ATH-AD2000X's came in! If you're a fan of the Audio Technica series, these are definitely an overall upgrade from the 900's in the same way the 900's were from the 700's. I understand what people were saying about the 2000X's having a neutral midrange compared to the colored mids of the 2000's, for better or worse. Even compared to my AD900's, the midrange is slightly recessed, but in my own personal opinion I feel this is an overall improvement for the sound signature of the headphones and makes it fall more in line with what attracted me to the 700's. Don't confuse "recessed" with "weak", though: The detail is magnificent and they definitely still punch. Bass also has much lower audible extension and still has the neutrality AT headphones are known for. It's a given that the trebles are top-notch, too: every buzz of a string or squeak of a foot pedal exists with scary transparency. Overall:  Song tests: Raffi - Bananaphone. Immediately you can hear Raffi's lisp project spittle onto his microphone every time he says "phone". Raffi also seems to have backup singers of unquestionably adult age, which is something I was barely able to make out in my 900's. Nickelback - How you Remind Me. You can actually hear the phase shift between both of Chad Kroeger's voices used to cover up his significant lack of testosterone. I can distinctly pick out every one of the several drums that seem to be littered throughout the track. At first I thought it was my neighbor's 12 year old kid practicing as he always does but quickly realized these headphones make even the shittiest percussion sound as realistically lovely as lovely real percussion. You can, toward the end of the song, make out some form of reverb in C. Kroeger's voice, bringing out the depth of his loneliness, possibly dying ego? I will not listen again until I upgrade to a flagship headphone so the world may never know. Pros: +If you like the 900's the 2000x's provide more detail to everything you love about the 900's +Darker than the 900's, more in line with the soundstage of the 700's. This is a personal bonus for me. +Build construction is slick, solid, and plush Cons: -The headband system is a bit weak and a common complaint on forums. I may consider buying some industrial supply springs and replacing the components. In the meantime, I am using a hair tie between the wing system with good results. -Darker than the 900's, as stated above, which might not be for everyone. Overall, I'd say these are worth the price I paid for them ($420  ), but it will take a lot of listening to determine whether or not they'd be worth what people are charging for them new imported from Japan. Even with price a consideration, I still believe these are great headphones and worth trying out and purchasing if you're a fan of the ATH-AD series.
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Jan 15, 2014 05:22
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| # ¿ Apr 27, 2024 11:03 |
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I'd agree with you about the 2000 100%. The 20000x is a completely different sound signature though. I'd describe it as being laid-back compared to the 900's and with extremely good instrument and vocal separation. The recessed mids are immediately recognizable and not true to the 2000's in this regard. They're still a great pleasure to listen to but I'd be hesitant to recommend them to people who are expecting the 2000's colored and lively midrange. I'm going to put on my W5000 pads and see how it affects sound and comfort tomorrow.
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Jan 15, 2014 08:03
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