Since I got these headphones a few weeks ago, a lot of people have asked me to post a review comparing these headphones to each other and also to the other headphones that I own. This has turned out to be a more difficult endeavor than I imagined.

To begin with, the terminology of audiophiles is not in my lexicon. Also, in trying to do this review I have become aware that my 51 year olds ears are not hearing as well as I thought. That said, I will try to compare these headphones with each other. I will post a review comparing them to my other headphones (AKG K1000 & 501, HD600 with cardas cables, Grado RS-1 & 325, Beyer 831 and Etys 4S and 4P) some other time.

I used the Chesky demonstration disk, the Rolling Stones "Beggars Banquet" SCAD, Dianna Krall SACD, Patricia Barber SACD, some interesting CDs my friend Terry Bozzio sent me of him and Billy Sheehan and him with a group of Eastern European musicians and other stuff from Lucinda Williams, David Johansen and Pearl Jam.

I could easily tell the difference between the A100Ti and the W & A 1000, but I could not tell the difference between the W1000 and the A1000. I had my wife put the headphones on my head from behind me. I just could not tell the difference. My wife also could not tell the difference. This is why I think my hearing might not be as good as I thought. There must be some discernable difference between these two phones, but I guessed wrong or couldn't guess at all in picking one from the other.

Let me descibe the sound of the A1000 and W1000. The headphones have a good soundstage. Bass is very present and tight but always in proportion to the music. Songs using a standing bass fiddle sound spectacular. Nice tight lows with excellent tone and attack. Midrange was smooth and beautiful, also in proportion to the rest of the music. Highs were clear and sweet - not bright.

All of the Audio Technicas I have listened to have had a beautiful balanced sound, well rounded and not bright. Like the HD600s all of the musical instruments can be heard clearly - its easy to pick out and follow any instrument. But unlike the Senns, the instruments blend with each other to produce wonderful sound. Much less fatiguing the the HD600. In other words all of the pieces that make up the music are present and can be clearly heard, but the sounds mix well to make the music. Its hard to explain. When I listen to the ATs I feel like I am close to the sources of the music and can relax and enjoy the combined information that makes up the music. If I listen to the Senns after the ATs, I feel like I'm hearing blobs of music throughout the soundstage. The bass is over there the drums are over here, etc., but they each stand seperately. They don't meld together.

The main difference with the A100Ti and the other two is the bass. They bass is present as much as it is with the others but it has different characteristics. The tightness found in the others is not there. The bass is not really boomy, just not as clearly defined as with the other two. The soundstage is also smaller. The mids are highs are not quite as smooth. This is not a bad headphone. I could best describe the difference by saying that the A100Ti are 90% of the headphone the A1000 and W1000 are.

The other difference between the three is their construction. Some have said that the A1000 was much larger than the A100Ti and had bigger earpads. This is not true. All three headphones are the same size, with the same size earcup. The only real differences are the materials used and the joints that pivot to accomodate different head sizes. The A1000 are clearly the winner when I comes moving the earcups in a variety of different configurations, although this may really never matter. The A1000 are different from all of the other ATs I have seen. All three of these cans are extremely comfortable, even during long listening sessions.

The major difference between the three headphones is the materials used. The W1000 are gorgeous! Probably the best looking headphone I have ever seen. Beautiful wood that is nicely finished. The W's really stand out as far as appearance is concerned. The A1000 are nicely constructed from titanium and look much better (in my opnion) than the A100Tis.

All three of these cans are a joy to listen to: nice clear presentation with a large soundstage that can be listened to for hours without fatigue. I believe most people on this board would be very happy with the A1000 or W1000. The extra cost from the A100Ti is worth it.

In the next few weeks I will post a review of these headphones (without the A100Tis which I have sold, but with the W100 I recently purchased) comparing them to other headphones.

I hope this review helps those interested in Audio Technica headphones.

Uh, no replies on this hot topic? Great job kevin!

Kevin
HI: How are you? You are alive. I was woundering what happened to you. Now you can see why I sold my AT100ti even though ravivg about it for it was a great can till the ATH-A1000 came along. Nice review. I am surprised to hear the the A and the W sound so much alike. I hope that you really like the A-W TH-1000 Good luck with both of them

Good reveiw, Thanks. I have the A 1000 and like you, I like it better than the HD 600. A lot of times a new person comes on this site asking for recomedations for good headphones, and more often than not, the HD 600s and the 580s are highly recomended to them. I think now there is a better alternative that does not need the extra money for a good amp and replacement cable.

Thanks for the comparison Kevin, it's greatly appreciated. Very informative. This may sound strange but with bangraman's assertion that the A900 is fairly close to the A1000 and the A1000 and W1000 being almost indistinguishable the A900 is looking like quite a bargain at $130.00 less than the A1000.

I'm curious, do you perceive any differences between the A1000 and W1000 when just listening to them, meaning not blind testing I guess? I've found sometimes it's hard to hear any major differences in blind tests or when trying to do direct comparisons but when I sit down and listen over extended periods I can pick things out much easier.

I have just sent out a money order for a pair of W100's (curiousity killed the cat) so I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts on the A1000 and W1000's to the W100 as well.

Kieran Comito
HI: Well said but I don't think the 580 600 folks wont believe us because of all the money they have in them and they just might sound better after you put a 1000 or more dollars in them
PS
I must admit that I had to upgrade me source to get the very best out of the ATH-A1000.

I think that the difference between the A1000 and the A900 is quite easily noticeable. Apart from the weaker mids however, the A900 is very much in the ballpark when it comes to quality of rendition and listenability. If they can go head to head with an HD600 and come out only slightly bruised... Well that's pretty amazing for a closed headphone. It's been a while since I've listened to the A100 (it's snug in storage right now, probably won't sell it for now but probably won't listen to it either) but I think the current assessments are broadly correct.
Given the reviews so far and my experiences, the cost differences between the A900, which most will buy purely for the sound/practicality over an open headphone, and the others are not wholly reflected in the sound. It's more the whole experience. With the W1000's which I haven't seen 'in the flesh', the difference is beauty. With the A1000, tech.
The bit about the A1000/W1000 being indistinguishable is very interesting... It's something that I suspected when I read the W1000 v W100 review last month. Just as well I got an ATH-W2002 then

hi guys, anybody own the HD600+cardas+foam-pads-removed to compare them with the A1000s? IMO, the stock HD600s indeed sound quite (crappily) veiled IMO, but, throw in the cardas, and remove the inner foam pads and you have (again, IMO) a vastly different sounding pair of cans!

problem with me..I've gone thru a few pairs of cans..but in order to fund the purchase, I usually had to sell the current pair..thus what "comparisons" I can offer are only from memory, and aren't entirely accurate I know. so I'd love to find out how my current pair compares to a pair I once had (referring to the A100Ti)

bangraman,

So upon further listening the differences between the A900 and A1000 are a bit more pronounced are they?

ablaze
HI: I had the A100ti and they were great sounding till the ATH-A1000 came out. The A1000 has the D.A.D.S. system and that makes a huge difference

Well, I'm a HD 600 owner, and I think they sound better than the AT Cans I heard, which were the AT100 and AT1000. If I'm not mistaken you can get all of these for around $300, give or take. Throw a set of $100, $150 cables on the 600's and to me they even further surpass the AT's, especially in depth, soundstage, and enhancing the highs.

Speaking as a consumer I would expect a "$400 or $450" headphone to "outperform" a $300 headphone (subject to your preferences of course).

Some of you moan about the 600's not sounding great " out of the box", while the AT's do. What exactly would be the difference between getting the 600's and adding a cable as opposed to buying a set "out of the box: for $450?

It's also nice to have a set of headphones that have perceivably a greater potential to "grow" as you upgrade your gear, while giving you awesome sound with your present gear.

The AT cans are great cans if you prefer them. Nothing wrong with them in comparison to the 580's or 600's. They sound good, and fit a lot of situations really well. But I haven't read too many recommendations for the 580's or 600's that were a "reach".

Quote:



Provided of course they actually sound good with your present gear.

True. Very True.

Kevin - nice review; clearly stated and readily understandable. I am making the assumption that your source electronics are as good as the source SACDs and CDs you have listed. It's none of my business, but if I had experienced the same inability to distinguish between examples of A1000 and W1000, I would 1) clean out my ears but good, and 2) get an audiological check-up focusing on frequency response (I have done both myself). If re-audition (including the suggested prolonged listening) failed to show any differences, I would be drawn to the conclusion that at least the examples I had of the A1000 and W1000 were very similar in performance.

It is also my pleasure to have smurfed HD600s and K1000s available as well as the W1000. As headphones, they are all different. They all respond differently to different musical programs. At different times I find myself reaching for each of them and listening long to each with pleasure. I do not plan to dispose of any of them. That said, recently I find myself listening most to the K1000s. Besides the K1000s musicality, I think I like their openness both in terms of the sound the produce and the less isolation from the rest of my surroundings. My favorite application of the W1000s remains for excellent recordings of acoustic instruments with lots of small sounds. The intimacy is superb.

Thanks again for your observations!

Old Pa
HI: How are you? I thought that the W1000 was supposed to be very soft and more sweet sounding because of the wood. They cost more than the A1000 and now I read that they both sound the same. If this is the cast the A 1000 would be a better deal except for the nice looking wood is the correct.