Head-Fi.org › Forums › Equipment Forums › Headphones (full-size) › I'm torn between the AD2000 and W5000 !!!
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

I'm torn between the AD2000 and W5000 !!!

post #1 of 56
7/3/08 at 2:37am
Thread Starter 
Done tons of searches but still cant get enough info, is there any direct comparison between these two?? I cant seem to find one

I want to know more about the AD2000. I read about some saying that it has a slightly muffled sound That worries me alot cause I like clarity in my music. Does the AD2000 have enough treble extension? Cause the Ms2i sound a bit warm to me actually (ya I know, I think I'm a treblehead)

I like some bass in my tunes, I dont want any boomy bass, I like my bass deep and punchy, thats all. The Ms2i sounds a bit slow though. And I worry that the W5000 doesnt have enough bass for my taste.(heard alot of people complaning about it)

And another thing I want to know, how does the AD2000 peform with tunes that are a little complex(alot of instrument)? I heard that the W5000 have no problem with this. I prefer a bit more resolution and details in my tune. I'm guessing that the AD2000's details is no match against the W5000, but as long it got a bit more than the Ms2i I'll be very happy

I'm planning to pair either of them with the Pico. Since the W5000 is very picky with its equiment I think the AD2000 might be a better choice with the Pico. But some of the comment around here makes me wonder if its the right choice.(And I cant test it out so listen before buying is not an option)
Reply
post #2 of 56
7/3/08 at 3:29am
Well, first you have to realize how very close they are. Sure the AD2K is a tad more forward than the W5K, but if you couldn't A/B them I'd be surprised if you could pick out substantial differences in detail, etc. So drop the "no match" thinking. I certainly don't think of one below the other and in fact the best I've heard either was the AD2K on a unique analog setup. I'd be more concerned with which fit your head as they're built a tad different there and I've had issues. I bought the W5K because I needed a closed pair at the time, but likely would have went with the AD2K otherwise. Both are picky and again as they're pretty close I'd be surprised is one failed when the other succeeded similarly powered. More likely both would fail or succeed. The W5K sounds pretty good out of the Pico and I even considered downgrading to that as a primary setup at one point.
Reply
post #3 of 56
7/3/08 at 3:43am
The W5000 has plenty of bass as long as you get the fit right, which means the cup totally covering the ear (airtight style ). I listen to rock and at times there has been too much bass, but this can be adjusted by moving the phones so the drivers are in different positions. Great phones.
Reply
post #4 of 56
7/3/08 at 3:44am
Thread Starter 
Great!! Nice to hear that the AD2K got great details!!

And yeah I was worrying about the fit issue too. But I wont know until I get one on my head so I cant do anything about it. lol
Reply
post #5 of 56
7/3/08 at 5:04am
About the AD2000 and muffled sound. I did find it to have a bit muffled sound compared to my other headphones, but this was before I did the tube mod in the earpads (to increase the driver distance from the ears).

Without it my ears were hard pressed against the driver, but now they only touch it slightly, and the sound is in no way muffled.

The treble was a bit recessed without the mod also, but with it the treble is back. The treble is not as much as in DT880, but from memory about equal to MS2i, but it does in no way lack clarity.

About warm-cold. Compared to HD650/DT880/RS1, I find the ms2i to be on the cold side, and the AD2000 even colder.

EDIT:The tube-mod is not universal. Some people like it (like me) and some find it to make the sound worse. It probably depends on how hard your ears press against the drivers.

EDIT2: blessingx's comment made me very interested in the W5000, if it is indeed like a closed AD2000.
Reply
post #6 of 56
7/3/08 at 5:09am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sieg9198 View Post
I want to know more about the AD2000. I read about some saying that it has a slightly muffled sound That worries me alot cause I like clarity in my music. Does the AD2000 have enough treble extension? Cause the Ms2i sound a bit warm to me actually (ya I know, I think I'm a treblehead)
If the AD2000 is slightly muffled, then the HD650 is stuffed up with a thick feather-filled pillow.

The AD2000's treble extension isn't the most extended, but it is competitive or better than many other headphones. The W5000 seems to have more extension to me.

If the MS2i is a bit warm to you, then many other headphones will seem even warmer or too warm. I wonder what you would think of an HD650 with stock cable driven by a small amp and inadequate source.

You might like the SA5000, which is colder than the AD2000 and has more emphasis on treble.

I suspect you're not really a "treblehead," you just like refined, liquid smooth, crisp, clean, extended highs with no trace of harshness or sibilance. Well, I do too. Unfortunately, achieving that kind of sound probably requires a significant investment in the entire system, starting with a good source.

Quote:
I like some bass in my tunes, I dont want any boomy bass, I like my bass deep and punchy, thats all. The Ms2i sounds a bit slow though. And I worry that the W5000 doesnt have enough bass for my taste.(heard alot of people complaning about it)
Bass quantity is one of those topics where opinions can be significantly divergent. Someone's good bass with strong impact can seem loose, muddy and boomy to you. Or another person's tight, accurate, textured bass can seem to lack body and impact to someone else.

Quote:
And another thing I want to know, how does the AD2000 peform with tunes that are a little complex(alot of instrument)? I heard that the W5000 have no problem with this. I prefer a bit more resolution and details in my tune. I'm guessing that the AD2000's details is no match against the W5000, but as long it got a bit more than the Ms2i I'll be very happy
The AD2000's details, notes separation, speed and imaging might be a step below the W5000's, but that doesn't mean it is weak. Those are the W5000's strengths, and not that many headphones can match it in these specific areas, not the K701, HD650, MS2i or RS-1. I doubt that many people will find the AD2000 unacceptably lacking.
Reply
post #7 of 56
7/3/08 at 5:18am
Thread Starter 
So I guess the muffled sound depends on individual fit. If my ears are not hard pressed on the driver then I guess it should be fine for me. Right?

Even colder than Ms2i....Mmm I like
Reply
post #8 of 56
7/3/08 at 5:34am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Elephas View Post
If the AD2000 is slightly muffled, then the HD650 is stuffed up with a thick feather-filled pillow.

The AD2000's treble extension isn't the most extended, but it is competitive or better than many other headphones. The W5000 seems to have more extension to me.

If the MS2i is a bit warm to you, then many other headphones will seem even warmer or too warm. I wonder what you would think of an HD650 with stock cable driven by a small amp and inadequate source.

You might like the SA5000, which is colder than the AD2000 and has more emphasis on treble.

I suspect you're not really a "treblehead," you just like refined, liquid smooth, crisp, clean, extended highs with no trace of harshness or sibilance. Well, I do too. Unfortunately, achieving that kind of sound probably requires a significant investment in the entire system, starting with a good source.


Bass quantity is one of those topics where opinions can be significantly divergent. Someone's good bass with strong impact can seem loose, muddy and boomy to you. Or another person's tight, accurate, textured bass can seem to lack body and impact to someone else.


The AD2000's details, notes separation, speed and imaging might be a step below the W5000's, but that doesn't mean it is weak. Those are the W5000's strengths, and not that many headphones can match it in these specific areas, not the K701, HD650, MS2i or RS-1. I doubt that many people will find the AD2000 unacceptably lacking.
Yep! You're spot on with the high's I'm wanting!

SA5k is a bit hard for me to obtain it here, but I will look into it. Thanks for the suggestion.

I love you guys 'round here, you guys've been really helpful and cleared up a lot of things for me
Reply
post #9 of 56
7/3/08 at 5:35am
You're a cold, cold person...
Reply
post #10 of 56
7/3/08 at 5:52am
Sieg9198,
On treble extension, the ad2k is not as extended as hd600s for example but has brighter upper mids and also a bit more lower mids I guess around the 800hz to 1000hz area. Bass impact is there because of a seemingly boosted upper bass character (I'm guessing the 140hz to 160hz region). Extension on the ad2k is also really good although the total bass quantity is not that much.
Reply
post #11 of 56
7/3/08 at 6:10am
The AD2K is a great fon, but it has honky mids that put it out of the "everybody's darling" territory. The W5K is less coloured, and it's also technically superior IMO.
Reply
post #12 of 56
7/3/08 at 7:33am
As above, the artificial midrange of the AD2k's makes them unlistenable for me. Go W5000!
Reply
post #13 of 56
7/3/08 at 8:43am
Quote:
Originally Posted by majkel View Post
As above, the artificial midrange of the AD2k's makes them unlistenable for me. Go W5000!
Have you had a loooong listen to the AD2000? If I use the DT880 for a while, and then switch to AD2000 they (AD2000) really sound like crap, flat soundstage, really weird tonality and almost no bass at all. When my ears get used to it though, takes about 5 minutes if I've used the DT880, they are really good and all the mentioned negatives are gone. It's much easier to switch between RS1 and AD2000.

If I did hear them on a meet and listened to them straight after something like the DT880 I would certainly not like them.

EDIT: This ofcourse works the other way too. DT880 after AD2000 is very dark, lots of treble and very recessed midrange.
Reply
post #14 of 56
7/3/08 at 9:05am

Depends...

The AD2000 mids are really not "honky," or "artificial"... if... their properly burnt in, properly matched to a set up, and the rear of the pads are modded to raise them a bit from your ear - this "makes all the difference" in how they sound - really a great set of phones.

With all of that... they sound more detailed, less congested, and more "airy" than the HD600s, which sound slightly warmer, richer and more weighty than the AD2000s.

The AD2000s sound very much like a combo of the HD600s and RS-1s - just a little "cooler."
Reply
post #15 of 56
7/3/08 at 9:16am
AD2000 bashing and -defending has become something ritualistic meanwhile.
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Headphones (full-size)
Head-Fi.org › Forums › Equipment Forums › Headphones (full-size) › I'm torn between the AD2000 and W5000 !!!