Audio-Technica AT-HA5000ANV 50th Anniversary Headphone Amplifier

It LOOKS delicious... Never got around to getting a listen on it though... :(

I remember reading the news article when it was announced, and technologically it's not that different from the regular HA5000 version.
But it does have some differences besides the faceplate, IIRC it was regarding vibration control and a different cable/wire used.

I have owned my AT-HA5000ANV now for just over 3 months.  I have been hesitant to comment on it earlier, as I also had purchased the ATH-W3000ANV headphones at the same time, and it has taken me a few months to develop strong impressions of both, compared to my other current setups and previous setups I have owned.

 

My current setup is MacBook Pro>iTunes/Amarra Mini> USB RWA Isabellina (original version)>AT-HA5000ANV.  I can use the Isabellina as a stand alone DAC or as a DAC/HP amplifier.

 

My impressions of the AT-HA5000ANV are very positive for the genres of music I primarily listen to -  classical, some jazz and vocals. Combined with the ATH-W3000ANV headphones, to my ears the AT-HA5000ANV significantly improves treble/upper mid-range clarity/detail, and increases the size of the soundstage (compared to the isabellina), and moves the soundstage back somewhat.  With the treble/upper mid-range enhancement though, comes a tradeoff, as it sounds to me that this also somewhat reduces the bass /lower mid-range impact.  From a listening perspective, these changes are great for acoustic music, vocals, etc., but not so great for Pop/Rock which becomes less involving.

 

In my other setup, all of the above changes essentially seem 'go away', when I use my Isabellina with the ATH-W3000ANV, as both a DAC and HP amplifier.  Used in this setup, I find listening to Pop/Rock with the ATH-W3000ANV quite comparable in terms of enjoyment, to listening to the same tracks with my LCD-2 v.1, but with somewhat less bass/lower mid-range impact.  In other words, I am still keeping my LCD-2 v.1 for Pop/Rock, and I am happy that I also have a second HP amplifier choice.

 

I haven't spent any time with the LCD-2 v.1 on the AT-HA5000ANV, so i can't comment on that combination.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by Ridleyguy - 3/4/12 at 7:22am

Just a pic as it's middle of the night here. Gonna read a bit further in bed then.

 

 

 

My HA5000ANV should be fully burned in now as well.

My setup is iMac / Fidelia / Eximus DP-1 (USB) / HA5000ANV.

I fully concur with your impressions for classical/jazz/vocals.

I'm not going to comment on pop as that's not really my thing but when it comes to rock my impressions are different from yours.

 

For the last three weeks I have a kind of "youth revisited" thing going and have been listening mainly to 70ies hardrock (think Rainbow, Deep Purple, Uriah Heep, Led Zeppelin). Now this isn't the screaming in the mic kind of hardrock, there are actually some quite calm songs and the singers of the groups I mentioned are quite good at what they do. Rawer and powerful voices.

I must say the HA5000ANV outperforms my P-1u amd Yammy when it comes to rock (ie electric guitat, electric bass, drums, vocal power).

The reason for that may be that the HA5000ANV is a bit colored, like most AT gear. Where I would describe the P-1u as organic natural (not analytical and certainly not cold) the HA5000ANV adds a bit warmth to the bottom (bass/mid bass/lower mids).

 

Now I am talking amps only here. Your impressions on rock might have been due to the W3000ANV.

As I already stated in the other thread I don't find it ideal for rock. Most people there do not agree with me though. The W3000ANV doesn't do bad at all with rock, it does well, but in my opinion there's better.

When I listen to rock with the W3000ANV and then switch to the L3000, I'm in business. I heard a lot of phones already but none can match the L3000 when it comes to rock for me. The W3000ANV simply can't touch it in that area. But for other genres I happily switch back to the W3000ANV.

 

 

 

 

Damn, this thread is toxic. Now I'm curious about the L3000 too! I have this vision of me gradually becoming an AT woody collector! Frightening and appealing at the same time...

Well, for now I'm not too worried, since I don't have the cash flow to even remotely consider getting the HA5000 yet, so...

I just checked your profile. Do you have the W3000ANV or do you want to buy it?

 

 

Hi kozena,

Trying my LCD-2 v.1 with the HA-5000ANV is my next project! I would also be interested in your impressions of your setup with the W5000, as I am considering buying it.

For what it's worth, I thought the AT-HA5000ANV was very revealing of the AT-W1000X's somewhat grainy treble, when compared to my AT-W30000ANV and so I sold mine immediately, even though I liked it a lot with the RWA Isabellina.

Cheers.

 

My setup: RWA Isabellina DAC > Audio-Technica AT-HA5000 > Audio-Technica W5000

 

I think that Isabellina DAC and HA5000 amp are very good. HA5000 seems to be a bit hot in treble. It could also have a bit more spacious sound. But maybe it is the AT W5000 headphones that I use it with.

 

As for W5000 headphones themselves, I find them too bright which can be tiring at longer listening sessions. I also perceive their sound as too lean, kind of hollow with recessed mids (and vocals). Frankly, I wouldn't recommend these headphones to you, especially that you already have ATH-W3000ANV which I suppose are much better headphones without the main flaws of W5000. But this is just my opinion.

 

Please let me know about the HA5000 with LCD-2 once you do the test.

 

 

 

Korzena,

I agree with your comments on the amp. although the ANV version may have some improvements. It works well with the ATH-W3000ANV headphones, which to my ears sound perfect on this matched amplifier, but more average on the RWA amp.

I spent a couple of hours with the LCD-2/ HA-5000ANV combination last night. The amp. brightens the sound somewhat, the mids don't seem as smooth, and it doesn't seem to impact the soundstage size much, if at all. I prefer the LCD-2/RWA Isabellina HPA by a wide margin - far more musical, more bass impact, and smoother mids - at least to my ears.

My conclusion about this amplifier is that, not surprisingly, it seems to have been tuned to bring out the best in the ATH-W3000ANV, without regard for how it will sound with other headphones.
Edited by Ridleyguy - 3/8/12 at 5:13pm

Hi Ridleyguy, i appreciate you checking HA5000 with LCD and reporting it back so quickly.

I am a bit surprised why HA5000 has this little hot treble when W5000 has it too. Shouldn't it be the other way round to balance this bright headphone.

That part with soundstage, well maybe there is nothing wrong with it. It's just that the other amp i compared HA5000 to had a bigger one. Or maybe ANV version is better in this department. Or the other amp had it unnatural. Really don't know.
Edited by korzena - 3/13/12 at 8:23am

 

I know there are differences between the HA5000ANV and standard HA5000 but I think this description nails down exactly what my impressions are regarding the standard HA5000 as well. It seems the amplifier is very good at creating this "airy" representation of the music, while giving a smooth yet slightly treble hot dynamic. I have found the HA5000 perform not so well with my DT150's and K701's, though my ESW9's have benefited immensely from this amplifier, it seems that it favors mainly Audio Technica headphones to date. The incredible thing about this amplifier is, and I am sure the ANV edition is the same in this manner, is that once the "synergy" is achieved with the headphone, the sound can be truly spectacular! Cheers,
 

 

 

 

Thanks, MikePio.  It is always reassuring when a fellow Head-Fier has similar impressions of a product!