[ataraxia]

The biggest reason why I won't purchase an AD2000 stems from the fact that if there are issues, I would need to ship them back overseas...

 

[GuffMorgan]

So thanks to this thread I just returned my ATH-AD900's (liked the sound) and I am going to get the AD2000's. I originally got the AD900's for work use, but, obviously, they leak a bit too much to really enjoy, and I got a pair of A500's for Christmas (feel better about leaving those locked up in a drawer at work too over the AD900's).

After that comes in I get to start working on amp/source. So far I'm leaning towards Singlepower/Headroom Ultra DAC, or a Headroom Desktop w/home module and dac fed by the Desktop PSU. A CD player will come later after I explore that area more.

 

[pabbi1]

D2000 will be at the DFW meet in january - so you might want to listen first before taking the plunge.

 

[GuffMorgan]

Unfortunately I don't know yet if I'll be able to go or not, I didn't get to make the last one (last two?) thanks to lovely work. Though I don't foresee any possible problems, but then I never do

.

 

[Ant0nik]

Wrong thread, sorry.

 

[ataraxia]

Guys...this is a thread about AudioTechnica AD2000, not the Denon AH-D2000.

 

[donunus]

GuffMorgan,
Please tell me how the ad900 stacks up against the ad2000 when you get them. 2 friends of mine want to get a cheaper version of the ad2000 and if it is anywhere close, I will recommend the ad900 to them

 

[donunus]

Just listened to my friends ale speaker system yesterday and its making me hear how lacking in transparency all my headphones are. I wonder if the transport and dac play a good role here.

Now I really want a good dac! hmm and will probably want a more transparent amp than my headfive too. I want that level of detail while maintaining the great bass the ad2000 has.

 

[Towert7]

Hi Donunus. It's very interesting reading your impressions throughout the month. Glad to see that you are still liking them.

Now, I know you were asking about a good setup for either the AD2000 or the HD595.

I do not have either, I have the HD650 and HF-1. I can't say if our musical tastes are the same, but personally I purchased the MHdt labs Paradisea and HeadAmp GS-1 for their compliments. The paradisea is a NOS tube buffered DAC, with not a trace of digital sound, but rather a nice smooth sound. The GS-1 is great in that it's quite neutral, and is giving me just what the music sounds like out of the DAC, while preserving the wonderful soundstage. I use this setup for both my HD650 and Grado HF-1, and they both sound terrific, just that the headphones are able to produce different sonic sigs.

I'm not saying this would be your ideal setup, but I would just like to mention these so that you can take a look at them and read up some more about them. Perhaps a bit more than you were hoping to spend, but if they do justice to your headphones in the end...... I have a funny feeling you could justify the price.


Keep us posted on how it goes!

 

[Gradofan2]

Yes... they do squeek a bit when moving them. There is a "solution" in one thread I saw. Not enough of an issue for me to bother.

And... yes... the upper mids do mellow a bit with burn in and the right equipment.

The AD2000s are "near perfect" phones - once they're burnt in and... with the right equipment.

 

[donunus]

I am seriously looking at the gs1. I wonder how much better they are against the gilmore lite. As for DACs, I only wish they would make an all in one dac/amp combo with usb upsampling like the new benchmark dac1 usb.

Actually, has anyone heard the combination of the ad2000 and the new dac1???

 

[Towert7]

To be honest with you, very few people have the AD2000, so I think you will find it very hard to find people who have tried it with various other components.

Sadly, you'll have to find out what you like in the end.
But then again, that's not sad! That's half the fun of this hobby!

 

[donunus]

Half the Fun of the hobby but all the torture of the wallet

 

[GuffMorgan]

Tell you what donunus, we can split up the duties on testing equipment with the AD2000s once I get mine.

I want to try the Singlepower Extreme, Woo Audio offerings, and Headroom stuff. Though I need to get source(s) first, considering the Headroom Ultra Micro DAC and a CDP (Cambridge 840c?).

 

[donunus]

I have a feeling that the higher end dacs will do more to the ad2ks sound than going higher than a gs1 in the amp chain... The benchmark dac1 usb's features are really intriguing me since its seems like the ad2k needs an analytical and clean amp/dac combo. Wonder how much better for the ad2k the gs1 amp is compared to the dac1 usb's built in headamp