[Maxx134]

Upon further inspection of your picture,
it looks like your unit must have been modified before,
as I see the re-cabling done,
and proof of original yellow felt material is viewed in the center of the driver still glued on..
No wonder you had a thicker bassy sound..
That happens with more space inside wood cavity.

It a trade off off, of bigger sound, but also thicker & more bassy sound, when having less damping materials inside.


To return your unit to what stocks sound should sound like,
you will need the yellow felt material from a another similar units such as an esw9
Or any ES model..

Edit2:
Stock sound is not bassy at all, but "should" sound tight and very neutral/natural with details.

Since yours is modded,
You can/should adjust to your liking.

If selling in future it would be wise to inform of the alteration, as that is a huge selling factor.
You most probably still have excellent sound,
Just a different signature.

 

[Maxx134]

Here is my own modded replica of an esw10jpn sounding unit...

I did alot of work getting it to sound as close as possible to the original stock sound of my esw10jpn that I myself owned at the same time.
It uses es700 drivers and es10 yellow felt, and modeling clay around the inside edge, not dynamat.
Also original esw10jpn pads.
Also multiple layers of polyurethane to get the wood density closer to an esw10jon wood...
The main trick is to get the whole casing(wood& plastic) so sound the same when touching /tapping on both wood and plastic part of cups..
Then finding an approximately close in tonality driver.

I then sold my esw10jpn, but always missed it.

My unit is the absolute closest you can get to the original unit, and the newer esw9ltd drivers won't do either,
as they are still too laid back in sound.

The point of all this,
is that I have a good idea on the units, and owned most.

I repaired a (metal cup)es10, and also modded a friend's esw11 (larger unit) with more material (without covering hole ) for tighter sound,
But I NEVER dared opened my esw10jpn (precious), as it had just a majical perfect tonality, and blasphemy for me to do so!
lol
Edit:
I also advise for others, to not try to peel off the pads unless you are replacing them,
because they are so tight they may rip.
Only newer pads can be stretched and placed.

 

[Fabi]

You are actually right it was yellow fiberglass inside not foams, 2 or 3 round pieces on the center of the driver I have replaced.
You're also right I sent it to recabling 4 years ago.
But the sound sig was the same after, with new original pads, tight bass and rather neutral. My leather pads are still in good shape, not flat.

When I opened it recently, just 4 screws, the yellow fiberglass inside has become so poor, it becomes ashes between my fingers, after so many years, it's normal I guess.
Now that I replaced it, I found this sound back, fantastic natural mids with more tight bass and slightly more airy soundstage than I had.

But I won't do any further modification for now, too "precious"
I will never sell it for sure.

I found esw9ltd more bright and bass not as tight and slightly more laidback sound.
Have you tried esw990h ?

 

[Maxx134]

...
Now that I replaced it, I found this sound back, fantastic natural mids with more tight bass and slightly more airy soundstage than I had.
Have you tried esw990h ?

That is very good news and good to know.
Yes the fiberglass does fall apart with age, so it is good to know you made it more to your liking.
The internal plastic on the wooden side is much more solid than the inside of a esw9 type cups.

No i have not yet heard the 990h, and I assume it is at least as good as the esw9ltd.
I will eventually try them.

Yet it is always surprising how none of these newer versions can surpass the overall sound of the esw10jpn.

 

[Fabi]

Yet it is always surprising how none of these newer versions can surpass the overall sound of the esw10jpn.

Maybe it's better like this for us 

 
Btw at my local store I was told there will be a professional conference next week at AT Japan headquarters.
So I asked them if they can have information for some ESW12 

 
I don't expect much but at least I have tried. 

 

 

[ruedi]

 
Full size left to right W5000, W3000ANV, W1000Z, W1000X, W1000
Portable left to right ATH-ESW990H, ATH-ESW9LTD, ATH-ESW10JPN, ATH-ESW11LTD

 
Wow, nice Collection 

 
 
 
 
 

 
Have only the ESW9LTD / 10JPN / 11LTD / EW9 and W10VTG / W1000 / W3000ANV / W1000X....
 
Sooo at my to-buy-list actually the W5000 and W1000Z, maybe i need  990H and ESW9A too 

 

 

[Mach3]

   
Wow, nice Collection 

 
 
 
 
 

 
Have only the ESW9LTD / 10JPN / 11LTD / EW9 and W10VTG / W1000 / W3000ANV / W1000X....
 
Sooo at my to-buy-list actually the W5000 and W1000Z, maybe i need  990H and ESW9A too 

 

 
Wow you have the W10VTG a 20 year old head phone.

 

[lbbef]

Wow... The different shades of wood looks simple beautiful. Never really had the chance to get myself a pair of ESW10JPN since by the time I got into audio it could not already be found.

On a side note, anyone has tried the ESW950? I've tried the ESW990H but didn't really like the tuning.

 

[Mach3]

Wow... The different shades of wood looks simple beautiful. Never really had the chance to get myself a pair of ESW10JPN since by the time I got into audio it could not already be found.

On a side note, anyone has tried the ESW950? I've tried the ESW990H but didn't really like the tuning.

I thought the ESW950 is the ESW990H just with out the remote feature for smart phone.

 

[lbbef]

I thought the ESW950 is the ESW990H just with out the remote feature for smart phone.

From what I heard from my local AT office, the ESW990H has a more international tuning. If you compare the AT woodies, the ESW990H doesn't have much of the AT colouration.

 

[Maxx134]

Would be interesting to hear that990H.
Has the price changed?

 

[ruedi]

   
Wow you have the W10VTG a 20 year old head phone.

 
 
Yes, love woodys and especially the ATH-W.... series and also my little beauties EW9 / ESW9LTD / 10JPN / 11LTD 

       ....the W1000z is on the way, one less on my list.
 
 

But, actually the Fostex/Denon series steal my time 

 ...also TH-x00 PH and E-MU coming soon.
 
 
 
 
 

 
...and the rest of my crazy journey , but only my full size woodys, ...Hifiman, AKG, and Co. sleeping in their boxes.
 

 

[Vesperaudio]

A must-have mode for ES/ESW 11/10/9 owners. Widening over-ear authentic leather pads. Better isolation, smother bass, still portable.

 

[Mach3]

A must-have mode for ES/ESW 11/10/9 owners. Widening over-ear authentic leather pads. Better isolation, smother bass, still portable.

Wow so cool which ear pad are those?

 

[Fabi]

Interesting