Shortest description I can give for Audio-Technica ATH-ADX5000 sound signature is, Glorious! It is one of the few headphones that I’ve tried, that makes me want to listen to more music.
Many thanks to Audio-Technica Singapore for the loan of Audio-Technica ATH-ADX5000 for reviewing purpose!
http://www.audio-technica.com/cms/headphones/13caf776f0ed2aa4/index.html/
Pros:
Superb detail and transparency.
Excellent transient and dynamic. Faster and tighter than both HD800 and T1.
Natural tuning, highly recommended for Pro Audio applications.
Cons:
Headband creaks.
No shorter cable included, only one long (3m) cable with proprietary A2DC connectors.
Suggestions for Improvement:
To fix the creaking headband.
To include shorter cable and balanced cable.
Recommendation:
Recommended for those who are looking for very detailed and transparent sounding headphone with laser focus instrument separation and imaging.
Not recommended for those who are looking for smooth and warm sounding headphone.
Sound Quality
Perceived as slightly on the brighter side of neutral, but overall pretty natural sounding with very minimum coloration.
Extremely wide frequency response. The sub-bass and upper treble extensions are incredible.
Extremely fast transient with good dynamic.
Superb detail extraction and very resolving.
Lean on the analytical side but in a very good and musical way.
I would put ATH-ADX5000 in the family of Sennheiser HD800 and Beyerdynamic T1 sound signature category. Rather on the brighter side of neutral with excellent transparency, clarity, and detail. Clearly not in the warm headphones category. Detail retrieval and micro-dynamic are probably the biggest strength of ATH-ADX5000. Very realistic presentation from the very high level of detail. I always think that my HD800 and T1 are very good in detail retrieval, but ATH-ADX5000 beats them both in revealing micro details and micro-dynamics.
Thomas Örnberg's Blue Five - Black Beauty is one of the test track that I often use for treble peak test. And I’m glad to say that Audio-Technica ATH-ADX5000 performs pretty well playing the Black Beauty. Being slightly on the brighter side of neutral it does sometimes slightly overemphasized the trumpet, but it is still below my threshold for ‘peaky treble’.
I usually not a big fan of bright sounding headphones, because they usually sound thin around the midrange and bass. Fortunately, ATH-ADX5000 doesn’t sound thin. It has a good level of tonal density around the midrange and bass. Vocal presented in a natural manner, not too thin and not overly thick. I played my regular vocal test tracks from ‘The World Greatest Audiophile Vocal Recording’ by Chesky Records on ATH-ADX5000, vocal reproduction was very natural, and close to perfect to me. Bass is tight with good weight, punch, and beautifully textured. The sub-bass extension is simply awesome. The sub-bass from Jurassic Park soundtracks sounds deep and tight with realistic sub-bass rumble. It has very good quality bass, fast attack and very well controlled. But the bass level is more on the neutral side and far from being bass heavy.
I would give 5 stars for the sound quality of ATH-ADX5000. It is clearly in the league of highly recommended flagship headphones.
Comparisons
Sennheiser HD800 & HD800S
Most of the comparisons below were done using Audio-Technica AT-HA5050H for the desktop setup, and Chord Mojo for the portable setup. At 100 dB/mW sensitivity, the ATH-ADX5000 has about the same sensitivity as the HD800. So volume setting is about comparable between the 2, with ATH-ADX5000 only sounds a bit louder at the same volume level. So as a high impedance headphone, ATH-ADX5000 is relatively easy to drive.
Having HD800 for many years, although I admit it is a great headphone, but to be honest I’m not a great fan of it, especially when listening to vocal. As I would like to have more tonal density around the midrange and bass area from HD800. I was hoping HD800S gives the improvement that I’ve been waiting for HD800, but unfortunately, it is not there yet. HD800S less bright tonality is surely a welcome change, but the bass quality is not as tight, textured, and authoritative as I would like to hear from a headphone in that price range.
Comparing the 3 great headphones, HD800, HD800S, and Audio-Technica ATH-ADX5000, I choose the Audio-Technica ATH-ADX5000 as the winner for sound quality. While HD800 and HD800S win in the comfort department. In my opinion they are in the same family of tuning, clear, transparent, and revealing type of sound signature. Meaning, those who like HD800 type of sound signature would most probably like Audio-Technica ATH-ADX5000. ATH-ADX5000 has about the same perceived treble brightness as HD800. Probably in between HD800 and HD800S, closer to HD800. When listening to saxophone tracks, ATH-ADX5000 sounds more natural than HD800. HD800 sometime may sound rather thin and ‘shouty’ on saxophone. ATH-ADX5000 has more tonal density in the mids and bass than HD800. Not too much, just nice to give more weight to the overall sound. Bass on the ATH-ADX5000 sounds punchier, tighter, with more dynamic than HD800. Although it is debatable if HD800 is a good headphone for vocal or not, for me it is clearly not my headphone of choice for vocal. I prefer HD800 for listening classical orchestras. But ATH-ADX5000 is different. Although it is not those warm sounding headphones that make vocal sounds full-bodied and lush, ATH-ADX5000 performs very well on vocal, IMHO better than HD800. HD800 vocal generally sounds rather thin for me, while ATH-ADX5000 vocal sounds fuller and has the right amount of thickness and weight while maintaining the high level of clarity and detail. Overall vocal just sounds more accurate and more natural on ATH-ADX5000.
The main improvement I hear from ATH-ADX5000 over HD800 and HD800S is the dynamic and tonal density around the bass and midrange area. Bass has more punch, faster, and tighter with better texture. The midrange has more weight and body, and sounds more natural to my ears. I do feel ATH-ADX5000 has faster transient, more detail extraction, and has better overall dynamic than both HD800 and HD800S. Percussions sound more realistic with richer micro details on ATH-ADX5000. Piano sound has more weight, dynamic, and better percussive feeling to it. In short, ATH-ADX5000 is like HD800 with extra oomph. When comparing the 3 headphones with many different types of recordings, I keep wanting to go back to ATH-ADX5000 as it gives stronger musical engagement than HD800 and HD800S. To my ears, ATH-ADX5000 is the winner here.
Beyerdynamic T1 (First Generation)
My T1 sounds smoother with more polite presentation (less dynamic) compared to ATH-ADX5000. ATH-ADX500 has more sparkling treble, therefore perceived as slightly brighter. ATH-ADX500 is also faster in transient and can be perceived as more aggressive and lively sounding than T1. ATH-ADX5000 wins in dynamic and transient and can be perceived as more engaging than T1. Bass and percussions sound weightier with more realistic dynamic on ATH-ADX5000. T1 bass is simply not as good and as realistic as ATH-ADX5000 fast and textured bass. But for the treble part, I prefer the T1 smoother treble. With some bright recordings, ATH-ADX5000 may sound a bit too bright, while T1 sounds friendlier to the ears. Overall I still prefer the ATH-ADX5000, especially for listening to audiophiles recordings and classical orchestra. Instrument separation is way better and more distinct on ATH-ADX5000, that makes classical orchestra sounds more lively and realistic. In summary, compared to Beyerdynamic T1, ATH-ADX5000 sounds more transparent and more realistic due to the higher level of detail, resolution, clarity, and dynamic.
Focal Utopia
I had a chance to compare ATH-ADX5000 with Focal Utopia. Utopia sounds less bright, slightly smoother and warmer while having pretty close level of speed, detail, transparency, and dynamic. ADX5000 has more sparkling treble and may be perceived as slightly more transparent. Utopia has thicker tonal density, and to me, more musically engaging especially with vocals. Utopia tuning is more friendly to the ears, makes it a better all-rounder than the ATH-ADX5000. While ATH-ADX5000 may be perceived to have a bit faster transient, probably due to the brighter tonality. My personal preference for tonality is closer to Focal Utopia, but at much lower price the ATH-ADX5000 competes pretty well with Utopia, especially in the detail, clarity, speed, and dynamic.
Comfort & Build Quality
Audio-Technica ATH-ADX5000 is quite lightweight and comfortable. I have no issue wearing it for a long listening session. But when compared to Sennheiser HD800, HD800 with deeper earcups and unique ergonomic does feel more comfortable than Audio-Technica ATH-ADX5000. The Audio-Technica ATH-ADX5000 earcups are shallower than HD800 earcups and touch my pinae slightly, but so far doesn’t cause any irritating feeling even after a long session. From what I feel the headband clamp is rather tight but not too tight. Tighter than the ATH-R70x.Probably because it is still new. I’m ok with the clamping force, but I guess some people might prefer a slightly less tight headband. My son who helped me to test it also said he is ok with the clamping force. I would say the overall comfort level is good.
Design wise, ATH-ADX5000 reminds me of ATH-R70x that I reviewed last year. It shares the R70x industrial utilitarian style, but overall ATH-ADX5000 feels more solidly built. At only around 270 grams (headphone only), ATH-ADX5000 is a lightweight headphone.
For build quality, I only have 1 concern, the headband creaks. Not too bad, but occasionally can be a bit annoying. I would say for a headphone at this price level, the creaking headband is not acceptable. Hopefully Audio-Technica will fix it soon.
The A2DC connector provides tight and secure connection, seems better than other type of headphone cable connectors. Time will tell. I just hope that Audio-Technica will include shorter cable. The 3m included cable is too long for desktop use. And at the moment not easy to get replacement cable with the A2DC connectors.
ATH-ADX5000 comes with a fairly large suitcase style headphone case. I imagine smaller case might be more useful for Pro Audio people to travel with ATH-ADX5000. But it is not a big deal to get smaller headphone if necessary.
DAC and Amplifier pairings
ATH-ADX5000 is relatively easy to drive. Any system good for HD800 will most probably pairs well with ATH-ADX5000. At rather loud listening level, I measured max output of the headphone amp at more or less around 1.2 Vrms. Most DAPs and DACs will have no problem to output 1.2 Vrms. So there is no special requirement to drive ATH-ADX5000 to achieve sufficient loudness. Most desktop Amp or even USB DAC Amp will be sufficient. But as expected, I personally would avoid analytical DAC Amp such as my ifi micro iDSD & Questyle CMA600i. The Audio-Technica AT-HA5050H pairs wonderfully with ATH-ADX5000. So are my Light Harmonic Geek Pulse XFi and Geek Out 2A.
Summary
Audio-Technica did it again. ATH-ADX5000 is a serious contender to other flagship headphones. Personally, I think it is more competent than the widely acclaimed Sennheiser HD800 and Beyerdynamic T1, which is I consider as a big achievement for any headphone. ATH-ADX5000 ability to resolve details brings HD audio recordings to the next level of auditory experience. It is one of the most revealing headphones I ever tried. The large 58mm Tungsten coated diaphragm driver is capable to deliver a realistic level of dynamic and detail rarely heard from other headphones in this price category. ATH-ADX5000 deserves the place as a flagship reference headphone. Kudos Audio-Technica!
Specifications:
Type : Open-back dynamic
Driver Diameter : 58 mm
Frequency Response : 5 – 50,000 Hz
Maximum Input Power : 1,000 mw
Sensitivity : 100 dB/mW
Impedance : 420 ohms
Weight : 270 g
Cable : Detachable 3.0 m (9.8') cable with A2DC connectors
Connector : 6.3 mm (1/4") gold-plated stereo plug
Accessories Included : Hard carrying case
Equipment used in this review:
Headphones:
Beyerdynamic T1
Focal Utopia
Sennheiser HD800
Sennheiser HD800S
DACs & Headphone Amplifiers:
Audio-Technica AT-HA5050H
Chord Mojo
LH Geek Pulse XFi
LH Geek Out 2A
ifi micro iDSD
Questyle CMA600i
Some recordings used in this review:
Many thanks to Audio-Technica Singapore for the loan of Audio-Technica ATH-ADX5000 for reviewing purpose!
http://www.audio-technica.com/cms/headphones/13caf776f0ed2aa4/index.html/
Pros:
Superb detail and transparency.
Excellent transient and dynamic. Faster and tighter than both HD800 and T1.
Natural tuning, highly recommended for Pro Audio applications.
Cons:
Headband creaks.
No shorter cable included, only one long (3m) cable with proprietary A2DC connectors.
Suggestions for Improvement:
To fix the creaking headband.
To include shorter cable and balanced cable.
Recommendation:
Recommended for those who are looking for very detailed and transparent sounding headphone with laser focus instrument separation and imaging.
Not recommended for those who are looking for smooth and warm sounding headphone.
Sound Quality
Perceived as slightly on the brighter side of neutral, but overall pretty natural sounding with very minimum coloration.
Extremely wide frequency response. The sub-bass and upper treble extensions are incredible.
Extremely fast transient with good dynamic.
Superb detail extraction and very resolving.
Lean on the analytical side but in a very good and musical way.
I would put ATH-ADX5000 in the family of Sennheiser HD800 and Beyerdynamic T1 sound signature category. Rather on the brighter side of neutral with excellent transparency, clarity, and detail. Clearly not in the warm headphones category. Detail retrieval and micro-dynamic are probably the biggest strength of ATH-ADX5000. Very realistic presentation from the very high level of detail. I always think that my HD800 and T1 are very good in detail retrieval, but ATH-ADX5000 beats them both in revealing micro details and micro-dynamics.
Thomas Örnberg's Blue Five - Black Beauty is one of the test track that I often use for treble peak test. And I’m glad to say that Audio-Technica ATH-ADX5000 performs pretty well playing the Black Beauty. Being slightly on the brighter side of neutral it does sometimes slightly overemphasized the trumpet, but it is still below my threshold for ‘peaky treble’.
I usually not a big fan of bright sounding headphones, because they usually sound thin around the midrange and bass. Fortunately, ATH-ADX5000 doesn’t sound thin. It has a good level of tonal density around the midrange and bass. Vocal presented in a natural manner, not too thin and not overly thick. I played my regular vocal test tracks from ‘The World Greatest Audiophile Vocal Recording’ by Chesky Records on ATH-ADX5000, vocal reproduction was very natural, and close to perfect to me. Bass is tight with good weight, punch, and beautifully textured. The sub-bass extension is simply awesome. The sub-bass from Jurassic Park soundtracks sounds deep and tight with realistic sub-bass rumble. It has very good quality bass, fast attack and very well controlled. But the bass level is more on the neutral side and far from being bass heavy.
I would give 5 stars for the sound quality of ATH-ADX5000. It is clearly in the league of highly recommended flagship headphones.
Comparisons
Sennheiser HD800 & HD800S
Most of the comparisons below were done using Audio-Technica AT-HA5050H for the desktop setup, and Chord Mojo for the portable setup. At 100 dB/mW sensitivity, the ATH-ADX5000 has about the same sensitivity as the HD800. So volume setting is about comparable between the 2, with ATH-ADX5000 only sounds a bit louder at the same volume level. So as a high impedance headphone, ATH-ADX5000 is relatively easy to drive.
Having HD800 for many years, although I admit it is a great headphone, but to be honest I’m not a great fan of it, especially when listening to vocal. As I would like to have more tonal density around the midrange and bass area from HD800. I was hoping HD800S gives the improvement that I’ve been waiting for HD800, but unfortunately, it is not there yet. HD800S less bright tonality is surely a welcome change, but the bass quality is not as tight, textured, and authoritative as I would like to hear from a headphone in that price range.
Comparing the 3 great headphones, HD800, HD800S, and Audio-Technica ATH-ADX5000, I choose the Audio-Technica ATH-ADX5000 as the winner for sound quality. While HD800 and HD800S win in the comfort department. In my opinion they are in the same family of tuning, clear, transparent, and revealing type of sound signature. Meaning, those who like HD800 type of sound signature would most probably like Audio-Technica ATH-ADX5000. ATH-ADX5000 has about the same perceived treble brightness as HD800. Probably in between HD800 and HD800S, closer to HD800. When listening to saxophone tracks, ATH-ADX5000 sounds more natural than HD800. HD800 sometime may sound rather thin and ‘shouty’ on saxophone. ATH-ADX5000 has more tonal density in the mids and bass than HD800. Not too much, just nice to give more weight to the overall sound. Bass on the ATH-ADX5000 sounds punchier, tighter, with more dynamic than HD800. Although it is debatable if HD800 is a good headphone for vocal or not, for me it is clearly not my headphone of choice for vocal. I prefer HD800 for listening classical orchestras. But ATH-ADX5000 is different. Although it is not those warm sounding headphones that make vocal sounds full-bodied and lush, ATH-ADX5000 performs very well on vocal, IMHO better than HD800. HD800 vocal generally sounds rather thin for me, while ATH-ADX5000 vocal sounds fuller and has the right amount of thickness and weight while maintaining the high level of clarity and detail. Overall vocal just sounds more accurate and more natural on ATH-ADX5000.
The main improvement I hear from ATH-ADX5000 over HD800 and HD800S is the dynamic and tonal density around the bass and midrange area. Bass has more punch, faster, and tighter with better texture. The midrange has more weight and body, and sounds more natural to my ears. I do feel ATH-ADX5000 has faster transient, more detail extraction, and has better overall dynamic than both HD800 and HD800S. Percussions sound more realistic with richer micro details on ATH-ADX5000. Piano sound has more weight, dynamic, and better percussive feeling to it. In short, ATH-ADX5000 is like HD800 with extra oomph. When comparing the 3 headphones with many different types of recordings, I keep wanting to go back to ATH-ADX5000 as it gives stronger musical engagement than HD800 and HD800S. To my ears, ATH-ADX5000 is the winner here.
Beyerdynamic T1 (First Generation)
My T1 sounds smoother with more polite presentation (less dynamic) compared to ATH-ADX5000. ATH-ADX500 has more sparkling treble, therefore perceived as slightly brighter. ATH-ADX500 is also faster in transient and can be perceived as more aggressive and lively sounding than T1. ATH-ADX5000 wins in dynamic and transient and can be perceived as more engaging than T1. Bass and percussions sound weightier with more realistic dynamic on ATH-ADX5000. T1 bass is simply not as good and as realistic as ATH-ADX5000 fast and textured bass. But for the treble part, I prefer the T1 smoother treble. With some bright recordings, ATH-ADX5000 may sound a bit too bright, while T1 sounds friendlier to the ears. Overall I still prefer the ATH-ADX5000, especially for listening to audiophiles recordings and classical orchestra. Instrument separation is way better and more distinct on ATH-ADX5000, that makes classical orchestra sounds more lively and realistic. In summary, compared to Beyerdynamic T1, ATH-ADX5000 sounds more transparent and more realistic due to the higher level of detail, resolution, clarity, and dynamic.
Focal Utopia
I had a chance to compare ATH-ADX5000 with Focal Utopia. Utopia sounds less bright, slightly smoother and warmer while having pretty close level of speed, detail, transparency, and dynamic. ADX5000 has more sparkling treble and may be perceived as slightly more transparent. Utopia has thicker tonal density, and to me, more musically engaging especially with vocals. Utopia tuning is more friendly to the ears, makes it a better all-rounder than the ATH-ADX5000. While ATH-ADX5000 may be perceived to have a bit faster transient, probably due to the brighter tonality. My personal preference for tonality is closer to Focal Utopia, but at much lower price the ATH-ADX5000 competes pretty well with Utopia, especially in the detail, clarity, speed, and dynamic.
Comfort & Build Quality
Audio-Technica ATH-ADX5000 is quite lightweight and comfortable. I have no issue wearing it for a long listening session. But when compared to Sennheiser HD800, HD800 with deeper earcups and unique ergonomic does feel more comfortable than Audio-Technica ATH-ADX5000. The Audio-Technica ATH-ADX5000 earcups are shallower than HD800 earcups and touch my pinae slightly, but so far doesn’t cause any irritating feeling even after a long session. From what I feel the headband clamp is rather tight but not too tight. Tighter than the ATH-R70x.Probably because it is still new. I’m ok with the clamping force, but I guess some people might prefer a slightly less tight headband. My son who helped me to test it also said he is ok with the clamping force. I would say the overall comfort level is good.
Design wise, ATH-ADX5000 reminds me of ATH-R70x that I reviewed last year. It shares the R70x industrial utilitarian style, but overall ATH-ADX5000 feels more solidly built. At only around 270 grams (headphone only), ATH-ADX5000 is a lightweight headphone.
For build quality, I only have 1 concern, the headband creaks. Not too bad, but occasionally can be a bit annoying. I would say for a headphone at this price level, the creaking headband is not acceptable. Hopefully Audio-Technica will fix it soon.
The A2DC connector provides tight and secure connection, seems better than other type of headphone cable connectors. Time will tell. I just hope that Audio-Technica will include shorter cable. The 3m included cable is too long for desktop use. And at the moment not easy to get replacement cable with the A2DC connectors.
ATH-ADX5000 comes with a fairly large suitcase style headphone case. I imagine smaller case might be more useful for Pro Audio people to travel with ATH-ADX5000. But it is not a big deal to get smaller headphone if necessary.
DAC and Amplifier pairings
ATH-ADX5000 is relatively easy to drive. Any system good for HD800 will most probably pairs well with ATH-ADX5000. At rather loud listening level, I measured max output of the headphone amp at more or less around 1.2 Vrms. Most DAPs and DACs will have no problem to output 1.2 Vrms. So there is no special requirement to drive ATH-ADX5000 to achieve sufficient loudness. Most desktop Amp or even USB DAC Amp will be sufficient. But as expected, I personally would avoid analytical DAC Amp such as my ifi micro iDSD & Questyle CMA600i. The Audio-Technica AT-HA5050H pairs wonderfully with ATH-ADX5000. So are my Light Harmonic Geek Pulse XFi and Geek Out 2A.
Summary
Audio-Technica did it again. ATH-ADX5000 is a serious contender to other flagship headphones. Personally, I think it is more competent than the widely acclaimed Sennheiser HD800 and Beyerdynamic T1, which is I consider as a big achievement for any headphone. ATH-ADX5000 ability to resolve details brings HD audio recordings to the next level of auditory experience. It is one of the most revealing headphones I ever tried. The large 58mm Tungsten coated diaphragm driver is capable to deliver a realistic level of dynamic and detail rarely heard from other headphones in this price category. ATH-ADX5000 deserves the place as a flagship reference headphone. Kudos Audio-Technica!
Specifications:
Type : Open-back dynamic
Driver Diameter : 58 mm
Frequency Response : 5 – 50,000 Hz
Maximum Input Power : 1,000 mw
Sensitivity : 100 dB/mW
Impedance : 420 ohms
Weight : 270 g
Cable : Detachable 3.0 m (9.8') cable with A2DC connectors
Connector : 6.3 mm (1/4") gold-plated stereo plug
Accessories Included : Hard carrying case
Equipment used in this review:
Headphones:
Beyerdynamic T1
Focal Utopia
Sennheiser HD800
Sennheiser HD800S
DACs & Headphone Amplifiers:
Audio-Technica AT-HA5050H
Chord Mojo
LH Geek Pulse XFi
LH Geek Out 2A
ifi micro iDSD
Questyle CMA600i
Some recordings used in this review:
Easy Peasy...