Reviews by littlexsparkee

littlexsparkee

100+ Head-Fier
Pros: Fantastic imaging, detail, involving sound, sturdy build,
Cons: Dual entry cable cumbersome, headphone's heavy, price
[size=15.555556297302246px]At first, I thought these weren't different enough from my DT880/600 to warrant the price difference (I got these for sub-$600, the 880s for $155). Gradually, I began to notice that these are more involving and seem to surround you with sound in a more realistic way. The instrument separation is fantastic. Keep in mind you need good sources for these to shine; FLAC files or well-mastered CDs (never tried an SACD so I can't comment). The 880s are brilliant, don't get me wrong. They are a neutral headphone that excels at electronic music (think Pantha du Prince or the Field), especially soundstage-wise. That reminds me, these are super for home cinema. I was watching Che [2008] last night and the explosions and artillery fire were incredibly accurate, the folk guitar vibrant. Both Beyers provide the bass to make house and other bass-heavy genres enjoyable. I would definitely recommend the 880 if you're starting out, they're very well built.[/size][size=15.555556297302246px][/size]
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[size=15.555556297302246px]The T1 are comfortable as well, with nice velour ear pads and a leather headband. I would describe the 880 as more comfortable though. The T1 felt stiffer, which partially stems from the fact that it's a newer headphone, but the design also has to do with it. One critical difference is weight; the T1 is quite heavier (the exact weights are thoughtfully detailed by Beyer on the box and probably online). The other issue is the dual entry cable: I find it rather annoying as it's always in the way. It's a rather heavy and cumbersome cable, as compared to the DT880 and my Audio Technica AD900. If comfort is your #1 goal, Audio Technica make the most comfortable phones in the game, IMO. They are extremely light and don't exert much pressure on your head from my experience. However, if you like the T1 sound signature, the sound quality will surely outweigh this downside.[/size][size=15.555556297302246px][/size]
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[size=15.555556297302246px]The T1 comes with a nice metal protective case, not much to say about it, though it would be cool to have a carrying handle. The phone terminates in a Neutrik 1/4 plug so this isn't for portable use.[/size][size=15.555556297302246px][/size]
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[size=15.555556297302246px]Sorry if I seemed to skip around a lot. Feel free to ask me any questions you may have! Thanks for reading[/size]
littlexsparkee
littlexsparkee
What, do you guys want, a receipt scan? Sheesh. I've seen even lower, as low as $540.
money4me247
money4me247
@littlexsparkee, where didja see it for such low prices 3 years ago???? lowest i've found is here on head-fi for $650. help a brother out? :)
littlexsparkee
littlexsparkee
@money4me247: Amazon Warehouse Deals. Don't hold your breath though, it's extremely rare that you can catch it at that price, they post unexpectedly and they're gone within minutes predictably. The forum here is probably your best bet (or eBay). Cheers!

littlexsparkee

100+ Head-Fier
Pros: Comfort, detail, soundstage/air, price, easily driven
Cons: Bass impact not for everyone
 
[size=10pt]The AD900 is well known for its patent Audio Technica house sound; emphasizing light, airy highs. Separation of instruments is fantastic, but occasionally can cause the soundstage to sound artificially big. This is readily apparent when playing something like the Beatles’ stereo remasters, which have hard-panned left and right channels. While not common with more recent masters, this panning can be dizzying and fatiguing if the effect is strong or if one channel is favored. This is more a problem that stems in the studio, so I won’t hold it against the 900. Where the soundstage becomes a benefit is in live recordings; you can hear the musicians shift their weight, glasses clinking, low murmurs and clapping, all from their respective places.[/size]
 
[size=10pt]The AD900 is great for [/size][size=10.0pt]acoustic guitar, strings, vocals, as well as jazz and instrumental records[/size][size=10pt]. They reveal a tremendous amount of detail and are best utilized with FLAC files or SACD (though I haven’t had the chance to try SACD for myself since my Panasonic player doesn’t support it). Percussion is brought out very well and feels realistic. I would, however, not use them for [/size][size=10pt]distorted rock or bass-prominent music[/size][size=10pt]. They are very accurate and balanced, which means that they will not give you the bass impact for genres like techno, house, dance, etc. Music with a lot of distortion or gain tends to be tiring to listen to (the highs can be rather shrill). Distorted rock music often doesn't reveal much detail, so I tend to favor the DT880 for that because the sound is so smooth and has more impact. I have an average sized head and these stay in place pretty well. [/size][size=10pt]The comfort is a 9/10 and the complaints about driver angle absolutely do not ring true for me. They are extremely light phones whose pressure is distributed evenly, for a comfortable listening experience. The cups don't provide a seal so expect to listen in a quiet place or turn up the volume.[/size][size=10pt] I haven't owned a great deal of headphones, but the 900 bests the Sennheiser HD555 and the DT880 in comfort (admittedly only slightly for the latter). [/size]
 
[size=10pt]Watching movies with these is fun because the soundstage is so wide and involving. Dialog is articulated clearly and crisp. I would recommend these, but understand this headphones' strengths and weaknesses before buying, otherwise you will be sorely upset. You don't find too many used models online, but they're a good value anyway if you’re looking for a neutral headphone with lots of detail.[/size][size=10pt] One thing: packaging could be nicer; they come in a cardboard box with a plastic display and stand. It's fairly sturdy, but you're wondering "how could this be an audiophile headphone, packaged like that?" Thanks for reading, hope this helped![/size]
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