[LaCuffia]

Thought the same - these videos are meaningless. Everything is “pretty good” but that’s no guide post for the in depth review at all.

Regarding the high price of headphones, I tell my wife every headphone I get is like $150. She has no clue anyway and doesn’t care about headphones. It would be embarrassing to admit what they really cost.

 

[Witcher]

Tyll likes them

That's bad.

 

[Witcher]

I'm still waiting to read some impressions from an acoustic jazz fan who might comment on not only how the X5000 delivers sub-bass (kick drum hits), but also going a bit further in describing the bass quality of this headphone as in how the overtones of the low notes of an acoustic stand-up bass are rendered. Not only the initial pluck, or "attack" but that harmonic information that you should be able to hear as the note sustains. (And, with a headphone that emphasizes this impactful, sub-bass, this quality can obscure the timbre and sub-harmonics of those frequencies that are just above that). Staying with the drum kit, and speaking of how this headphone may reproduce the "shimmer" and sustain qualities of different ride cymbals, (Not just the initial "tic", or "ping" of the drumstick against the cymbal, but the complex overtones that remain after that initial strike, before decaying...different ride cymbals have different qualities. I wonder how well this headphone can distinguish these qualities. My beyerdynamic T90's struggle with this aspect (and my AKG K701's and 702's are a bit better, but aren't miles ahead, in this regard).

Now, we come to the star of an acoustic jazz trio: The grand piano. I want to know how well the X5000 conveys the wonderfully complex mix of tone, timbre, harmonics, overtones, etc. that this instrument can produce. I don't expect this or any other headphone to reproduce this instrument with realistic, "it feels like they're in the room playing, right in front of me!" No, I don't expect that. But, I would hope that this headphone is tuned and voiced to hopefully reproduce acoustic musical instruments with a convincing level of accuracy and realism.

I'm not a big fan of acoustic jazz music, but if my blues and classical interests can be of reference, then yes, I'd say your expectations of the above will be well met with this set. It's very detailed, so you hear everything.

 

[Witcher]

He said it lacks impact, citing "Enter Sandman" as an example track. I'd have to disagree. I think there's something wrong with his setup in this case; as in it's not built for delivering such "thunderous drums" to begin with. I have no problems getting this pair to deliver such punches with my setup.

 

[terry parr]

I'm not a big fan of acoustic jazz music, but if my blues and classical interests can be of reference, then yes, I'd say your expectations of the above will be well met with this set. It's very detailed, so you hear everything.

Thanks for dropping in with that, man! If you listen to a bit of classical, then instruments have to sound like instruments, or else if the tonality were way off in reproducing strings or brass or reed instruments, I'm sure you would've probably noticed that and mentioned it if the headphones sounded "off" in this regard. (I don't need a massive soundstage, though, which is probably more important to people who enjoy some orchestral pieces). Most of my listening is small groups. Take note, though, that I'm not looking for absolute perfection, here. But, these h/p's will have to distance themselves from the AKG K-Series and the beyer T90's in order to justify the (huge) price difference. I appreciate the concept of "diminishing returns", but there'll have to be a noticeable difference for the better (as far as the qualities that I'm listening for) than I can hear immediately. I'm not looking to be "wowed". But, I am looking to be drawn a little further into the music.

 

[Witcher]

Thanks for dropping in with that, man! If you listen to a bit of classical, then instruments have to sound like instruments, or else if the tonality were way off in reproducing strings or brass or reed instruments, I'm sure you would've probably noticed that and mentioned it if the headphones sounded "off" in this regard. (I don't need a massive soundstage, though, which is probably more important to people who enjoy some orchestral pieces). Most of my listening is small groups. Take note, though, that I'm not looking for absolute perfection, here. But, these h/p's will have to distance themselves from the AKG K-Series and the beyer T90's in order to justify the (huge) price difference. I appreciate the concept of "diminishing returns", but there'll have to be a noticeable difference for the better (as far as the qualities that I'm listening for) than I can hear immediately. I'm not looking to be "wowed". But, I am looking to be drawn a little further into the music.

Actually, as a hobbyist musician (guitar, piano) playing in an amateur band and doing several home recordings myself for the last 28 years, every instrument to me needs to sound like an instrument. And I do know quite well what they sound like from experience. I know what you mean when you say some headphones take that away from the instruments. No issues about tonal/texture accuracy with the ADX5000.

I've only heard the K712 Pros before, and a very brief moment with the T1. All I can vaguely say is that I'll take the 712 over the T1 any day, and I'd take the ADX5000 over both, though the 712 Pro is a seriously tough contender. The 712 Pro to me is the sweet spot of price/performance ratio when it comes to tonal accuracy. But I didn't spend enough time with it to notice other things like staging, imaging, etc. All I recall was that it sounded good, and was well balanced for my tastes. The only reason why I didn't get it, is because I had just bought the ADX5000 15 mins prior to trying it out. Was it the other way round, I might've gone for the 712 instead of the 5000 only because of the price/build difference. I personally wasn't impressed with the T1. Not because it was bad, but only because I've heard it before in the (IMO) superior HD800S. So since I already had the HD800S, I didn't need the T1.

But the 712 is still ringing in my head up to today, because it's a great can I can get to use when I'm not at home, and doesn't cost too much.

 

[up late]

He said it lacks impact, citing "Enter Sandman" as an example track. I'd have to disagree. I think there's something wrong with his setup in this case; as in it's not built for delivering such "thunderous drums" to begin with. I have no problems getting this pair to deliver such punches with my setup.

i've not heard the adx5000 but the a-t's are the least "impactful" cans that i own tbh

 

[up late]

Actually, as a hobbyist musician (guitar, piano) playing in an amateur band and doing several home recordings myself for the last 28 years, every instrument to me needs to sound like an instrument. And I do know quite well what they sound like from experience. I know what you mean when you say some headphones take that away from the instruments. No issues about tonal/texture accuracy with the ADX5000.

I've only heard the K712 Pros before, and a very brief moment with the T1. All I can vaguely say is that I'll take the 712 over the T1 any day, and I'd take the ADX5000 over both, though the 712 Pro is a seriously tough contender. The 712 Pro to me is the sweet spot of price/performance ratio when it comes to tonal accuracy. But I didn't spend enough time with it to notice other things like staging, imaging, etc. All I recall was that it sounded good, and was well balanced for my tastes. The only reason why I didn't get it, is because I had just bought the ADX5000 15 mins prior to trying it out. Was it the other way round, I might've gone for the 712 instead of the 5000 only because of the price/build difference. I personally wasn't impressed with the T1. Not because it was bad, but only because I've heard it before in the (IMO) superior HD800S. So since I already had the HD800S, I didn't need the T1.

But the 712 is still ringing in my head up to today, because it's a great can I can get to use when I'm not at home, and doesn't cost too much.

a-t's totl headphones are not renowned for their "neutrality". perhaps the adx5000 marks a departure from its uniquely "colored" predecessors.

 

[Witcher]

i've not heard the adx5000 but the a-t's are the least "impactful" cans that i own tbh

I think there's a difference between "least impactful" and "least responsive". Some cans, like the THX00, won't give you that sub bass kick no matter how you boost the sub bass, even though it's mid bass response is fairly strong. While others, like the HD800S and the ADX5000, won't have the sub bass kick if you listen to it through a Schiit Jotunheim, but is able to deliver when you play them on a Sony TAZH1ES. I've not tried the other ATs, but the ADX5000 responds very well to tweaks as per my original review. So if you're listening to them on a very flat headphone amplifier, like a Schiit Magni 3, or a Ragnarok, you'll get the impression that they're bass light. When I tried them at the BIC Camera store in Osaka, the amplifier they hooked it up to was fairly bassy (I wish I took note of what it was), so I didn't have any issues with the bass there and then. After I brought them home, they also worked well on my setup, with the same settings for bass that I use on my HD800S, with a little better results by comparison.

 

[Witcher]

a-t's totl headphones are not renowned for their "neutrality". perhaps the adx5000 marks a departure from its uniquely "colored" predecessors.

How so? I did try the AD2000X briefly at the store once (like for 30 secs), though not enough to make a comparison (hence I've never mentioned it), and the only thing I could think of was that they were fairly balanced? How are they coloured in your opinion?

 

[up late]

I think there's a difference between "least impactful" and "least responsive". Some cans, like the THX00, won't give you that sub bass kick no matter how you boost the sub bass, even though it's mid bass response is fairly strong. While others, like the HD800S and the ADX5000, won't have the sub bass kick if you listen to it through a Schiit Jotunheim, but is able to deliver when you play them on a Sony TAZH1ES. I've not tried the other ATs, but the ADX5000 responds very well to tweaks as per my original review. So if you're listening to them on a very flat headphone amplifier, like a Schiit Magni 3, or a Ragnarok, you'll get the impression that they're bass light. When I tried them at the BIC Camera store in Osaka, the amplifier they hooked it up to was fairly bassy (I wish I took note of what it was), so I didn't have any issues with the bass there and then. After I brought them home, they also worked well on my setup, with the same settings for bass that I use on my HD800S, with a little better results by comparison.

i agree that there is a difference but i didn't describe my a-t cans as the "least responsive", and i don't think that the reviewer described the adx5000 in that way either. i thought that he gave a considered review fwiw, which i could relate to based on my experience with a-t cans and the utopia.

How so? I did try the AD2000X briefly at the store once (like for 30 secs), though not enough to make a comparison (hence I've never mentioned it), and the only thing I could think of was that they were fairly balanced? How are they coloured in your opinion?

i should provide some context - i was referring to a-t's flagship "woodies" or closed-back models. that said, the a-t "house sound" tends to be characterised as having an n-shaped frequency response - mid-centric with treble and bass roll-off. i agree with that characterisation based on my own experience.

these measurements of the ad2000x and w5000 depict that, but the w5000 suffers from a steeper bass roll-off than the ad2000x. neither frequency response could be described as approaching "flat" or "neutral", and that's not meant to be a criticism btw. that mid-range emphasis is why a-t fans are enraptured by the way they portray female vocals.

https://www.innerfidelity.com/images/AudioTechnicaATHAD2000X.pdf

https://www.innerfidelity.com/images/AudioTechnicaATHW5000.pdf

 

[Witcher]

i agree that there is a difference but i didn't describe my a-t cans as the "least responsive", and i don't think that the reviewer described the adx5000 in that way either. i thought that he gave a considered review fwiw, which i could relate to based on my experience with a-t cans and the utopia.


i should provide some context - i was referring to a-t's flagship "woodies" or closed-back models. that said, the a-t "house sound" tends to be characterised as having an n-shaped frequency response - mid-centric with treble and bass roll-off. i agree with that characterisation based on my own experience.

these measurements of the ad2000x and w5000 depict that, but the w5000 suffers from a steeper bass roll-off than the ad2000x. neither frequency response could be described as approaching "flat" or "neutral", and that's not meant to be a criticism btw. that mid-range emphasis is why a-t fans are enraptured by the way they portray female vocals.

https://www.innerfidelity.com/images/AudioTechnicaATHAD2000X.pdf

https://www.innerfidelity.com/images/AudioTechnicaATHW5000.pdf

Very interesting. I'm very keen to see what the ADX5000's FR curve is like. Since Tyll seems to like them, maybe he'll do one eventually.

 

[terry parr]

Frankly, I'm not too worried about this particular reviewer (aornic) describing the X5000's as not being as impactful or not as dynamic as he'd like. I'm using a 1970's-era SONY STR-6055 as a headphone amp, run through a "Can Opener" directly connected to the speaker taps. This essentially acts as a step-down transformer to bring the voltage down, and seems to provide a bit more smoother presentation, compared to plugging in headphones directly into the headphone out of the SONY. It isn't a huge difference, but enough to notice, as I find this configuration preferable to simply plugging in my headphones directly to the headphone socket of this receiver. The headphone out has a relatively high output impedance (which I think would match up well with the X5000's relatively high impedance). So, if I had to bet, I'd be willing to say that my amp would probably provide a bit more punch than the average dedicated headphone amp. So, as far as that goes, I have no worries. Plus, in considering this particular headphone, I'm interested more in what this headphone is capable of delivering as far as microdynamics, rather than macrodynamics (slam).

I already own a "fun", less-refined, and "U-Shaped"- sounding headphone that provides bass slam (the T90). If the X5000 doesn't bring quite the low-end punch that the T90 does, but makes up for it in additional refinement (bringing forth more of the harmonics and overtones, etc. of acoustic instruments) then for me it would be an agreeable trade-off. But, I would be willing to bet that I'd get a bit more bass impact out of this headphone than the reviewer did, considering what I'm using as a headphone amp. (I can't say that for sure. I don't know. I'm always careful about commenting on gear that I haven't heard). But, that particular reviewer's comments about the bass performance of this headphone didn't mean much to me. He seemed to only be concerned with the bass impact, and that's about all he said as far as how the bass presentation of this headphone sounded. Well, if you want a headphone that hits hard in the bass, you've got plenty of choices, these days. I'm looking for more than that, as far as how the overall bass and low-end is presented. I'm not picking on this particular reviewer, as this was just a short, first impressions, "better than nothing" quick take on these headphones in a noisy environment. But, he may listen mainly to electronic music and was disappointed in the lack of bass impact.
(Which is what I suspect). But, again, I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt, as this was a spur of the moment and rushed, initial review.

 

[kid vic]

I think there's a difference between "least impactful" and "least responsive". Some cans, like the THX00, won't give you that sub bass kick no matter how you boost the sub bass, even though it's mid bass response is fairly strong. While others, like the HD800S and the ADX5000, won't have the sub bass kick if you listen to it through a Schiit Jotunheim, but is able to deliver when you play them on a Sony TAZH1ES. I've not tried the other ATs, but the ADX5000 responds very well to tweaks as per my original review. So if you're listening to them on a very flat headphone amplifier, like a Schiit Magni 3, or a Ragnarok, you'll get the impression that they're bass light. When I tried them at the BIC Camera store in Osaka, the amplifier they hooked it up to was fairly bassy (I wish I took note of what it was), so I didn't have any issues with the bass there and then. After I brought them home, they also worked well on my setup, with the same settings for bass that I use on my HD800S, with a little better results by comparison.

Interesting that you don't think the fostex cans have good bass seeing as that is almost literally what they ( and their derivatives) are known for. Even on my neutral tube amp I get good sub bass out of my TH600's. Like wise your comment on HD800 bass surprises me, though they are known for responding well to EQ I've never heard a seriously glowing tale of their bass impact.

 

[up late]

Very interesting. I'm very keen to see what the ADX5000's FR curve is like. Since Tyll seems to like them, maybe he'll do one eventually.

a review from tyll with accompanying measurements looks likely

Frankly, I'm not too worried about this particular reviewer (aornic) describing the X5000's as not being as impactful or not as dynamic as he'd like. I'm using a 1970's-era SONY STR-6055 as a headphone amp, run through a "Can Opener" directly connected to the speaker taps. This essentially acts as a step-down transformer to bring the voltage down, and seems to provide a bit more smoother presentation, compared to plugging in headphones directly into the headphone out of the SONY. It isn't a huge difference, but enough to notice, as I find this configuration preferable to simply plugging in my headphones directly to the headphone socket of this receiver. The headphone out has a relatively high output impedance (which I think would match up well with the X5000's relatively high impedance). So, if I had to bet, I'd be willing to say that my amp would probably provide a bit more punch than the average dedicated headphone amp. So, as far as that goes, I have no worries. Plus, in considering this particular headphone, I'm interested more in what this headphone is capable of delivering as far as microdynamics, rather than macrodynamics (slam).

I already own a "fun", less-refined, and "U-Shaped"- sounding headphone that provides bass slam (the T90). If the X5000 doesn't bring quite the low-end punch that the T90 does, but makes up for it in additional refinement (bringing forth more of the harmonics and overtones, etc. of acoustic instruments) then for me it would be an agreeable trade-off. But, I would be willing to bet that I'd get a bit more bass impact out of this headphone than the reviewer did, considering what I'm using as a headphone amp. (I can't say that for sure. I don't know. I'm always careful about commenting on gear that I haven't heard). But, that particular reviewer's comments about the bass performance of this headphone didn't mean much to me. He seemed to only be concerned with the bass impact, and that's about all he said as far as how the bass presentation of this headphone sounded. Well, if you want a headphone that hits hard in the bass, you've got plenty of choices, these days. I'm looking for more than that, as far as how the overall bass and low-end is presented. I'm not picking on this particular reviewer, as this was just a short, first impressions, "better than nothing" quick take on these headphones in a noisy environment. But, he may listen mainly to electronic music and was disappointed in the lack of bass impact.
(Which is what I suspect). But, again, I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt, as this was a spur of the moment and rushed, initial review.

aornic said in his review that "detail retrieval and air are the name of the game with this headphone but bass performance was lacking compared to the rest of the headphone". he described the adx5000 as "very resolving in the upper mid-range and treble, with fantastic imaging capabilities and a decent soundstage width", but he found the bass presentation lacking in "texture, precision, impact and dynamics" for a headphone in its price range. he characterised the sound signature as being "dry and analytical" rather than lush. he referred to music from the smashing pumpkins, fleetwood mac and miles davis's nefertiti during his review but there was no mention of edm. the headphone was loaned to him for an "in-house" review, so presumably he had the time to listen and evaluate it in a relatively quiet environment. it was tyll hertsen who posted his initial listening impressions of the adx5000 from a noisy booth at ces 2018.