[Sp12er3]

Gear matching is always a thing in audio, it's the one thing that makes me consider a tube amp as the final thing I can add to my setup, but always deferred when time to buy comes,

Lately I've been sidetracked with some distraction that 2 channel system provides, I now consider for people who can afford to (the space and noise speaker brings), getting a good stereo system as the best way to add a very different experience to a crowded headphone collection.

Besides that tho, one gear I'm interested in:
Anyone looking at Audio Technica's HA5050? Seems like a gear that is clear in what it's aiming to do, output Z is the one thing everyone agrees changes the sound of your headphones and this one provides 4: 0.1, 33, 82 and 120 ohm respectively, and a pair for each too!

The HDV820 outZ is 40 ohm thus the AT sure have more play on how you want to change your gear to sound.

 

[jamesjames]

Gear matching is always a thing in audio, it's the one thing that makes me consider a tube amp as the final thing I can add to my setup, but always deferred when time to buy comes,

Lately I've been sidetracked with some distraction that 2 channel system provides, I now consider for people who can afford to (the space and noise speaker brings), getting a good stereo system as the best way to add a very different experience to a crowded headphone collection.

Besides that tho, one gear I'm interested in:
Anyone looking at Audio Technica's HA5050? Seems like a gear that is clear in what it's aiming to do, output Z is the one thing everyone agrees changes the sound of your headphones and this one provides 4: 0.1, 33, 82 and 120 ohm respectively, and a pair for each too!

The HDV820 outZ is 40 ohm thus the AT sure have more play on how you want to change your gear to sound.

I agree the HA5050 is an interesting proposition, for the reasons you've mentioned. I've listened very briefly in store - and could say only that the variable outZ outputs really do seem to offer obvious differences. I'm tempted, but a couple of issues have stopped me so far. I find the balance 'tilt' from the high HDV820 outZ quite noticeable - even on Beyer 600 ohm and the HD800S - so I wonder whether even higher outZ might be too much for me - and less isn't really of interest (my main amp is the Moon 430HA ~1.5 ohm). The HDV820 is also the quietest amp I've ever encountered - including in terms of mechanical hum. Valves, on the other hand, can be noisy in my experience - and the general valve softness has never appealed. So I'm inclined to think the HDV820 might be the only high outZ amp I need. But I'd be very interested to hear from anyone who's actually got one and used it with highZ phones.

EDIT: One other point is that I generally prefer differential amps - like the Moon and the Senn. The AT has balanced inputs - and possibly some sort of differential input stage at least - but it doesn't offer balanced headphone outs - so not sure what to make of that.

 

[vaporsynthwave]

I love the ADX-5000 but have been desiring a more laid-back complementary pair that doesn't sacrifice too much technicality-wise. anyone lived with a great duo? maybe something like Empyrean, Rad-0, Atrium, JM Xtc, tungsten? I primarily use a woo audio wa6-se/jotunheim2 with either a bifrost 2 or rme adi-2. my current relaxed cans are the 6XX and grado hemp

 

[crunchoe]

I currently have a pair of ZMF Aeolus that might fit the bill but it may be lacking the level of technicality you're looking for. Hard to say for certain, but FWIW I think it's a wonderfully complementary pair.

 

[goldwerger]

Atrium

Fits the bill very well! (have both)

 

[vaporsynthwave]

I currently have a pair of ZMF Aeolus that might fit the bill but it may be lacking the level of technicality you're looking for. Hard to say for certain, but FWIW I think it's a wonderfully complementary pair.

true, the resolution could be just enough and save me some money compared to the other picks.

Fits the bill very well! (have both)

I've spent some time with a friend's pair and love them, wonderful timbre. although he's the only other person I know also down the rabbit hole so I try and buy different sets so we can swap and experience more gear. I'm considering a Verite Open also but not sure if it will be as complementary. have to factor in the sound signature changes from different pads and tubes as well.

 

[goldwerger]

I've spent some time with a friend's pair and love them, wonderful timbre. although he's the only other person I know also down the rabbit hole so I try and buy different sets so we can swap and experience more gear. I'm considering a Verite Open also but not sure if it will be as complementary. have to factor in the sound signature changes from different pads and tubes as well.

Have both and they are both different than the AT

but the Atrium is even further out, being more lush, more decay (so opposite spectrum to AT)

Verite is bit faster, snappier, but still ZMF house sound

pads will vary sounds a lot, big plus of all ZMF cans

 

[wmedrz]

Forgive me if this has been answered, but I just wanted to confirm before ripping something: do the ATH AD series dekoni pads fit on the ADX5000?

Is the method of replacing pads the same as with the AD2000?

Thanks

 

[wmedrz]

Nevermind, I was able to get them on. The fit wasn't great and they didn't sound too good. Back to original pads. Good talk guys.

 

[sicnesse]

Got some zmf BE2 suede and I kinda feel a small improvement for treble (less peaky), but could also be my new product acquisition bias. Comfort slightly improved

 

[jamesjames]

Got some zmf BE2 suede and I kinda feel a small improvement for treble (less peaky), but could also be my new product acquisition bias. Comfort slightly improved

Were these a good fit? Did they go on easily?

 

[sicnesse]

Were these a good fit? Did they go on easily?

Easy installation, removal as well since there's so little area for the pad back to grip

 

[jamesjames]

Easy installation, removal as well since there's so little area for the pad back to grip

Many thanks for that.

 

[jamesjames]

For various reasons I've been putting in some extended listening sessions over the last couple of months in circumstances where I've had the phones I own all together - this doesn't usually occur. It's meant I've actually been able to do some A-B comparisons - the results of which have been a bit surprising to me. The upshot is that I'm more impressed than ever with the ADX5000 (and more sceptical than ever about my own aural memory!). I've always liked the ADX but had tended to think it lacked a little subtlety - and perhaps wasn't quite up there with the HD800S and K812 in terms of timbre on acoustic instruments. But my recent small survey has convinced me that's wrong. In fact, to my ear, the ADX sometimes leaves the others behind - although the differences are sometimes slight enough to make a close comparison necessary to hear them. I would have to say I'm now persuaded it's generally one of the best things out there - at any price - for acoustic music. In some moods the HD800S seems to me better with the creation of a performance space and correct timbre - but it lacks the absolute clarity of the ADX. The K812 has a very engaging, open presentation but now sometimes strikes me as relatively uneven in presentation; and the T1.2 relatively flat and veiled (the T1.1 has more to offer I think - but doesn't quite match the ADX, HD800S or K812). That said, I still find all of these phones to be excellent for acoustic music - and more convincing than any of the other dynamics, e-stats and planars that I've owned over the decades - many of which are vastly more expensive.

For info my system otherwise comprises a Marantz SA10 digital player and a Moon 430HA headphone amp.

I would urge anyone who listens mainly to acoustic music and is in the market for phones to try the ADX5000.

EDIT
In light of some more unusually intensive listening, I wanted to update my comments here. In summary, I listen to classical music and I've always preferred dynamic phones with diffuse or free field tuning. For years I regarded the HD800S as well ahead of anything else out there for acoustic music. But some years ago I came to see the K812 as competitive, and very recently came to feel the same way about the ADX5000 (see the first part of this post). These are the only phones I have - having bought and sold many others (dynamic, e-stat and planar). I continue to think the K812 and ADX are truly competitive - and I would continue to urge anyone interested in acoustic music to try them. But I do feel there remains a difference between the HD800S and the others - and that's my feeling that the HD800S is unmatched in avoiding resonance issues. Without going too far off topic, I agree with Tyll Hertsens that the K812 suffers from a resonance issue - although I guess I don't feel as strongly about it. I sometimes wonder whether the ADX5000 might face a similar issue - to a much smaller extent. But, on balance, I'm inclined to think it doesn't - and that it's finely balanced to push the envelope without quite straying into sibilance or audible resonance.

 

[speCD]

For various reasons I've been putting in some extended listening sessions over the last couple of months in circumstances where I've had the phones I own all together - this doesn't usually occur. It's meant I've actually been able to do some A-B comparisons - the results of which have been a bit surprising. The upshot is that I'm more impressed than ever with the ADX5000 - and more sceptical than ever about my own aural memory! I've always liked the ADX but had tended to think it lacked a little subtlety - and perhaps was not quite up there with the HD800S and K812 in terms of timbre on acoustic instruments. But my recent small survey has convinced me that's wrong. In fact, to my ear, the ADX often leaves the others behind - although the differences are sometimes slight enough to make a close comparison necessary to hear them. I would have to say I'm now persuaded it's generally the best thing out there - at any price - for acoustic music. In some moods the HD800S seems to me better with the creation of a performance space and correct timbre - but it lacks the absolute clarity of the ADX. I'm afraid the K812 now strikes me as relatively uneven in presentation, and the T1.1 and T1.2 relatively flat and veiled. All of that said, I still find all of the phones I've just mentioned to be excellent for acoustic music - and significantly more convincing than any of the other dynamics, e-stats and planars that I've owned over the decades - many of which are vastly more expensive.

For info my system otherwise comprises a Marantz SA10 digital player and a Moon 430HA headphone amp.

I would urge anyone who listens mainly to acoustic music and is in the market for phones to try the ADX5000.

Can't agree more. I have yet to find any headphones more convincing than ADX5000 for live acoustic music.