[Kernmac]

I love the sound of my AD900s, and if there isn’t a fon that gives me more of the same (except better) then I will stop here. I have and or have had; ESW9, Proline 550, MS1 and MS2i and listened to Senns (up to 595 only) and although I have listed a lot of headphones I like, nothing does it for me like the AD900.

So the question -Is there a better AD900?
Now if I listen to Marcus (Headphonic) the answer is that the AD1000 and AD2000 aren’t the answer, both are overly clinical and are not simply better AD900s, and he would say go MS Pro. Better than AD900 in every respect. Now if the MSPro is a better MS2i then it is not what I am looking for, as although I liked the MS2i it does not have the same sound signature of the AD900. The GS1000 may have the traits of a Grado fon with a decent soundstage and without the Grato highs. This would suggest it may be a better AD900. Some (Headfi’s)say that the AD2000 does have many of the AD900s traits only more so, in fact in a different league. Some say the AD2000 is fon of the month and maybe Marcus is right regarding being overly clinical and lacking the fun or immersion factor (AD900 has plenty of both in my opinion).

Therefore I would ask the GS1000, MSPro and AD2000 fans (and critics) to wade in with their respective opinions, particularly if you have had experience with AD900 as well.

My source is a simple DAP and I use Corda portable amps, and I am not upgrading either any time soon, so feel free to tell me I would be wasting my money on $1000 fons, my wife will agree with you.

I may have missed a fon for consideration regarding being a better AD900, so mention it if I have; but please don’t say get a HD650 or Ultasone Pro 750 or similar, I know they are great cans, but they are not better AD900, just different sound signatures altogether.

 

[Rednamalas1]

um, AD2000 is not clinical. at all. Very involving pair of cans in my opinion.

 

[synaesthetic]

Do the AD2000s have that sweet but slightly funky midrange that sounds so lovely on the AD700s?

My wallet dreads the answer.

 

[Rednamalas1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by synaesthetic /img/forum/go_quote.gif Do the AD2000s have that sweet but slightly funky midrange that sounds so lovely on the AD700s? My wallet dreads the answer.

Short answer: yes, but even better.

long answer:

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f4/my-...ad2000-302281/
http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f4/bey...ad2000-120019/
http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f4/7-p...am-1-a-229452/
http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f4/rev...ad2000-199739/

cheers

-Kris

 

[Kernmac]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rednamalas1 /img/forum/go_quote.gif um, AD2000 is not clinical. at all. Very involving pair of cans in my opinion.

I'm not surprised by this, it doesn't make any sense to me that AD700 and AD900 would be involving cans and then the AD1000 and AD2000 would be totally different creatures.

Rednamalas, how do your AD2000s sound straight from your portable rig?
I am trying to determine whether the AD2000 will sound substantially better than my AD900s from my Sony DAP, Porta Corda amp set up? I know they are efficient enough, but will they shine from a less than perfect source set up?

 

[Rednamalas1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kernmac /img/forum/go_quote.gif Rednamalas, how do your AD2000s sound straight from your portable rig?

pretty good - suprisingly good from underamped setup - quite forgiving of poor source as well (i.e. straight from ipod)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kernmac /img/forum/go_quote.gif I am trying to determine whether the AD2000 will sound substantially better than my AD900s from my Sony DAP, Porta Corda amp set up?

Much, much substantially. AD2000 are different beasts from AD700,900 and even 1000 for that matter.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kernmac /img/forum/go_quote.gif I know they are efficient enough, but will they shine from a less than perfect source set up?

I used to use them with my iAudio X5L -> meier move and they sounded quite fine. They did improve quite a bit with my current rig Vinyl or Keces DA-151 -> Gilmore lite with DPS -> AD2K.

 

[MaloS]

I don't have much to pitch in on the case of comparing to AD900 - never heard it unfortunately.

I'll say that AD2000 is, as pointed out by other poster, not clinical at all. It has some forwardness in upper frequencies, but that results in a very engaging sound.

 

[JayB18]

Yeah. Marcus said the same thing to me too. The MS-Pro is not a better AD900 but it is a technically superior headphone. Same with the GS-1000. AD2000 would probably be the most similar to the AD900 but I dont think your going to find a better AD900 though. The AD2000 loses some of the balance and soundstage of the AD900 from what Ive read. It still should have the airy, forward, spacious sound of the AD900, just with a different tonal balance.

 

[edkk323]

Those are high end phones

 

[fraseyboy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kernmac /img/forum/go_quote.gif ...and although I have listed a lot of headphones I like, nothing does it for me like the AD900.

I feel the same about my AD700's.

What you need to do is think about what is missing in the AD900's (why you want to upgrade). For me its a lack of detail and bass impact. According to most people, the AD2000's are more detailed with better bass so I think they'd be perfect for me.

If your missing that gradoey fun factor then the MS-Pro's would be better for you.

 

[Kernmac]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fraseyboy /img/forum/go_quote.gif I feel the same about my AD700's. What you need to do is think about what is missing in the AD900's (why you want to upgrade). For me its a lack of detail and bass impact. According to most people, the AD2000's are more detailed with better bass so I think they'd be perfect for me. If your missing that gradoey fun factor then the MS-Pro's would be better for you.

Hi fraseyboy,

To be honest I don't believe there is anything missing from my AD900s. However, if there is a fon (AD2000) that has greater bass impact, even better, sweeter mids, great PRaT, similar airy sound stage and great instrument separation, that has very similar sound signature to my AD900s (but even better) then I would be a fool not to pursue it at some stage. Do I miss the Grado fun factor? Not one bit. Were my MS2is ideal for rock, you bet ya, but the AD900s are better. Grado is not the unchallenged king of rock in my world. As you know fraseyboy, AD2000s do not show up here second hand very often, and when they do they are USA or Europe only sales generally. With the AUD, (NZD for that matter) postage etc, I can't see a way of landing an AD2000 for under a $1000. That is more expensive than a MS Pro and a lot of coin.
If the AD2000 are only marginly better (or worse, don't offer what I like about the AD900) then I may as well stop right where I am, a very satisfied AD900 owner. However, it is very hard to accept that what you have is the best you can get, when you haven't heard a AD2000, or MS pro, or GS1000 or RS1 and 2 for that matter. Is there a better AD900 out there? I hope so.
Is the AD2000 that fon, I am begining to think so. Thanks to Rednamalas1, for your comments and the links (interesting reading), MaloS and the others from the links such as Wmcmanus, bizkid and the 7 reviewers on the Asr (what a great Head fier) loner program for your balanced perspectives.

 

[Henmyr]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kernmac /img/forum/go_quote.gif Some say the AD2000 is fon of the month and maybe Marcus is right regarding being overly clinical and lacking the fun or immersion factor (AD900 has plenty of both in my opinion).

@ AD2000 + FOTM. From my understanding the AD2000 almost didn't get ANY attention at all before about a year ago. I don't think it has any FOTM going on now, it's rather getting attention now, which it didn't before.

Same with DT48. No attention at all VS some attention from VERY few owners hardly make it a FOTM.

@ Clinical. I've read Marcus posts about this too and have then tried to hear this from the AD2000, but I really don't. It's very immersive and musical. I've read that the "AD2000 does not let you analyz the music, but instead forces you to listen" and this is very much true to my ears. I find it very hard to really describe the sound of the AD2000 to people who have not heard it. The DT880/990/HD650/600/K501 are all very similar, and if you've heard one you can at least think you know how the other sounds. The AD2000 is a bit like the Grado sound, if you haven't heard it you can't really imagine it, but with AD2000 I find it's even more so.

One bonus with the AD2000 is that it works very well for listening at low volumes (around 60dB). My other headphones loose a bit of definition, texture, detail and separation at lower volumes. They tend to sound muffled, and I loose much of the music at lower volumes where AD2000 does not. I tend to listen at lower volumes with the AD2000 than my other headphones due to this.

 

[ATHFan]

Maybe the headphone you're looking for is the Audio-Technica headphone no one is talking about: The ATH-AD1000PRM. They're limited edition headphones and the price is about the same as the ATH-AD2000, but I haven't been able to find a single review of it, except for these two Japanese user reviews:

Original: ‰¿Ši.com - ƒI[ƒfƒBƒIƒeƒNƒjƒJ ATH-AD1000PRM ƒ†[ƒU[ƒŒƒrƒ…[
Translated by Google Translate: Translated version of http://review.kakaku.com/review/20461511370/
Translated by Yahoo! Babel Fish: Translation result for http://review.kakaku.com/review/20461511370/

But I have to say: After reading a number of reviews and impressions of the ATH-AD900 and ATH-AD2000, I doubt these two ,or even the ATH-AD1000PRM, sound alike.

A lot of people strongly suggest their headphones (ATH-AD2000, Grado GS1000 or any other) are better than the ATH-AD900, I rarely (almost never) see someone who actaully own(ed) both headphones. This is why I would strongly recommend auditioning these headphones first before purchasing.

Maybe the best choice of action is to be satisfied with what you have. Who knows, maybe one day Audio-Technica actually releases headphones which could be considered as 'true' upgrades from the ATH-AD900.

 

[Cankin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kernmac /img/forum/go_quote.gif I love the sound of my AD900s, and if there isn’t a fon that gives me more of the same (except better) then I will stop here. I have and or have had; ESW9, Proline 550, MS1 and MS2i and listened to Senns (up to 595 only) and although I have listed a lot of headphones I like, nothing does it for me like the AD900. So the question -Is there a better AD900? Now if I listen to Marcus (Headphonic) the answer is that the AD1000 and AD2000 aren’t the answer, both are overly clinical and are not simply better AD900s, and he would say go MS Pro. Better than AD900 in every respect. Now if the MSPro is a better MS2i then it is not what I am looking for, as although I liked the MS2i it does not have the same sound signature of the AD900. The GS1000 may have the traits of a Grado fon with a decent soundstage and without the Grato highs. This would suggest it may be a better AD900. Some (Headfi’s)say that the AD2000 does have many of the AD900s traits only more so, in fact in a different league. Some say the AD2000 is fon of the month and maybe Marcus is right regarding being overly clinical and lacking the fun or immersion factor (AD900 has plenty of both in my opinion). Therefore I would ask the GS1000, MSPro and AD2000 fans (and critics) to wade in with their respective opinions, particularly if you have had experience with AD900 as well. My source is a simple DAP and I use Corda portable amps, and I am not upgrading either any time soon, so feel free to tell me I would be wasting my money on $1000 fons, my wife will agree with you. I may have missed a fon for consideration regarding being a better AD900, so mention it if I have; but please don’t say get a HD650 or Ultasone Pro 750 or similar, I know they are great cans, but they are not better AD900, just different sound signatures altogether.

Really? you're now considering GS1000, AD2000 and MS Pro, how do you know they are better than HD650 or other headphones?

You have to be sure your source and amp aren't the limiting factors, otherwise, you may not hear the improvement even if you change your headphone.

 

[Kernmac]

Really? you're now considering GS1000, AD2000 and MS Pro, how do you know they are better than HD650 or other headphones?
QUOTE]

Read my post. No where do I say that they (the three fons listed) are better than HD650 or any other headphone for that matter. Based on what I have read and heard, the three phones listed are more likely to have the sound signature I am looking for. If you believe the HD650 may have the right sound signature (better but similar to AD900) then tell me in what ways.

I notice that you have had AD2000 and GS1000, and that you hate the AD2000. Perhaps you could give me your impressions of these two (and why you hate the AD2000 particularly) in comparrison to your (3rd pair) of HD650s.

If you think about it, the fact that you obviously like the HD650 and hate the AD2000, you actually reinforce the impression that the HD650 does not have the sound signature that I seek, unless the AD2000 is totally different to the AD900.