tuatara
500+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- May 22, 2004
- Posts
- 519
- Likes
- 15
New to this forum, but I've been using headphones since 1968 so I've racked up a few hours under the cans. In the last few years circumstances have dictated that almost all my listening is via headphones and I've lived fairly happily with sr60s and sr225s.
However there's always yearning to try for an improvement, so I auditioned over 4 days the HD650s and found they weren't for me, or at least my current setup which is either analogue or digital source through a SXH1 headamp.
I was actually considering the Grado RS1s and the Sony CD3000s and while doing an internet search discovered Audio Cubes and the AT range.
To say that I was hooked when I discovered the picture of the W1000s is something of an understatement and after due and matutre consideration of about 8 hours, ordered a set.
Now I've had them about 4 weeks and they're starting to get some hours up .
First impressions were of a huge headphone compared to the 225s but with a standard of build that is way beyond the Grado. They're very comfortable on my head(better than the HD650s for me) and I love the flexible cable that doesn't tangle and twist like the Grado.
I always thought the 225s were fairly foward on sound but the ATs make them seem very laid back on some recordings. The bass is good, deep and controlled and not overpowering(i dont want a subwoofer on my head).
The mids range is very clear, guitars sounding very lifelike.
While the treble is also clean and clear there is a slight tendency on some recordings for vocals to loose some of this clarity, not distortion as such, but not the absolute control and extension I'd hoped for. This maybe a system mismatch as running the W1000s through my Rotel pre reduces this problem but also looses some extension and clarity on other frequencies.
My first impressions that these would be headphones more suited to acoustic music have been destroyed as they handle agressive rock like the Who, SRV and Hendrix very well, equaling or out performing the 225s in most cases.
I feel that the ATs will show up poor recordings more readily than the Grado.
To get some more opinions i had my 20yo son listen to both with some of the rap music he preffers and his choice went to the ATs commenting on their better soundstage but felt that the Grado had slightly better bass.
Also got my daughters boyfriend who's a pro muscian(guitar,sax), sat him down with some of his favourite blues tracks, his choices also went to the ATs feeling that they conveyed the music better.
At somestage I'd like to try something like a Singlepower amp with them but my friend has just purchased the new Perreaux headamp so it'll be interesting to hear what if any difference that may make.
I broke one of the first audio rules(always audition first) when buying these,
and my own rule of doing appropriate research but it's worked out fine, I'm another happy headfier.
(just wondering how good the MS pros sound, and there's still room on my headphone stand for one more set)
However there's always yearning to try for an improvement, so I auditioned over 4 days the HD650s and found they weren't for me, or at least my current setup which is either analogue or digital source through a SXH1 headamp.
I was actually considering the Grado RS1s and the Sony CD3000s and while doing an internet search discovered Audio Cubes and the AT range.
To say that I was hooked when I discovered the picture of the W1000s is something of an understatement and after due and matutre consideration of about 8 hours, ordered a set.
Now I've had them about 4 weeks and they're starting to get some hours up .
First impressions were of a huge headphone compared to the 225s but with a standard of build that is way beyond the Grado. They're very comfortable on my head(better than the HD650s for me) and I love the flexible cable that doesn't tangle and twist like the Grado.
I always thought the 225s were fairly foward on sound but the ATs make them seem very laid back on some recordings. The bass is good, deep and controlled and not overpowering(i dont want a subwoofer on my head).
The mids range is very clear, guitars sounding very lifelike.
While the treble is also clean and clear there is a slight tendency on some recordings for vocals to loose some of this clarity, not distortion as such, but not the absolute control and extension I'd hoped for. This maybe a system mismatch as running the W1000s through my Rotel pre reduces this problem but also looses some extension and clarity on other frequencies.
My first impressions that these would be headphones more suited to acoustic music have been destroyed as they handle agressive rock like the Who, SRV and Hendrix very well, equaling or out performing the 225s in most cases.
I feel that the ATs will show up poor recordings more readily than the Grado.
To get some more opinions i had my 20yo son listen to both with some of the rap music he preffers and his choice went to the ATs commenting on their better soundstage but felt that the Grado had slightly better bass.
Also got my daughters boyfriend who's a pro muscian(guitar,sax), sat him down with some of his favourite blues tracks, his choices also went to the ATs feeling that they conveyed the music better.
At somestage I'd like to try something like a Singlepower amp with them but my friend has just purchased the new Perreaux headamp so it'll be interesting to hear what if any difference that may make.
I broke one of the first audio rules(always audition first) when buying these,
and my own rule of doing appropriate research but it's worked out fine, I'm another happy headfier.
(just wondering how good the MS pros sound, and there's still room on my headphone stand for one more set)
