[Tomcat]

Audio Technica's marketing division is doing a lot of work, it seems. They have now extended the website dedicated to the new ATH-L3000 with leather cover. It now contains, among other things, detailed statements by the two designers Kenichi Suzuki and Hiromichi Ozawa: http://www.audio-technica.co.jp/atj/...ers/index.html

I have only been able to babelfish through the things designer Kenichi Suzuki has had to say. As far as I understand, he is the mastermind behind the entire wood headphone series of Audio Technica. He seems to feel that there is a sonic benefit from the leather cover for the wooden enclosures, that there is more natural decay or echo and more natural ambience or hall ("hole?") sounds. And he seems to say, that long-term listenability was a more important design goal in the wood series than the utmost information retrieval and detail (?!): Quote:

Do the ƒAƒTƒ_ cherry tree and combination of the leather bring what kind of influence to the sound quality? It does not appear to the Suzuki data, but don't you think? by the fact that the housing was wrapped with the leather as a reality, it is the point which should feature also the fact that the acoustic image spread more naturally. Because the ƒAƒTƒ_ cherry tree is the natural material, the air it is the case that you have breathed. It did not close airtight the lumber this by using the leather of the same natural material, there are no times when breath is obstructed. In addition, also the leather itself, relatively is something which adopts the moisture and the air in comparison with other ones. This being more natural, don't you think? it is the reason which reaches the point where it echos richly. For example when we assume you inquire about the concert CD which is recorded with the hole of somewhere it seems like whether quite you inquire about live performance at that place of, it goes and being able to enjoy the sound which has the bounce which is made going of course thing, condition of echo of that hole, size of the hole, has the beautiful reappearance power of the extent which understands to position relationship with stage of the musical instrument. It is splendid. That much, if the sound quality is enjoyed, unintentionally long time hearing, the stripe you think uninformed, but... The theme of the headphone ' series of the Suzuki ' wood, " the sound which " natural sound " hears and does not become tired " is. As for adhering to the natural material the around the housing, the former headphone has, because we would like to cancel the kind of sound which is confined into the head. Because the headphone it makes sound the ear echo directly, when long time you hear, you become tired. But, if it is the natural material, shelter density becomes low, there are no either times when the extent of sound is born, is confined into the head.

Once again, the help of Japanese Head-Fiers would be much appreciated. Thanks!

 

[bangraman]

Well... This is not the engineer. Mr Suzuki is effectively the production team leader. There's no real hard facts to what he's saying. He is saying that although it doesn't appear in any of the test data, the combination of the leather and the wood results in a more natural sound. He's ascribing the added naturalness of the sound to the fact that leather breathes. (!) He also makes a comment about the sheer level of detail available from this phone may be impossible to duplicate with an analog amp. Er... OK.


It's marketing BS so far, the comment from the engineer isn't up yet. I'd wait for that at this stage.


I'm glad some more pictures are up of the phone. Structurally it's almost definitely a W2002 covered in leather. However as hopefully Jude and Jazz can prove correct at a later time when new toy fever has worn off, as seen with the HD650 it's possible to make noticeable changes to the sound even given the same frame and similar materials in construction. Clearly if the sound "which is more than a match for analog amps" is the case there's a very different driver in there, which I hope is worth the extra money.

 

[markl]

Damn, I bet $100 of the cost of each LeatherHead goes to pay for that fancy web site!

 

[Tomcat]

bangraman,

The entire L3000 website serves a marketing purpose, of course. Even the slow relase of information, the build-up to the release date: pure marketing. Nevertheless, the statements offer some insight. I wish all headphone manufacturers had their designers or product managers talk about their design goals and sonic preferences. I find it very interesting.

Some specific questions: If Babelfish translates "hole", does it mean "hall" as I presume? Is Suzuki talking about better ambience information?

And what about this part: Quote:

That much, if the sound quality is enjoyed, unintentionally long time hearing, the stripe you think uninformed, but... The theme of the headphone ' series of the Suzuki ' wood, " the sound which " natural sound " hears and does not become tired " is.

Is this about avoiding listening fatigue, as I thought? Does he describe a trade-off: is there non-fatiguing listening pleasure because there is less information and detail? "the stripe you think uninformed, but..." - what does it mean?

Here are some babelfished statements by Hiromichi Ozawa concerning the new driver. He seems to say that the new membrane of the driver is lighter and more pliant than before. Quote:

Q: Concerning driver unit, how is? Osawa: This time thoroughly it matured and improved the section. For example in order the software dome and the like, furthermore to be light, to react pliantly it increases. In comparison with former ones, it is the case that markedly the movement becomes good by the fact that it lightens, has become the sound which it is clear with clearing. In addition, you succeed technology and the material which are thrown until now that way even with ATH-L3000. That balance is taken with the small housing and another housing outside that which, consider the capacity of the ear you say D.A.D.S. The magnetic circuit which structure so uses the sushi and per men joule, the driver unit which adopts titanium, 8N-OFC and bobbin winding voice coil, these throwing not to spare entirely, it increases.

 

[Takashi]

Hi guys,
I couldn't help noticing this thread and now try to give you what's on that page.

Quote:

Originally posted by Tomcat Some specific questions: If Babelfish translates "hole", does it mean "hall" as I presume? Is Suzuki talking about better ambience information?

Suzuki is saying "This headphone has great sound reproductability that if you listen to the music recorded at a concert HALL, not only you enjoy the lively sound as if you are there, but also you can tell the resonance, size of the hall and position of each musical instruments."

Quote:

And what about this part: Is this about avoiding listening fatigue, as I thought? Does he describe a trade-off: is there non-fatiguing listening pleasure because there is less information and detail? "the stripe you think uninformed, but..." - what does it mean?

It doesn't mean anything but just an error of Babelfish. Suzuki claims the concept of the wooden cup cans are natural and non-fatiguing sound, as "natural" material does not conseal the ear too much thus it has wider sound stage and will not boom inside your head.

Quote:

Here are some babelfished statements by Hiromichi Ozawa concerning the new driver. He seems to say that the new membrane of the driver is lighter and more pliant than before.

Well actually Ozawa is the engineer and he is giving more technical details than Suzuki does. Interesting thing is, the first part of Ozawa's interview is about Connolly leather and how they found phone number from Connolly's catalogue and how they negotiated to end up Connolly only agreed to do 500 headphones, but he only refers to the usage of leather as "to give you satisfaction by owning it".
In the second part Ozawa is giving technical details and they are basically brush ups from previous W-series.
-Asada-cherry wood is hard and evenly textured, yet easy to machine.
-Double cup structure which they call D.A.D.S.
-Permendur (Fe-Co-V magnetic material) for magnetic parts, which has very high saturated magnetic flux and achieves precise movement of the voice coil.
-Titanium driver unit, 8N-OFC, bobbin wound voice coil.
He claims that with improvement of all those parts L3000 has even better overall frequency response, especially in the low range--- 100dB at 20Hz. Also he says channel separation improved by more than 15dB.

Oh and they are preparing 50 pieces of speciall color for internet order only.

 

[D-EJ915]

Quote:

Oh and they are preparing 50 pieces of speciall color for internet order only.

Too bad nobody has enough dough to plunk down, they'd be sweet...internet only headphones...

 

[gpalmer]

OK, so who gonna take one for the team and buy a set to review them?

 

[radrd]

Quote:

OK, so who gonna take one for the team and buy a set to review them?

Well, if a couple hundred people on "The Team" want to send me $10 each, I'd be happy to buy a pair and review them for everyone.

 

[Tomcat]

Takashi,

Thank you so much! I very much appreciate your help! And I hope that your first post at Head-Fi will not be your last. The Japanese hifi-scene is so interesting, it's always good to have more Japanese people commenting on it and providing information. Once again: thank you, Takashi! Please, keep noticing Head-Fi.

Indeed, it is interesting that Ozawa doesn't mention a sonic benefit from the leather cover while Suzuki does. Suzuki talks about (babelfished) "lower shelter density" from a natural material. I guess there is no varnish on the wooden enclosure now, there is the leather cover instead. This could be one reason for a different sonic behaviour. But I guess we will only know for sure if someone is able to compare the L3000 and the W2002/W1000.

That a sonic difference doesn't show up in the usual measurements doesn't mean that it isn't there. I have always felt that the usefulness of measurements is rather limited. Measurements try to predict the human response to a certain sound. They imply a model of human hearing, of musical perception and appreciation that is very limited. I believe that, because of this, the ultimate judge of musicality and accuracy is always the human listener.

If I understand the babelfished Ozawa correctly, there have been prototypes of wooden headphones with leather cover that AT has been unable to get to work properly. Only when they contacted Connolly, they found a solution. There is even a photograph of one of the prototypes. Looking at the photograph, it seems they have had additional problems with it - besides the leather.

 

[D-EJ915]

I don't like the earcup connector color, but another earcup may help.

 

[hempcamp]

I don't think I've ever been as sceptical of a pair of cans as I am of these. I'll believe it when I hear it.

--Chris