[iamoneagain]

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it sounds like it may take the dha3000 to make this can come alive. and they must be even scarcer than leatherheads. i've yet to see or hear one of these combos, though i've seen and heard l3ks a # of times - and come away disappointed. i strongly encourage whoever has this pairing to bring it to the next canjam! 

 
At all the meets I've brought this combo to, no one has said a bad word about it.  Now maybe they're just being polite but I know there's quite a few that really like this setup.  It seems as more time goes by I don't see as many people at the meets even giving it a listen but I think people are more interested in listening to stuff you can currently buy like the LCD-2.  
 
I've listened to the L3000 on a few different setups and it still sounds pretty good but I haven't really tried to compare to the DHA3000 directly.  I usually end up trying other headphones on the DHA3000 and compare them to the L3000.  I've liked the L3000 better every time.

 

[daveDerek]

Mike, i'm really hoping that you bring your rig to the ny meet(s). there's one in ~3 wks (11/20), and then there's (hopefully) the (inter)national in april. 

 

[purk]

I'm not quite sure who else own the L3000 + DHA3000 combo beside Nomad, iamoneagain, and I?
 

 

[iamoneagain]

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I'm not quite sure who else own the L3000 + DHA3000 combo beside Nomad, iamoneagain, and I?
 

 
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Mike, i'm really hoping that you bring your rig to the ny meet(s). there's one in ~3 wks (11/20), and then there's (hopefully) the (inter)national in april. 

 
And while I do come to NY at least once a year, I never bring my gear with me. Now if you ever make it to Seattle, come by and have a listen.  Or come to one of our quarterly meets.  They are now starting to compare with some of the Bay Area meets I went to when I lived there.
 
I still don't know if this combo will do it for you.  I think the L3000 have the same basic flavor across all the systems I've heard but the DHA3000 fine tunes it.  The bass is completely controlled, the highs are brighter, and the space opens up more.  I'd still say these differences are probably subtle and may not even be noticed at a meet.  I'll have another chance to try my L3000 on some different systems in a couple weeks, so I can post an update then. 
 
Also, purk has always been saying they actually sound better on his Singlepower amp.  And I've heard them sound more dynamic on some very highend systems but not sure if they had better tone than the DHA3000.

 

 

[daveDerek]

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I'm not quite sure who else own the L3000 + DHA3000 combo beside Nomad, iamoneagain, and I?

how many of the amps did they sell? there must be more than 3 of these pairings out there.
purk, might you be up for bringing your 3k combo to the ny meet and/or canjam (which might be in ny next april? 

 
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And while I do come to NY at least once a year, I never bring my gear with me. Now if you ever make it to Seattle, come by and have a listen.  Or come to one of our quarterly meets.  They are now starting to compare with some of the Bay Area meets I went to when I lived there.
 
I still don't know if this combo will do it for you.  I think the L3000 have the same basic flavor across all the systems I've heard but the DHA3000 fine tunes it.  The bass is completely controlled, the highs are brighter, and the space opens up more.  I'd still say these differences are probably subtle and may not even be noticed at a meet.  I'll have another chance to try my L3000 on some different systems in a couple weeks, so I can post an update then. 
 
Also, purk has always been saying they actually sound better on his Singlepower amp.  And I've heard them sound more dynamic on some very highend systems but not sure if they had better tone than the DHA3000.

i'd love to join you for a left coast meet, but that's not likely to happen real soon 

.
i wouldn't be too surprised if i felt the same way about the cans even after hearing them with their own amp, as it hasn't been transformed in character listening thru a zana deux or beta 22 or some other amps that i heard powering them. still, i'd like to hear it in the AT context.

 

[iamoneagain]

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how many of the amps did they sell? there must be more than 3 of these pairings out there.
purk, might you be up for bringing your 3k combo to the ny meet and/or canjam (which might be in ny next april? 

 

i'd love to join you for a left coast meet, but that's not likely to happen real soon 

.
i wouldn't be too surprised if i felt the same way about the cans even after hearing them with their own amp, as it hasn't been transformed in character listening thru a zana deux or beta 22 or some other amps that i heard powering them. still, i'd like to hear it in the AT context.

Yeah, there has to be more pairing because I'd imagine most of the people who bought the DHA3000, bought them for the L3000.  Now I can say it makes all AT headphones that I've tried on it sound great.  Other headphones are hit or miss with it.  But I've seen several DHA3000s sold on different sites over the years.  Ebay has one on sale now.

 

[tk3]

I reckon the majority of them would be owned by Japanese audio fans, who don't visit this site with a few exceptions.

 

[purk]

Another guy with the DHA3000 & L3000 combo is a long absent Ayt999.  He helped me obtain the L3000 back in 2004.  It was my first expensive headphone purchased.  I still remember quite vividly when I got home and took a delivery of the L3000 and listening to them for the first time.  
 
I am listening to the L3000 again after awhile and I have to admit that they are the best sounding headphone for rock.  Listening to the best of R.E.M in DVD-A format through my DHA3000 was quite satisfying.  The HD800 was just sitting next to it unable to rock out the way the L3000 can.

 

[TheGhostWhoWalks]

I own them and am a huge fan. For me, they are THE ultimate headphone for rock and metal; no other headphone I've ever bought or auditioned comes close. No, they certainly aren't perfect, and I would actually say they're quite poor "all-arounders" for anyone looking for one reference headphone. My R10s outclass the L3Ks in almost every category (tone, soundstage, refinement, imaging, highs, mids, etc.) but I have yet to hear a headphone provide the same level of weight to the music that the L3Ks do, and the bass is really phenomenal, IMO. To me, what the L3Ks do best is recreate that "front-row at a rock concert" effect, that feeling that you're not that far from the amps and can really feel the THWAK! THUNK! CHUGGACHUGGA! BOOMBOOM! of the drums, guitars, and bass. My two biggest problems with the L3Ks is cleaning up the sound just enough to where it doesn't lose its weight and immediacy, but still allows for greater clarity and maximizing the soundstage and air. Also, one problem I rarely see mentioned is the the L3Ks are rather weak in the treble region. They're rather light (probably where they "dark sound" comments come from) and they just sound really off... I can especially hear this on cymbals which sound overly metallic or even plastic-like.
 
My idea tube combination for the L3K on my SDS-XLR is the 6BL7GT flat plates as drivers and 5687s as outputs. The former are extremely open and neutral with a huge sounstage. The 5687s have a lot of energy, extremely dynamic but they achieve this by increasing the speed and thinning the sound which provides greater linearity. This is perfect for the L3Ks because now I get an acceptable soundstage, a trimming of their "thickness", and greater clarity. They can still get a bit messy on extremely big, noisy, fast/complex passages (like the new Immortal album I was spinning recently, which, admittedly, it's hard to cut through black metal fog on any system), but for reproducing that "YOU ARE THERE" feeling, they're my favorite headphone.
 
As for comparisons, I much prefer them to my RS1s and the ED 9s which I sold. The L3Ks are somewhat like a big brother of the Grado, even though the tonal signatures are quite different. The RS1s are faster and leaner, the L3Ks are slower and thicker; I prefer thicker (the L3Ks own the RS1s when it comes to bands like, say, AC/DC where the music doesn't need the RS1s speed). The ED 9s, while they improved with burn-in, never did sound quite right to my ears tonally. They had amazing bass extension and impact, but the bass also screwed up the mids and the soundstage never felt coherent to my ears. I also agree with another poster who said that they're not a big fan of the modern, hi-fi sound that's extremely clinical/detailed, probably because I think my player, cables/rack, and amp provide such a heaping of details that the headphones are needed to add that musicality and flavor.

 

[purk]

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I own them and am a huge fan. For me, they are THE ultimate headphone for rock and metal; no other headphone I've ever bought or auditioned comes close. No, they certainly aren't perfect, and I would actually say they're quite poor "all-arounders" for anyone looking for one reference headphone. My R10s outclass the L3Ks in almost every category (tone, soundstage, refinement, imaging, highs, mids, etc.) but I have yet to hear a headphone provide the same level of weight to the music that the L3Ks do, and the bass is really phenomenal, IMO. To me, what the L3Ks do best is recreate that "front-row at a rock concert" effect, that feeling that you're not that far from the amps and can really feel the THWAK! THUNK! CHUGGACHUGGA! BOOMBOOM! of the drums, guitars, and bass. My two biggest problems with the L3Ks is cleaning up the sound just enough to where it doesn't lose its weight and immediacy, but still allows for greater clarity and maximizing the soundstage and air. Also, one problem I rarely see mentioned is the the L3Ks are rather weak in the treble region. They're rather light (probably where they "dark sound" comments come from) and they just sound really off... I can especially hear this on cymbals which sound overly metallic or even plastic-like.
 
My idea tube combination for the L3K on my SDS-XLR is the 6BL7GT flat plates as drivers and 5687s as outputs. The former are extremely open and neutral with a huge sounstage. The 5687s have a lot of energy, extremely dynamic but they achieve this by increasing the speed and thinning the sound which provides greater linearity. This is perfect for the L3Ks because now I get an acceptable soundstage, a trimming of their "thickness", and greater clarity. They can still get a bit messy on extremely big, noisy, fast/complex passages (like the new Immortal album I was spinning recently, which, admittedly, it's hard to cut through black metal fog on any system), but for reproducing that "YOU ARE THERE" feeling, they're my favorite headphone.
 
As for comparisons, I much prefer them to my RS1s and the ED 9s which I sold. The L3Ks are somewhat like a big brother of the Grado, even though the tonal signatures are quite different. The RS1s are faster and leaner, the L3Ks are slower and thicker; I prefer thicker (the L3Ks own the RS1s when it comes to bands like, say, AC/DC where the music doesn't need the RS1s speed). The ED 9s, while they improved with burn-in, never did sound quite right to my ears tonally. They had amazing bass extension and impact, but the bass also screwed up the mids and the soundstage never felt coherent to my ears. I also agree with another poster who said that they're not a big fan of the modern, hi-fi sound that's extremely clinical/detailed, probably because I think my player, cables/rack, and amp provide such a heaping of details that the headphones are needed to add that musicality and flavor.

Nice of you to join in.  It has been awhile and I thought you have left the site.  Yeah, I admit that the L3000 needs help in the treble region but they are perfect for rock.  Listening to Beck "Sea Change" is phenomenal with them as well.  I completely agree with your assessment between the R10 & L3000.  IMO, the R10 is nearly perfect as a headphone.  They just need help in the bass region.  For comparison sake, the HD800 and R10 bass are very comparable in term of quantity.  
 

 

[TheGhostWhoWalks]

I haven't left, I just rarely have time to actively participate. I'm only here now because I'm on vacation.

I would love to hear an HD800 to compare them with my R10, but considering I have a balanced-only system it's rather prohibitive in terms of buying stuff just to audition them. Of course there are always meets, but that hardly gives you an accurate idea of how a headphone is going to perform in your system and how you're going to become accustomed to it over time. FWIW, I tend to think the R10s are less bass-lite than others do. With the right tubes the bass can fill out extremely well with good volume, weight, depth, and impact (the tone has always been there). Many might think I'm crazy, but the biggest improvements I've heard in terms of headphone bass has come with cabling. It's the one thing that keeps me believing that cables aren't just snake-oil pseudo-science, because when I first heard the VD Genesis my first thought was "Whoah! Where did that bass come from?!!!". It was startling, and, thus far, I've never heard the sound recreated on another R10 system.

 

[iamoneagain]

Wow, lots of good comments.  Was just listening to "Sea Change" again for the first time in a year.  Still sounds amazing.  I also threw on some Metallica "and Justice For All" and the L3000 were made for it.  Didn't make it all the way through since Metallica can wear you down and not my usual style of music.
 
I used to go to lot of smaller alternative rock shows and would always try to get as close to the front as possible.  It was mostly to feel like I was part of the show than anything to do with sound, but those experiences stuck with me.  Grados were the first to recapture that feeling and the L3000 expands upon it.  It's the overall feeling you get from listening to them. 
 
As for the speed and the highs, I don't have any problems when using the DHA3000 but my former system was a little slow in the bass and the highs were not as bright.  They did have lusher mids and took me a little while to get use to the new sound but ended up liking it better.

 

[strangelove]

I love my L3000s and would never sell them.  They're basically the only headphone I listen to anymore.  Except for a very few I keep for collector's sake I've sold all my other headphones off.  The only headphones I'd even consider buying are R10s or LCD2s.
 
I've heard all the best dynamic phones: HD800s, K1000, T1, every high-end Grado, Ed 8/9, DX1000, D7000.  For my money the L3000s beat them all.  I've also heard the other various AT woodies mentioned here that some people think beat the L3000.  The W2002, the F5005, the W1000x.  I've had them all and sold them; keeping the L3000s instead.  The w2002 are a joke sound-wise in my opinion.  The F5005 and W1000x certainly sound good for their respective prices but can't hold a candle to my L3000s.

 

[wind016]

I heard the W2002 is extremely picky and only sounds good through the HA2002. Either way, having tried most of the highly regarded headphones available currently I still think Audio Technica woodies are the most musical headphones for vocals available. However, I do not like the current Audio Technica offerings, aka W1000X and W5000. I am still searching, buying, selling, trying my way to find the headphones I'd love to keep. Trying to pull up some Audio Technica rarities is incredibly difficult and requires a lot of effort.
 
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I love my L3000s and would never sell them.  They're basically the only headphone I listen to anymore.  Except for a very few I keep for collector's sake I've sold all my other headphones off.  The only headphones I'd even consider buying are R10s or LCD2s.
 
I've heard all the best dynamic phones: HD800s, K1000, T1, every high-end Grado, Ed 8/9, DX1000, D7000.  For my money the L3000s beat them all.  I've also heard the other various AT woodies mentioned here that some people think beat the L3000.  The W2002, the F5005, the W1000x.  I've had them all and sold them; keeping the L3000s instead.  The w2002 are a joke sound-wise in my opinion.  The F5005 and W1000x certainly sound good for their respective prices but can't hold a candle to my L3000s.

 

[vcoheda]

i would like to hear the L3000 again because the BA is so perfect with low impedance headphones. there is a pair for sale on ebay but the price is about $1,000 too much.
 
 
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200547474345&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT