sokolov91
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Aug 21, 2008
- Posts
- 2,450
- Likes
- 43
Hello All!
This is my second review, and given the class these headphones exude, I will do my absolute best to do them justice with the quality of my review.
I plan on doing more reviews on my various headphones, so please do comment as to how I could have done better, what more I could have included etc, or even if you have any specific questions regarding this headphone vs another one I own.
The photos are courtesy of TheOtus and his thread can be found here: http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f4/my-...w1000x-473696/
He is lucky enough to have this as his first high end headphone! Wow, what a leap.
Source: Asus Xonar STX with Stock OpAmps
Amp: Little Dot MKV
Headphones: ATH-W1000X, the rest are in my signature
Tweaks: Passive AC line filter, Dedicated AC line for my computer and amp
Background info: The purpose of buying this headphone was to try and find a headphone that might better the mighty MDR-SA5000 in a few areas
1) Bigger soundstage
2) More bass, thicker bass
3) A tad more musical
4) More detail
The real challenge was that I did not want to sacrifice detail, rather I also wanted more detail. Depending on the trade off, slightly less detail might be acceptable.
I have been into the hi-fi hobby for almost 4 years now, almost exclusively for headphones. I am young, and I take care of my ears!
Also, this is not my first closed headphone, but it is my first wooden headphone. What this means I don't know haha. It is also the first Audio Technica headphone I have had some quality time with other than a fling with a ESW9.
Now, with all that aside, lets get to the juicy stuff!
Sound:
Let me just say right away that this headphone is a combination of the many strengths different headphones I own. I will not say it is the ultimate headphone, but it definitely is an amazing all rounder.
The highs, especially cymbals are nice and explosive with just the right amount of sizzle and decay a la Grado -very detailed. The hi-hat on some recordings is a tad too present, but so are rides... but I love a nice dry ride driving the music. I find the highs have much of what Grado has going for them, minus what I perceive as piercing and fatiguing. At higher levels the balance between the highs and lows is a bit out of proportion, but at low and mid levels it is coloured but oh so seductive.
The mids, are very dispersed and spread out without ever sounding overly airy or thin, like I did not enjoy with the K702. Again, I cannot stress how rich this headphone sounds. The backing vocals are very much a new aspect of music that not headphone has presented to me in quite this way. They seem very accurately projected from a certain place, instead of just appearing. I got shivers down my spine from a few tracks. The last time I appreciated backing vocals this much was when the Pro 750 exposed me to all kinds of things in my favorite recordings I was completely unaware of.
The mids are perhaps not perfect. There are a few songs that just do not sound "right", although they do sound good. I initially found this a little off putting, but the more I listen, the more I feel I understand these headphones. They are soothing, relaxing, not entirely right, but oh so good.
The soundstage is large and 3D, much like what I experienced when I switched to a pair of HD 600 from a pair of SR-325i. However, since I heard the Pro 750, I am much more aware of Macro Detail. The whole, and not simply the sum of the parts. While I used to constantly lust for a larger soundstages, I recognize I do not enjoy this as much as I though I would as if a sound is too disperse, it looses its positioning and weight, it's texture. So, I find 3D to have the best of both worlds. It certainly has depth, and space, but not airy pockets or thin-sounding areas that some overly horizontal soundstages do, or that smearing effect that the HD 600 seem to have... where one sound takes up much more space than it should.
What I appreciate the most is that the soundstage is not as layered as the SA5K. I found the SA5K, while there was immense detail, had too small of a soundstage for the wealth of information it would present you with. I constantly found myself focusing very finely on one aspect of the music, but never able to quite grasp all of it... think water dripping down the side of your face when you try and drink too much, too fast after a run. You want it all, but simply can't fit all of it in. With the W1000X, I have similar amounts of detail, but a much more 3D and deep soundstage that can house all of the information properly, in a manner that it is easily accessible.
This headphone also sounds balanced in the sense that the sound is not bottom or top heavy. All frequencies seem to sing in harmony and come at you evenly. Where as most headphones seem to have bass low down on the Y axis, and highs well... high up on the y axis. An example is I can have a bassline going, and Tom drum roll going on from left to right, higher up in the soundstage, and the bass from the drum hits at the same level. So the bass doesn't all come from the same area in the headphone. This explanation is a little weak and I will try to touch it up when I have more time.
The bass is quite present and punchy without being fat and bloated, much like a my pro 750. The bass is certainly not as punchy as my pro 750, not as finely etched as on my SA5K... but somewhere in between. I think the SA5K has the best defined bass of any headphone I have tried, but no weight and richness behind it. The W1000X has rich, wholesome, smooth bass with just enough punch and bump to drive the music while enough detail to satisfy me. The pro 750 would be a prodigy...someone who knows hes good and always looking to impress people, the SA5K an elitist snob who thinks he is perfect... and the W1000X someone who is wiser... humbler... and over a nice contrast.
The speed, while not quite on par with the SA5K is quite quick. Like the SA5K it performs outstandingly with percussion. Perhaps a bit better as it has more punch. High praise indeed.
The tone, VERY nice, especially on drums. It reminds me very much of a HD 600 , but with more detail and weight. It does sound very whole some and rich, which is something new to me. While it does not capture all the tone the SA5K does, it is that much richer and smoother... easier to listen to, and thus easier to appreciate.
Listening Levels: This headphone is probably the only headphone I have that I truly enjoy at low listening levels. Like a Grado, I find the highs rather overdone at louder volumes. Not as much or as piercing as a Grado, but it stops me nonetheless.
Comfort
Fit: I find the 3D wing support a tad on the loose side, a tad more than how loose the K702 are on me. They simply disappear when you wear them though, most likely my most comfortable headphone... although I really do enjoy the hug my head receives from my HD 600. I would enjoy it more if the wings were stiffer. If you are going to headbang and rock out or go outside, these are certainly not what you are looking for. If you are doing computer work, or in a chair listening they will simply evaporate.
Aesthetics: These headphones are gorgeous. Absolutely gorgeous. They are more of a golden caramel colour than they are in the photos I have seen online. Very nice wood. I will say they look hideous if you just put them on a desk though... they really need to be worn, held, or on a stand for them to be in all their glory... otherwise the metal rods holding the two earpieces together looks a tad too otherworldly.
The cable is nice and think... it is rubber, but a much nicer and stiffer rubber than the kind found on common headphone cables... it is much more dense and stuff and thus the cable is hard to tangle. While the gleam of a rubber cord is not something I find appealing, the feel and functionally of the cord is top notch.
The wood part on the TRS jack is a very nice finishing touch... other than that it could have come with a nice stand to match it, like my SA5K.... For the price its really not asking much either.
Verdict: Overall, I am very impressed with these headphones. They have a GREAT, 3D soundstage, one that remains black when areas aren't being used. They are very rich and full sounding. While they are not the most neutral headphone, they are very good at most I have thrown at it. The fact lower listening levels are satisfactory is a huge plus too. All these positives combined with the stellar looks and amazing build quality make for one very good purchase. I hope the mention of other headphones gives people with a bit more knowledge something solid to work with. For people with less experience, hopefully the review in it's entirety has helped you.
At the beginning of the review, I mentioned these headphones are a combination of many strengths other headphones have individually. As my final compliment, I will say they sound more like my full speaker set up than anything else. While my speaker set up is not uber high end by any means, it is extremely engaging, balanced, and musical. Triangle Haliade ES, Muse 100 amp (stereophile recommended), McCormack ALD1 preamp(Stereophile recommended too IIRC), MAC silver interconnects, with Blacksand Z1 power cables.
These headphones receive my highest of recommendations, even more so if you are a fan of the Audio-Technica house sound.
AT THIS POINT IN TIME, I HAVE MAYBE 15 HOURS ON THE HEADPHONES. I WILL BE RETURNING TO POST IMPRESSIONS AFTER MORE TIME HAS PASSED, AND TO TOUCH UP THE REVIEW.
***UPDATE***
So, I have had the headphones for almost three weeks now, and they have been thoroughly run in and evaluated.
Since my Ultrasone Pro 750, I have believed in burn in. Whether or not it is psychological, or hardware related, or both, I know not. All I know is I perceived a noticeable difference between the first week, the second week, and now.
W1000X:
The first week they were very spacious, well imaged and articulate, but a bit congested and confused at the same time. Contradicting, I know, but the inadequacies of language to describe sound are not new to people here.
The second week they were really starting to focus and tighten up - Bass response, in terms of being able to differentiate bass drum punches and bassline has drastically improved, the highs were tamed a bit, but are now very refined, and the mids are seemingly endless in their space and depth. No frequency is smudged, or smoothed over by another. A first for me to hear.
In the third week, I have come to the realization that these are by far my best headphones. My other headphones offer some very nice takes, but none, not even my mighty SA5K can claim to be on par, overall with the W1000X. They are supremely accurate, quick, detailed, very refined, and the closest to perfect I have every heard or imagined. The SA5K are perhaps still more detailed, but the W1000X is on par, if perhaps slightly less detail wise, and outclasses it in every other area. To those who have experienced the SA5K, or have read my opinion on the SA5k, this is extremely high praise indeed.
I was debating looking into the D7000, T1, or pro 900, but I am now going to be upgrading my source and amp, as the transducer in the W1000X is more that worthy of upgrading those components.
Let it be clear that while the W1000X are indeed very sexy and classy looking, the wood housing and looks are merely the cherry on top of the best cake you could imagine. You pay for the sound first, and Audio Technica are nice enough to throw looks like this in with the package.
I did not pay the retail price for these, as I was lucky to snag a pair on ebay, but I would have been more than satisfied paying 799,99 at audiocubes for their level of performance -although it is unfortunatly steep, and will prevent many from enjoying this headphone.
Lastly, to those still caught up about it being a closed can, look at the open cans it is being compared to and rest assured it is not a con
Thanks to all those who took the time to read my review.
This is my second review, and given the class these headphones exude, I will do my absolute best to do them justice with the quality of my review.
I plan on doing more reviews on my various headphones, so please do comment as to how I could have done better, what more I could have included etc, or even if you have any specific questions regarding this headphone vs another one I own.
The photos are courtesy of TheOtus and his thread can be found here: http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f4/my-...w1000x-473696/
He is lucky enough to have this as his first high end headphone! Wow, what a leap.
Source: Asus Xonar STX with Stock OpAmps
Amp: Little Dot MKV
Headphones: ATH-W1000X, the rest are in my signature
Tweaks: Passive AC line filter, Dedicated AC line for my computer and amp
Background info: The purpose of buying this headphone was to try and find a headphone that might better the mighty MDR-SA5000 in a few areas
1) Bigger soundstage
2) More bass, thicker bass
3) A tad more musical
4) More detail
The real challenge was that I did not want to sacrifice detail, rather I also wanted more detail. Depending on the trade off, slightly less detail might be acceptable.
I have been into the hi-fi hobby for almost 4 years now, almost exclusively for headphones. I am young, and I take care of my ears!
Also, this is not my first closed headphone, but it is my first wooden headphone. What this means I don't know haha. It is also the first Audio Technica headphone I have had some quality time with other than a fling with a ESW9.
Now, with all that aside, lets get to the juicy stuff!
Sound:
Let me just say right away that this headphone is a combination of the many strengths different headphones I own. I will not say it is the ultimate headphone, but it definitely is an amazing all rounder.
The highs, especially cymbals are nice and explosive with just the right amount of sizzle and decay a la Grado -very detailed. The hi-hat on some recordings is a tad too present, but so are rides... but I love a nice dry ride driving the music. I find the highs have much of what Grado has going for them, minus what I perceive as piercing and fatiguing. At higher levels the balance between the highs and lows is a bit out of proportion, but at low and mid levels it is coloured but oh so seductive.
The mids, are very dispersed and spread out without ever sounding overly airy or thin, like I did not enjoy with the K702. Again, I cannot stress how rich this headphone sounds. The backing vocals are very much a new aspect of music that not headphone has presented to me in quite this way. They seem very accurately projected from a certain place, instead of just appearing. I got shivers down my spine from a few tracks. The last time I appreciated backing vocals this much was when the Pro 750 exposed me to all kinds of things in my favorite recordings I was completely unaware of.
The mids are perhaps not perfect. There are a few songs that just do not sound "right", although they do sound good. I initially found this a little off putting, but the more I listen, the more I feel I understand these headphones. They are soothing, relaxing, not entirely right, but oh so good.
The soundstage is large and 3D, much like what I experienced when I switched to a pair of HD 600 from a pair of SR-325i. However, since I heard the Pro 750, I am much more aware of Macro Detail. The whole, and not simply the sum of the parts. While I used to constantly lust for a larger soundstages, I recognize I do not enjoy this as much as I though I would as if a sound is too disperse, it looses its positioning and weight, it's texture. So, I find 3D to have the best of both worlds. It certainly has depth, and space, but not airy pockets or thin-sounding areas that some overly horizontal soundstages do, or that smearing effect that the HD 600 seem to have... where one sound takes up much more space than it should.
What I appreciate the most is that the soundstage is not as layered as the SA5K. I found the SA5K, while there was immense detail, had too small of a soundstage for the wealth of information it would present you with. I constantly found myself focusing very finely on one aspect of the music, but never able to quite grasp all of it... think water dripping down the side of your face when you try and drink too much, too fast after a run. You want it all, but simply can't fit all of it in. With the W1000X, I have similar amounts of detail, but a much more 3D and deep soundstage that can house all of the information properly, in a manner that it is easily accessible.
This headphone also sounds balanced in the sense that the sound is not bottom or top heavy. All frequencies seem to sing in harmony and come at you evenly. Where as most headphones seem to have bass low down on the Y axis, and highs well... high up on the y axis. An example is I can have a bassline going, and Tom drum roll going on from left to right, higher up in the soundstage, and the bass from the drum hits at the same level. So the bass doesn't all come from the same area in the headphone. This explanation is a little weak and I will try to touch it up when I have more time.
The bass is quite present and punchy without being fat and bloated, much like a my pro 750. The bass is certainly not as punchy as my pro 750, not as finely etched as on my SA5K... but somewhere in between. I think the SA5K has the best defined bass of any headphone I have tried, but no weight and richness behind it. The W1000X has rich, wholesome, smooth bass with just enough punch and bump to drive the music while enough detail to satisfy me. The pro 750 would be a prodigy...someone who knows hes good and always looking to impress people, the SA5K an elitist snob who thinks he is perfect... and the W1000X someone who is wiser... humbler... and over a nice contrast.
The speed, while not quite on par with the SA5K is quite quick. Like the SA5K it performs outstandingly with percussion. Perhaps a bit better as it has more punch. High praise indeed.
The tone, VERY nice, especially on drums. It reminds me very much of a HD 600 , but with more detail and weight. It does sound very whole some and rich, which is something new to me. While it does not capture all the tone the SA5K does, it is that much richer and smoother... easier to listen to, and thus easier to appreciate.
Listening Levels: This headphone is probably the only headphone I have that I truly enjoy at low listening levels. Like a Grado, I find the highs rather overdone at louder volumes. Not as much or as piercing as a Grado, but it stops me nonetheless.
Comfort
Fit: I find the 3D wing support a tad on the loose side, a tad more than how loose the K702 are on me. They simply disappear when you wear them though, most likely my most comfortable headphone... although I really do enjoy the hug my head receives from my HD 600. I would enjoy it more if the wings were stiffer. If you are going to headbang and rock out or go outside, these are certainly not what you are looking for. If you are doing computer work, or in a chair listening they will simply evaporate.
Aesthetics: These headphones are gorgeous. Absolutely gorgeous. They are more of a golden caramel colour than they are in the photos I have seen online. Very nice wood. I will say they look hideous if you just put them on a desk though... they really need to be worn, held, or on a stand for them to be in all their glory... otherwise the metal rods holding the two earpieces together looks a tad too otherworldly.
The cable is nice and think... it is rubber, but a much nicer and stiffer rubber than the kind found on common headphone cables... it is much more dense and stuff and thus the cable is hard to tangle. While the gleam of a rubber cord is not something I find appealing, the feel and functionally of the cord is top notch.
The wood part on the TRS jack is a very nice finishing touch... other than that it could have come with a nice stand to match it, like my SA5K.... For the price its really not asking much either.
Verdict: Overall, I am very impressed with these headphones. They have a GREAT, 3D soundstage, one that remains black when areas aren't being used. They are very rich and full sounding. While they are not the most neutral headphone, they are very good at most I have thrown at it. The fact lower listening levels are satisfactory is a huge plus too. All these positives combined with the stellar looks and amazing build quality make for one very good purchase. I hope the mention of other headphones gives people with a bit more knowledge something solid to work with. For people with less experience, hopefully the review in it's entirety has helped you.
At the beginning of the review, I mentioned these headphones are a combination of many strengths other headphones have individually. As my final compliment, I will say they sound more like my full speaker set up than anything else. While my speaker set up is not uber high end by any means, it is extremely engaging, balanced, and musical. Triangle Haliade ES, Muse 100 amp (stereophile recommended), McCormack ALD1 preamp(Stereophile recommended too IIRC), MAC silver interconnects, with Blacksand Z1 power cables.
These headphones receive my highest of recommendations, even more so if you are a fan of the Audio-Technica house sound.
AT THIS POINT IN TIME, I HAVE MAYBE 15 HOURS ON THE HEADPHONES. I WILL BE RETURNING TO POST IMPRESSIONS AFTER MORE TIME HAS PASSED, AND TO TOUCH UP THE REVIEW.
***UPDATE***
So, I have had the headphones for almost three weeks now, and they have been thoroughly run in and evaluated.
Since my Ultrasone Pro 750, I have believed in burn in. Whether or not it is psychological, or hardware related, or both, I know not. All I know is I perceived a noticeable difference between the first week, the second week, and now.
W1000X:
The first week they were very spacious, well imaged and articulate, but a bit congested and confused at the same time. Contradicting, I know, but the inadequacies of language to describe sound are not new to people here.
The second week they were really starting to focus and tighten up - Bass response, in terms of being able to differentiate bass drum punches and bassline has drastically improved, the highs were tamed a bit, but are now very refined, and the mids are seemingly endless in their space and depth. No frequency is smudged, or smoothed over by another. A first for me to hear.
In the third week, I have come to the realization that these are by far my best headphones. My other headphones offer some very nice takes, but none, not even my mighty SA5K can claim to be on par, overall with the W1000X. They are supremely accurate, quick, detailed, very refined, and the closest to perfect I have every heard or imagined. The SA5K are perhaps still more detailed, but the W1000X is on par, if perhaps slightly less detail wise, and outclasses it in every other area. To those who have experienced the SA5K, or have read my opinion on the SA5k, this is extremely high praise indeed.
I was debating looking into the D7000, T1, or pro 900, but I am now going to be upgrading my source and amp, as the transducer in the W1000X is more that worthy of upgrading those components.
Let it be clear that while the W1000X are indeed very sexy and classy looking, the wood housing and looks are merely the cherry on top of the best cake you could imagine. You pay for the sound first, and Audio Technica are nice enough to throw looks like this in with the package.
I did not pay the retail price for these, as I was lucky to snag a pair on ebay, but I would have been more than satisfied paying 799,99 at audiocubes for their level of performance -although it is unfortunatly steep, and will prevent many from enjoying this headphone.
Lastly, to those still caught up about it being a closed can, look at the open cans it is being compared to and rest assured it is not a con
Thanks to all those who took the time to read my review.
. Also, I would also wonder what your impressions at your home set up would be like, as it is somewhat similar to mine.
