[overlunge]

After around 60+ hours of solid burn-in and 10+ hours listening to the ATH-W5000, I feel I 'might' have a firm initial grasp of the sound signature of the latest Woodie by audio technica. Please feel free to chime in with your own impressions, and questions.

Impressions were formed listening with Meridian 506>Meridian 563 DAC> audio technica HA2002> audio technica ATH-W5000

W5000's overall signature leans towards the sound of W1000: clean, lean and with emphasis on resolution. However, compare with its predecessor, W1000, Raffinato is indeed more refined; W5000 adds a touch more weight and thickness to the sound, the bass has tightened but still lacks the impact that's famous in L3000. Midrange is more forward but not intimate. Treble has a good sparkle, and smoother than W1000, although can sound bright at times, but never sibilant.

Soundstage is one of the more noticable improvement over the previous W models with larger in width and depth, but still suffering some ceiling effect. But the coherence also improved during the burn-in. PrAT is an area I found audio technica has tighten over the previous models, but listening to faster hard rock, W5000 is still lacking. But IMHO, audio technica sacrificed the musicality 'fluffy-ness' previously shown by L3000 and (to a degree) well received for the speediness and clarity.

Comparing W5000 with W1000, there are some improvements in sound as well as in design which is welcomed, and also may signify the things to come for the 45th anniversary headphone.

However, whether it replaces the L3000 as the 'King', the 'flagship' product, remain a subjective issue. However W5000 does occupies an interesting market niche, and I trust audio technica has decided the W series to be their 'premium' product line after all ,and price the Raffinato accordingly.



Overlunge

 

[ken36]

Scott,

Thanks for the Impressions. I am thinking pretty much as you are.

 

[Nik]

Thanks... ordered !

Best!
Nicola

 

[Tomcat]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nik Thanks... ordered !

Dear Nicola,

Did anyone ever doubt that you would order them? Come on, everybody knows you cannot resist a new high-end headphone!

However, overlunge's description seems to confirm that I'd be happier with the L3000. Or the W11JPN. Or a JVC DX1000. "Clean, lean, and with emphasis on resolution" - that's not for me.

 

[bangraman]

Amazingly I've managed to hold myself back on this. I think I'll wait for more 'vs W2002' comments before I go ahead. The comparison between the W1000 seems favourable since the things overlunge mentions are the things I found deficient about the W1000. It would be nice to know the scale of improvement over the W1000 for many of these things, but I realise that's super-tough.


Keep the reviews coming please!

 

[Nik]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tomcat Dear Nicola, Did anyone ever doubt that you would order them? Come on, everybody knows you cannot resist a new high-end headphone! However, overlunge's description seems to confirm that I'd be happier with the L3000. Or the W11JPN. Or a JVC DX1000. "Clean, lean, and with emphasis on resolution" - that's not for me.

Hey man...

So, as I know your tastes... try the L3000/PS Audio combo... yes, this is just for you!

Best!
Nicola

 

[tkam]

Thanks for the impressions overlunge, you've confirmed that the w5000 are in the same lineage as the w1000 and w2002 two phones which I don't like at all. I will be passing on these.

 

[halcyon]

Thanks for the impressions!

Are they as artificially reverberant or euphonic as W1000? How about the mid-frequency range - forward or recessed? Do vocals seem natural? Added body or warmth or just natural?

So many question, so little time

 

[overlunge]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bangraman Amazingly I've managed to hold myself back on this. I think I'll wait for more 'vs W2002' comments before I go ahead. The comparison between the W1000 seems favourable since the things overlunge mentions are the things I found deficient about the W1000. It would be nice to know the scale of improvement over the W1000 for many of these things, but I realise that's super-tough.

Comparing with W5000, W2002 lacks the immediacy and speed. Also W2002's midrange is placed closer, soundstage more intimate and smaller, but the same time coherent.

W2002 possesses more weight to the notes, and denser sound. Where W5000 has more clarity and with cleaner layering of the instruments. But IMHO, the instrument separation still gets disrupted when the track hits busy passage.


Overlunge

 

[overlunge]

Quote:

Originally Posted by halcyon Are they as artificially reverberant or euphonic as W1000? How about the mid-frequency range - forward or recessed? Do vocals seem natural? Added body or warmth or just natural?

Midrange of W5000 is placed further back comparing with W1000 but in term improves on layering of the instruments. It is not natural nor euphonic.


Overlunge

 

[dhwilkin]

Very interesting. Based on the comparison w/ the W2002, I think I will probably pass on these. If I'm reading correctly, it sounds like these are somewhere between the W1000 and W2002 in sound. I'm pretty happy w/ the L3000, but I think my ideal AT would be somewhere between the L3000 and the W2002. I might change my mind if I get to hear the W5000 at a meet, but for now I think I'll wait for the next model. Just as well, I'm supposed to be saving for my speaker system upgrade anyways.

 

[Chefguru]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dhwilkin . If I'm reading correctly, it sounds like these are somewhere between the W1000 and W2002 in sound.

Yeah... your not reading correctly.

 

[mega]

Seems as though they are an improved W1000..

Nothing wrong with that, as i love the W1000's, but i don't think it's a big enough difference for me going by Overlunges' impressions to shell an extra $800 or so to get them.

Thanks for the info!

 

[euclid]

are you confident the ceiling effect is not a result of your interconnects?

im not trying to start trouble, im mostly curious about the spacial presentation of the w5000. which headphone on your setup would you say has better imaging or a more expansive soundstage than the w5000?

 

[surfboardz26]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dhwilkin Very interesting. Based on the comparison w/ the W2002, I think I will probably pass on these, but for now I think I'll wait for the next model.[

I second that. I belive the l3k's will immerse me more in the music and are better for when i feel like letting my mind slip away from reality and just taking a nice break from everything.

That and i just love the bass impact. As a former owner of hp-2's i still couldnt get enough of the bass. Right now I feel this headphone is perfect for my tastes. For times when i want my music to speed up and become less warm and become more analytical I always have my stax sr-404 paired up to a kgss; so as of now im just going to wait and save money for a newer headphone.

unless of course... i run accross a good deal on some he60's