[tassardar]

Just want to share my first impression of the ATH WB LTD.

This is a limited headphone from Audio Technica. 300 Copies worldwide.
Had a good listen and comparison with another close back I have on hand and it's surprisingly good. A very concert/analog sound rendition with very good bass, live sound and relatively clean highs. Can be a touch muffled at times depending on instrument mix but overall a very good experience .

 

[Mister Crash]

Thanks for the thorough review!

I have mine arriving on Monday (hopefully: it's already been delayed once). I'm a sucker for wood headphones and was looking for a new portable option.

 

[tassardar]

Thanks for the thorough review!

I have mine arriving on Monday (hopefully: it's already been delayed once). I'm a sucker for wood headphones and was looking for a new portable option.

Actually I am really interested in listening to the WB2022. But for almost twice the price, the WB LTD looks like a way better deal haha. My only issue is the lacquered coating in the wood won’t be able to last long if used like a portable.

 

[Mister Crash]

The WB2022 is not right for me as I don't like using Bluetooth and am skittish about having a DAC/amp within the headphones that you can't bypass. I love the appearance of it (which is carried over to the WB LTD) and the technology seems super cool. There are a couple other components of the WB2022 that I wish were carried over to the WB LTD:

1. The WB2022 comes with a Zero Halliburton case, while the WB LTD comes with a carrying pouch. I would have loved for the case to be included with the LTD, or at least offered as an extra-cost option.
2. I kind of like the look of the velvet on the headband and pads of the WB2022.
2. The WB2022 offers a free battery replacement and pad replacement. Looks like it's limited to one time (and for someone in the Western hemisphere, it may be harder to take advantage of that), but that's pretty cool after-market service.

 

[Mister Crash]

Well, the WB-LTD arrived today. I'm in the process of trying it out on my Walkman, but here are a few pictures from the unboxing.

First impressions are positive. They're very light and comfortable and the music sounds involving through these headphones. However, one aggravation is that AT still hasn't figured out how to make a non-microphonic cord. That's a feature that thoroughly annoys me and basically necessitates an aftermarket headphone cable. It's not as bad as the cable on the L5000, but it's noticeable.

 

[tassardar]

Gratz! I think the wire is gonna be hard to get a replacement since they use mini coax cable. Quite rare

 

[Mister Crash]

The connector type at the headphone is Audio Technica's A2DC connector. Yes, it's harder to find than most other connectors, but there are some companies that offer this. I think Moon Audio has some spare connectors you can buy if you're into DIY.

 

[Nayyte]

Well, the WB-LTD arrived today. I'm in the process of trying it out on my Walkman, but here are a few pictures from the unboxing.

First impressions are positive. They're very light and comfortable and the music sounds involving through these headphones. However, one aggravation is that AT still hasn't figured out how to make a non-microphonic cord. That's a feature that thoroughly annoys me and basically necessitates an aftermarket headphone cable. It's not as bad as the cable on the L5000, but it's noticeable.

How are the WBLTD's holding up? They will be available soon in USA and I was thinking about getting them. Do you think they hold there own in their price range? How is the timbre?

 

[Mister Crash]

After spending some more time with the WB LTD and comparing it to some of my other portable headphones, here are my thoughts. All of these are observations based on playing through a Sony WM1ZM2 Walkman using the 4.4mm balanced connection.

1. The look is very similar to the WP900, but with much better materials and construction. The WP900 feels very plasticky while the WB LTD is definitely sturdier but still maintains a light frame. Both models come with a 3.5mm and 4.4 mm cable, but the WB LTD cables feel like they are higher quality, though they are also more microphonic, which is a bit of an issue for me.

2. The earcups are bigger than the WP900 and don't clamp well for me at all. The WP900 fits on my ears snugly, but the WB LTD feel much looser. They don't feel like they are going to fall off, but they don't feel secure, either. I have a bunch of Audio Technica headphones and getting the right fit is paramount to them sounding their best. The stock fit doesn't do that for me very well.

3. On my Walkman, it's about as easy to drive the WB LTD as the WP900. I compared that to the Sony MDR-Z1R, which requires more power to get to the same volume. The WB LTD is definitely easy to drive and well-suited to portable use without an amp.

4. The soundstage is much wider on the WB LTD than the WP900 and it comes off as being more airy. This could be due in part to a greater bass presence on the WP900, which makes it feel a little more closed in. When I compared to the MDR-Z1R, the Z1R had more bass than the WB LTD as well and a soundstage that wasn't quite as wide, but the Z1R was wider than the WP900.

5. The music comes off as somewhat echo-y on the WB LTD. I suspect this is a consequence of the way the pads fit on me and that with a better seal it would not be as much of issue.

6. I feel like the detail on the WB LTD is slightly better than the MDR-Z1R and a fair bit better than the WP900, but from the Walkman, none of them come of as super detailed.

7. When I compared these headphones to the Oriolus Traillii, I much preferred the Oriolus to all of them. This shouldn't be a surprise, as the Oriolus is consistently ranked one of the best IEMs available, and has a much higher price than the others.

Overall, I think the WB LTD is a little overpriced for what you get straight out of the box, and I suspect the US price will be higher than other regions, which may make that worse. I also think it will require pad rolling to get it sounding its best, and I'm not clear on what pads would be a suitable replacement for the stock ones, considering they're quite a bit larger than most portables, but smaller and thinner than full-size headphones.