Audio Technic W5000 Break-in?

[number1sixerfan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wovenhand /img/forum/go_quote.gif We are apparently of the exact same opinion. I have several hundred hours on my W5000, yet my Beyer DT880 600Ω -straight out of the box- still blew the W5000 to smithereens. I also had really high expectations for the W5000 but was overall pretty disappointed - and still am. Since I bought the DT880's, the W5000 have a steady position serving as paper weights.

If you think the dt880 blows them out of the water, then I am almost 100% sure that you are not getting the proper fit. If you prefer them, that's one thing, but the w5000 are technically superior in a lot of categories. The w5000 has more detail, a more spatious soundstage, more accurate at PRAT, and better imaging.

Unfortunately, the design of the headphone pretty much sucks. You pretty much have to bend the headband to get the proper fit for the best sound. Otherwise the sound is comprimised greatly. Here's a thread about it.

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f4/w5000-fit-275979/

 

[tk3]

That one is seriously mangled though.

 

[number1sixerfan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tk3 /img/forum/go_quote.gif That one is seriously mangled though.

Yea, those weren't mine, but when I had them I bent them just like it. They bend right back into shape.

 

[Elephas]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dcstep /img/forum/go_quote.gif Frankly I'm asking the question because my AKG K701s (100-hours) and UE Triple.fi Pros (only 10 hours) are blowing the W5000s into the weeds.

Quote:

Originally Posted by wovenhand /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have several hundred hours on my W5000, yet my Beyer DT880 600Ω -straight out of the box- still blew the W5000 to smithereens.

Check your source, amp, associated gear and recording quality.

The K701 or DT880-'05 250ohm most definitely don't "blow away" the W5000. If anything, it's more likely to be the other way around. I don't own 2005 DT880, only the 2003 version.

When optimized, the W5000 can compete with and do well enough to not be "blown away" by any other headphone, including the R10, Qualia, L3000, HE90, HE60, SR-Omega, SR-007, 4070, PS-1, HP-2... do I need to go on?

 

[piotr z]

don't You have them touching underside of your ears after that bending operation ? they will look like \ / wile You really need them to be like that - I I - I dont have problems with mine but my friend auditioned them yesterday and he couldn't get proper fit despite presing them hard against ears ( he've got very small and narrow head ) - take a note that when You pres them hard against your ears the chamber that should be left for air to vibrate between transducer and ear i shrinking and that causes them to sound actualy worse

 

[number1sixerfan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by piotr z /img/forum/go_quote.gif don't You have them touching underside of your ears after that bending operation ? they will look like \ / wile You really need them to be like that - I I - I dont have problems with mine but my friend auditioned them yesterday and he couldn't get proper fit despite presing them hard against ears ( he've got very small and narrow head ) - take a note that when You pres them hard against your ears the chamber that should be left for air to vibrate between transducer and ear i shrinking and that causes them to sound actualy worse

I have a very small head as well. I think you actually want them to be \ /. This is what confused me at first. For me, when they were positioned with the cups l l, part of the enclosure did not cover my ears and the sound was thin and not very good. With them positioned \ /, my entire ear is covered and they sound full and very good.

Hope that helps.

 

[dcstep]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elephas /img/forum/go_quote.gif Check your source, amp, associated gear and recording quality. The K701 or DT880-'05 250ohm most definitely don't "blow away" the W5000. If anything, it's more likely to be the other way around. I don't own 2005 DT880, only the 2003 version.

It's reviews like yours and the desire to have a closed-can option that led me to the W5000. I hope that I can come to agree with you.

I'm certain that I don't have source problems. I've got a Pro-ject RM10 TT with a Sumiko Blackbird cartridge with 1200+ well maintained LPs. For digital I've use a Pioneer Elite DV-58AV universal player with full mods by Ric Schultz, including s Superclock 4 and class A single-ended output stage. I've got high rez self-produces DVD-As, SACDs and, of course, several hundred CDs. All these sound great pushing the K701s and my Ultimate Ears Triple.fi Pros and my Vienna Acoustic Beethoven Baby Grands (pushed by a Conrad Johnson CA200).

My headphone amp is the Woo Audio WA6. I'm not willing to buy another amp. If you tell me that I need a "special" amp, then the W5000s will be out of here in a flash.

As for the fit, what is the goal for placement in relation to the ears? I can hold them in position to hear if I want to bend the headband. I want to know that I'll be keeping the cans before I make them look like that. Should they be high on the ears, centered, forward or what? Do they need a lot of pressure or just a comfortable fit?

Dave

 

[piotr z]

unfortunately - first thing You need to make them to sound their best is source - they are very clan an clear - so You need analog like source without trace of sibilancy - WA6 will probably do coz I don't think that they improve alot with more powerfull amp.

 

[piotr z]

as for me they should be positioned as forward and down as posible with keeping comfortable fit

 

[wovenhand]

I HAVE tried bending them in a variety of different ways and none gave me a satisfactory result. If I rest my hands on the cups (just gently resting, not pressing) I get a better result, but it's still not aces.

And I don't think there's anything wrong with my associated gear either (see sig). If what I have won't suffice then I'm with dcstep and they can continue their paper weighing duties.

And technically superior doesn't automatically mean sonically superior.


Quote:

Originally Posted by number1sixerfan /img/forum/go_quote.gif If you think the dt880 blows them out of the water, then I am almost 100% sure that you are not getting the proper fit. If you prefer them, that's one thing, but the w5000 are technically superior in a lot of categories. The w5000 has more detail, a more spatious soundstage, more accurate at PRAT, and better imaging. Unfortunately, the design of the headphone pretty much sucks. You pretty much have to bend the headband to get the proper fit for the best sound. Otherwise the sound is comprimised greatly. Here's a thread about it.

 

[number1sixerfan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dcstep /img/forum/go_quote.gif My headphone amp is the Woo Audio WA6. I'm not willing to buy another amp. If you tell me that I need a "special" amp, then the W5000s will be out of here in a flash. As for the fit, what is the goal for placement in relation to the ears? I can hold them in position to hear if I want to bend the headband. I want to know that I'll be keeping the cans before I make them look like that. Should they be high on the ears, centered, forward or what? Do they need a lot of pressure or just a comfortable fit? Dave

Your amp should be fine, as for the source I'm not sure(don't know much about TT's). The w5000s shine with mosfet amp, but I used them with my ppx3 slam and they sounded amazing. As for the fit, I believe the cups should be centered with your ears. You want there to be as little space between the pads and your head. If you press lightly on the cups and the sound is fuller, then you know you have a fit issue. Also, the bending is fully reversible and once it is reversed you cannot tell that they have been bent at all. It was meant to be bent.

After figuring out the fit, it all boils down to preference. Do you like the signature of the can besides the highs?

 

[dcstep]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wovenhand /img/forum/go_quote.gif And I don't think there's anything wrong with my associated gear either (see sig). If what I have won't suffice then I'm with dcstep and they can continue their paper weighing duties.

Veery interesting... we both use the Woo WA6. Maybe there's a conflict there. I haven't messed with the hi/low impedance setting. I'll do that later today. I forgot all about that.

Still, maybe they don't work with the Woo. Anybody out there happy with a W5000/WA6 combo?

Dave

 

[Elephas]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dcstep /img/forum/go_quote.gif It's reviews like yours and the desire to have a closed-can option that led me to the W5000. I hope that I can come to agree with you.

I don't think there's one headphone for everybody, and the W5000 is one of the more unique-sounding headphones. It will definitely not suit everyone's preferences.

Every headphone has strengths and weakness; some have more strengths and less weaknesses. The W5000's strengths are its details, imaging, sense of air, headstage and soundstage. Its weaknesses are tonality, tendency to sound thin or lacking body, some brightness and high sensitivity to associated gear, recording quality and the type of music. I think it is less forgiving than many other headphones.

With certain songs and in a setup with synergy, the W5000 can sound sublime and be competitive with almost any other headphone.

With other, more numerous songs and setups lacking synergy, it can sound thin, harsh, closed-in, lacking bass impact, and unnaturally colored.

I actually wouldn't recommend the W5000 for everybody. For less experienced or less adventuresome people, I would say try Beyers, Denons, the AD2000, HD600, HD650 or K701, which are all less expensive and potentially better values.

 

[number1sixerfan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wovenhand /img/forum/go_quote.gif I HAVE tried bending them in a variety of different ways and none gave me a satisfactory result. If I rest my hands on the cups (just gently resting, not pressing) I get a better result, but it's still not aces. And I don't think there's anything wrong with my associated gear either (see sig). If what I have won't suffice then I'm with dcstep and they can continue their paper weighing duties. And technically superior doesn't automatically mean sonically superior.

I never said anything was wrong with your gear. I was just saying that the w5000 are technically and sonically superior to the dt880 and by a large margin, so something isn't adding up. I understand that no one will like every can, but saying the dt880 blows the w5000 out of the water just isn't accurate IMHO.

And also, if you press on the cans and the sound is better it is a good indicator of poor fit. I would keep messing with the fit until pressing on them does not give a better sound.

 

[Elephas]

Quote:

Originally Posted by number1sixerfan /img/forum/go_quote.gif I understand that no one will like every can, but saying the dt880 blows the w5000 just isn't accurate IMHO.

One missing word and... I'd like to be the W5000.