randomsgs
New Head-Fier
- Joined
- Sep 1, 2010
- Posts
- 5
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- 0
Hey guys
I've been lurking around these forums for quite a while but haven't posted much till now so I thought Id just share a few thoughts on my two full sized cans.
just a note, I don't profess to be a hardcore audiophile but I do like a nice sounding pair of headphones and also I run my phones out of my laptop and my iphone with no amp
I just don't have the space/ effort/ money to get a proper source and amp etc
so this review is very much from the perspective of a casual audiophile =)
My ATs are of course a pair of noise cancelling headphones and while they don't isolate as well as the Bose offerings, they do plenty to cut out the engine hum of buses and planes. I've listened to these cans for over 10 hours on a 24 hour plane trip and they have given me nothing to complain about. Comfort is top notch. While people keep recommending IEMs for isolation and portability, nothing beats a good full sized circumaural. Certain people on these forums have pointed out that these headphones in fact leak noise. While this is true it shouldn't matter at all if you are using them in the noisy environment that you bought your noise cancelling headphones to counter. The accessories pack that came with these was top notch. The cable is detachable so if you need it to be longer and shorter or if u wanna experiment with new cables, this is all done with ease.
So on to sound, the ATs are very strong all round headphones. They suit pretty much any genre you could imagine. Their strength is in their mid range which is clear, present and smooth. It sits a little more forward in the mix than the rest but is not over bearing. The detail and clarity is backed up by the energy in these frequencies. Distorted guitars and deep male vocals are incredibly satisfying. You can hear exactly the kind of crunch the guitarist has dialed in and the way singers are articulating their words. The bass in these headphones is not prominent nor copious but present and sufficient. It extends deep enough to capture the texture of rumbling bass guitars. If you want to hear the bass, you can be sure the ANC7 will reproduce them with good detail but they definitely sit a little further back in the mix. It allows for the mids to shine that bit more. I feel as though there might be a bit of a gap in the lower mids or upper bass as there seems to be quite a bit of separation between the mids and bass. The highs are well detailed and in good proportion to the mids. It has decent detail but is never sibilant, a good sparkle but by no means harsh.Soundstage is not huge but big enough to get a sense of where each instrument sits in the mix
All in all, the ATs suit almost any kind of music. I could definitely recommend them to rockers; the mids do great justice to guitar based music. The same applies to metal heads. These cans push enough air for you to feel the impact of the snare or the thud of the bass and generally do a really solid job of whatever you throw at them. Soundstage is not huge but big enough to get a sense of where each instrument sits in the mix
My Alessandros are also a top notch pair of headphones for their price but rather different respects. As open headphones, they obviously have nothing on the isolation of the ATs. They are not the most comfortable set of headphones out there just by the fact that they are supra aural but they stay on my head well enough and I can listen for a good few hours without complaint. The build is a touch flimsy. I've had them for a couple of years now and one of the cups has fallen off the band by is easily attached again. You don't really buy these headphones for comfort or build.What they lack in these areas, they make up for in sound
First off, these are over all a bit warmer than my ATs. They don't have as wide a sound stage nor do i reckon they extend as far into the lower or higher frequencies. In fact, I don't think you can really say they have a sound stage at all. But, they give a musical and balanced sound across the frequencies. The bass is forward but by no means over emphasized. It's punchy, and moves a more air than the ATs, making you feel each drum stroke. Bass is easy to find but never excessive. I've found that bassy headphones such as Fischer Audio Eternas make metal too congested and thick, a problem which the MS1s don't share. The mid range is energetic and presents the grit of guitars but not to the same extent that the ATs do. The high end does not extend as far as the ATs but is smooth and innoffensive. There is definitely none of the sibilance people hear in Grados.
To me, MS1s have a more consistent response across all the frequencies and don't have the gap in the upper bass which gives a fuller sound. Extension is not its strength but the frequencies it does cover are done in good proportion and with plenty of detail. The sound is much closer with no air between cans and listener where as the ATs give more of a sense of space. This isn't necessarily a bad thing for the MS1s. It just gives a more direct presentation which people have likened to being right up the front of the mosh pit in a concert.
Looking forward to hearing comments and criticism =)
cheers
I've been lurking around these forums for quite a while but haven't posted much till now so I thought Id just share a few thoughts on my two full sized cans.
just a note, I don't profess to be a hardcore audiophile but I do like a nice sounding pair of headphones and also I run my phones out of my laptop and my iphone with no amp
I just don't have the space/ effort/ money to get a proper source and amp etc
so this review is very much from the perspective of a casual audiophile =)
My ATs are of course a pair of noise cancelling headphones and while they don't isolate as well as the Bose offerings, they do plenty to cut out the engine hum of buses and planes. I've listened to these cans for over 10 hours on a 24 hour plane trip and they have given me nothing to complain about. Comfort is top notch. While people keep recommending IEMs for isolation and portability, nothing beats a good full sized circumaural. Certain people on these forums have pointed out that these headphones in fact leak noise. While this is true it shouldn't matter at all if you are using them in the noisy environment that you bought your noise cancelling headphones to counter. The accessories pack that came with these was top notch. The cable is detachable so if you need it to be longer and shorter or if u wanna experiment with new cables, this is all done with ease.
So on to sound, the ATs are very strong all round headphones. They suit pretty much any genre you could imagine. Their strength is in their mid range which is clear, present and smooth. It sits a little more forward in the mix than the rest but is not over bearing. The detail and clarity is backed up by the energy in these frequencies. Distorted guitars and deep male vocals are incredibly satisfying. You can hear exactly the kind of crunch the guitarist has dialed in and the way singers are articulating their words. The bass in these headphones is not prominent nor copious but present and sufficient. It extends deep enough to capture the texture of rumbling bass guitars. If you want to hear the bass, you can be sure the ANC7 will reproduce them with good detail but they definitely sit a little further back in the mix. It allows for the mids to shine that bit more. I feel as though there might be a bit of a gap in the lower mids or upper bass as there seems to be quite a bit of separation between the mids and bass. The highs are well detailed and in good proportion to the mids. It has decent detail but is never sibilant, a good sparkle but by no means harsh.Soundstage is not huge but big enough to get a sense of where each instrument sits in the mix
All in all, the ATs suit almost any kind of music. I could definitely recommend them to rockers; the mids do great justice to guitar based music. The same applies to metal heads. These cans push enough air for you to feel the impact of the snare or the thud of the bass and generally do a really solid job of whatever you throw at them. Soundstage is not huge but big enough to get a sense of where each instrument sits in the mix
My Alessandros are also a top notch pair of headphones for their price but rather different respects. As open headphones, they obviously have nothing on the isolation of the ATs. They are not the most comfortable set of headphones out there just by the fact that they are supra aural but they stay on my head well enough and I can listen for a good few hours without complaint. The build is a touch flimsy. I've had them for a couple of years now and one of the cups has fallen off the band by is easily attached again. You don't really buy these headphones for comfort or build.What they lack in these areas, they make up for in sound
First off, these are over all a bit warmer than my ATs. They don't have as wide a sound stage nor do i reckon they extend as far into the lower or higher frequencies. In fact, I don't think you can really say they have a sound stage at all. But, they give a musical and balanced sound across the frequencies. The bass is forward but by no means over emphasized. It's punchy, and moves a more air than the ATs, making you feel each drum stroke. Bass is easy to find but never excessive. I've found that bassy headphones such as Fischer Audio Eternas make metal too congested and thick, a problem which the MS1s don't share. The mid range is energetic and presents the grit of guitars but not to the same extent that the ATs do. The high end does not extend as far as the ATs but is smooth and innoffensive. There is definitely none of the sibilance people hear in Grados.
To me, MS1s have a more consistent response across all the frequencies and don't have the gap in the upper bass which gives a fuller sound. Extension is not its strength but the frequencies it does cover are done in good proportion and with plenty of detail. The sound is much closer with no air between cans and listener where as the ATs give more of a sense of space. This isn't necessarily a bad thing for the MS1s. It just gives a more direct presentation which people have likened to being right up the front of the mosh pit in a concert.
Looking forward to hearing comments and criticism =)
cheers
