[Josz27]

The weak point on the AD1000Z and A2000Z not the headband but the earcups IMO. The fixed earcup so it doesn't allow it to adjust was a massive flaw. A990Z for whatever reason does not have this design and therefore I have no issues with either comfort or seal. It's the reason why I wouldn't consider the A1000Z. I won't buy another AT headphone with that stupid dumb design. It's so dumb, can't emphasize enough how dumb I think it is.

I can see the A2000Ti went with the A990Z design. I'm really baffled why AT spent decades with fixed cups on their AD and A series, makes no sense to me. When I look at my AD990X and see the fixed ear cups, I ask, WHY?!?!? What purpose does that have other than making comfort, fit and seal just fly out the window?

Nice new pairs, AD1000Z, and AD990X, AT not even announced yet and you have them, Awesome xD

 

[Josz27]

I did modifications to AD2000X I think that they suck with stock pads, the highs have like 3 times more clarity/, at least like 2 to 3 times more clarity (in general) than ad900x, Anyway I would like a headphone with ad900x sound signature but with more clarity, AD900X it's very fun for me

 

[Slim1970]

The weak point on the AD1000Z and A2000Z not the headband but the earcups IMO. The fixed earcup so it doesn't allow it to adjust was a massive flaw. A990Z for whatever reason does not have this design and therefore I have no issues with either comfort or seal. It's the reason why I wouldn't consider the A1000Z. I won't buy another AT headphone with that stupid dumb design. It's so dumb, can't emphasize enough how dumb I think it is.

I can see the A2000Ti went with the A990Z design. I'm really baffled why AT spent decades with fixed cups on their AD and A series, makes no sense to me. When I look at my AD990X and see the fixed ear cups, I ask, WHY?!?!? What purpose does that have other than making comfort, fit and seal just fly out the window?

Yes, the fixed ear cups on the A2000z’s is not the best design for this headphone or any headphone for that matter. As good as I thought the A2000z’s were sound wise I was always playing with the fit. I’m hoping the AP2000Ti’s are much more comfortable so I can just enjoy the sound instead of worrying about the fit.

 

[erics75]

New A1000Z owner here. Been running them in a few weeks before posting impressions. I haven't noticed any significant changes from burn in. The first hour they sound very harsh, but that settled down quickly. After that they more or less sound how they sound.

Running them mainly from either a Grace M9xx or Codex dac and RS-08 amp. In stock configuration I call them slightly bright and sightly harsh. Treble is very aggressive, with a hard leading edge, and tremendous extension. They're not necessarily ear shredders, but to people like me who are mildly treble sensitive, they can at times irritate.

Mids are also slightly bright and aggressive. This is a mid-centric set, which excel at vocals and acoustic strings. Though many claim this set is great for female vocals, I personally disagree. The brightness made them a bit uncomfortable for me.

Bass is adequate, with an odd plastic like quality I found disappointing. It's not a deal breaker for me though, as I'm spoiled by my Atticus and Auteur, which both do bass incredibly well. Given the 1000's price, it's perfectly passable.

Staging is good. Nothing really stands out good or bad. Placement and depth are decent, and overall headspace is just fine.

I personally find the wing suspension system adequate, but I hate how the ear cups don't swivel Up and down with the contour of my head. I did have to bend the headband a bit to achieve adequate seal. Just a small bend at the base of each ear cup. Now they seal great and don't slide at all.

Overall I wasn't sure what to make of the A1000z. It's very competitive in it's price range, but it didn't blow me away. I did almost return it numerous times, but always felt I'd regret it after, so stay it did. And I'm glad it did! After a very fatiguing session with it listening to cruddy metal recordings that can make even the HD650 sound sibilant, I decided to experiment.

First off I swapped amps and plugged it into my bottlehead crack. I know, bad call right? High output impedance otl amp and low impedance headphones... Horrible idea!!!! Well... It actually sounded great! The Crack took some edge off the treble, and fattened up the bass nicely. I really really enjoyed the combo immensely.

That got me thinking to try some more dumb ideas. So out came all my various zmf ear pads. I've never liked them on my A2000X, or W5000. Didn't like is being kind, I thought they sounded like a$$ every time. But why not, I thought. The Crack idea worked, what did I have to lose? Plus the zmf pads are slightly larger than ATH pads, so they're super easy to install. Long story short, all pads except the Ori suede pads sounded like a$$.

So let's talk about those ori pads! They feel too big on the A1000Z, I often worry they will simply fall right off when not on my head. But after two weeks with them installed, they have yet to fall off. The sound... Is... Not a$$!!! It's actually really really good! Like suddenly I'm not intrigued by the A1000Z anymore, I'm loving it. Here's what the Ori pads do: they temper the treble noticably. This is a darker headphone with the Ori pads. They more or less leave the mids and soundstage alone. Finally, they add an initially alarming amount of bass impact and resonance.

I was quite shocked how different the bass was. They're not bass head cans by any means, but compared to stock, they're noticably bassier. The quality of the bass isn't great, it takes on a slight boominess. But it's not bad by any means. And the overall transformation of the sound signature is well worth it for me. Sub bass gains a bit more rumble, while mid bass punch is noticably more impactful. These are not bass neutral cans anymore.

I can see people say the change is too drastic and isn't in line with the AT house sound some people love. I personally like it as I like darker headphones.

 

[James Shoegazer]

@erics75 Interesting finding on the pads. If I'm not wrong the drivers of the A1000z are already angled, as such I'd assume an angled pad would not achieve the best results.
I have the A1000z too, it shares similar traits with A900ti and A2000x the former having the most bass quantity. The highs are focused, full bodied and detailed and gives me the impression of a bright signature whereas the highs on the Grado PS2000e extends further and is lusher. Side by side, the dynamics and soundstage width of 1000z is considerably good for a closed-can however they won't bring you the soundstage, instrument separation and resolution as on LCD3fs or Focal Clears, Grado PS2000e. Although it works with my Apex Peak/Volcano tube amp to a fantastic outcome, they pick up microphonics from the tube and chassis. A1000z is an uniquely tuned and beautiful creation not to be missed by treble aficionados, especially enjoying them on Ichiko Aoba's 'QP' - sweet and mystifying vocals, and on Birdman soundtrack - satisfyingly precise drumming..

 

[erics75]

For A1000Z owners, were the hinges that allow the cups to swivel side to side stiff when you got yours? and if so, did they loosen up over time? i'm a month or so in now with a new pair and mine are still super tight. when i put them on, i have to grab both ear cups and push them into my face to get them to adjust properly. it's not a deal breaker, just kind of annoying at times. my A2000X is super loose; they adjust to my face without any fuss or issues. i'm debating graphite powder to lube them, but not sure that's the greatest idea if the powder gets into the driver housing.

 

[Mad Max]

I did massive amounts of dampening though and get rid of the stupid double bass system they used.

I used car audio audio dampening on the circumference of the cups and some on the driver cage. I then placed a thin circular piece of foam, poly fiber stuff, in the back of the cup. And cut out another piece with a hole in it, doughnut shape to surround the driver cage. I also placed some shelf liner material in front of the driver.

My god, now the A990Z sound similar to my HD58x IMO. And IMO it's better than the AD900x now too as well.

A990Z harsh treble has been calmed down. The boomy bass has been controlled. The hollow echoiness, sibilance etc were all removed. The headphones definitely has a more balanced sound to me. And may I say the separation and soundstaging is more realistic from a small closed headphone now? It's not trying to do something it can't, it just does what it can.

My goal for headphones is really to try and get them as close to sounding to the L20T3 monitors I use and I think I succeeded as far as I can with the A990Z and they are now actually my most listened to. I think closed headphones really should be treated similar to speakers and should be dampened. I think it's time more people look into how speakers are made and take those lessons to headphones. This is for CLOSED headphones, open headphones just another beast.

For those who enjoy the boom bass from the A990Z, cause IMO it's definitely a headphone any basshead can enjoy, don't do what I did. This tones really does IMO make it sound more in line with the HD58x with bit of that AT sparkle.

mein bruder

they are literally, fundamentally the same: a conductive coil around a magnet and a diaphragm is attached to the coil to enable the system to move air, headphones are just miniature speakers and most of us modders use speaker mods/tweaks on headphones, skeptics think it is silly to think that headphones and speakers are alike despite the fact that they move air the same way

 

[karhujanis]

Dear A1000Z and A2000Z owners, I would appreciate if you could share the dimensions (like height/width or diameter) of the pit in the ear pads of these headphones. I am wondering if my ear will fully fit the pit or not. Trying to upgrade from Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro and I like it when my ear is fully in the pit. Thanks in advance!

 

[Dorien]

Dear A1000Z and A2000Z owners, I would appreciate if you could share the dimensions (like height/width or diameter) of the pit in the ear pads of these headphones. I am wondering if my ear will fully fit the pit or not. Trying to upgrade from Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro and I like it when my ear is fully in the pit. Thanks in advance!

A1000Z has a smaller pit for the ears than the DT990 Pro. The material is ultra-soft protein leather and very low clamping force so it did not bother me at all.
I have sold mine so I cannot give you exact numbers, sorry...

 

[bobbypete]

WTB: modded detachable cable 990z or similiar.

im canadian too.

 

[Kazz123]

I just got the ATH-A1000z recently, and think they're great! I've seen complaints about people who don't like the 3D wings comfort-wise, but tbh these are one of the most comfortable headphones I've worn, up there with Sony MDR-1A, DT880, and other big-cup Beyers.

I feel like whoever doesn't need to use them as portable will enjoy these greatly! Very precise bass with lots of extension. The highs are a little accentuated, but very detailed.

No idea how they compare up/down the line to 990 and 2000, but the 1000z on their own, in my expreience with other closed-backs (Beyer T5p, Oppo PM3, Denon D7100), these are pretty much the clearest/most natural closed-back in this price range. Doesn't feel like there's a tilt in the frequency response, or an obvious exaggeration of any region (maybe people who are more used to bass-heavy headphones will take a couple of days to get used to it).

Only other closed pair that doesn't cost two livers I've heard described this way is the new Neumann NDH20's, but they're a bit more expensive, and way less comfortable based on reviews: shallower cups and a lot of pressure on the head - which I guess is to be expected purely pro-focused montior type of headphones.

I didn't realize the super-long cable wasn't detachable, which is a shame since my intended use is portable, so I am selling them now (see my FS thread).

Other than the cable being fit only for inside non-portable use cases, great pair!

 

[Josz27]

I just got the ATH-A1000z recently, and think they're great! I've seen complaints about people who don't like the 3D wings comfort-wise, but tbh these are one of the most comfortable headphones I've worn, up there with Sony MDR-1A, DT880, and other big-cup Beyers.

I feel like whoever doesn't need to use them as portable will enjoy these greatly! Very precise bass with lots of extension. The highs are a little accentuated, but very detailed.

No idea how they compare up/down the line to 990 and 2000, but the 1000z on their own, in my expreience with other closed-backs (Beyer T5p, Oppo PM3, Denon D7100), these are pretty much the clearest/most natural closed-back in this price range. Doesn't feel like there's a tilt in the frequency response, or an obvious exaggeration of any region (maybe people who are more used to bass-heavy headphones will take a couple of days to get used to it).

Only other closed pair that doesn't cost two livers I've heard described this way is the new Neumann NDH20's, but they're a bit more expensive, and way less comfortable based on reviews: shallower cups and a lot of pressure on the head - which I guess is to be expected purely pro-focused montior type of headphones.

I didn't realize the super-long cable wasn't detachable, which is a shame since my intended use is portable, so I am selling them now (see my FS thread).

Other than the cable being fit only for inside non-portable use cases, great pair!

How you would compare bass quality, tightness, detail between a1000z and t5p? Do you have version 1 or 2?

 

[Kazz123]

How you would compare bass quality, tightness, detail between a1000z and t5p? Do you have version 1 or 2?

I had the 1st gen for a while, and compared 1st/2nd gen in store - there wasn't a huge difference anywhere except the bass quality/quantity - 2nd gen improved on that a lot I would say.

Compared to them, the A1000z sound more forward in the mids/high-mids - more detail in the vocals and more "open" sound. Also quite different bass. Not sure how exactly to describe it, seems like it's faster and broader, more boost in the mid-bass. The T5p seemed to be geared towards a more classical audiophile sound, and the A1000z are just slightly U-shaped. I'm not a huge fan of the "hifi sound" because I'm used to studio monitors, so overall I like the Audio-Technicas more.

 

[Kazz123]

I wonder why there's no measurements of these anywhere. I'd really love to see individual ones, and how they compare between each other and to previous generations of that ART line.

 

[James Shoegazer]

I wonder why there's no measurements of these anywhere. I'd really love to see individual ones, and how they compare between each other and to previous generations of that ART line.

replying 2mths late, but I have both the a2000x and the a1000z. They are my favourites among the Art line. Last time I compared was a year ago but I’m familiar with their sound. Both are very similar sounding with A2000x having slightly more treble peak, extension and details. Brightness is like a sunny sheen without any grating sibilance. Both have immense clarity for closed cans, I might have felt that the A1000z had better mid bass presentation and warmth. Also with more rolled off and focused placement of treble than A2000x. The Beyer T1.2 which I had owned isn’t that energetic on the higher registers and tilted more to warmness than the ATHs, with wider sound field, imaging and accuracy. It does not have the magical coloration and unique sparkle of both closed cans though.

Hearing the A900x 8 years ago got me started this journey I remembered how the details of A1000x opened up my undiscerning basshead ears, made my jaws dropped on first listen, and left me a lingering impression to this date. Generally the Art series have a very authentic, alluring tuning, beautiful integration of highs, high-mids with inoffensive bass which I had grown to appreciate. Don’t think you can find anything better at this price range if u like this unique tuning for closed cans