[walfredo]

 

So... I've been researching this since I got my Yamamoto.  It is supposed to be the best amp ever for the W1000.  The best explanation I got so far is that the Yamamoto is very transparent to the source.  My source is an Outlaw 970, and that may be it (although I don't find this in using the Outlaw as source for my speakers).
 
Anyhow, whatever it is, the AD2000 + Yamamoto sound better (in my system, to my ears) than W1000 + Yamamoto.
 
I'm very happy with the outcome though.
 
[]s
Walfredo
 

 

[sling5s]

I really want to purchase a pair of these.  Right now Amazon is too pricey.  Looking for a used pair but it's really hard to find. 
It took me about ten years on head fi and a lot of headphones to finally realize that when it comes to headphones, I love it midcentric and colored: grados and ath.
Although the akg has some nice mids, too polite and neutral.   I've found a pair of ath-w1000x and now looking for a used pair of ath-ad2000.
 
 

 

[sling5s]

I just got these off ebay.  They were said to be in excellent condition.  Wrong!  The pleather is coming off the sides.  Is this an easy fix? How can I take off the pads?  
 
Sound wise, they are a mix of Grado RS1 and AKG K702 together as one headphone.
 
 

 

[Ra97oR]

I just got these off ebay.  They were said to be in excellent condition.  Wrong!  The pleather is coming off the sides.  Is this an easy fix? How can I take off the pads?  
 
Sound wise, they are a mix of Grado RS1 and AKG K702 together as one headphone.
 
 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iW1NxpEtlG4

 

[sling5s]

thanks. 

 

[sling5s]

These sound great with the MAD.  Thickens and warms up the mids and really lets the midrange bloom not to mention gives the bass boost in needs.  
The MAD has a similar affect on the AD2000 as does on the Grado RS1.  

 

[K3cT]

I finally have the opportunity to try this headphone and I'm pretty impressed. You see, there are very few Audio Technica headphones that I genuinely like but the AD2000 along with the ESW9 have the honor of joining that prestigious list. Overall, the AD2000's sound signature is cut from the same cloth as the AD1000PRM but the most striking difference is that it has an actual bass response unlike the PRM and it's a good bass too: fast, impactful and detailed. Midrange is still smooth, which is typical ATH stuff but it's less colored and more transparent than the midrange of the PRM which tends to show that honky-tonky sound which I really despise. The AD2000 has none of that. Treble is also pretty impressive, it has a very open and extended quality about it and it seems to be marvelously detailed with minimal signs of harshness. I'm still surprised by how detailed cymbals sound with the AD2000. 
 
I wish I could take it home to give it a spin with my desktop system but alas, I couldn't do that. My impressions are based on a DIY CMOY, Oyaide LOD and iTouch so I can't help to wonder how much are they going to be improved with the Beta22 and Parasound 1100HD? 

 

[Ra97oR]

Pretty strange that the PRM sounded that different to you. To me a pad modded AD2000 (and re-cabled too) sounds identical on my PRM. The stock AD2000 does however sounds warmer, but less defined in the treble as the modded AD2000 and AD1000PRM. I really start to think the main differences are from the pad distance from the ears. Also, the AD1000PRM is somewhat noticeable harder to drive than the AD2000 for some strange reason.

 

[Ikarios]

I thought the AD1000PRM was the AD2000 driver in an AD1000 frame? From what I have read the AD1000 has a frame more similar to the AD700 than the AD2000; the AD2000 has some kind of memory metal that adds a lot of clamp and brings the drivers much closer to your ears. This would be the reason for the primary differences, as frame resonances probably have a minimal effect since they're quite open.

 

[Ra97oR]

I thought the AD1000PRM was the AD2000 driver in an AD1000 frame? From what I have read the AD1000 has a frame more similar to the AD700 than the AD2000; the AD2000 has some kind of memory metal that adds a lot of clamp and brings the drivers much closer to your ears. This would be the reason for the primary differences, as frame resonances probably have a minimal effect since they're quite open.

The lower cup on the AD1000 and AD2000 is pretty much the same save the colour. It also pretty much agrees with the impressions I have with the AD2000 side by side with my AD1000PRM. The pad and clamp (and recabled) modded pair sounded so close to my AD1000PRM where as the stock one matches the impressions that most people have here, being more bassy and somewhat richer.

 

[K3cT]

I didn't even know that there is a norm to mod the AD2000 until you pointed it out, Ra97oR. As I said, both headphones come from the same mold but the AD2000 sounds more refined and fixes the faults that the AD1000PRM has. 

 

[ronrad]

I recently just tried my AD2ks with my Nexus S with Voodoo sound as a source and the combination is actually amazingly good for a portable source.   One thing I definitely like about the AD2k is that they can run off of less than a desktop amp with reasonable results, and I'm able to move that combination around and enjoy listening anywhere.  I tried my T1s with the Nexus and while it actually did better than my D10 Cobra for driving the T1s, the sound was still quite flat and non dynamic compared to my desktop amp, whereas the difference for the AD2ks was much less dramatic.  In fact, I switched to a Pandora One stream of New Age Instrumental music to drift off too, and a song came on that had such a huge sound stage that it actually startled me and fooled me into thinking that I was hearing something from outside!

 

[keanex]

What's a good cheap, under $300, amp for the Ad2000? I currently have an E7 and a Total BitHead I could use. The E7 I've been using with my Ad900, the Total Bithead isn't mine, but my friend would let me use/have it since he never uses it. Would either of those serve as a good DAC or Amp for these, at least temporary?
 
Edit: Since the E7 uses a good DAC, I'm contemplating also trying the E9/E7 combo with the Ad2000, does anyone have experience with this?

 

[grokit]

The Ad2000 works very well with the Headstage Arrow.

 

[keanex]

Can anyone explain to me why they have near the same technical specs as the Ad900, yet are harder to drive?
 
Ad700: 32ohms, 98db sensitivity. Many claim these don't respond to amping at all because of how efficient they are.
Ad900: 35ohms, 100db sensitivity. Many claim that means these are very efficient, like the Ad700 due to those two specs.
Ad2000: 40ohms, 102db sensitivity. Many claim that these are rather picky about amps, though according to the two main factors, these should be driven to their potential by almost any device.
 
Do we have a major case of placebo, or are there other factors I'm not considering? From everything I've learned, anything under 64ohms should be rather easy to drive as long as it has a high sensitivity, 100db or so.