[zaggynl]

Tried these for a couple days now on my xfi-xtremegamer soundcard to o2 amp, compared to my Sennheiser HD650 and Fidelio X1 they are a LOT better with the high tones, excellent for voices, not so much with the lower tones, they tend to fall away against the higher tones.
They do get tiring after long music listening for me because of the sibilance, feels like sitting front row or even in the group of musicians, LOUD but very clear.
The headband makes it very light, makes my sennheiser hd650 feel like a clamp if I put it on afterwards.

 

[MaximumSandvich]

just bought a pair - will post reviews when I get them!

 

[Abouna]

Anyone have these recabled yet?
 
I love these cans but not too keen on the cable.  I don't mind the length so much but I'd much prefer a fabric style cable for flexibility.  This cable is just too stiff.

 

[deadspider187]

I haven't been able to find a frequency response graph for these.  Has anyone measured them?

 

[priler]

  I know where there's a FR graph but I don't know how accurate it is. in fact,i wanted to ask on here how accurate it is because there seems to be some contradictions.
 
  first,it's a long link but here's how to find the graph: google.com--->search for: ad900x headphones.reviewed.com--->(it should be the first page you find,..click page)--->then click: the science(on right).
 
  second,here's where it gets interesting. everyone on here and their grandmother who owns the ad900x and have compared it to the ad900 always say the same thing,that the difference between them is that the ad900x has (noticeably) more bass and also has the treble slightly lower for less sibilance.
 
  ..but here's the problem. if you read that review carefully and study the graph,basically what he's telling you is that the bass is not really different,that the real difference is across the treble and also the upper mids but especially that there are two dips that make the biggest difference,one at 2-4kHz and another at 5-7kHz(although I don't see this second dip in the graph shown,just generally lower dB). although,he does mention that there's also a bass roll-off(but I see that in the ad900 as well in the graph). he also strongly implies that the ad900 is more neutral,easier to EQ and that he prefers the ad900(that the difference on the ad900x suck).
 
  i'm assuming the gray lines(that he uses for comparison) is for the ad900.
 
 
  this is interesting because it's not what everyone here describes. no one here has said,so far,that the difference between them is simply less upper mids and treble with two dips. they all seem to say the same thing.more bass(ad900x) and slightly less treble(ad900x) and any possible sibilance. I think that's quite a difference to what is seen on that graph.
 
  so which one is it? who is correct? I really want to know.
 
  could it be that the graph is correct  but to the ears it simply has the affect as having more bass? could it be that his readings are totally off for some reason and one should not pay attention to that graph at all?

 

[solblack]

I have the AD900x love them!
I some times pair them with my DX50 and C&CBH2.
Excellent!
I get plenty of Bass when using "Out1" with the C&CBH2 set to "Hi Grain and the DX50 gain set to the two.
I also use the same combo with ATH-50.
What I found is the ATH-50 has a little more bass and the AD900x has more "Air" to them but both are great for my commute.

 

[priler]

  After receiving the ad900x and using them right out of the box,then letting them burn-in for a day at low volume,i can say that any mention of poor bass quantity,poor low end extension or any other adjectives used to describe any type of missing bass,....is totally incorrect. In fact,my first impression was,wow,this has too much bass.(although not really,it's all there,bass,mids and treble)
 
 
  I will say one thing though,Audio Technica's thoughts on who exactly is going to wear their HPs must be Stewie Griffin from the show Family Guy. I mean this literally,someone with a big,football(american football) shaped head that's pointy on the sides where your ears are,and this is coming from someone with a big,german head(but normally shaped). This is probably the only way your going to get the proper seal and I have no doubt(because I tested) it affects bass.
 
  Upon initially putting on these HPs,i instantly noticed that there was a gap in the upper most part of the pads right above my ears. I could actually easily wiggle my finger into this gap. When I pressed the cups against my head to seal the gap,the sound became fuller and the bass instantly became very present and very impressive.
 
  I suppose I could have bent the two supporting,arching bands(which,by the way,are not cheap plastic tubes that i've noticed on other HPs but in fact,seem to be solid metal bands encased by polymer,..that's my best guess based on gently feeling them) to better seal the cups on my head but I totally decided against that and simply put a fairly long rubber band between the two wings,so that the two wings better support the HPs,and that instantly perfected the seal and the sound. Problem solved,full stop..........perhaps not worthy of a HP of this caliber but there it is.
 
  I'm still undecided about keeping them or not(simply because of the fit issue above) but i'm leaning towards keeping them because of the SQ and otherwise the construction and materials are very good. I also love just looking at the open back part,..but,ultimately,it's the SQ that counts and that part is impressive. Thus far,I've used them for several music tracks i'm very familiar with,a movie and several programs and the sound stage,airy,imaging,detail and extension(both high and low) are very good. The bass can be felt when it's in the music or movie but not when it's not supposed to be there. These are very,very detailed but not in an extremely analytical,dry way and with no veil. They are also neutral but with very slight colorations here and there that seem to add instead of substrate. The highs are very interesting,they give me no sibilance and yet they are very present all the time,with good extension,giving me all kinds of detail. The mids are all there in full with a slight coloration that's very attractive(I was worried that the mids would be too forward,they are not,..but also nowhere near hollow). the bass extends well(I can clearly hear sounds in the 30Hz region,if it's there in your music) and explosions can be felt(but not excessively,if that's what you would prefer). the bass is full but I feel that it lacks a bit of finesse,just slightly muddy but also lush,tight and with a slight emphasis in the mid to upper region. The timbre is good,but,and i'm having a hard time describing this,with just slight colorations here and there.
 
  anyway,a very enjoyable SQ. by the way,these can EQ fairly well if you want although I didn't for my evaluation,..but you can EQ then till your ears bleed from excessive highs if you want,..the bass also seems to respond well. also,specific SQs from your particular amp aside,these don't seem to change that much from amping or just using your desktop computer(I don't use portables) but I did notice that,when using my 20something year old Pioneer VSX D1S,that the sound became slightly fuller,low end extension was slightly better,sound stage and imaging seemed slightly better,...but I think someone without an amp will like these fine.  again,i don't use portables of any kind.
 
  please take my review here with a grain of salt. all ears are different and I've also not had this ad900x for a very long time.
 
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 
 
 
  does anyone know if the JDS Labs Objective2 amp has a very neutral sound? what about when adding their dac?  what's the difference you notice with and without dac?

 

[Menasor]

Got my AD900X for Christmas and I absolutely love them. They pair really well with my Emotiva Airmotiv 4's. It's the kind of lively sound with large soundstage and airy treble that I was after. Also love the midrange clarity on these. The bass is there but not overdone. Very happy so far. I had the HD555's with soundstage mod previously and these are much more enjoyable imo 

 

[ironfront]

I'm probably getting these sometime in the next couple weeks to replace my dying ad700's but still not 100% yet. I've been very happy with the ad700's over the past 6+ years and initially was just going to get the ad700x to replace them, but if the ad900x's are better I might as well get those instead.
 
Several people have said the sound stage is not as good as the ad700's which concerns me, since that is what I like most about the ad700's. I still spend a lot of time playing fps games, mostly counter strike GO, and the wide sound stage and accurate 3d positioning is very helpful with that. I do spend more time listening to music than playing games, so I could live with somewhat diminished 3d positioning if everything else is really better.
 
I'm more concerned about what I've heard about the ad900's losing detail and clarity with fast layered music. I listen to a fair amount of jazz sax players, like John Coltrane, Charlie Parker, and Wayne Shorter etc, as well as bands like A Wilhelm Scream, Strike Anywhere, and Propagandhi, which are frequently high tempo and sometimes very layered. Is this type of music too fast or layered for these headphones?
 
I've always thought the ad700's handled jazz very well and performed admirably with punk, so I'm not sure what to think about these.
 
Hopefully these will be acceptable, because I really don't know what else I'm likely to enjoy without spending 3 or 4 times as much, because after all this reading I will only be happy with an upgrade 

 

[priler]

  I'm probably getting these sometime in the next couple weeks to replace my dying ad700's but still not 100% yet. I've been very happy with the ad700's over the past 6+ years and initially was just going to get the ad700x to replace them, but if the ad900x's are better I might as well get those instead.
 
Several people have said the sound stage is not as good as the ad700's which concerns me, since that is what I like most about the ad700's. I still spend a lot of time playing fps games, mostly counter strike GO, and the wide sound stage and accurate 3d positioning is very helpful with that. I do spend more time listening to music than playing games, so I could live with somewhat diminished 3d positioning if everything else is really better.
 
I'm more concerned about what I've heard about the ad900's losing detail and clarity with fast layered music. I listen to a fair amount of jazz sax players, like John Coltrane, Charlie Parker, and Wayne Shorter etc, as well as bands like A Wilhelm Scream, Strike Anywhere, and Propagandhi, which are frequently high tempo and sometimes very layered. Is this type of music too fast or layered for these headphones?
 
I've always thought the ad700's handled jazz very well and performed admirably with punk, so I'm not sure what to think about these.
 
Hopefully these will be acceptable, because I really don't know what else I'm likely to enjoy without spending 3 or 4 times as much, because after all this reading I will only be happy with an upgrade 

 
 
  I've never owned the ad700 but I've read so many honest reviews that I feel I can comment on a comparison.
 
  the ad700 is going to sound brighter than the ad900x but this is because the ad900x has more bass,more extended bass and better controlled highs(but all fully there,more linear). the AD900x is closer to neutral but still having the AD sound signature.
 
  The sound/head stage is excellent. If it's in the recording,i can hear sounds very afar,mid way in or really up close. I can also hear when voices/sounds are behind,a little above me or below from in front or behind. Imaging is good. Look for AD900(none X) for a comparison on this,just remember that the X has a little different balance that makes then sound closer to neutral(but the AD900X has angled drivers,which is for improved imaging when the sound waves hit your ears,like stereo speakers).   I seriously doubt you'll find the AD900x lacking in SS and imaging but a brighter HP may accentuate things like footsteps in FPS type games,if that's what your into,.....but the X will be more immersive overall and more enjoyable with things like explosions.(and bring out the bass in music).
 
  I had a similar concerned about very layered,complex music because of a few hyper critical comments but much of the music I listen to(very complex and layered prog rock that slows down,speeds up and even include elements of jazz and classical) is more in this way than any artist you listed,...and i'm happy with the results and realized that sometimes those 500/1000 page threads are not always helpful and lead to unfounded worries.
 
  If you like the AD700 sound and/but sometimes wish for more impact,fuller bass,i think you'll like the AD900x.
 
 
  As I like to say,take what I say(and everybody else for that matter) with a grain of salt,......or,YMMV.
 
  I wouldn't worry about using them for anything you mentioned,...but that's me.

 

[ironfront]

   
 
  I've never owned the ad700 but I've read so many honest reviews that I feel I can comment on a comparison.
 
  the ad700 is going to sound brighter than the ad900x but this is because the ad900x has more bass,more extended bass and better controlled highs(but all fully there,more linear). the AD900x is closer to neutral but still having the AD sound signature.
 
  The sound/head stage is excellent. If it's in the recording,i can hear sounds very afar,mid way in or really up close. I can also hear when voices/sounds are behind,a little above me or below from in front or behind. Imaging is good. Look for AD900(none X) for a comparison on this,just remember that the X has a little different balance that makes then sound closer to neutral(but the AD900X has angled drivers,which is for improved imaging when the sound waves hit your ears,like stereo speakers).   I seriously doubt you'll find the AD900x lacking in SS and imaging but a brighter HP may accentuate things like footsteps in FPS type games,if that's what your into,.....but the X will be more immersive overall and more enjoyable with things like explosions.(and bring out the bass in music).
 
  I had a similar concerned about very layered,complex music because of a few hyper critical comments but much of the music I listen to(very complex and layered prog rock that slows down,speeds up and even include elements of jazz and classical) is more in this way than any artist you listed,...and i'm happy with the results and realized that sometimes those 500/1000 page threads are not always helpful and lead to unfounded worries.
 
  If you like the AD700 sound and/but sometimes wish for more impact,fuller bass,i think you'll like the AD900x.
 
 
  As I like to say,take what I say(and everybody else for that matter) with a grain of salt,......or,YMMV.
 
  I wouldn't worry about using them for anything you mentioned,...but that's me.

Thanks for the reply, it was very helpful. Most of the reviews and comparisons I've read don't seem to be written by music fans, so it's difficult to tell if what they talking about is an actual issue or just something they are saying to get internet street cred.

 

[bombjoke]

i heard them both.  i wanted the a900 to sound better because it was a floor model with a discount.  but the ad900x i bought was better sounding.  also clearly better then the ad900.
 
i listened to about 100 headphones in this gigantic can shop in osaka e-heaphones.jp.  interesting someone mentioned ultrasones.  one pair of ultrasones there was my 2nd choice.  and it was tempting because they are better insulated and not as goofball to wear in public... but the sound just didnt quite measure up.
 
if you like these for the type of sound i do (i tested them on gomez track "options"), then you might like these:
 
- ultrasone HFI580 was my 2nd choice.  sounded better to me than the more expensive ultrasones.
- liked the Maestros but rather ugly (a unique ugly it must be said), but needs amp (for portable), and $100 more.
- denon AHD600EM tiny bit bassy for me but handsome, comfy, and great detail not too smothered by bass.
- devon D1100 don't quite measure up to the others I'm mentioning, but damn satisfying for the price
beyer dynamics weren't doing anything for me at all.  this was confusing since I often see educated ears liking them.
 
ive had these ad900x for a few wks now and the only thing that bothers me is that they feel a bit loose, so i stretched a black hairband between the lil headpads.  that helps, but feels tight after a while.  ill just find a looser one.
 
also my outer ear edges touch the inside of the ear cup, not annoying for the first few hrs.

 

[3stun]

Could someone please recommend nice (faux-)leather pads compatible with AD900X?
The stock ones make my skin itch, guess velour is just not for me.
I heard someone replaced stock pads with W5000 pads, do you think W1000 ones will fit as well?

 

[solblack]

Found these:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Audio-technica-ear-pad-HP-AD900X-for-ATH-AD900X-ATH-AD700X-ATH-AD500X-Freeship-/281073396848
 
hope it helps

 

[3stun]

  Found these:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Audio-technica-ear-pad-HP-AD900X-for-ATH-AD900X-ATH-AD700X-ATH-AD500X-Freeship-/281073396848
 
hope it helps

These are regular velour pads, just like stock ones, so they will not do for me.
I need some other material, non-hairy one.