Audio-Technica ATH-ESW9 and ATH-ESW9A Thread

[bru87tr]

This a very warm but detailed headphone. Best on ear I ever heard.

 

[tendou]

Is 115 USD price for a new esw9a still good on 2022?

 

[AmericanSpirit]

Not so sure about ESW9a, As ESW9 owner, if you are looking technicalities and wide sound stage, ESW9 isn’t your choice.

If you are looking for intimate sound with round and warmth of Mahogany Wood that ESW9 uses, with light and nicely tailored leather headband, foldable design for portable carriages, a leather carrying case. ESW9 is a good pick. It somehow remind me of the sound of my old Sennheiser PX100 which is unfortunately deceased.

 

[Bostonears]

Is 115 USD price for a new esw9a still good on 2022?

If you can find brand new ones at that price, it's a very good deal. (I own two pairs of ESW9, and they're still my favorite on-ear headphones.)

 

[bru87tr]

They were double that price way back. Very nice price. Not the widest soundstage by far but very warm.

 

[docentore]

They were double that price way back. Very nice price. Not the widest soundstage by far but very warm.

Correction - these were 5 times more costly when released.
I'd snap them for 115$ without a blink.

Not so sure about ESW9a, As ESW9 owner, if you are looking technicalities and wide sound stage, ESW9 isn’t your choice.

If you are looking for intimate sound with round and warmth of Mahogany Wood that ESW9 uses, with light and nicely tailored leather headband, foldable design for portable carriages, a leather carrying case. ESW9 is a good pick. It somehow remind me of the sound of my old Sennheiser PX100 which is unfortunately deceased.

ESW9 and EWS9a are the same headphones. A stands was made for us market.

 

[bru87tr]

I got mine for $250 so maybe before that they were more.

 

[arteom]

After so many years the black pleather on the headband of my ESW9 started to peel. The price for a replacement headband from ATH was $72 shipped, not cheap but I felt this headphone deserved it. The part number if anyone is in the same boat - ATH-ESW9 #139406860 HEADBAND ASSY. It was an easy swap, done in five minutes, one screw on each side.

 

[Bostonears]

After so many years the black pleather on the headband of my ESW9 started to peel. The price for a replacement headband from ATH was $72 shipped, not cheap but I felt this headphone deserved it. The part number if anyone is in the same boat - ATH-ESW9 #139406860 HEADBAND ASSY. It was an easy swap, done in five minutes, one screw on each side.

Like @arteom, I also use my ESW9 for a keyboard, although my digital piano is less elaborate than his Dave Smith synthesizer. (Among Dave Smith's many accomplishments, he invented the MIDI protocol!)

About five years ago I bought a third-party lambskin replacement headband for the ESW9 from a seller on eBay, who is still offering them. (Be sure to select the lambskin headband from the drop-down list, as the seller also offers a pleather headband and lambskin earpads.) The lambskin headband is much nicer, somewhat more padded, and much cheaper than AT's pleather replacement part, and it won't flake like pleather. The lambskin headband also nicely matches AT's lambskin earpads. (I have no association with the eBay seller other than being a satisfied customer.)

I also recabled the ESW9 pictured below, which noticeably improved the headphones' sound compared to the stock cable.

 

[arteom]

Looking good, @Bostonears!