[williamchc]

My cousin
Where are you finding the pads? I find my favorite pads are the W5000. It's very nice, lose and large.

Im actually hunting all the W5000 earpads down, before they fully disappear.

I pre-ordered them in e-earphone: https://www.e-earphone.jp/products/detail/96488/1379/

You may check them out. I got a pair of spares for my L5000 but don't really like those pads, maybe because they are too thick to me and causing too much pressure on wearing L5000. Although those pads are nicely built and seems very sturdy.

 

[protoss]

I pre-ordered them in e-earphone: https://www.e-earphone.jp/products/detail/96488/1379/

You may check them out. I got a pair of spares for my L5000 but don't really like those pads, maybe because they are too thick to me and causing too much pressure on wearing L5000. Although those pads are nicely built and seems very sturdy.

I like the https://www.yaxi.jp/product-gallery/a2000z-ad2000x/ on the L5000, very lively

The W5000 earpads on many woodies including L3000 i start to like Not the L5000 thou.

 

[Mach3]

That collection looks incomplete without the ATH-W2020

 

[protoss]

@Mach3

....

One day I'll let you bite the bullet first. Also saw your comment on the The King thread.

Piotr Michalak, has the King, l3000 (not sure if he sold it?), l5000 and W2022. He hates reviews and inputting his views. Maybe PM him and ask what he thinks.

Page 20 he post it.
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/audio-technica-the-master-of-wood.928704/page-20

 

[goldwerger]

I heard the ATH-W2022 at CanJam NYC (Daniel Leblanc's unit) and it was really outstanding. I won't lie, it was tempting. But it's price correlates to its collector value not its sonic performance, and I really buy headphones to listen to music, so I had to painfully pull myself back from that. But if it were priced at $3k (like the L5000 was when it was introduced) I'd have grabbed it without thinking twice. I'd probably do that at $4k. But beyond could just not ratioanlize it
Very fun tuning though!

 

[protoss]

@goldwerger

The retail for l5000 was actually 4K, you got lucky on ebay for 3K (I was on that auction lol, forgot to increase the price lol). I want 2

The w2022 should of been 6K for their 60th anniversary. I'm actually disappointed they price it at 9K. Just makes no sense.

So when the l7000 comes out, will it be price below w2022? That's such a strange price point they issued.

L3000 2.5k
L5000 4k
L7000 better be 5 to 6k or less. If they are greedy. Most likely they are, $12,000

 

[goldwerger]

@goldwerger

The retail for l5000 was actually 4K, you got lucky on ebay for 3K (I was on that auction lol, forgot to increase the price lol). I want 2

The w2022 should of been 6K for their 60th anniversary. I'm actually disappointed they price it at 9K. Just makes no sense.

So when the l7000 comes out, will it be price below w2022? That's such a strange price point they issued.

L3000 2.5k
L5000 4k
L7000 better be 5 to 6k or less. If they are greedy. Most likely they are, $12,000

Problem is that it’s out of market context. When the Susvara is 6k (practically 4-5k), Caldera 4.5k, Elite 5k (practically 4k), Atrium 2.5k, etc.. if a headphone is proved 4-5 it implies that level of performance (which the L5000 arguably has, the 2022 perhaps, bit of a stretch). Going above make them mis-priced with the market, except AT collector market, which seems to be what they’re going after. But if they priced to the wider market, probably sales volume would be dramatically higher.

 

[protoss]

Yeah, Audio Technica is technically a collector brand. That how I see AT.
They are on a another level. A legendary level

All their woodies are limited edition and some non-woodies too. Every single one.

(Portable woodies)

ATH-ESW9
ATH-ESW9A
ATH-ESW9LTD
ATH-ESW99OH
ATH-ESW950
ATH-ESW10JPN
ATH-ESW11JPN
ATH-ESW11LTD
ATH-WP900

(Flagship woodies)

ATH-W10VTG
ATH-W100
ATH-W1000
ATH-W5000
ATH-W1000Z
ATH-W1000X
ATH-W10LTD
ATH- W11JPN
ATH-W11R
ATH-W2002
ATH-W3000ANV
ATH-L3000
ATH-L3000G
ATH-L5000
ATH-W2022
----------------------------
So far only these are mass produced. Eventually will be discontinued.
ATH-AWAS
ATH-AWKT

 

[goldwerger]

Yup

For me, though, it’s not about collecting, but about a great audio experience. For example, I also have, and I really like the ADX5000 (especially paired with a more lush OTL that can offer a deeper bass; I use the Decware/ZMF collab with it, that is wonderful).

 

[iamoneagain]

Well the great thing about collectors items is for most the most part they at least retain their value or most likely go up. Well unless they fail on you. That was my worry with the L3000. The matching amp failed and a few years later, I got worried about the L3000 failing too. I guess I was seeing R10 failures and got me worried.

I sold the headphones and the broken amp within less than 30 min for probably a little more than I paid for both back in the day. Really took a hit because the amp needed work.

I know making a profit or breaking even is not the point of owning these but it’s a nice perk that you can listen for 10 years and still get your money back if you want to move on. Normally you lose half its value within a year.

 

[mulveling]

Well the great thing about collectors items is for most the most part they at least retain their value or most likely go up. Well unless they fail on you. That was my worry with the L3000. The matching amp failed and a few years later, I got worried about the L3000 failing too. I guess I was seeing R10 failures and got me worried.

I sold the headphones and the broken amp within less than 30 min for probably a little more than I paid for both back in the day. Really took a hit because the amp needed work.

I know making a profit or breaking even is not the point of owning these but it’s a nice perk that you can listen for 10 years and still get your money back if you want to move on. Normally you lose half its value within a year.

I remember starting out in head-fi right around when L3000 was brand new. Definitely didn't forsee all these kind of headphones appreciating so much in value over the years (wish I had lol). In fact I remember an L3000 sitting for sale at $1300 in the For Sale forum (it was just a subforum then, not Classifieds), untouched for quite a while. Tuberoller gave a very negative review of L3000 right at release, and that killed interest for a full year or 2 until others like me gave them a chance. We also had some wild times with HP1000 value going way UP then DOWN then back and forth a while in that era.

I think this was a one-time thing that definitely hasn't been replicated by later crops of flagship headphones. The early 2000-era head-fi was a lot of fun! These days, the next crop of flagships has already been released before the outgoing one has had time to build up nostalgia, desire, and desperation for it!

Sorry about your trouble with the amp! That sucks It was a good sounding unit but the digital-only input really killed it for me.

 

[ScornDefeat]

Just received a ATH-W11R in the mail, along with a set of Yaxi pads.

Quite excited to give these a try, ATH-W11R and L3000 are the two woodies I've always wanted.

Edit: How often do you guys typically see L3000s pop up for sale these days (not just on here, but anywhere including Ebay)? I think I've seen around two or three a year since 2020.

 

[protoss]

Just received a ATH-W11R in the mail, along with a set of Yaxi pads.

Quite excited to give these a try, ATH-W11R and L3000 are the two woodies I've always wanted.

Edit: How often do you guys typically see L3000s pop up for sale these days (not just on here, but anywhere including Ebay)? I think I've seen around two or three a year since 2020.

Wow
You have one of my favorite headphones the W11R!!!

 

[mulveling]

Just received a ATH-W11R in the mail, along with a set of Yaxi pads.

Quite excited to give these a try, ATH-W11R and L3000 are the two woodies I've always wanted.

Edit: How often do you guys typically see L3000s pop up for sale these days (not just on here, but anywhere including Ebay)? I think I've seen around two or three a year since 2020.

Unfortunately I'm not up to date on L3000 market conditions. I haven't looked out for a long time! Two or three a year actually isn't too bad -- means it should be possible to snag one with patience. Protoss really tempted me when he sold some, but I don't really need a 2nd

 

[protoss]

Within 2 years,

I sold 3 l3000

1 to Number1sixerfan
1 to Goldwerger
1 to Saberpunch

@mulveling you miss ya chance

I have a few more
Don't ask why.
L3000 king over here

Sorry not selling anymore.