[Failed Engineer]

We need ESLabs help. ES-L3000

 

[protoss]

@mulveling
The L3000 had a original driver and damp differently.

The only rival to the L3000, to me was the W11R and W2002 with L3000 drivers. Probably, I will pick W11R and L3000 over the rest and 3rd and 4th place will be W10VTG, W2002.

A properly amped W2002 (og drivers) sounds pretty darn good.

 

[mulveling]

I couldn't care less about the matching L3000 amp. It had ONLY digital input. We run analog here lol.

I've had W10VTG, W2002 with matching amp, W11JPN, W5000 - all of them various degrees of ugh compared to L3000 as far as I'm concerned. The W2002 w/ L3000 drivers were pretty damn good, indeed. But no amount of amp'ing can make me love the original W2002 drivers.

 

[protoss]

Yeah, the L3000 is a stand alone Audio Technica statement product. That's a good thing. I personally like the W11R alot and the coloration of the W10VTG. But yeah, l3000 is pretty much a stand alone product.

The W11JPN is beautiful , sadly it will not rival any headphone.

 

[mulveling]

We need ESLabs help. ES-L3000

That could be amazing! The ES-R10 itself is right up there with L3000 in my preferences.

 

[mulveling]

Yeah, the L3000 is a stand alone Audio Technica statement product. That's a good thing. I personally like the W11R alot and the coloration of the W10VTG. But yeah, l3000 is pretty much a stand alone product.

The W11JPN is beautiful

No doubt, the W11JPN and W2002 cups are insanely beautiful! I still get weak in the knees looking at their cups. But L3000 got the beautiful sound.

 

[protoss]

L3000 got the beautiful sound.

Beautiful sound, I'm still waiting for a HD800 soundstage version of a L3000. A sound that is so beautiful and so large it's overwhelming.
ES-LAB R10 comes so darn close to this but...

 

[mulveling]

Beautiful sound, I'm still waiting for a HD800 soundstage version of a L3000. A sound that is so beautiful and so large it's overwhelming.
ES-LAB R10 comes so darn close to this but...

That would be amazing! Yep, that's the dream...

 

[iamoneagain]

We need ESLabs help. ES-L3000

I think the patent on the R10 expired, so that allowed for a replica. But not sure what the rule for the L3000 would be. Even if someone just did a wooden cup version without the leather and same sound, that would be a winner. Don’t think there was anything special about the driver, just how they voiced it.

Now when I owned them, I loved the sound and would bring them local headphone meets all the time. But it seemed to be about evenly split on people’s opinions for loving them or hating them. Actually think more people hated the sound. I was always shocked how they could come away with that opinion when I was blown away.

 

[mulveling]

I think the patent on the R10 expired, so that allowed for a replica. But not sure what the rule for the L3000 would be. Even if someone just did a wooden cup version without the leather and same sound, that would be a winner. Don’t think there was anything special about the driver, just how they voiced it.

Now when I owned them, I loved the sound and would bring them local headphone meets all the time. But it seemed to be about evenly split on people’s opinions for loving them or hating them. Actually think more people hated the sound. I was always shocked how they could come away with that opinion when I was blown away.

Meets are absolutely awful for drawing conclusions, especially when inexperienced. But I also specifically remember my first short listen with L3000, and I thought "huh, these are OK but not really much better than HD650" and went back to work. The next day is when I started being blown away. You have to be in a mood to sit and enjoy music with these.

And yes, these do have a sonic alignment that will not be everyone's jam. But they're in the wrong, not us

 

[protoss]

Yeah, from my research I think its about a 70% hatred towards it. Deeper into the question why, I found out, the ones hated it, own or perfer the bright, detail 009/hd800 sound signature.
With a intimate, warm distorted sounds as the l3000, the sound might not be ideal for most? As everyone is leaning towards a bright, detail 009 type sound.

 

[number1sixerfan]

Yep, L3000's main weakness was always the "intimately small-ish" head stage. The shallow closed wood cups pretty much dictate the small stage. But damn it's sweet sounding within that space, and can rock your ass off. Just a masterful voicing; a true love letter to music of ALL GENRES by its designer. Does anyone know anything about the designer, and whether he just did this one headphone for AT, or if he did many AT's but only voiced the L3000 like this? This frustrates me to no end, lol. It can't be THAT expensive to replicate the sound today, if they wanted.

You have a pair, right? Or no? lol. You just seem so passionate about this lol

Meets are absolutely awful for drawing conclusions, especially when inexperienced. But I also specifically remember my first short listen with L3000, and I thought "huh, these are OK but not really much better than HD650" and went back to work. The next day is when I started being blown away. You have to be in a mood to sit and enjoy music with these.

And yes, these do have a sonic alignment that will not be everyone's jam. But they're in the wrong, not us

Agree. The L3000 is not a headphone most are going to get or understand in meet conditions or in a first/initial session. I thought they were good at first, but after like a week I was blown away. And that has happened two more times, with two pairs later. On the second and third time I knew what I was blown away by immediately and the familiarity was there.

 

[iamoneagain]

I think the reason people didn’t like it is it has a thick sound to it. The details don’t jump out at you. It’s the rhythm and pace and all that gooey bass texture and great slam. But people were looking large soundstage, details, and airiness. And still seems to be what a lot of people are chasing after.

 

[number1sixerfan]

I think the reason people didn’t like it is it has a thick sound to it. The details don’t jump out at you. It’s the rhythm and pace and all that gooey bass texture and great slam. But people were looking large soundstage, details, and airiness. And still seems to be what a lot of people are chasing after.

Agree here as well, that's typically what wows people. I would say though, the L3000 does just fine with detail and resolution, although certainly not with airiness or soundstage. But I prefer it that way in its total package, as it makes for a really unique and intimate experience. But I think the point is, most people will need more time than an initial session; people that have owned them over time tend to all come to the same conclusions. (although to be clear, it's uniqueness is also why it just won't be for some people, extended listening or not)

 

[iamoneagain]

Agree here as well, that's typically what wows people. I would say though, the L3000 does just fine with detail and resolution, although certainly not with airiness or soundstage. But I prefer it that way in its total package, as it makes for a really unique and intimate experience. But I think the point is, most people will need more time than an initial session; people that have owned them over time tend to all come to the same conclusions. (although to be clear, it's uniqueness is also why it just won't be for some people, extended listening or not)

I agree about detail and resolution but they don’t jump out right away because if the warmer tone. It’s not until you spend some time with it that you realize it’s all still there. As said, my only really complaint was just a hint of that closed in sound. All this talk makes me wonder why I sold it