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I really hope these aren't as harsh sounding as the ATH-MSR7. The MSR7's sound great for about 5 minutes but then they start to drill a hole in your ear.
AndronOne
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I wonder that the price will be
john57
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According to Audio-technica web site $449
VintageFlanker
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Has anyone listened to these? SR9 are on demo at both Audiogarden and Audio Technica Store in Paris, I will try to put an ear on these tomorrow after work...
john57
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I would like to know big the inner ear cups are as compared to their other offerings.
If you can, please compare them to some other well-known headphones in their price range.
Thanks.
VintageFlanker
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SR9 were unavailable for demo in BOTH stores...while the opposite is mentioned on their website (for Audiogarden).
AT Store, are supposed to call me once they receive a demo unit. The availability is still "march" for Europe.
AT Store, are supposed to call me once they receive a demo unit. The availability is still "march" for Europe.
FYLegend
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I demoed them briefly a few days ago. It's not as harsh as the MSR7 but not as warm either, treble extends higher . It feels quite recessed in the midrange. I think the DSR9 was a bit warmero, I didn't notice DSP artifacts but I felt like the instrument separation more spotty
FYLegend
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In the comment above I meant to say the SR9 is not as peaked in the treble and midrange as the MSR7.
I wouldn't say the MSR7 is warm but relatively speaking it sounds more coherent. The SR9 doesn't have any nasty peaks but the treble sounds quite detached from the rest of the frequencies. It reminded me of the M70x in some ways but the treble wasn't quite as bright, it just extends really high. The low end does have some warmth but it doesn't sound very coherent with the higher frequencies. I tried Touch by Daft Punk as a test track and it sounded too lean losing its "organic" sound which the MSR7 is able to preserve.
As for the "warmero" DSR9 lol.. I'm still not entirely sold on wireless/USB only as that's another thing I need to charge to listen with my phone. They should have went with USB Type C as well for the wired connection. From what I recall the DSR9 is more coherent than the SR9, but it sounds somewhat conflicted as if instruments are trying to compete with one another. I had a problem like this with my JBL Charge 2 Bluetooth speaker before.
I wouldn't say the MSR7 is warm but relatively speaking it sounds more coherent. The SR9 doesn't have any nasty peaks but the treble sounds quite detached from the rest of the frequencies. It reminded me of the M70x in some ways but the treble wasn't quite as bright, it just extends really high. The low end does have some warmth but it doesn't sound very coherent with the higher frequencies. I tried Touch by Daft Punk as a test track and it sounded too lean losing its "organic" sound which the MSR7 is able to preserve.
As for the "warmero" DSR9 lol.. I'm still not entirely sold on wireless/USB only as that's another thing I need to charge to listen with my phone. They should have went with USB Type C as well for the wired connection. From what I recall the DSR9 is more coherent than the SR9, but it sounds somewhat conflicted as if instruments are trying to compete with one another. I had a problem like this with my JBL Charge 2 Bluetooth speaker before.
Ofenlicht
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Listened to the ATH-SR9 for a couple hours. Here are my impressions copied from the thread I posted in /r/headphones:
Introduction: The ATH-SR9 is Audio Technica's new entry in the closed-back portable headphone market. It is now the top model of their Sound Reality line above the much beloved MSR7. New features include their 45mm driver now having OFC voice coils and a diamond-like carbon coated diaphragm which supposedly increases stiffness. The headphone comes in at a $450USD MSRP which is significantly above the price of the MSR7. Listening was done again from my phone into Dragonfly Red with 320kbps MP3 and FLAC files.
Build Quality, Comfort And Isolation: These headphones are very attractive to my eyes. Clean, sharp lines with the ever-so-popular minimalistic industrial Design. It is very well built. As good as the Oppo PM-3 which it should be since these are directly competing in the same segment. Unlike the MSR7 these now have one connector going to each cup. The cable is improved and seems sturdy while being supple without any coiling or stiffness. It terminates in a right angle connector that like the MSR7 is a little too big for my tastes but has adequate strain relief. Comfort is good. The pads feel like they are higher quality than on the MSR7. One would hope that these will also last longer. The Oppo PM-3 might still be a little bit more comfortable but these have bigger openings in the earpads so people with larger ears might prefer these. Isolation is improved from the MSR7 but also doesn't quite reach the levels of the Oppo PM-3.
Sound: Starting with the bass, I immediately noticed that it's definitely accentuated. Extension is much improved from the MSR7. Sub-bass becomes quite present although I do believe that these have more mid-bass than sub-bass. Usually I prefer a even low end like with my LCD-2s but the mid-bass here is very tight and punchy. These have more mid-bass than my 2016 LCD-2. I can report that the mid bass does not come with problematic bleeding into the mids. Bass has good speed and detail although the sub-bass seems to lose some detail and texture in the lower frequencies.
Mids are recessed. They are detailed and clear but vocals appear to take a back seat. The vocals really were odd to me. While they are definitely recessed they sometimes have a weird light trumpety, shouty character to them. In contrast, strings and guitars sounded good to me with good texture and definition. I'm very torn on the mids of these. I prefer more forward vocals but the clarity and detail is there. There might be a slight peak somewhere in the upper mids as well which gives the strings and guitars body but also introduces the slight trumpety/shouty nature when a vocalist or brass instrument player hits a certain note.
The treble is typical Audio Technica. It is again accentuated and very detailed and well extended. These are less sibilant than the MSR7s. They still keep the airiness and sparkle of the MSR7 without being quite as bright. Hi-hats and cymbals are realistic sounding with good decay. I believe these have more treble in the presence region and less in the 6-8k region compared to the MSR7.
I found these to possess a V-shaped sound signature. More mid-bass than sub-bass and overall keeping part of the bright character of the other SR headphones.
Soundstage is outstanding for a closed headphone. It's deeper than the one of the MSR7 while keeping or maybe even slightly improving on width. Imaging is also very good. The transitions from left to center to right image are more coherent compared to the MSR7. This still is one of the strong points of the SR line.
Comparisons: Now these quite obviously compete directly against the Oppo PM-3. The Oppos have a warm, relaxed sound signature with rolled-off treble. The SR9 is very different. The treble is a strong point of the SR9s. While the Oppo can sound a little dull at times, lacking sparkle and excitement, the SR9 is quite lively with its accentuated treble and bass. The mid-bass has more impact on the SR9 but the Oppos beat it in terms of sub-bass detail and texture. In the mid-range I found the Oppos to have a clearly superior vocal presentation. They're smoother and more present. While the SR9 could have a hint of sibilance at times, the Oppos never had anything of that sort. Aside from that the SR9 clearly beats the Oppos in terms of treble, being much better extended and more detailed in this region. The soundstage of the SR9 is a bit wider than the Oppo. Imaging and depth is about equal.
Compared to the MSR7, my favourite closed-back portable headphone under $200, these are less bright and have a good amount more bass. While I don't think that the SR9 have a lot less midrange than the MSR7, the accentuated bass makes it seem so in relation. The MSR7 lacks in bass extension which is remedied with the SR9. Again the staging depth and imaging is also significantly better with the SR9. Overall the SR9 is more competent and resolving. It provides more detail and an improved bass and treble response.
Conclusion: The ATH-SR9 is in a class of headphones with not many competitors. Aside from the Oppo PM-3 I can think of the Shure SRH-1540 and possibly the B&W P7 and Audeze SINE. I am very fond of vocals but with many tracks, especially modern music such as EDM and Hip-Hop and I found myself preferring the SR9. I can also see these working well with some metal. I loved the bass response of these headphones which I thought was very tasteful for being accentuated. The impact of the midbass was quite welcome on tracks like Sing About Me, I'm Dying Of Thirst or Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe by Kendrick Lamar. Treble is toned down from the MSR7 so more treble-sensitive people will be able to enjoy these than before.
As you may be able to tell, I have a very split opinion of the ATH-SR9. Mostly because I don't usually go for V-shaped heapdhones. I did think these were better than the Shure SRH-1540 and B&W P7. I sadly haven't had a chance to listen to the SINE but I generally don't appreciate the fit of on-ear headphones. I would probably pick up the Oppo PM-3 myself but if I did, I can definitely see myself missing the strong treble of the ATH-SR9. I also didn't find like I was giving up much in terms of bass response compared to the planar-magnetic PM-3 so it does come down to my preference in terms of vocal presentation. If you love the V-shaped sound signature and are looking for a portable headphone in this price segment, you should strongly consider these.
Shoutout to JM-Plus near MRT Gongguan in Taipei for letting me listen to these.
Introduction: The ATH-SR9 is Audio Technica's new entry in the closed-back portable headphone market. It is now the top model of their Sound Reality line above the much beloved MSR7. New features include their 45mm driver now having OFC voice coils and a diamond-like carbon coated diaphragm which supposedly increases stiffness. The headphone comes in at a $450USD MSRP which is significantly above the price of the MSR7. Listening was done again from my phone into Dragonfly Red with 320kbps MP3 and FLAC files.
Build Quality, Comfort And Isolation: These headphones are very attractive to my eyes. Clean, sharp lines with the ever-so-popular minimalistic industrial Design. It is very well built. As good as the Oppo PM-3 which it should be since these are directly competing in the same segment. Unlike the MSR7 these now have one connector going to each cup. The cable is improved and seems sturdy while being supple without any coiling or stiffness. It terminates in a right angle connector that like the MSR7 is a little too big for my tastes but has adequate strain relief. Comfort is good. The pads feel like they are higher quality than on the MSR7. One would hope that these will also last longer. The Oppo PM-3 might still be a little bit more comfortable but these have bigger openings in the earpads so people with larger ears might prefer these. Isolation is improved from the MSR7 but also doesn't quite reach the levels of the Oppo PM-3.
Sound: Starting with the bass, I immediately noticed that it's definitely accentuated. Extension is much improved from the MSR7. Sub-bass becomes quite present although I do believe that these have more mid-bass than sub-bass. Usually I prefer a even low end like with my LCD-2s but the mid-bass here is very tight and punchy. These have more mid-bass than my 2016 LCD-2. I can report that the mid bass does not come with problematic bleeding into the mids. Bass has good speed and detail although the sub-bass seems to lose some detail and texture in the lower frequencies.
Mids are recessed. They are detailed and clear but vocals appear to take a back seat. The vocals really were odd to me. While they are definitely recessed they sometimes have a weird light trumpety, shouty character to them. In contrast, strings and guitars sounded good to me with good texture and definition. I'm very torn on the mids of these. I prefer more forward vocals but the clarity and detail is there. There might be a slight peak somewhere in the upper mids as well which gives the strings and guitars body but also introduces the slight trumpety/shouty nature when a vocalist or brass instrument player hits a certain note.
The treble is typical Audio Technica. It is again accentuated and very detailed and well extended. These are less sibilant than the MSR7s. They still keep the airiness and sparkle of the MSR7 without being quite as bright. Hi-hats and cymbals are realistic sounding with good decay. I believe these have more treble in the presence region and less in the 6-8k region compared to the MSR7.
I found these to possess a V-shaped sound signature. More mid-bass than sub-bass and overall keeping part of the bright character of the other SR headphones.
Soundstage is outstanding for a closed headphone. It's deeper than the one of the MSR7 while keeping or maybe even slightly improving on width. Imaging is also very good. The transitions from left to center to right image are more coherent compared to the MSR7. This still is one of the strong points of the SR line.
Comparisons: Now these quite obviously compete directly against the Oppo PM-3. The Oppos have a warm, relaxed sound signature with rolled-off treble. The SR9 is very different. The treble is a strong point of the SR9s. While the Oppo can sound a little dull at times, lacking sparkle and excitement, the SR9 is quite lively with its accentuated treble and bass. The mid-bass has more impact on the SR9 but the Oppos beat it in terms of sub-bass detail and texture. In the mid-range I found the Oppos to have a clearly superior vocal presentation. They're smoother and more present. While the SR9 could have a hint of sibilance at times, the Oppos never had anything of that sort. Aside from that the SR9 clearly beats the Oppos in terms of treble, being much better extended and more detailed in this region. The soundstage of the SR9 is a bit wider than the Oppo. Imaging and depth is about equal.
Compared to the MSR7, my favourite closed-back portable headphone under $200, these are less bright and have a good amount more bass. While I don't think that the SR9 have a lot less midrange than the MSR7, the accentuated bass makes it seem so in relation. The MSR7 lacks in bass extension which is remedied with the SR9. Again the staging depth and imaging is also significantly better with the SR9. Overall the SR9 is more competent and resolving. It provides more detail and an improved bass and treble response.
Conclusion: The ATH-SR9 is in a class of headphones with not many competitors. Aside from the Oppo PM-3 I can think of the Shure SRH-1540 and possibly the B&W P7 and Audeze SINE. I am very fond of vocals but with many tracks, especially modern music such as EDM and Hip-Hop and I found myself preferring the SR9. I can also see these working well with some metal. I loved the bass response of these headphones which I thought was very tasteful for being accentuated. The impact of the midbass was quite welcome on tracks like Sing About Me, I'm Dying Of Thirst or Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe by Kendrick Lamar. Treble is toned down from the MSR7 so more treble-sensitive people will be able to enjoy these than before.
As you may be able to tell, I have a very split opinion of the ATH-SR9. Mostly because I don't usually go for V-shaped heapdhones. I did think these were better than the Shure SRH-1540 and B&W P7. I sadly haven't had a chance to listen to the SINE but I generally don't appreciate the fit of on-ear headphones. I would probably pick up the Oppo PM-3 myself but if I did, I can definitely see myself missing the strong treble of the ATH-SR9. I also didn't find like I was giving up much in terms of bass response compared to the planar-magnetic PM-3 so it does come down to my preference in terms of vocal presentation. If you love the V-shaped sound signature and are looking for a portable headphone in this price segment, you should strongly consider these.
Shoutout to JM-Plus near MRT Gongguan in Taipei for letting me listen to these.
FYLegend
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Great review - I agree with most of what you described, especially that the midrange is recessed and sounds somewhat off. I think that's why I thought some tracks lack warmth and sound detached. I think they're fine for electronic music or rock music but aren't so good for warmer-tuned tracks. Just wondering have you have tried the M70x before and if you can compare them?
I tried these at the AT Showroom and at My Sound in Syntrend in Taipei. At the showroom I played it directly from my Xperia Z5 while at Syntrend it was connected to an AT amp (can't remember the name). They didn't sound that different aside from volume. I was mainly looking for new IEMs rather than headphones though.
Hope to check out JM-Plus soon. Did you see if they had Yaxi stPads in stock? I just saw it listed on their Ruten site.
I tried these at the AT Showroom and at My Sound in Syntrend in Taipei. At the showroom I played it directly from my Xperia Z5 while at Syntrend it was connected to an AT amp (can't remember the name). They didn't sound that different aside from volume. I was mainly looking for new IEMs rather than headphones though.
Hope to check out JM-Plus soon. Did you see if they had Yaxi stPads in stock? I just saw it listed on their Ruten site.
Ofenlicht
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I have not tried the M70x, I own the M50x though. As I said I mainly listened through my Dragonfly Red.
JM-Plus is awesome. The staff is really nice and they have a huge selection and a few comfy couches where you can relax, try some headphones or IEMs and get a milk tea from their bar.
If you haven't already, listen to the ATH-LS200. Those have some delicious midrange.
I don't know if they have the Yaxi in stock you'd have to find out yourselves.
JM-Plus is awesome. The staff is really nice and they have a huge selection and a few comfy couches where you can relax, try some headphones or IEMs and get a milk tea from their bar.
If you haven't already, listen to the ATH-LS200. Those have some delicious midrange.
I don't know if they have the Yaxi in stock you'd have to find out yourselves.
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