[feverfive]

^^^ Having my WP900 less than 24 hrs (listened to them for ~2.5 hours yesterday/last night; burning-in now), my initial assessment of them matches this. Makes sense why I think I'll really wind up loving these. I listen to mostly electronic (ambient/chillout/house/trance), progressive rock/metal and instrumental jazz. Voices don't have priority for me.

 

[Nostoi]

I've just completed a nearly 2-hour listening session between these 3 headphones, so here we go...

Beyerdynamic T5p (2nd Generation)

• They have a strong mid-bass presence, and decent sub-bass rumble. However, decay is slower on the T5p (2nd Gen), so beats aren't very snappy; they tend to linger.
• The midrange is not as scooped as on the WP900, so vocals are a bit more forward. There is more gravitas in the vocals, and male voices have some authority, which is, sadly, lacking on the Audio-Technica headphone.
• Treble is crisp and sharp on the T5p (2nd Gen); however, it tends to get a little strident. This is the only headphone out of the 3 that often veered into sibilant territory.
• There is a diffuse warmth throughout its signature. The T5p (2nd Gen) has good detail retrieval capabilities - about on par with the WP900. However, it is not immediately apparent, thanks to this persistent bloom.
• Imaging is a forte of the Beyerdynamic headphone. Its soundstage is even more impressive, beating the other 2 headphones in width and depth.

Audio-Technica WP900

• The mid-bass on the WP900 is almost as sizeable as the hump on the T5p (2nd Generation). However, it has greater sub-bass rumble, along with the best texture in the lows of the 3 headphones. Transients are fast, with rapid beats and quick decay. It has good impact, the best of the lot, IMO.
• Unfortunately, the WP900 has the weakest midrange in this trio. The "v" on the Audio-Technica isn't so deep, but when switching between the 3 headphones, the lack of vocal prowess is evident, especially with male vocals.
• The treble section is very defined, clear and prominent; it produces a lot of sizzle without appearing harsh. Together with its pronounced bass, the potent highs combine to forge a highly energetic signature.
• The WP900 fared pretty well with resolution and detail retrieval. At first glance, they sounded ostensibly better than the T5p (2nd Gen) in this aspect; this was proven to be false, once you paid greater attention to the Beyerdynamic.
• Imaging was precise, but the WP900 had a very intimate stage, relative to the AEON 2 Closed and the T5p (2nd Gen).

Dan Clark Audio AEON 2 Closed

• They had the "weakest" bass of the 3. However, I would refrain from calling them "bass light"; the entire low-end region had a presence that was a little north of neutral. The beats were almost as snappy as the ones on the WP900, with very good layering and texture.
• Owing to its balanced signature, the AEON 2 Closed has the most forward mids amongst the 3 headphones; it is also the best at rendering some very compelling and authoritative vocals. There was a lot of texture and nuance in the way the Dan Clark headphone portrayed voices.
• Highs on the AEON 2 Closed were the least prominent in this comparison; it was not muted or smooth in any way, but it just didn't dominate the sound as much as the other 2 headphones did.
• The AEON 2 Closed was excellent at resolving detail; you could identify the finer grains in your music a lot easier.
• The soundstage reproduction on the AEON 2 Closed is in-between the T5p (2nd Gen) and the WP900. It wasn't very wide or deep, but it didn't sound too intimate either.

If you need a TLDR, in general, I think the best headphone amongst the 3 is the AEON 2 Closed. The most fun and energetic is the WP900, and that's the one I'd take over the other 2 for my genre-of-choice, EDM. Sadly, the T5p (2nd Gen) is showing its age in this shootout; the excessive warmth masks a lot of detail, and it isn't as "fun" for dance music either.

Superb overview, which I'm sure will be immensely helpful to several members here. Thank you.

Very much agree with your observations, especially on the T5p. Hopefully the 3rd gen retains the excellent imaging and sharpens the overall tuning.

 

[Malevolent]

^^^ Having my WP900 less than 24 hrs (listened to them for ~2.5 hours yesterday/last night; burning-in now), my initial assessment of them matches this. Makes sense why I think I'll really wind up loving these. I listen to mostly electronic (ambient/chillout/house/trance), progressive rock/metal and instrumental jazz. Voices don't have priority for me.

Yeah, a large chunk of music library consists of EDM; I've been a huge dance music head since I was a kid. If you don't need vocals, "v-shaped" headphones like the WP900 are just about perfect - a solid combination of strong, thumping bass and a brilliant yet energetic treble presence.

I'm glad that you're enjoying your WP900!

 

[Malevolent]

Superb overview, which I'm sure will be immensely helpful to several members here. Thank you.

Very much agree with your observations, especially on the T5p. Hopefully the 3rd gen retains the excellent imaging and sharpens the overall tuning.

Thanks for the kind words!

Yes, I'm really looking forward to the 3rd Gen T5. The outgoing model does a lot of things right, but it also has several areas that can be improved upon. Well, it should be coming anytime soon; one of my local online stores has already created a listing for it!

 

[JML]

They look incredibly similar, but I'm not sure if the construction and materials used are the same. Earmax makes some pretty cheap stuff.

The metal sleeves on the 4.4mm and A2DC connectors are not the same as on the A-T cables. The A-T cable connectors have knurling that isn't the same as the Earmax cable.

 

[JML]

Impact Audio Cables, https://impactaudiocables.com, is another US source. Lindsay is fast, prices are very reasonable, and the quality of his work is impeccable. He has A2DC connectors (in part because I asked him to build me a cable for my WP900 with a 4-pin XLR).

Here's a photo of the extremely flexible Impact Audio Cables set for the WP900 (you can pick the source connector and splitter). I wanted basic black, to go along with the WP900 colors, so they're kind of boring visually, I guess...

 

[Mhog55]

Here's a photo of the extremely flexible Impact Audio Cables set for the WP900 (you can pick the source connector and splitter). I wanted basic black, to go along with the WP900 colors, so they're kind of boring visually, I guess...

Where did you find this bad boy?

 

[Mhog55]

I've just completed a nearly 2-hour listening session between these 3 headphones, so here we go...

Beyerdynamic T5p (2nd Generation)

• They have a strong mid-bass presence, and decent sub-bass rumble. However, decay is slower on the T5p (2nd Gen), so beats aren't very snappy; they tend to linger.
• The midrange is not as scooped as on the WP900, so vocals are a bit more forward. There is more gravitas in the vocals, and male voices have some authority, which is, sadly, lacking on the Audio-Technica headphone.
• Treble is crisp and sharp on the T5p (2nd Gen); however, it tends to get a little strident. This is the only headphone out of the 3 that often veered into sibilant territory.
• There is a diffuse warmth throughout its signature. The T5p (2nd Gen) has good detail retrieval capabilities - about on par with the WP900. However, it is not immediately apparent, thanks to this persistent bloom.
• Imaging is a forte of the Beyerdynamic headphone. Its soundstage is even more impressive, beating the other 2 headphones in width and depth.

Audio-Technica WP900

• The mid-bass on the WP900 is almost as sizeable as the hump on the T5p (2nd Generation). However, it has greater sub-bass rumble, along with the best texture in the lows of the 3 headphones. Transients are fast, with rapid beats and quick decay. It has good impact, the best of the lot, IMO.
• Unfortunately, the WP900 has the weakest midrange in this trio. The "v" on the Audio-Technica isn't so deep, but when switching between the 3 headphones, the lack of vocal prowess is evident, especially with male vocals.
• The treble section is very defined, clear and prominent; it produces a lot of sizzle without appearing harsh. Together with its pronounced bass, the potent highs combine to forge a highly energetic signature.
• The WP900 fared pretty well with resolution and detail retrieval. At first glance, they sounded ostensibly better than the T5p (2nd Gen) in this aspect; this was proven to be false, once you paid greater attention to the Beyerdynamic.
• Imaging was precise, but the WP900 had a very intimate stage, relative to the AEON 2 Closed and the T5p (2nd Gen).

Dan Clark Audio AEON 2 Closed

• They had the "weakest" bass of the 3. However, I would refrain from calling them "bass light"; the entire low-end region had a presence that was a little north of neutral. The beats were almost as snappy as the ones on the WP900, with very good layering and texture.
• Owing to its balanced signature, the AEON 2 Closed has the most forward mids amongst the 3 headphones; it is also the best at rendering some very compelling and authoritative vocals. There was a lot of texture and nuance in the way the Dan Clark headphone portrayed voices.
• Highs on the AEON 2 Closed were the least prominent in this comparison; it was not muted or smooth in any way, but it just didn't dominate the sound as much as the other 2 headphones did.
• The AEON 2 Closed was excellent at resolving detail; you could identify the finer grains in your music a lot easier.
• The soundstage reproduction on the AEON 2 Closed is in-between the T5p (2nd Gen) and the WP900. It wasn't very wide or deep, but it didn't sound too intimate either.

If you need a TLDR, in general, I think the best headphone amongst the 3 is the AEON 2 Closed. The most fun and energetic is the WP900, and that's the one I'd take over the other 2 for my genre-of-choice, EDM. Sadly, the T5p (2nd Gen) is showing its age in this shootout; the excessive warmth masks a lot of detail, and it isn't as "fun" for dance music either.

Wow man, I truly appreciate the effort and time! After reading what you wrote a few times, it sounds like I probably made the correct decision of the 3. The bass is starting to tighten up a bit, but still has some flab to my ears. Just starting to mess around with some equalization. The one big thing I can't seem to get with these is the weight in the mids I desire. Male vocals are definitely alright, it's the guitars where I long for more heft. On a side note, have you or anyone else owned or listened to the Denon ah-d7200? I'm curious where this one sits, in comparison to the other 3 .

 

[soas]

Thanks, truly, to everyone who had any input regarding these! I went through every single page.

Delivered to my door just before lunch, and I was able to listen to them for the rest of my work day. Great comfort, and the sound signature really suits my preferences - abundance of electronic music and female vocals.

 

[JML]

Where did you find this bad boy?

Contact Lindsay at ImpactAudioCables.com. $148 for this one.

 

[elnero]

WP900's in the house!

 

[Malevolent]

Wow man, I truly appreciate the effort and time! After reading what you wrote a few times, it sounds like I probably made the correct decision of the 3. The bass is starting to tighten up a bit, but still has some flab to my ears. Just starting to mess around with some equalization. The one big thing I can't seem to get with these is the weight in the mids I desire. Male vocals are definitely alright, it's the guitars where I long for more heft. On a side note, have you or anyone else owned or listened to the Denon ah-d7200? I'm curious where this one sits, in comparison to the other 3 .

You're welcome; glad to help out a fellow audiophile!

Yes, the dip in the mids might be a problem for anyone who's looking for a more textured and weightier presence. I use this exclusively for EDM, where a lot of the emphasis is placed on the highs and the lows, so this is not an issue for me.

I have heard the AH-D7200, but not well enough to frame a proper comparison to the WP900. I have the AH-D9200, though, and that's a good upgrade.

 

[Bostyn]

Just ordered these beauties from a fellow user. Excited to see if the sound matches, or even exceeds, their aesthetic; but going from the experiences itt I'm pretty sure these won't disappoint

 

[elnero]

Here's some initial impressions after a few hours of listening this afternoon.

First off, I have to say thanks to whoever it was that posted the Jaben deal. I've never bought anything through them before but they were a real pleasure deal with.

I tried to capture what was going through my head as listened so this ended up being a bit of a stream of consciousness type post. My apologies for it being a bit all over the place.

Upon opening the box I was a bit surprised by the color of the wood, I was expecting a little more reddish tinge around the edges. The colour isn't bad by any means, just not quite what I was expecting. Next, the cables. You guys weren't kidding, these are pretty thin and frail looking. I immediately connected the 4.4mm balanced to the headphones and the iFi hip dac, fired Audirvana and queued Bon Iver's self titled album. Not bad, guitar has a nice snappy quality albeit a touch thin. Justin Vernon's vocal's lack some body and sound a little honky but there's tons of detail coming through.

Next up, Billie Eilish's latest. Holy schiit balls! These things have some nice punchy, detailed bass. A lot of details coming through that I hadn't really heard before. Overall tonality seems better here.

Now for a total change up with Isis's "Oceanic". The drums have nice weight and body while the snare has a nice snappy quality. The electric guitar has a crunchy, almost Grado quality, but also seem to lack some fullness as does the vocals.

Time for another 180 with Sarah McLachlan's "Freedom Sessions". I've used this album for testing audio gear ever since it came out. In particular the version of "Hold On" highlights Sarah's vocal's and piano. There's a lot of little detail here but it's such a simple composition that it's really easy to focus. All the little details come through but with a delicacy I've rarely heard. Sarah's voice is touch thin and just bordering on being overly sibilant in places. The piano was recorded fairly well so I also like to use it to gauge tonality. Through the WP900's it's lacking a little heft and body but emotion Sarah is playing with really shows through.

On the next track "Ice Cream" the harmonies are more present and separated than I've ever heard through headphones. The bass has a really nice punch quality.

It's at about this point in the listening that I had a thought. I took off my glasses, put the headphones again and started to listen again. Ok, now we're talking! Bass and midrange are fuller. The midrange in particular seems to benefit here. The downside is I'm pretty blind without my glasses on. Being a goofball I put my glasses back on but put the arms above the pads. Ummm, damn, this actually works! The pads are small enough that the arms of my Oakley glasses are only pushed up a small amount and it's more comfy because the pads aren't pushing the arms into my head.

As I was playing around with this, I also noticed that because the cups are able to turn I can actually push on the side of the cups that faces the back of my head which redistributes the pressure from my jaw/cheekbone to behind my ear which helps with the TMJ related pain I can get from the clamping force. This is a bit of revelation and something that I'll be looking at when considering other headphones.

Now, back to our regularly scheduled programming. As I continue to listen to new tracks and go back to listen to those I previously listened to again the WP900 seems to get better and better. The midrange sounds more and more natural and the highs have smoothed a hair so that tracks with a little extra sibilance are better controlled than the first time around. Now I'm really impressed with these. The bass has a nice fast and punchy quality that does not lack for detail. Now that the mids have filled out some they sound much more natural with only lacking a little bit of body in comparison to some of the more lush headphones I've heard. I'm really liking the treble as well, it's present without being overbearing or sibilant. I'm sensitive to that so I've tended to veer towards darker headphones. This is refreshing!

I think there's a couple of things going on here. First, a good seal is important to get the best out of these. Second, it really felt like I was hearing them settle in as was listening. Kind of like listening to a cold amplifier or DAC that sounds hard and brittle when first turned on but as it warms up so does the sound. In this case though, it would be the drivers settling in and I wouldn't have to go through this "warm up" period every time I go to listen.

 

[JML]

I'm glad you like 'em. I was listening to mine yesterday and although they're great with my Sony WM1A, which is what I bought them for, the extra power from my desktop amp is quite effective, especially in the bass.

If you're interested in a wireless set of headphones, you might consider the Shure AONIC 50 as something that could help alleviate your TMJ issues. The headphones swivel, but the joints hold a setting for the angle of the pads in front of and behind your ears. I'm not the only one who thinks these are the most neutral wireless headphones yet released, and they work with all wireless codecs.

It's only money...