[Slim1970]

Maybe I'm mistaken, but I don't think he's actually heard the headphones yet. He ordered them and is defending them because......he spent money on them? I don't know why, but he's not defending them based on owning them.

For what it's worth, they seem to have become slightly less shrill/bright in the upper registers since I've been listening to mine. I might just run white noise through them for a few hours and see what happens.

I've heard them, which prompted me to buying them for myself. They have the typical AT tuning with a little more bass presence reminiscent of the R70x's I own. I'll definitely have more to say about them once I have my own set. Based off the other Audio-Technica headphones I've owned, AP2000Ti's and AWKT's, I do expect the highs to settle down a bit

 

[Jhilderson]

I got these after doing lots of research and I'm really disappointed in them. I'm not an audiophile, so forgive me if I'm using the language incorrectly, but their only distinguishing characteristic seems to be that they have wonderful sound separation and a larger, airier, sound stage for closed backs (they have probably the best soundstage of any close-backed I've heard). However, in almost every other category they really don't do much that significantly cheaper headphones don't already do. Bass is OK, much more emphasized than other AT's I've heard, and it isn't muddy like some bass-heavy headphones can be, but it's definitely not powerful enough for a basshead (as I am).

Treble is also too bright for my tastes. They have a very bright, almost sparkly sound, which is novel and attractive for about a minute, but I just find it exhausting to listen to for too long. And it's not just high-treble stuff. I was listening to the new Julien Baker album (who's not exactly a soprano), and after a while just hearing her singing voice got grating. Comparing the WP900 to my other headphones (Audio-Technica ATH-M50X and VMODA-Crossfade 2). I actually think the V-Moda's have a very similar sound profile as these do, only the V-Moda's have slightly more emphasized bass (which can get muddy at times) and slightly less bright treble. The WP-900s also probably have slightly better sound separation, but for being a bass heavy headphone, the Crossfades actually have really good sound separation, so not by much. Which is absurd as these are twice the cost of the V-Modas, yet they sound very similar.

Which is kind of the main issue that's underlying all of this. These WP900s sound good enough. If they were $300 I'd be blown away by them. However, I do not see anything about how they sound that justifies the $650 price tag over comparable headphones in the $300 range. The accessories they come with are also a joke on top of it (just a flimsy, cloth, carrying case and nothing else). Are they as expensive as they are merely because they are made out of wood? I admit they look great, but they aren't really made for travel, so who cares how they look?

I bought these because I accidentally crushed and bent my V-Moda's, so they stick into my head now (which is really painful). I thought I'd spring for something more expensive, but I think I'm going to return them and just get another pair of Crossfades. These might be marginally better than the crossfades when it comes to sound separation, but the Crossfades have slightly more powerful bass (which I prefer), are $300 cheaper, have bluetooth with APTX, and come with a bunch of accessories.

Might want to look into campfire cascades. Havn’t heard them but seem to be one of the basshead recs. Although people either love them or hate them it seems.

 

[Shane D]

Might want to look into campfire cascades. Havn’t heard them but seem to be one of the basshead recs. Although people either love them or hate them it seems.

I find the Cascades much better. I am doing some listening with both of them today, volume matched.

I find the Cascades are much more mid forward, bassy and articulate. Some find the bass bleeds into the mids, but that hasn't been my experience.

That is too bad as I think the WP900's are great as far as looks, weight, size, etc. If you enjoy the sound, they would be a Great "on the go" headphone.

But, of course, we all hear differently.

 

[Dr Riddim]

Received my WP900 a bit more than a week ago. Finding a new pair in Europe is not easy, so I bought them slightly used. I have been burning them in for 100 + hours now and they sound better every day. For those who say they sound too crisp: the highs are getting smoother after some burn-in. So far I am very happy, they deliver what I was looking for – an enjoyable and exciting listening experience in semi-portable situations. I will compare them at some point to my other AT's (including their flagship ADX5000) and my favourite closed HP's Denon D9200.

 

[Jcar]

I tried to make the best or these and I just had to return them. Yes, the sound separation and soundstage are superb and I kind of liked them when I listened to them on an amp with the bass turned up to 11, but I plugged them into my laptop with zero amp/dac and they just sounded like utter crap. Tiny, high pitched, and shrill with so much sibilance it hurt my ears (seriously, my ear drums were being shredded just from hearing "s" sounds pronounced). It was like nails on chalk board. I know that you need a good amp/dac with most good headphones, but I want the versatility of being able occasionally listen to stuff with them amp-free, so back to the store with them.

If anyone has a recommendation for good, base-heavy, headphones in the >$700 range, let me know. Otherwise, I guess I'll just get the V-Moda's again.

 

[Shane D]

I tried to make the best or these and I just had to return them. Yes, the sound separation and soundstage are superb and I kind of liked them when I listened to them on an amp with the bass turned up to 11, but I plugged them into my laptop with zero amp/dac and they just sounded like utter crap. Tiny, high pitched, and shrill with so much sibilance it hurt my ears (seriously, my ear drums were being shredded just from hearing "s" sounds pronounced). It was like nails on chalk board. I know that you need a good amp/dac with most good headphones, but I want the versatility of being able occasionally listen to stuff with them amp-free, so back to the store with them.

If anyone has a recommendation for good, base-heavy, headphones in the >$700 range, let me know. Otherwise, I guess I'll just get the V-Moda's again.

I don't blame you at all. I will be selling mine this month. My end-game bassy, closed back is the Cascades, but I wouldn't wear them outside for two reasons: 1) Kind of dorky looking and 2) They would fall off easily.

Good luck with the hunt! I have a pair of used Beyer T5 Gen3's on the way and I am hoping they will be an all round closed back that I could take out, take to work, etc.

 

[Jcar]

My end-game bassy, closed back is the Cascades, but I wouldn't wear them outside for two reasons: 1) Kind of dorky looking and 2) They would fall off easily.

I don't even see where they are sold, though. I won't buy headphones anywhere that doesn't have an Amazon-like return policy, because I need to listen to them for at least 24 hours (if not more) before I know if I like them or not.

 

[Markolav]

I have now used WP900 for roughly two weeks and I think I'm ready to share some thoughts here... There's good and bad things about this headphone but fortunately my experiences using it have been mostly positive.

Like some people have mentioned here the included accessories are pathetic. Included carrying pouch is adequate at the best and I find it really underwhelming that AT didn't bother to include a proper carrying case with a headphone that is supposed to be their flagship-portable. Of course some thrid party case will get the job done as well but it's just often pain in the ass to find a fitting case, I already received one random case from Ali that I thought would have enough room for the cans but of course it's too small... AT should release an "official" case for WP900 and start including with headphones as well.

Build is a little mixed bag as well. I have to admit that the wooden earcups do look GORGEOUS and the headphone is aboslutely beautiful to look at and reminds me of the mPaul Reed Smith-guitars. There's just a bit too much plastic than I Would like to see in this price range. Headband feels solid enough but main concerns are the hinges and the yokes holding the earcups which just feel a bit cheap and I'm not really convinced would they last several years of active use without breaking. I think they should have added more metal here, only metal part seems to be the headband extender. Portable headphone should be durable enough that you wouldn't have to baby them everywhere and these don't really fit that bill. I have actually already managed to unintenionally test the durability of the headphones, I was visiting the grocery store while wearing them and when I was closing the fridge door it accidentally lightly smashed against the right earcup, when I got home I checked it thoroughly for scratches or cracks and I wasn't really able to find any birefly noticeable damage (perhaps there was minor scratch that was barely noticeable in right lightning- and viewing angle, idk) from it so I guess they can take some beating after all. But yeah, build is lacking.

So far I have found these extremely comfortable to wear, If I would have to make Top 5-list based on comfort these could end up there. Pads have just right amount of room for my ears to fit in, initially they feel almost "loose" on the head but they actually sit very snuggly and securely while remaining unnoticeable at the same time. My other portables start to feel uncomfortable AF (especially M100 and HD 25) after 1-2 hours or so but these I probably could wear all day along without any issues. They are also fairly breathable probably due to vents on the earcups so they are excellent for summer. Of course my ears can start to sweat a bit after wearing them long enough but that can happen with pretty much every closed back ever. Noise Isolation is good enough to wear them while moving on the streets and I don't have to crank the volume much to drown some noise. Overall not really much to complain there.

I've been very pleased with the sound as well, I wasn't sure what to expect since some people called too V-shaped or having "too much bass" but I don't find either one to be the case. Bass is superb, very tight and punchy with great control, even if they are clearly on the midbassy-side of things there is no hint of bloat or boominess. Generous and present but never overwhelming. I guess they really put effort to the earcups dampening to avoid any unwanted resonances and stuff, bass heavy headphones rarely do bass this cleanly IMO. Midrange is undoubtedly recessed and on thinner side, there's lots of similarities to MSR7b and W1000Z, female vocals and string insturments are present. I listen to lots of music with both so only a good thing heh. I understand that it might bother some people who prefer more full bodied signatures but I find it working with most music I listen to. I found treble perhaps a tad "hot" sounding right out of the box but either it's the so called "burn-in" or I'm getting used to it because I don't find that to be the case anymore. It is bright treble for sure but not annoyingly so most of the time.Some sibilance here and there. Detail is very good. Soundstaging isn't bad at all for a portable headphone, it was the first positive thing I noticed about the sound. Nice "floating around the head/3D-bobble"-feel at times. Nothing overly excessive, in-your-face and energitic presentation but never congested sounding with very good imaging and separation. I really don't have much to complain about the sound, they are V-shaped headphones done right. But one thing I haven't decided yet is it is necessarily $650 worth of sound? I can't ansewer to that yet.

Sorry for this long ramble lol. despite lackluster build and accessories I've been quite pleased with my purchase. I paid a hefty price for them but I hope it was worth it and that they will serve me for long time. Perhaps I write updated impressions after using them over the summer and done direct comparison to other cans.

 

[Shane D]

I have now used WP900 for roughly two weeks and I think I'm ready to share some thoughts here... There's good and bad things about this headphone but fortunately my experiences using it have been mostly positive.

Like some people have mentioned here the included accessories are pathetic. Included carrying pouch is adequate at the best and I find it really underwhelming that AT didn't bother to include a proper carrying case with a headphone that is supposed to be their flagship-portable. Of course some thrid party case will get the job done as well but it's just often pain in the ass to find a fitting case, I already received one random case from Ali that I thought would have enough room for the cans but of course it's too small... AT should release an "official" case for WP900 and start including with headphones as well.

Build is a little mixed bag as well. I have to admit that the wooden earcups do look GORGEOUS and the headphone is aboslutely beautiful to look at and reminds me of the mPaul Reed Smith-guitars. There's just a bit too much plastic than I Would like to see in this price range. Headband feels solid enough but main concerns are the hinges and the yokes holding the earcups which just feel a bit cheap and I'm not really convinced would they last several years of active use without breaking. I think they should have added more metal here, only metal part seems to be the headband extender. Portable headphone should be durable enough that you wouldn't have to baby them everywhere and these don't really fit that bill. I have actually already managed to unintenionally test the durability of the headphones, I was visiting the grocery store while wearing them and when I was closing the fridge door it accidentally lightly smashed against the right earcup, when I got home I checked it thoroughly for scratches or cracks and I wasn't really able to find any birefly noticeable damage (perhaps there was minor scratch that was barely noticeable in right lightning- and viewing angle, idk) from it so I guess they can take some beating after all. But yeah, build is lacking.

So far I have found these extremely comfortable to wear, If I would have to make Top 5-list based on comfort these could end up there. Pads have just right amount of room for my ears to fit in, initially they feel almost "loose" on the head but they actually sit very snuggly and securely while remaining unnoticeable at the same time. My other portables start to feel uncomfortable AF (especially M100 and HD 25) after 1-2 hours or so but these I probably could wear all day along without any issues. They are also fairly breathable probably due to vents on the earcups so they are excellent for summer. Of course my ears can start to sweat a bit after wearing them long enough but that can happen with pretty much every closed back ever. Noise Isolation is good enough to wear them while moving on the streets and I don't have to crank the volume much to drown some noise. Overall not really much to complain there.

I've been very pleased with the sound as well, I wasn't sure what to expect since some people called too V-shaped or having "too much bass" but I don't find either one to be the case. Bass is superb, very tight and punchy with great control, even if they are clearly on the midbassy-side of things there is no hint of bloat or boominess. Generous and present but never overwhelming. I guess they really put effort to the earcups dampening to avoid any unwanted resonances and stuff, bass heavy headphones rarely do bass this cleanly IMO. Midrange is undoubtedly recessed and on thinner side, there's lots of similarities to MSR7b and W1000Z, female vocals and string insturments are present. I listen to lots of music with both so only a good thing heh. I understand that it might bother some people who prefer more full bodied signatures but I find it working with most music I listen to. I found treble perhaps a tad "hot" sounding right out of the box but either it's the so called "burn-in" or I'm getting used to it because I don't find that to be the case anymore. It is bright treble for sure but not annoyingly so most of the time.Some sibilance here and there. Detail is very good. Soundstaging isn't bad at all for a portable headphone, it was the first positive thing I noticed about the sound. Nice "floating around the head/3D-bobble"-feel at times. Nothing overly excessive, in-your-face and energitic presentation but never congested sounding with very good imaging and separation. I really don't have much to complain about the sound, they are V-shaped headphones done right. But one thing I haven't decided yet is it is necessarily $650 worth of sound? I can't ansewer to that yet.

Sorry for this long ramble lol. despite lackluster build and accessories I've been quite pleased with my purchase. I paid a hefty price for them but I hope it was worth it and that they will serve me for long time. Perhaps I write updated impressions after using them over the summer and done direct comparison to other cans.

I agree with pretty much everything you said, except for the sound part.
They really are beautiful. Hope they last you for years.

 

[dleblanc343]

Super underrated closed backs!

I think they’re the best under $1K with an opposite flavor to Denon D7200.

 

[Tofub00b]

I've heard them, which prompted me to buying them for myself. They have the typical AT tuning with a little more bass presence reminiscent of the R70x's I own. I'll definitely have more to say about them once I have my own set. Based off the other Audio-Technica headphones I've owned, AP2000Ti's and AWKT's, I do expect the highs to settle down a bit

I own the r70x too. Do you like the WP900 more than the r70x?

 

[Slim1970]

I own the r70x too. Do you like the WP900 more than the r70x?

My WP900's are in route. What I recall about them during my listening session is that the R70x's are more balanced sounding due to the more forward midrange. The WP900's are slightly v-shaped in comparison. The WP900's are a fun listen, while I would classify the R70x's as a more engaging, musical listening experience.

 

[Tofub00b]

My WP900's are in route. What I recall about them during my listening session is that the R70x's are more balanced sounding due to the more forward midrange. The WP900's are slightly v-shaped in comparison. The WP900's are a fun listen, while I would classify the R70x's as a more engaging, musical listening experience.

Thanks for the reply!

 

[Tofub00b]

Tried them at a shop during my lunchbreak.

Comfort is pretty decent. But it does feel rather cheaply made, with most of the construction being plastic.

Cables are thin and stringy but ok. Not a deal breaker.

The sound is quite polarizing and coming from an R70x, I really disliked what the WP900 does to male vocals. I also think the R70x is built better, with more support for aftermarket earpads. There's next to no available earpads for WP900 available online or in-store. R70x comfortably fits with the XL Brainwavz round pads.

I would suggest auditioning them before buying, as I feel they would make a good secondary can for a different sound signature if you're coming from HD600 / R70x type sound.

I would be incredibly unhappy with these as a primary can as they don't play nice with all music genres. Might be a good recommendation for gaming and movies.

A pity that it is one of the remarkably rare breed of headphone that is portable, with detachable cables, good quality build (for portable) and with decent sound. Of course the Focal Celestee exists, but it's much heavier and inconvenient to bring around.

Not really worth the asking price of almost 500 USD when R70x and HD600 can be found for 300 USD.

 

[Nostoi]

A pity that it is one of the remarkably rare breed of headphone that is portable, with detachable cables, good quality build (for portable) and with decent sound. Of course the Focal Celestee exists, but it's much heavier and inconvenient to bring around.

Look into the JVC HA-SW01.