Audio Technica updates their open headphones "AD" Series: AD2000x, AD1000x, AD900x, AD700x and AD500x

[Trae]

Well, I bought an AD2000X to mod, but I received an AD900X instead

. Gotta love Amazon Marketplace. Anyway, Compared to my modded AD2000s, the sound signature is very similar. They're a bit tamed in the midrange, but overall, very similar sounding. They actually use the same diaphragm membrane that the AD1000 and up use. Looking at the construction of the driver, it looks like they changed everything internally vs. the AD900 except for the magnet. There is more dampening behind the driver, a different membrane being used, and a different grill protecting the membrane.
 
Going off of memory from the MA900 and K712 I owned, I prefer the AD900X over both after equalization. A mini-review of the three:
 
MA900:
Bass- Basically no sub-bass, and you rely on the rumble of the headphone on your ears to get any physical feedback. Said feedback is okay.
Mids- weak, very weak
Highs- pretty good, nice air
Imaging- very good
Soundstage- Sounds like the center is above you, with the left/right soundstage being pretty close by.
 
K712:
Bass- decent quantity given the open nature. Quality is good too.
Mids- pretty good. A bit thin sounding, but nice.
Highs- pretty good, nice air
Imaging- very good
Soundstage- Very similar to the MA900, but a bit wider
 
AD900x:
Bass- very good given the weak seal. More quantity than MA900, but slightly less than K712. Quality is very good.
Mids- pretty odd stock. The 4kHz resonance in the upper mids is extremely aggravating. Lowering it about 12dB improves the sound GREATLY (and bumping ~2kHz by about 5dB helps with presence). Mids are better than the above two afterwards.
Highs- very good, nice air
Imaging- pretty good. Not as good as the above two, but the soundstage realism makes up for it.
Soundstage- very good. One of the most balanced stages that I've heard. The center is actually in front of you, and it nicely fills in the L/R gap. The width is pretty realistic.
 
Transparency-wise, they're all in the same ballpark. I'd put the K712 up top (marginally), with the AD9x and MA900 being tied.
 
Just a bit of expansion on the soundstage, the above two headphones have some sort of a three blob effect (Left, Right, and top-front), and all positional cues seem to radiate from those areas. The AD9x seems to have a nice semi-circle in comparison, and it sounds more realistic.

 

[wmedrz]

Same thing happened to me when I bought the AD900X! Paid for the the AD900X and got the AD700X instead, but the AD700X was inside of the AD900X box! To top it off, I had to return the thing THREE times before they finally sent the AD900X. I was given the lame excuse that "there was an error with the shipments from Audio Technica". I think someone switched them out at the physical store and I had to suffer for it  
 
If you like the bass with AD900X you're going to be in for a treat w/ the 2kx. 

 

[Trae]

Woah, you got the short end of the stick. Too bad you didn't get an AD2X in an AD9X box

 
As far as bass goes, I'm not going to be satisfied with the AD2X in stock form at all, hence the need to mod them. The AD series' 53mm drivers are capable of doing bass so much better than is allowed in their open, poor sealing headphone design, and addressing those issues results in the best bass that I've ever heard out of a dynamic driver.
 
Case in point- my modded AD2000s (avatar pic). I like these heaphones so much, I can't bring myself to purchase any other headphones. If it weren't for channel imbalance, and the fact that AD2X drivers won't fit in them (I have a pair laying around that I can't use because of that) I wouldn't be buying the AD2X.
 
Anyway, after my return goes through, I'll buy the AD2X new from Japan. So much for saving money

 

[yellowbirdfly]

  Woah, you got the short end of the stick. Too bad you didn't get an AD2X in an AD9X box

 
As far as bass goes, I'm not going to be satisfied with the AD2X in stock form at all, hence the need to mod them. The AD series' 53mm drivers are capable of doing bass so much better than is allowed in their open, poor sealing headphone design, and addressing those issues results in the best bass that I've ever heard out of a dynamic driver.
 
Case in point- my modded AD2000s (avatar pic). I like these heaphones so much, I can't bring myself to purchase any other headphones. If it weren't for channel imbalance, and the fact that AD2X drivers won't fit in them (I have a pair laying around that I can't use because of that) I wouldn't be buying the AD2X.
 
Anyway, after my return goes through, I'll buy the AD2X new from Japan. So much for saving money

The AD2KX is now at its lowest price ever on amazon.co.jp (39,290 yen). Great value for such an awesome headphone!
 
Agree about the bass, it's absolutely top notch and one of the best bass I've ever heard in a headphone, especially when used with an amp with a bass boost switch. I still miss the bass of the AD2KX after having sold mine a few months ago... 

 

 

[reverendrider]

Hi all, long-time headfi lurker here making his first post.
 
This thread and a couple of others like it have been great guidance over several years of AT-lust which I've only recently fulfilled. There's such a dearth of opinion on the upper AT models that I thought I'd offer my feelings about the AD1Kxs I've shared my home with for the last month. So far it's been a hot and cold relationship, but I'm no less infatuated with the brand than I was at the start of my head-fi exploration.
 
Right now, I'm beaming like a loony after eleven minutes and eleven seconds of Tool's Rosetta Stoned played at silly volume. Those tom toms; those crunchy guitars!!
 
Thanks for this very helpful thread - I'm sure many have benefited from it like I have. I hope I can stick around and play with the senior members of the AT-AIR club!
 
Baby's First Review
 
Cheers
 
rr

 

[bassboysam]

  Hi all, long-time headfi lurker here making his first post.
 
This thread and a couple of others like it have been great guidance over several years of AT-lust which I've only recently fulfilled. There's such a dearth of opinion on the upper AT models that I thought I'd offer my feelings about the AD1Kxs I've shared my home with for the last month. So far it's been a hot and cold relationship, but I'm no less infatuated with the brand than I was at the start of my head-fi exploration.
 
Right now, I'm beaming like a loony after eleven minutes and eleven seconds of Tool's Rosetta Stoned played at silly volume. Those tom toms; those crunchy guitars!!
 
Thanks for this very helpful thread - I'm sure many have benefited from it like I have. I hope I can stick around and play with the senior members of the AT-AIR club!
 
Baby's First Review
 
Cheers
 
rr

 
 
Which amp are you using with the AD1KX?  I find with the AD2KX you need a very good amp to bring the bass out.  The AD2KX and Woo WA6 provides all the bass one would want for most music.  I was initially disappointed with the AD2KX due to the lack of bass, I was using it straight out of the iPod, then I tried a Fiio E10, E17 an LD MKIII and none really did the job.  Once I got the WA6, the AD2KX became one of my favorite headphones.

 

[reverendrider]

Bassboysam I'm using a first generation E10, which is a step better than the output of my phone, but yeah, not really a powerhouse. I'm interested in your experience with the Woo. Did you buy it specifically to use with the 2000x or was the pairing a happy accident?

In my engineering head, the ideal amp for these ATs would be low gain, high current with very low output impedance. Time to go google this WA6 and see how wrong I am!

How's the top end with the Woo? I'd hate to lose that lovely air up there...

 

[bassboysam]

@Bassboysam I'm using a first generation E10, which is a step better than the output of my phone, but yeah, not really a powerhouse. I'm interested in your experience with the Woo. Did you buy it specifically to use with the 2000x or was the pairing a happy accident?

In my engineering head, the ideal amp for these ATs would be low gain, high current with very low output impedance. Time to go google this WA6 and see how wrong I am!

How's the top end with the Woo? I'd hate to lose that lovely air up there...

 
 
I had the AD2KX first along with the LD MKIII, but since most of my headphones are lower impedance I wanted to try a non OTL tube amp.  The WA6 was the cheapest I could find so I gave it a try.  Top end is nice and smooth, not harsh at all and I don't notice an loss of air.  As for the bass, I want to clarify that you won't get big deep sub bass.  I would say the bass is sufficient for almost all types of music but not for anything electronic with synth bass.  That's just not what the AD series is meant for.  For rock/metal, jazz, blues and some hip hop it works really well.  I should mention that I am using 6FD7 fat bottle tubes in the WA6 which also provide more bass over the stock 6DE7 tubes.
 
Also I have found that the AD2KX needs more volume to come alive than most of my other headphones.  At lower volume levels the bass just has no presence.  you need to listen at reference levels (around 80db) or a tad high and  it gets really nice.  

 

[Trae]

Just bought the AD2000X. Although it's for sale for $345 in Japan, it figured out to be about $382 after taxes, fees, and shipping costs (they overestimated on shipping costs, so I will be refunded a couple dollars after the fact). That's still a really good price, seeing as US amazon's sellers are around $440, and I was set on buying from there.
 
Also, I tried using Tenso. I registered and everything, but I couldn't figure it out, and Google Translate wasn't working right. So, I used zenmarket.jp. After costs and fees are figured into the price, zenmarket ends up a little cheaper, and you don't have to go through all of the hoops like you do with Tenso. Well, you kinda do, but it's much easier with how Zenmarket has their website laid out and the method they use. It basically goes like this:
 
1. Register (make sure to click the english language flag below the site's name at the top)
2. Search for the product you want on their website. I recommend clicking Amazon, Rakuten, or one of the websites linked on the Other Shops button before searching. If not, they put the results of all of the websites on one page, and you won't know where you're buying from.
3. Add to cart, and add in your shipping information. In the lower-left text box, I put the headphone's name for extra clarification. I also used EMS.
4. Wait for confirmation via email
5. Select payment method, and they buy the headphones with the money you sent them.
6. After purchase, they ship them to you.
 

Basically, Zenmarket is a Proxy website.
 
Overall, very nice experience, and I recommend Zenmarket to anyone currently using Tenso, or anyone wanting to buy items from Japan.

 

[viralcow]

  Just bought the AD2000X. Although it's for sale for $345 in Japan, it figured out to be about $382 after taxes, fees, and shipping costs (they overestimated on shipping costs, so I will be refunded a couple dollars after the fact). That's still a really good price, seeing as US amazon's sellers are around $440, and I was set on buying from there.
 
Also, I tried using Tenso. I registered and everything, but I couldn't figure it out, and Google Translate wasn't working right. So, I used zenmarket.jp. After costs and fees are figured into the price, zenmarket ends up a little cheaper, and you don't have to go through all of the hoops like you do with Tenso. Well, you kinda do, but it's much easier with how Zenmarket has their website laid out and the method they use. It basically goes like this:
 
1. Register (make sure to click the english language flag below the site's name at the top)
2. Search for the product you want on their website. I recommend clicking Amazon, Rakuten, or one of the websites linked on the Other Shops button before searching. If not, they put the results of all of the websites on one page, and you won't know where you're buying from.
3. Add to cart, and add in your shipping information. In the lower-left text box, I put the headphone's name for extra clarification. I also used EMS.
4. Wait for confirmation via email
5. Select payment method, and they buy the headphones with the money you sent them.
6. After purchase, they ship them to you.
 

Basically, Zenmarket is a Proxy website.
 
Overall, very nice experience, and I recommend Zenmarket to anyone currently using Tenso, or anyone wanting to buy items from Japan.

 
Awesome. Will try them later on when I buy another pair of A2000X... I want to finish my AT collection.

 

[reverendrider]

  Also I have found that the AD2KX needs more volume to come alive than most of my other headphones.  At lower volume levels the bass just has no presence.  you need to listen at reference levels (around 80db) or a tad high and  it gets really nice.  

 
I'm normally moderate volume listener, but the last few sessions I've tried your advice. Loudness perception has a lot to answer for! I've noticed there's been an impulse to keep winding up the volume with these cans, but initially I resisted. With all the leakage (all my other cans have been sealed), my girlfriend was freaking out that I was listening at atomic levels. Now I shut the door and rock out

 
There isn't the harshness or treble compression I expect from my other cans when you pump up the juice. It just gets louder. And the midbass punch seems more pronounced. Wonderful!
 
There is a downside though. I'm hearing the occasional digital burp from the E10 and I've just noticed how loud my PC fans are. Better amp? Tubes? Silent treatment for the PC? So many upgrade paths.
 
Poor wallet never saw it coming...
 
PS The new Royksopp album is heaps of fun. Get it in your ears!

 

[TheHeadPhoneGuy]

So I just ordered the AD700X's for gaming! Does anyone have experience with setting up these headphone for the best SQ with windows 8.1 and CS:GO? Any mods to make them better, more bassy, wider soundstage?

 

[preproman]

 

[JacobLee89]

  So I just ordered the AD700X's for gaming! Does anyone have experience with setting up these headphone for the best SQ with windows 8.1 and CS:GO? Any mods to make them better, more bassy, wider soundstage?

 
The AD700x's are firstly open headphones, any sort of noise outside is going to be heard so the first suggestion would be to try to minimise as much noise coming from your computer.
 
As for sound, Those headphones shouldn't be too picky on what DAC/AMP combination you throw at it. It's a least destructive approach as you can easily sell DAC/AMPS, but far less so a modded pair of headphones.
 
However, you'll have to take note that most "hi-fi" DACs do not support DOLBY surround, so a compromise will have to be met. You could get away with Razer's digital surround sound software, or if you really want an external DAC/AMP solution then the Xonar u7 is a good choice.
 
This isn't to say that plugging your headphones into a sound card is a bad idea. There's just a general consensus that the power from the PC is considered too noisy for critical listening.
 
This may sound expensive, but by the looks of it there is a chance that you'd be spending just as much on modding your headphones. Bear in mind that a mod can cause a sound signature that you would not like, and unless you know how to reverse the damage made by the mod then there's a chance that you'll be stuck with a pair of headphones you won't like.
 
The only headphone mod that I know of that has a unanimous agreement on, is the Uber mod on the HD25's. That mod itself took several years of constant dabbling by the guys of CustomCans before they released it as a kit.

 

[TheHeadPhoneGuy]

 

  So I just ordered the AD700X's for gaming! Does anyone have experience with setting up these headphone for the best SQ with windows 8.1 and CS:GO? Any mods to make them better, more bassy, wider soundstage?

 
The AD700x's are firstly open headphones, any sort of noise outside is going to be heard so the first suggestion would be to try to minimise as much noise coming from your computer.
 
As for sound, Those headphones shouldn't be too picky on what DAC/AMP combination you throw at it. It's a least destructive approach as you can easily sell DAC/AMPS, but far less so a modded pair of headphones.
 
However, you'll have to take note that most "hi-fi" DACs do not support DOLBY surround, so a compromise will have to be met. You could get away with Razer's digital surround sound software, or if you really want an external DAC/AMP solution then the Xonar u7 is a good choice.
 
This isn't to say that plugging your headphones into a sound card is a bad idea. There's just a general consensus that the power from the PC is considered too noisy for critical listening.
 
This may sound expensive, but by the looks of it there is a chance that you'd be spending just as much on modding your headphones. Bear in mind that a mod can cause a sound signature that you would not like, and unless you know how to reverse the damage made by the mod then there's a chance that you'll be stuck with a pair of headphones you won't like.
 
The only headphone mod that I know of that has a unanimous agreement on, is the Uber mod on the HD25's. That mod itself took several years of constant dabbling by the guys of CustomCans before they released it as a kit.

Thank you for the quick reply! Are there any digital surround software's that are better than others? I don't really understand what all I need to get the best positional audio.