[Yazen]

I'm gonna use it with my fiio e17 out of my macbook. Are there any other options around $200 that you'd suggest? I know the ad1000x is probably better but they are out of my budget. How do the q701 compare?

 
Hrrm, I've never heard the q701. From impressions given on the forum, I'd place them under the AD900x in terms of bass lol.
What kind of expectations do you have in the bass department?  There is no perfect all rounder in this price range tbh, as most differences are arguably nitpicks 

 
If you want AT mids, you really don't have an option here haha.  AD900x is your calling!

 

[audioKyle]

Hrrm, I've never heard the q701. From impressions given on the forum, I'd place them under the AD900x in terms of bass lol.

What kind of expectations do you have in the bass department?  There is no perfect all rounder in this price range tbh, as most differences are arguably nitpicks 

If you want AT mids, you really don't have an option here haha.  AD900x is your calling!

Well the a900x was probably my favorite sounding headphone besides the slight mid-bass emphasis. I want something that is musical and not harsh so as to lead to no ear fatigue. Also something with a good/accurate timbre of instruments. I'm also looking at the ma900 but it does seem very flimsy and cheap.

 

[bassboysam]

the nice thing about the e17 is that it has a pretty good eq. I boost the bass just one notch when I use it with my AD2000X and that fills out the bottom end nicely.

 

[hulk]

how much of an upgrade would it be to go from the ad700 to he-300 or ad900x? im on a $200 budget and going to power them with a e10. im going to be listening to music majority of the time and watch videos. genre i mostly listen to is soft rock or pop rock whatever its called.

 

[Yazen]

Well the a900x was probably my favorite sounding headphone besides the slight mid-bass emphasis. I want something that is musical and not harsh so as to lead to no ear fatigue. Also something with a good/accurate timbre of instruments. I'm also looking at the ma900 but it does seem very flimsy and cheap.

MA900 is flimsy and cheap feeling haha

AD900x has a mid bass emphasis, but its not as thumpy as the A900x for sure.
 
I'm hoping to get the AD1000x or AD2000x whenever I find a good deal
 
Right now I have the DT 880 Pro + Aune T1, and I really do like the combination.  The DT 880 Pro is less analytical/warmer with the tube dac, and the voshkod tube flattens the slight v-shape of the 880.
 
I switched because I like the accuracy of the instruments on the DT880 Pro.  The low end has much more detail as well.  When I first had the DT880 Pro, I thought it sounded way too analytical on my Musiland 02 US.  But I imagine the E17 would have a warm presentation like the rest of their line..
 
If you liked the A900x, you cannot go wrong with the AD900x.  I just didn't like how they couldn't keep the pace with faster/layered music, and the low end detail.  I'm a nitpicker, so take my critique lightly lol.
 

  how much of an upgrade would it be to go from the ad700 to he-300 or ad900x? im on a $200 budget and going to power them with a e10. im going to be listening to music majority of the time and watch videos. genre i mostly listen to is soft rock or pop rock whatever its called.

They both are good.  If you liked the signature and design of the AD700, you will appreciate the AD900x.  The AD900x will sound better with more music than the AD700 definitely!  The airy sound of the AD700 is present on the AD900x, only with less emphasis.  They have a low end presence, unlike the AD700

 
The HE-300 is a whole different beast really.  AFAIK they wouldn't sound as good for your genres, unless you find the treble energy of the AD900x to be fatiguing.  Compared to the AD700, the AD900x's treble isn't harsh.
 
I think if you liked the energy of the AD700, you would do good with the AD900x.  Is it worth the upgrade?  Well, its an upgrade for sure.  We all value things differently.  $/Performance won't get any better the higher you go, as our market is a niche at best.

If you compare to beats studio... WORTH IT
 
Let the AD900x burn in for 100 hours without listening to them.  When you A/B with your AD700, its almost an overwhelming feeling to hear the low end actually there lol.

 

[pngwn]

I've never heard the HE-300, but I did go from the AD700 up to the AD900x. For any rock related genres, the AD900x is pretty amazing. The added bass over the AD700 gives band music much better kick and a little bit of bass growl compared to the AD700 while maintaining most of that airy presentation. The 900x can sound a little blurry during fast metal or generally very busy songs, but in general, I was satisfied with the 900x's soundstage and better bass.
 
It's not a night and day upgrade, but it's a noticeable improvement. Can't say if the HE-300 would be better or not, though.
 
I also wanted to add that with the AD900x, if you so wanted, you could EQ a bit more bass into them, unlike the AD700. Overall, a very versatile headphone that I thoroughly enjoyed until the bug got me...
 
Yazen, since you seem to have heard the HE-300, how is it compared to the ATH-AD line?

 

[Yazen]

  I've never heard the HE-300, but I did go from the AD700 up to the AD900x. For any rock related genres, the AD900x is pretty amazing. The added bass over the AD700 gives band music much better kick and a little bit of bass growl compared to the AD700 while maintaining most of that airy presentation. The 900x can sound a little blurry during fast metal or generally very busy songs, but in general, I was satisfied with the 900x's soundstage and better bass.
 
It's not a night and day upgrade, but it's a noticeable improvement. Can't say if the HE-300 would be better or not, though.
 
I also wanted to add that with the AD900x, if you so wanted, you could EQ a bit more bass into them, unlike the AD700. Overall, a very versatile headphone that I thoroughly enjoyed until the bug got me...
 
Yazen, since you seem to have heard the HE-300, how is it compared to the ATH-AD line?

My bad, somehow I forgot to mention that those were merely impressions I was given from reviews from other Head-Fiers.  Sorry about that.
 
I agree its not a night/day difference, especially when you can score the AD700 or A900x for under $100.  Last time I checked it would cost ~$200 USD incl shipping to get directly from Japan.  Can't thank a_recording enough for the Tenso forwarding tip!
 
What did the "bug" end you up with?
 
I have yet to read a compelling article about the HE-300.  I'm more interested in the HE-400, or possibly the HE-500.  I think the HE-300 is more hype than performance.

 

[pngwn]

I ended up going all the way up to the AD2k. Worth every penny 

 looking to sell my AD900x, actually.
 
The HE-300 really doesn't get very much attention and unsurprisingly so, considering the rest of its family. I actually really want to try the HE-500... might have to find a loaner program for that.

 

[Anouk]

Hello,
Sorry for hijacking this thread a bit but there dont seem to be any other threads where the ad2000x is discussed.
I at this time have the philips x1 and i think its a nice allround phoe but am not so satisfied of the mids.
i was thinking to get the ad2000x but am not sure where i should place it with its sound in comparison to other headphones (soundstage, instrument separation, midrange, bass). I cant really audition these.
So if anyone could do some comparisons that would be great!
Greetings, Anouk,

 

[Yazen]

  Hello,
Sorry for hijacking this thread a bit but there dont seem to be any other threads where the ad2000x is discussed.
I at this time have the philips x1 and i think its a nice allround phoe but am not so satisfied of the mids.
i was thinking to get the ad2000x but am not sure where i should place it with its sound in comparison to other headphones (soundstage, instrument separation, midrange, bass). I cant really audition these.
So if anyone could do some comparisons that would be great!
Greetings, Anouk,

I was interested in the X1, so I am curious to see if anyone would have input as well.
If you like the X1, why not get a source/amp that has more emphasis on the mids?

 

[akarise]

  Hello,
Sorry for hijacking this thread a bit but there dont seem to be any other threads where the ad2000x is discussed.
I at this time have the philips x1 and i think its a nice allround phoe but am not so satisfied of the mids.
i was thinking to get the ad2000x but am not sure where i should place it with its sound in comparison to other headphones (soundstage, instrument separation, midrange, bass). I cant really audition these.
So if anyone could do some comparisons that would be great!
Greetings, Anouk,

 
I was also interested in the X1 so I'd like to hear of a comparison too, but I'm not aware of anyone who has both. I can at least say that the mids are my favorite part of the spectrum on the AD2KX though, so I don't think you'd be disappointed by them. The bass them is probably less than on the X1, but this is just a guess based on descriptions from others.

 

[yellowbirdfly]

I guess I'm the only one with both AD2000X and X1. In terms of sound, AD2000X is clearly a step higher than X1. While the X1 have a weightier bass, AD2000X's bass is tighter, more textured , and punchier. Mids on the AD2000X are more forward and detailed, where on the X1 the mids are just there and isn't as full sounding. The highs on AD2000X are smoother, airier, and more sparkly than the X1. The clarity and micro-detail is a notch better on the AD2000X. Listening to the AD2000X from the X1 may make the X1 seem veiled, although it is not. Both have wide soundstages with precise imaging and good instrument separation, although the X1 seems to surround and immerse you more, while AD2000X just 'presents' it to you.

Don't get me wrong through, I love the sound of the X1 and even prefer it to my AD2000X. X1 is undoubtly one of the best values for the price. Its just that, at more than twice the cost of the X1, it isn't a very fair comparison.

The X1 do make a great complement to the AD2000X though, with its laid back sound contrasting the aggressive sound of the AD2000X. I love the X1 for movies and gaming, AD2000X for pure music listening.

Both are awesome headphones, and I'm proud to own both!

 

[widdyjudas]

I also just bought an x1 for 296usd in hk and sold my he400.
Comfort wise, much better than hifiman. Lighter, good clamp and full pads.
Sound wise, its on the bassy side. Imho, it got a bit too much bass and not enough treble. Mids just ok and fairly forward. I think my ears are still used to the hifiman sound.
Changing the cable to ordinary aftermarket cable will improve the sound over the original philips cable. The bass is more conttolled, although still bit too much for me. Mids I dont think changed much and hi becomes more present.
A bit regret that I actually got deal for ad1000x for 350 usd in the same store. However, there are no demo unit and not enough review and comparison. So, I'm hesitant to buy the AT and choose the x1.
Maybe next year when there are more review and comparison, i might buy the ad1000x. Also, i want to test it, too bad no store has demo unit. I just tested ad900x, and i think its ok, but the hi is a bit too hot for me.
Anyway, the x1 is a very good cans for its price. Good for music, gaming and movies.

 

[Yazen]

I guess I'm the only one with both AD2000X and X1. In terms of sound, AD2000X is clearly a step higher than X1. While the X1 have a weightier bass, AD2000X's bass is tighter, more textured , and punchier. Mids on the AD2000X are more forward and detailed, where on the X1 the mids are just there and isn't as full sounding. The highs on AD2000X are smoother, airier, and more sparkly than the X1. The clarity and micro-detail is a notch better on the AD2000X. Listening to the AD2000X from the X1 may make the X1 seem veiled, although it is not. Both have wide soundstages with precise imaging and good instrument separation, although the X1 seems to surround and immerse you more, while AD2000X just 'presents' it to you.

Don't get me wrong through, I love the sound of the X1 and even prefer it to my AD2000X. X1 is undoubtly one of the best values for the price. Its just that, at more than twice the cost of the X1, it isn't a very fair comparison.

The X1 do make a great complement to the AD2000X though, with its laid back sound contrasting the aggressive sound of the AD2000X. I love the X1 for movies and gaming, AD2000X for pure music listening.

Both are awesome headphones, and I'm proud to own both!

The X1 is only $180 in the US..  Guess its better value then lol

 

[yellowbirdfly]

  The X1 is only $180 in the US..  Guess its better value then lol

 
I agree... I bought my X1 for an unbelievable price and couldn't be happier with it.