I have been playing with mods to my W5000's for the last couple weeks - Full F5005, partial F5005, Dampening the cups fully, partially, just center, just rim, with foam, without foam and combinations of most of these options.
At some point yesterday I got tired of screwing and unscrewing them and was just modding the cups and holding them on to see how the sound changed - this sped up the process - but the revelation was just how much better the W5000's sounded when sitting on my head completely open!
If you ever tried cupping your hands outside the backs of a set of grado's (and they get that nasally quality when you do) - that's what the 5000's sound like when the cups go on and off.
As open cans I spent tonight comparing them to Senn 600's and my beloved Akg 500's (now with 701 pads).
and as of tonight the open w5000's are surely contenders. They have ample punchy bass with really nice lower mids. Definately NOT a scooped sounding phone. They still have that upper mid fullness and nice highs.
W5000's are less flattering phones than 600's (a good thing imho) and as open phones they come across without that 1K nasal quality they just a bit of previously.
The lush soundstage remains. Very rich and with no holes in the mids - no 1k honk - and decent open highs.
I think its time to make some open woodie cups for them .....
I'll be bringing these to the NJ meet saturday for anyone interested in comparing them open vs. closed.
At some point yesterday I got tired of screwing and unscrewing them and was just modding the cups and holding them on to see how the sound changed - this sped up the process - but the revelation was just how much better the W5000's sounded when sitting on my head completely open!
If you ever tried cupping your hands outside the backs of a set of grado's (and they get that nasally quality when you do) - that's what the 5000's sound like when the cups go on and off.
As open cans I spent tonight comparing them to Senn 600's and my beloved Akg 500's (now with 701 pads).
and as of tonight the open w5000's are surely contenders. They have ample punchy bass with really nice lower mids. Definately NOT a scooped sounding phone. They still have that upper mid fullness and nice highs.
W5000's are less flattering phones than 600's (a good thing imho) and as open phones they come across without that 1K nasal quality they just a bit of previously.
The lush soundstage remains. Very rich and with no holes in the mids - no 1k honk - and decent open highs.
I think its time to make some open woodie cups for them .....
I'll be bringing these to the NJ meet saturday for anyone interested in comparing them open vs. closed.
