Best Japanese Headphones
Jun 26, 2008 at 6:57 AM Thread Starter Post #1 of 13

a_technicolor_skye

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I'm looking for a pair of Japanese headphones for classical music, jazz and abit of everything else.

Headphone preferences wise, I've heard the AD2000 and I think it's really good. Didn't really like the 701s when I tried it.

So the headphones that I'm looking at now are:
D5000 (maybe markl modded)
SA5000
W5000
AD2000

I also need more information on the high-end AT headphones on how well they render classical music like L3000
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Looking at perhaps Edition 9 as well
 
Jun 26, 2008 at 8:00 AM Post #3 of 13
Out of the list, I would choose the W5000.

I think the W5000's larger soundstage is better suited for classical than the L3000 or AD2000, but for jazz it would be a tough choice.

Based on the thread title, I would also suggest: R10, Qualia, SR-007, SR-Omega
 
Jun 26, 2008 at 8:03 AM Post #4 of 13
^x2

They were a bit too bright for me or I never would have got rid of mine. If your ears are not as sensitive as mine, they will be exquisite for the music you described. Since you liked the AD2000, you will love the W5000. They take that sonic signature to a new level. Highly recommend. The L3000 are a bit darker, much much more expensive and even harder to find. You will be completely satisfied with W5000 I suspect.
 
Jun 26, 2008 at 8:11 AM Post #5 of 13
See that's my problem. I keep looking at the W5000s and would love love love a step up from my AD2000s (which I love). I'd love an AT phone that does classical better than the AD2000 (which is like sitting on the first violinist's lap listening). But I've heard reports the AD2ks bass is better anyway, plus I worry about synergy with my amp, the AT-friend yammy. Does the yammy scale up with the W5000 over the well-known pairing of the yammy and W1000? Why must head-fi create such unanswerable questions???
 
Jun 26, 2008 at 8:15 AM Post #6 of 13
"Best" is very subjective.
But I say that you can't go much wrong with a Stax SR-007A or MK2.
 
Jun 26, 2008 at 8:23 AM Post #7 of 13
The questions are not unanswerable. All you need to do is buy a W1000, W5000, L3000 and AD2000. And maybe throw in a couple of others, such as the W11JPN or A900Ti.

Try them with the Yammy and AT-HA5000. Don't forget the Zana Deux, which I prefer over the AT-HA5000. Maybe try a few more amps, including a balanced one. Remember to recable all your headphones.

Don't forget the source, you'll need a very good source. Maybe three, just in case. "Source First," you know.
smily_headphones1.gif


Then report back and tell us what you think. Then read critique and conjecture by your well-meaning but often misguided fellow members, and then rinse and repeat by adding more headphones.
tongue.gif
 
Jun 26, 2008 at 8:37 AM Post #8 of 13
Wower, just to keep you on your toes, I think the W5000 offers some of the best bass in the business. The catch being that it is of the acoustic type and not the chest-thumping, fist-pumping party type. It is so textured and so beautiful. On really good jazz/vocal recordings, it sounds like you are sitting in an empty room next to someone thwacking away on a stand-up.

EDIT: I just noticed you are in Hokkaido. There ought to be somewhere nearby you can sit and check them out, no?
 
Jun 26, 2008 at 10:47 AM Post #11 of 13
pay attention to headphone first.
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cables can make a difference but just slightly. so just choose the can first, then pick the cable to flavor the overall sound.
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Quote:

Originally Posted by a_technicolor_skye /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Thanks for all the input, what does the F5005 mod do?

Hope for more input

Thanks



check this out.
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http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f4/w50...ml#post2623971

My W5000 is also F5005, and I really prefer this over the stock one. (I'm such a basshead.
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)
 
Jun 26, 2008 at 12:19 PM Post #12 of 13
Quote:

Originally Posted by Elephas /img/forum/go_quote.gif
The questions are not unanswerable. All you need to do is buy a W1000, W5000, L3000 and AD2000. And maybe throw in a couple of others, such as the W11JPN or A900Ti.

Try them with the Yammy and AT-HA5000. Don't forget the Zana Deux, which I prefer over the AT-HA5000. Maybe try a few more amps, including a balanced one. Remember to recable all your headphones.

Don't forget the source, you'll need a very good source. Maybe three, just in case. "Source First," you know.
smily_headphones1.gif



heheheh. Elephas is taunting me.. :p

In Susukino in Sapporo there's a hifi store with most of this stuff (they have everything stax). Don't get there often tho. Not a bad place for a hifi store if you know what mean....
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(And for those that aren't in the know: Susukino is the entertainment/night-time/food district of Sapporo.)
 
Jun 26, 2008 at 1:16 PM Post #13 of 13
Quote:

Originally Posted by Elephas /img/forum/go_quote.gif
The questions are not unanswerable. All you need to do is buy a W1000, W5000, L3000 and AD2000. And maybe throw in a couple of others, such as the W11JPN or A900Ti.

Try them with the Yammy and AT-HA5000. Don't forget the Zana Deux, which I prefer over the AT-HA5000. Maybe try a few more amps, including a balanced one. Remember to recable all your headphones.

Don't forget the source, you'll need a very good source. Maybe three, just in case. "Source First," you know.
smily_headphones1.gif


Then report back and tell us what you think. Then read critique and conjecture by your well-meaning but often misguided fellow members, and then rinse and repeat by adding more headphones.
tongue.gif



Where do I submit this for post of the month?
 

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