[rligeti]

I've been agonizing for a couple weeks about which closed cans to get and i've decided to get the ATH-A900s. I've read very favorable comments and as infrequently as my common sense would prevail and for my uses, i cant justify shelling out $380 for the CD3Ks. What I really hope they sound like is a closed Grado
SR325s with flat pads and just a touch more warmth, like a 1/4 teaspoon... Thanks to all of you for your advice and guidance! I'll post my impressions when I get them!! A special thanks to bangraman for his help in thr PMs.

Rob

 

[Chefguru]

LMAO you sound like you just won an award.

 

[SpoonMan]

mmm...though I really do enjoy the sound of my new A900's I'm not so sure they're overly warm cans...though I suppose they could be a bit warmer then the grado's, I'm not sure where grado's stand on the warmth issue.

 

[Chefguru]

Quote:

Originally posted by SpoonMan mmm...though I really do enjoy the sound of my new A900's I'm not so sure they're overly warm cans...though I suppose they could be a bit warmer then the grado's, I'm not sure where grado's stand on the warmth issue.

None of the new one's with the bowls are warm and only a few of the joe grado model's have warmth ( sr-200).

 

[Iron_Dreamer]

Quote:

Originally posted by rligeti What I really hope they sound like is a closed Grado SR325s with flat pads and just a touch more warmth, like a 1/4 teaspoon...

Well, I've heard both, and as compared to the 325/flats, the A900 will (IMO):

sound about 1.5 orders of magnitude less detailed (along the lines of the HD280);

have a soundstage that goes more infront of the head an is wider;

have a louder, yet less impactful bass;

have a less liquid, more hollow sounding midrange that can make snare drums and some vocalists sound unnatural;

have a noticeably quieter, yet grainer treble;

sound ever so slightly more analytical;

fit slightly more comfortably, almost unnoticeably;

isolate slightly better, though not as much as the DT770, and nowhere near the HD280;

leak 99.9% less sound.


There you have it. I don't know that the A900 will sound warmer, but it will have more emphasis on the bass, less on the treble, if that's what you're looking for. In the time I listened to it, the overall impression that I got was the A900 as a more musical, bassy, better looking, more comfortable version of the HD280, with an unusual sounding midrange. They're quite different sounding from the SR325, but I hope they turn out to be right for you.

PS. Thanks for the flats! I don't know how I ever got along without them!

 

[rligeti]

hmmmm. not exactly a stellar review...

R

 

[Iron_Dreamer]

Well, I think they're still very good cans, just not worth what they cost. Like I said, they're kinda like the Grado counterpart to the Senn HD280 (akin to a HD600/SR325 analogy), and so even if you account for their comfort and cool looks, I might say they're worth $125-$150. They're not on a par sound-quality wise with the HD600/SR325/CD3000, but then again they cost less, so it figures. I suppose I would find the A900's cost more justified, if the HD280 sold for $200 instead of $70.

 

[Sovkiller]

Quote:

Originally posted by rligeti I've been agonizing for a couple weeks about which closed cans to get and i've decided to get the ATH-A900s. I've read very favorable comments and as infrequently as my common sense would prevail and for my uses, i cant justify shelling out $380 for the CD3Ks. What I really hope they sound like is a closed Grado SR325s with flat pads and just a touch more warmth, like a 1/4 teaspoon... Thanks to all of you for your advice and guidance! I'll post my impressions when I get them!! A special thanks to bangraman for his help in thr PMs. Rob

Have you ever heard the CD3000?

 

[rligeti]

no i haven't. I lamost bought them though. I'm not sure if i should ask but..... why do you ask???

:-/

R

 

[Sovkiller]

Quote:

Originally posted by rligeti I can't justify shelling out $380 for the CD3Ks. Rob

I was expecting you to ask...LOL....then how could you asure that you can't justify shelling out $380.00?
IMHO, it is worth every single penny of the $380.00 they asked for it, even when I do not paid that much for mine....Someone says once here that the AT were "polite cans for polite music"...not sure if is true or not....what kind of music do you like???

 

[rligeti]

everything pretty much... spanish andclassical guitar, electronica, techno, trance, 80's synth pop, folk, vocals, classical, limited country (like 3-4 songs), rock, jazz, limited hip hop, alternative, etc.

 

[elrod-tom]

I've heard both the CD3000 and the AKG271S as far as closed cans are concerned. The AKG is better, IMHO. Now, my taste runs more towards a flatter, more neutral, and less colored sound. Something with a really sweet midrange, and not so emphasized in the high and low end. So, that makes the AKG a good match for me. I thought the Sony was a bit too colored for my taste. It's funny...I liked it a lot more the first time I heard it. Go figure...

I'm interested to hear how you like the A900....

 

[Sovkiller]

Quote:

Originally posted by rligeti everything pretty much... spanish and classical guitar, electronica, techno, trance, 80's synth pop, folk, vocals, classical, limited country (like 3-4 songs), rock, jazz, limited hip hop, alternative, etc.

I can't comment too much on the rest, but for: Rock, Jazz/rock, classical guitars (de Lucia, Dimeola, Omar Liebert, Hackett, Howe, etc...) and alternative, the CD3000 beat the rest I have tried so far, and by a good margin.....
They are not neutral cans, but I do not like the sound too neutral neither, to my taste is extremely bored, and IMO is a bad concept to associate flat sound, to good sound or audiophile concepts, most of the times we do not hear a flat sound in any place, all is colored in more or less way, so a little bit of color will add some fun.
BTW the lows and highs are the freq that suffer more and tends to go away when the volume is moderate to low, so for moderate listening levels, sometimes we are hearing music with a lack of bass or highs, and IMO I do not see the reason we have to listen that way just to be audiophiles, and lose the essence of the music itself, which played life and at a more loud volume, will sound completely different...

 

[lindrone]

Hmm... one perspective against another.. The A900 sound nothing like the HD280..it is a whole another level beyond that... In my comparison, it's a little better than the HD590, and my personal preference over HD580 (properly powered)...

Its sound signature is really like a baby version of CD3000... 80% of the CD3000, I'd say....

I've never heard the SR325 either, but in my experience with the A900 and SR225, I much prefer the A900 over SR225.

 

[Iron_Dreamer]

Quote:

Originally posted by lindrone Hmm... one perspective against another.. The A900 sound nothing like the HD280..

I said their sound quality is about the same, ie they're on the same level, NOT that they sound similar to one another (same as HD600/SR325).