[doobooloo]

Hello,

Unlike this lucky year, my next year is going to be riddled with a roommate. Which unfortunately means that I won't be able to use open cans (like the HD600 I have right now) whenever I want to.

I have grown to really love the soundstage of the HD600. Sure, its highs may be a little recessed and lack refinement, but the soundstage is so large and real that no other phone really makes me want to sit back relax and enjoy the stage that is being pictured in front of me. So...

I think it seems like the Audio Technicas (A1000, W1000) have a nice soundstage as closed cans. Also I hear the Sony CD3000 has a great soundstage. Which one would be better?

Also, in terms of comfort... does the CD3000 weight annoy anybody? And which closed can will least likely cause the hot sweaty ears effect? (by the way, the Eggo D22s with nasty plether pads caused this for me after about an hour... I have a gigantic ear...)

I guess this sort of a question has been asked a million times before, but... haha... if anyone can give me an opinion...

Thanks a lot in advance!

 

[bangraman]

I'll tell you on Thursday or thereabouts

FYI, the A1000's are the most closed sounding in my opinion as far as soundstage goes out of the A900->W2002 line. But it's not that sound compressed feel that you get with nasty cans, it's an intimate feel that I like a lot for huge amounts of jazz. On cursory examination the W2002 s would appear to be more closed but I'm having trouble seeing whether this is music, source or amp based. Time for the Dremel and the desoldering pump again...

 

[Achilles]

Quote:

Originally posted by doobooloo Also, in terms of comfort... does the CD3000 weight annoy anybody? And which closed can will least likely cause the hot sweaty ears effect? (by the way, the Eggo D22s with nasty plether pads caused this for me after about an hour... I have a gigantic ear...)

Coming from another well endowed in the ear department, I don’t think you would find either the heat or the weight an issue.

The band that stretches when you put on the headphone counters the downward weight and spreads it over your head, so even though the CD3000 is an elephant it doesn’t feel like one. Heat from the pads touching your ears isn’t as much a problem because most of your ear will fit inside the cup of the headphone (yes, the ear-cups are that big). Most of the padding actually rests on your head and hair.

 

[ServinginEcuador]

As far as soundstage, the CD3Ks are absolutely incredible. It extends not only left to right, but also top to bottom. With the RKV there is so much separation between instruments that it's downright uncanny. Sounds that used to come from the same spot on my old amps now come from distinct and separate sound spaces. Two cellos that sounded like they were right next to each other using some Senn 600s went to having a 3D effect in which one cello was coming from slightly in front of and to the right of the other using the CD3Ks. These cans can give so much air and space around instruments that it is truly like being at the recording or concert.

Some who like a more congested soundstage where things all come at roughly the same volume and placement might not like how big a soundstage these cans present. Certain instruments that you were used to hearing in a certain place with a certain volume can change dramatically with these cans. Keep this in mind when buying them. If you want a seat at the concert where everything is separated and well placed, these are for you. In spades these are for you.

 

[doobooloo]

Wow, the CD3000 soundstage is that good? hmm...

what about comfort though? How bad is clamping force, and is the headband big enough for the biggest bigheads? And... how is the p/leather in terms of long listening comfort?

Thanks for all the info!

 

[r3cc0s]

lol
isnt' that an oxymoron? Closed cans with the largest soundstage?
well
hrm... the sony cd-3000? what about the R10? Well anyways, the mdr-3000 is considered closed but it sure as hell leaks and doesn't isolate at all, there is an open part around where the pads are by the driver cover which is open. I assume that these can't really can't be classed as closed, but hey whatever.

Probably one of those Audio Technica W1000's would probably be the most soundstage from a closed can, based upon reviews as I hvaen't had the luxury to hear them yet.

 

[doobooloo]

gah! so it's really an open can!???!

r10... haha... no money...

hmm. how do the w1000s sound compared to the a1000 then?

 

[ServinginEcuador]

Quote:

Originally posted by doobooloo gah! so it's really an open can!???!

The CD3000 IS a closed can! It is not an open can. There is a joint between the ear cups and ear pads, but it is NOT open all the way thru to the driver. You do get about 3db of isolation from outside noise, so if your environment is noisy they will block little noise. They let almost nothing out of the cans, but block precious little.

The CD3Ks have a MUCH, and I mean MUCH larger soundstage than any open set of cans I've ever heard. I owned the Senn 600s for more than two years, and have heard many different open cans from different manufacturers. So far nothing has even come close to these cans. Period! Joelongwood reports that the Beyer 880s do have as large of a soundstage, but the trade-off is a slighty elevated highend that is grating to some. Don't let anyone who doesn't own these cans try to tell you that open cans have a larger soundstage due to the fact that they are open. Theory only, and has no factor in reality in this case.

The CD3Ks offer so much for their price that it's not funny. Their sound is just incredible, and make for very long listening times. Their comfort is also something you'll never regret. They don't clamp down on your head, so if you're into headbanging, these are not for you. They hold well and are hardly noticed, even after 4-6 hours of listening. They do get a little warm under the ear pads, but even that is liveable. The pleather cools down quickly, and in my case never gets hot and sweaty.

 

[Hirsch]

There is a big difference between a closed can with a vent, and an open can. A box speaker with a port is still a box speaker, not a planar.

 

[radrd]

During my very brief comparison of the CD3000 and the W1000, it was obvious that the CD3000 has a larger soundstage. I bet the CD3000 has the largest soundstage of any closed headphone with the possible (probable?) exception of the R10.

The DT880 isn't technically closed IIRC.

 

[ServinginEcuador]

Quote:

Originally posted by radrd The DT880 isn't technically closed IIRC.

I owned the W1000 briefly and agree with RADRD's opinion here. The soundstage of them there Sony's are stunning.

And from what I hear, the Beyer's are rated as semi-closed. Whatever that means??? They look closed to me, but what do I know.

 

[RVD]

Of what I have heard I would say that the CD3000 and W2002 have the widest soundstage I have heard of closed cans. I preferred the soundstage of the W2002 to the CD3000, by a small margin, but both are very good.

Both of these cans leak a little sound and don't isolate as well as other closed headphones, but both of these headphones are like Ety's when compared to the HD600 in leakage and isolation.

 

[doobooloo]

Quote:

Originally posted by ServinginEcuador The CD3000 IS a closed can! It is not an open can. There is a joint between the ear cups and ear pads, but it is NOT open all the way thru to the driver. You do get about 3db of isolation from outside noise, so if your environment is noisy they will block little noise. They let almost nothing out of the cans, but block precious little.

First of all, how much isolation is 3db of isolation?

Secondly, how can it let out almost nothing but block little? Of course, that would be completely ideal for my situation - leak almost no sound yet be able to hear what's going around - but is that technically possible?

I guess all I really want to know is, will my roommate get annoyed at my music playing through the CD3000s in a very quiet dorm room?

 

[deekay]

3dB? Not so much as you expect I think

My senny HD280 have 32dB of isolation and if I§m listenning to the music little bit loud, people around me are hearing it as a whispering. I think you should not go under 20dB of isolation.

 

[Hirsch]

Quote:

Originally posted by radrd During my very brief comparison of the CD3000 and the W1000, it was obvious that the CD3000 has a larger soundstage. I bet the CD3000 has the largest soundstage of any closed headphone with the possible (probable?) exception of the R10.

Definite. The imaging ability of the R10 is a large part of its magic. The sense of a real acoustic space is uncanny, particularly for a headphone.