Kodhifi
500+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Jan 6, 2013
- Posts
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Let me preface by saying I never heard the non X version of these headphones and the only other AT set I have is the M50 so I can't tell you if these are based on 900's or 700's. I can only tell you I'm now a huge AT fan and please sir may I have some more.
Review:
I have a lot of mid range headphones with my best being HD650 and HE400. I also have Q701 and DT880/DT990 so I know the signature sound most manufacturers go for. I've ignored AT until recently and I've enjoyed my new M50x so much I decided to give ATH-ADG1X a try as a gaming and part time music headset.
Everyone knows Sennheisers sound is darker, AKG's is mid with that Austrian high response, etc. I'm beginning to form an impression from my two AT cans about their sound, and it's a good sound. Very good.
I received the ATH-ADG1X at $250 paid and I would say they are worth the money and then some. They have far more in common with the DT880's and HE400's than they do the cheaper M50x.
- Initial impressions with no burn in:
Clarity
Good bass that doesn't leak into mids or take a mix hostage.
Highs are VERY clear. I'm talking Orthodynamic type clarity.
They are a little grainy but sibilance is minor and their bright sound, even on loud tracks, does not make me wince.
Position isn't important for cups. I don't have to struggle to find a sweet spot, they go on without fuss.
Sound leakage is pretty bad but they are open backed so I'm used to it.
The sound stage is as good as my HE400 or DT880. Much wider than my HD650. Slight hollowness on some orchestral tracks but not enough to sound bad.
- Build Quality: The build is very light and a little too flexible. I will have to see how well they hold up over time.
The wing system fits my head.
No storage case
No removable cable.
In line volume control is very sensitive. Nothing then more nothing, then bam full level. I won't be using it so don't care.
The upper cable part is thick and well built. The 4 conductor to split 3 conductor cable is very thin and of low quality.
Microphone: Best boom mic I have. Better than my modmic on my HD650 by far. More sensitive, rejects noise better, captures a wider range of voice so it sounds more natural. You could use this for voiceover work. I even tried vocals with it and it might work for backing work.
- Auditions:
Cat Stevens - Wild World. This is a bass heavy track for acoustic and this is picked up well. The pick sound is holographic. The subtle drum work is easy to hear and virtually disappears on lesser cans. Vocals are very well balanced. The highs, mids, and lows sound really good.
BT - Animals. The bass is not over powering but I don't find myself wanting to EQ it up either. They are not as punch as the M50 or HE400 for instance, but seem to hold their own with something like an DT990 bass profile, present, extensive, but open. The track sounds very good with more presence in the vocals than in a more V shaped headphone. Listened on high volume without wincing as in spite of the high frequency content and clarity it isn't sibilant or resonant spiked. Highs remind me of HE400 and DT880 on this track
Yeasayer O.N.E. The bass impact is spot on and I heard the drums wrap around my ears instead of between them. The sound stage is expansive with warm vocals that surround you. This track is real easy to over saturate and sound like a wall of noise but the open nature of these headphones really helped keep it dynamic and interesting even at high volume. The texture of the synth bass is very apparent as the resonant filters move around and distortion.
This song has a hand clap. I never heard that before lol. These headphones really tame this song without letting it get boring or the bass over powering. A very well balanced presentation.
Rufus Wainwright - Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk. The bass really comes up on this song with a tight acoustic feel like a close sitting in a cabaret. Rufus voice takes dead center and hides behind a veil as it does even on my best headphones. The piano is much more prominent in the mix and there is so much going on with subtle touches like the strings at 1:35 this is a joy to listen to on such open headphones. I'm thinking to myself I get this kind of good sound on most of my good headphones but this still sounds fresh. There is something about the AT sound that I really like. I can see these sharing time with my 650/He400 duo and becoming a power trio.
Honestly these headphone are probably going to be the death of my wallet as I now want to look at their higher end models for dedicated audiophile cans.
Equipment: I didn't even break out the Burr Brown DAC or Schiit Lyr 2. This was all listened to direct from a Soundblaster E5 DAC/AMP
All songs are 16/44 FLAC in foobar wasapi mode.
Review:
I have a lot of mid range headphones with my best being HD650 and HE400. I also have Q701 and DT880/DT990 so I know the signature sound most manufacturers go for. I've ignored AT until recently and I've enjoyed my new M50x so much I decided to give ATH-ADG1X a try as a gaming and part time music headset.
Everyone knows Sennheisers sound is darker, AKG's is mid with that Austrian high response, etc. I'm beginning to form an impression from my two AT cans about their sound, and it's a good sound. Very good.
I received the ATH-ADG1X at $250 paid and I would say they are worth the money and then some. They have far more in common with the DT880's and HE400's than they do the cheaper M50x.
- Initial impressions with no burn in:
Clarity
Good bass that doesn't leak into mids or take a mix hostage.
Highs are VERY clear. I'm talking Orthodynamic type clarity.
They are a little grainy but sibilance is minor and their bright sound, even on loud tracks, does not make me wince.
Position isn't important for cups. I don't have to struggle to find a sweet spot, they go on without fuss.
Sound leakage is pretty bad but they are open backed so I'm used to it.
The sound stage is as good as my HE400 or DT880. Much wider than my HD650. Slight hollowness on some orchestral tracks but not enough to sound bad.
- Build Quality: The build is very light and a little too flexible. I will have to see how well they hold up over time.
The wing system fits my head.
No storage case
No removable cable.
In line volume control is very sensitive. Nothing then more nothing, then bam full level. I won't be using it so don't care.
The upper cable part is thick and well built. The 4 conductor to split 3 conductor cable is very thin and of low quality.
Microphone: Best boom mic I have. Better than my modmic on my HD650 by far. More sensitive, rejects noise better, captures a wider range of voice so it sounds more natural. You could use this for voiceover work. I even tried vocals with it and it might work for backing work.
- Auditions:
Cat Stevens - Wild World. This is a bass heavy track for acoustic and this is picked up well. The pick sound is holographic. The subtle drum work is easy to hear and virtually disappears on lesser cans. Vocals are very well balanced. The highs, mids, and lows sound really good.
BT - Animals. The bass is not over powering but I don't find myself wanting to EQ it up either. They are not as punch as the M50 or HE400 for instance, but seem to hold their own with something like an DT990 bass profile, present, extensive, but open. The track sounds very good with more presence in the vocals than in a more V shaped headphone. Listened on high volume without wincing as in spite of the high frequency content and clarity it isn't sibilant or resonant spiked. Highs remind me of HE400 and DT880 on this track
Yeasayer O.N.E. The bass impact is spot on and I heard the drums wrap around my ears instead of between them. The sound stage is expansive with warm vocals that surround you. This track is real easy to over saturate and sound like a wall of noise but the open nature of these headphones really helped keep it dynamic and interesting even at high volume. The texture of the synth bass is very apparent as the resonant filters move around and distortion.
This song has a hand clap. I never heard that before lol. These headphones really tame this song without letting it get boring or the bass over powering. A very well balanced presentation.
Rufus Wainwright - Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk. The bass really comes up on this song with a tight acoustic feel like a close sitting in a cabaret. Rufus voice takes dead center and hides behind a veil as it does even on my best headphones. The piano is much more prominent in the mix and there is so much going on with subtle touches like the strings at 1:35 this is a joy to listen to on such open headphones. I'm thinking to myself I get this kind of good sound on most of my good headphones but this still sounds fresh. There is something about the AT sound that I really like. I can see these sharing time with my 650/He400 duo and becoming a power trio.
Honestly these headphone are probably going to be the death of my wallet as I now want to look at their higher end models for dedicated audiophile cans.
Equipment: I didn't even break out the Burr Brown DAC or Schiit Lyr 2. This was all listened to direct from a Soundblaster E5 DAC/AMP
All songs are 16/44 FLAC in foobar wasapi mode.
