HF-1, AT AD2000, RS-1 comparison

[ScubaSteve87]

I recieved my Audio Technica AD2000 in the mail today, so I took them to the local audio shop to compare them to the RS-1. I will also provide comparison to the HF-1 which I sold about a week ago. I wanted to compare the AD2000 to the RS-1 because I have read they have similar sounds. The Ad2000 isn't burned in at all, so take that in to consideration. All listening was done straight out of an ipod with most of the songs at 320 and some at 120 (bummer I sold my g-lite so I couldn't use it). Most of the songs were Guster, specifically Parachute, Careful, Deamons, Amsterdam. Also used was various rap artists, (Zion I, Deltron 3030, The Grits), hawthore heights, and Nirvana- Smells like Teen Spirit.

Appearence/Build Quality: This has to go to the RS-1 or the Ad2. The AD2 looks great and is made out of sturdy metal materials. The RS-1's wood just looks awesome too. HF-1, black plastic is not so hot

Comfort: All the way to the AD2. I love the wings that support the phone. Part of the reason I sold the HF-1 was because of the mahor comfort issues. I could listen to them for a while, but still it would begin to bother me ever so slightly.

Bass: RS-1 is the best. Great control, goes deep, hits hard. HF-1 hits just as hard, maybe even more, but is ever so slightly less controlled and also does not go as low. The AD200 has nice tightly controlled bass, very detailed too, it really shows how bad the headphone out is and how bad 128kbps is. I think it also goes lower than the RS-1. My "test" track for low bass is Binary Star- KGB and it could take it no problem. Not as much impact as the RS-1 though. The RS-1 also has more bass quantity.

Mids/Vocals: Tie between the RS-1 and Ad2000. Both of these have awesom mids, just nice and smooth, also incredibly detailed. HF-1 lacks compared to both of these

Highs: AD2 takes the cake. The attack on high notes on these is just awesome. Its hard to explain, but it seems brighter than the RS-1, but the sound is not as fatiguing. The plucks and guitar strings and cymbal hits are just soo quick and right on. Very quick decay. I also think that is is because the AD200 is more detailed than the RS-1 or HF-1.

Detail: Ad2, I think this just is more detailed than the RS-1, plain and simple

Soundstage: AD2. The RS-1 is just such a small soundstage. The AD2's sound stage seems to have a lot more air around it. It seems a much more speaker like than any of the Grado's, I never really feel too much like the singer is camped inside my brain.

Conclusion:

This is a very early review with a lackluster source, but I really like the AD2000 so far. I also loved the sound of the RS-1. The RS-1 has a warmer sound, but for some reason the small sound stage and closesnes of it make it more fatiguing to my ears. The nice airy space of the AD200 makes it nice and easy to listen too. And the HF-1.....I thiink that the HF-1 is really good, but the RS-1 is just better. It basically takes everything of the HF-1 and takes it one step further. The only thing I found maybe a little better about the HF-1 is that it had more impact. I think that it will be interesting to see how the Ad200 improves with burn in and proper ampage (Millet, and DAC-AH soon to be

). Hopefully in a few weeks I will be able to write a proper review.

EDIT: Here are a few quick pics, sorry for the horrible camera skillz, the camera is broken too. The AD2000 also sounds HORRIBLE out of the headphone jack on my comp, just horrible

See pics in post #5 below. Wmcmanus

 

[Hey_Its_Cole]

I have been really tempted by the 2000s lately, I loved my a900s when I had them, anxious to hear more impressions.

 

[eclipse]

I have not heard any RS-1's but the AD2000's are just in another category to the HF-1's. I really like mine. I am waiting for a comparison to the new AT-5000's.

re- your computer that is odd and the other phones sound OK out of it?
I have a Toshiba laptop just now and they sound quite acceptable out of it - good in fact.

keep the impressions coming as they burn in. I got mine on the FS forum here so they were burnt in but my initail impressions were open, airy and effortless, just a pleasure to listen to.

Leonard

 

[ayt999]

wow, huge pics.

maybe resize them for those without displays that can display those 1800-pixel wide pictures at once so they don't have to constantly scroll sideways to read your impressions? my 24-inch LCD just barely allows me to read it without scrolling.

anyways, thanks for the impressions (and the pictures).

 

[Wmcmanus]

ScubaSteve87, I hope you don't mind my taking the liberty to edit the pics
out of your initial post and moving them to here by quoting only the pics. It
was very distracting to have to scroll back and forth to read your impressions.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScubaSteve87

 

[Wmcmanus]

Thanks for posting you early impressions. It will be interesting to see how the "flavors develop" after they have broken in for a while and you have a chance to hear them with a better source. Please keep us posted. You've one of a rare few Head-Fi'ers who has heard the AD2000's, or so it seems. I've got a pair of these and also the W5000's on the way and can't wait!

 

[ScubaSteve87]

whoops, sorry about the huge pics. I think the one thing I really love about these headphones is the comfort. All SQ aside, Its like a nice clean air ride suspension. The Grado's are like riding a radio flyer station wagon down Mt. St. Helens

 

[Elephas]

Welcome to Team AD2000!

I agree with your assessment of the RS-1 vs. AD2000. The AD2000 is bright without treble harshness or sibilance. The RS-1 has more bass quantity and impact. The AD2000's bass goes deep but quantity is not as much. Both don't have the bass quantity or quality of the L3000.

Both RS-1 and AD2000 are airy-sounding. The AD2000 has a special airyness despite a smaller soundstage than the DT880 or HD650. Vocals are forward-sounding with air and separation between instruments. The AD2000 lacks the RS-1's distinctive coloration, though, that makes the RS-1 special. To me, the AD2000 is more neutral-sounding and versatile.

The HF-1 also sounds great and can be very enjoyable to use. However, it is not quite in the same class as the RS-1 or AD2000.

 

[kcits]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elephas The AD2000 has a special airyness despite a smaller soundstage than the DT880 or HD650. Vocals are forward-sounding with air and separation between instruments.

that's interesting. i'm quite curious about the ad2k

which would you say has the most "open-sounding" soundstage between the ad2k & hd650? do you think one of the two 'phones separates instruments a little better than the other?

thanks

 

[james__bean]

I've been wanting the AD2000's for a long time. Then I heard about the W5000 and well, I sort of found a new headphone to top my wishlist. I think I'm going to wait for more comparisons between the two before deciding oh which one to pull the trigger on. It seems like the things I dislike most about the A900 are better with the AD2000, which just spikes my curiousity even more.

 

[ScubaSteve87]

Just some quick Next Impressions not related to much to the AD2000. The DAC-AH had arrived. Current listening setup is:

Itunes (320, sorry lossless won't work with foobar)-> foobar pass through and resampled to 48 khz-> AC97 onboard optical out->Glass toslink->Lite DAC-AH->Cmoy

-> AD2000

First things first: I now know what Sibilance is

Compared to the Ipod line out and the cmoy, the DAC-AH is much much smoother. The detail level is much greater too. Some of the drums and cymbals are just so far out in the sound stage, it makes you feel that you are just in the middle of it all. The vocals are positioned more forward on the DAC-AH though. I did a lot of AB testing with the ipod line out compared to the DAC-AH. I can hear the harshness now of the ipod line out. The DAC-AH is so smooth, especially in how it presents vocals and guitars. Even a cello was amazing. Through the ipod I could hear a lot of sibilance during the cello's part, but the DAC-AH just presented it so smoothly it seemd live. It does not seem as quick in the attack now as the ipod, but I still like the sound. Its not a night and day difference though, took me a while of critical listeing to decide this stuff.

I think that I can see how the mids of the AD200 really shine now, just beautiful and smooth, especially on vocals and string instruments. I can also hear how bad the 128 files are now. Looks like its time for me to pick up some new CD's


I'll prob post this as another thread too in the source forumns since its mostly impressions of the DAC-AH

 

[KZEE]

Scuba Steve, which Madison audio shop are those RS-1's at? University Audio?

 

[Elephas]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kcits that's interesting. i'm quite curious about the ad2k which would you say has the most "open-sounding" soundstage between the ad2k & hd650? do you think one of the two 'phones separates instruments a little better than the other? thanks

The HD650's soundstage is larger than the AD2000's.

The AD2000 is "airier" and highs are more detailed. Instrument separation is clearer and individual sounds are more distinct. Its forwardness and details contrasts with the HD650's distant sound and smoothness.

Both lack the Grado RS-1 or HF-1's type of sheer enjoyability for some fast-paced music.

 

[ScubaSteve87]

Quote:

Originally Posted by KZEE Scuba Steve, which Madison audio shop are those RS-1's at? University Audio?

Yep the owner has a pair so he brought them in so I could test them out. You should probably call them to make sure they have them still. If not im sure the owner can just drop them off again

 

[Jon L]

"Itunes (320, sorry lossless won't work with foobar)-> foobar pass through and resampled to 48 khz-> AC97 onboard optical out->Glass toslink->Lite DAC-AH->Cmoy -> AD2000"

What's going on with this setup?? Just bite the bullet and convert your apple lossless files to Flac and play them on Foobar with ASIO. Foobar does not sound impressive without ASIO. Resampling to 48kHz using Foobar software does not sound very good, either.

You also need to do something to bypass onboard resampling, preferably with something that has coax digital out. There are many options here in the form of outboard USB cards with digital out. Your DAC and AD2000 are not shining as brightly as they could...