[Neruda]

EDIT: this is an old thread I'm bumping back up due to the recent interest in the Audio-Technica line.

I'm getting sort of interested in some of the Japanese Audio-Technica headphones. I doubt they're all good but a few of the models look promising. The models that I'm interested in are the...
the ATH-A55 "Art Monitors":

the ATH-AD10/9's:

the ATH-A9X/7X/5X art monitors:

and lastly, the ATH-A9/7/5 art monitors:

(they all look the same, so I only used one picture)

They're all absolutely massive, probably around the same size as the Sony CD3000's. Other than that, I know very little about them. Their prices range from 11,000 yen ($88) to 35,000 yen ($281). Have any Japanese head-fiers ever used any of these headphones? I'm doubting many people from other areas have, since these seem to be sold exclusively in Japan.

 

[Ross]

I still have an old pair of Audio Technica ATH 911s, which are pretty good, but not quite in the Sennheiser 580 league. I also used to have a pairt of 911 Sovereigns, which was an improved versions of the 911s, and if memory serves me correctly these were competitive with the best headphones out there (sadly one of the drivers failed and I had to throw them out).

A-T used to make some very good headphones, so if the new models are an improvement, they may well be worth investigating.

 

[jude]

Wow, those the ATH-AD10/9's look absolutely fantastic to my eyes! I don't know how they sound, but they certainly do look good.

 

[Neruda]

The 911's are their US headphones, I believe. So these may be completely different.

 

[lini]

Anybody heard the ATH-908, by the way?

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini

 

[Tomcat]

Neruda, this is like déjà-vu all over again. Another review, for the Head-Fiers: I own the ATH-A5. It has a very good efficiency and dynamic range, better than the AKG K 501, Senns HD 580/600, and slightly better than the Beyer DT 990 Pro-250 Ohm. It has warmer and - to my ears - more believable tonal balance than the AKG and Senns, it has deeper and tighter bass, it is more lively, and has more immediacy. I always prefered it to the AKGs and Senns. It is less fatiguing to me and musically more involving. The soundstage is quite nice, probably due to drivers that are positioned at an angle, in the high-end Sony-fashion (it is far warmer and, to my ears, more musical than the CD 3000, though). However, there are some resonances, and the ATH-A5 is not quite as smooth, coherent and convincing as the Beyer 990 Pro-250, which has superior timbre. And the Beyer has even better, deeper and tighter bass response and superior soundstaging as well.

Now that this is out of the way, to something new. I always had some problems to create a really tight seal bewteen the earpads of the ATH-A5 and my head - what resulted in a decrease of bass response and extension. The entire headband design was too rigid to allow for a lot of adjustment. The design of the ATH-A55 looks somewhat different - maybe they have tackled this problem. The sensitivity of the A5 had been stated as 99dB/mW I think, and they now claim 102dB for the A55 on their Japanese website. I think the rest of the specs are similar, as well as the Japanese price. I have paid 130 Deutsche Mark for the A5 a couple of years ago, that is about 60 US-Dollars.

I never managed to listen to any of the other Audio Technica phones you mention, but I would love to try the A55. Could be that they are intended to replace all the older "Art Monitor" series headphones. Since I stumbled across my ATH-A5 at a German electronics chain, that imported them directly, listening to any of them (or even buying them) might be extremely difficult. I have never seen them advertised anywhere else than on Japanese sites. Neruda, you would tell us, if you managed to get one, wouldn't you? They might be worth the effort.

 

[Neruda]

wow, that's one glowing review! Of course I'd like to get my hands on one, but first i need to find a place to buy from (there are a lot of Japanese sites that sell them, but they have yet to sell the A55 and who knows how many will sell to the US) and then I need to get some money

. I would also like to hear some more opinions, of course, but I like what I've heard so far

.

 

[sapphiremodena]

The ATH-A9X/7X/5X Art Monitors are DAMN nice lookin' !!!

 

[KR...]

Here are some more Audio-Technica headphone pics :

Audio-Technica ATH-W100

Audio-Technica ATH-W11R

 

[Neruda]

ah yes, their wooden headphones...too nice for the likes of me

. I agree with sapphiremodena, the "X" art monitors are very sweet. The silver one is probably too flashy for me, but that purplish-colored 7X would be very nice, indeed.

 

[KR...]

Also, what the deal with these AT headphones? The 1st one we all know, but's what's the story on the camouflage headphones or those pimp cans?

 

[Neruda]

Aw, come on KR! Don't you want a nice pair of leopard-skin headphones for your collection?

 

[KR...]

Quote:

Aw, come on KR! Don't you want a nice pair of leopard-skin headphones for your collection?

LOL,...no.

But, really besides pimps, who would really need leopard-skin headphones?

 

[Neruda]

hmm... pimp wannabes? uh...losers?

 

[MooGoesTheCow]

hey pablo, those are some sweet lookin cans!

i wonder why AT is unheard of in the US...there certainly would be a market for them