My ATH-A100Tis..sigh..
Nov 13, 2002 at 2:57 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 42
ablaze

ablaze

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today, after all the research and trepidation and excitement and waiting..FINALLY, my postman called to say that I had a package for collection. ran to the post office, collected the box and came back.

then excitedly, and nervously, I tore the box open (akin to lil kids at Christmas
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) and there it was. FINALLY. my first pair of audiophile headphones. looking at the Japanese packaging, savouring every moment of finally receiving my cans. it was delicious and I was lapping it up. then, somehow amidst all the fumbling with the package, the bubble wrap, the box, the cans, the cables and all the other lil bits in the package..somehow..and horribly, I saw in slow motion my brand new, delightfully-seductive shimmery-blue cans...fall off the chair and hit the uncarpeted floor with a metallic *clunk*! I was horrified!!! MY BRAND NEW BEAUTIFUL $300 (nearly) A100s!!! I felt horrible after that. sure I handle expensive electronics like MD players, discmans, mobile phones with the utmost care..but headphones..guess I'm just used to chucking them all over the place without a second thought.

and now..here I am...a painful. heart-wrenching lesson learnt.
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the right cup looks pristine, but the left..it looks like someone had dug one of his fingernails into the titanium cup, not deeply, but just enough to be visible. sigh.
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and all within 30min of receiving the cans. guess it would've happened sooner or later..but having owned it for just 30min..feels like a little part of me just died. *sob*
 
Nov 13, 2002 at 3:08 PM Post #2 of 42
I'm no audiophile (give me a couple of years
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) but first impressions: its BRIGHT. note: I only have the memory of my Sony 7506s to compare with (now with bangraman). the bass has got all the thump of the sonys (just the way I like it) and seemingly a bit more, the mids are there. voices really sing now, unlike before. the highs..even for me, I feel they're a lil too bright for now, but according to Lou, they should mellow out after burn-in.

my source is currently a CD-rom with an audigy2 (don't scoff! it actually sounds better to me than my Pioneer DVD setup in the living room!
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) unamped. I'm thinking an amp would REALLLY bring out the full potential of these cans. cos right now..I'm impressed, but not impressed enough to feel that the price-tag of 3X the Sonys is justifiable.

oh yeah, soundstage: I'd say they're miles better than the Sonys (which isn't saying very much from what I read
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) listening to Stephen King's "the mist" was amazing. its unreal. no longer does it seem like I was listening from headphones. I had this uncannily real feeling (if I closed my eyes) that I was IN the story. and that there were people all around me! it was totally surreal
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Nov 13, 2002 at 4:20 PM Post #4 of 42
ablaze
HI: Well you got them. Good luck with them. I burned mine in for 100 hours with rock music just a little louder than I would listen to but found myself listening to them often while burning them in. They are so hard to take off and stop listing to them. The highs will mellow out after a good burn in and you will have in my opinion the best cans available in that price range. As far as dropping them that is also call a break in.LOL. Now you wont be scared to mess them up and just enjoy them. Please post on them as you burn them in. Post lots of times as you hear better and better sound.
 
Nov 13, 2002 at 4:27 PM Post #5 of 42
Congrats on the A100's, seems like your liking them so far. Sorry to hear you scratched them already, that kinda sucks. Hmmmm, from the pics of the A1000 they look like they may be au natural titanium. Can anyone confirm this? If so they shouldn't be so easily scratched.

As for break-in I think most people use bass heavy music on repeat at a level a little louder than you would normally listen. You could also use white noise, that should work as well.

Well have fun with them and keep us posted on how the break-in goes.

Phil
 
Nov 13, 2002 at 4:41 PM Post #6 of 42
ablaze, congrats to your new toy!

Don't be shy with the loudness level during break-in! The louder and bassy-er, the better and faster.
 
Nov 13, 2002 at 5:13 PM Post #9 of 42
ablaze
HI: OK next step to awesome sound. Contact JMT for a Max Out META42. Then you will be lost for a good while in music bliss. JMT is very very fair and will put a smile on your face .
 
Nov 13, 2002 at 5:14 PM Post #10 of 42
Sorry friend.
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I know the feeling of loss when your electronics get scratched, etc. Its horrible.
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Anyway, just put your cd player on repeat for about a week, and you'll be ok. Try loud and bassy music.
 
Nov 13, 2002 at 11:50 PM Post #13 of 42
Quote:

I'm no audiophile (give me a couple of years ) but first impressions: its BRIGHT. note: I only have the memory of my Sony 7506s to compare with


I've never owned either of these phones (but I've owned the W2002 and the CD3000), but I'd say-- don't panic. You may come to find in time that your original reference phones were "dark" rather than the new ones being "bright".

Break-in is 80% psychological/mental. Your ears/brain need time to adjust. Hang in there.

Mark
 
Nov 14, 2002 at 12:17 AM Post #14 of 42
Quote:

Originally posted by Calanctus
Pink noise (not white) is said to work the best for general breakin.


DOH! I got caught, I couldn't remember which it was we used to break in speakers but I thought it was white for some reason. Thanx for correcting me.
 
Nov 14, 2002 at 12:32 AM Post #15 of 42
markl
HI: I agree with you. Many of my other cans either had a high end role off or just didn't go all the way through the highs the way the ATs do. For the first time I am hearing highs the way they were recorded with the AT cans.
 
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