[Hiyono]

Thinking of getting a pair of these to go with my esw11ltd. Or saving for the new Audeze EL8.

I just got to try the EL8 over the weekend and I'm impressed with the quality build and sound.

I also love the sound of the new esw9ltd. The joints and the new pads are a nice upgrade over the 11ltds.

 

[RAFA]

Just wanted to tell you how great this combo sounds. Hiby Music App --> 128gb SDXC --> Samsung Galaxy S3 --> Fostex HP-A8 --> ESW9LTD

Tsuyoshi Yamamoto Trio - Autumn in Seattle: High hat is perfect, piano sounds just right, bass is also exact. nothing is missing. It is an intimate sound (the good intimate, not congested).

Lana Del Rey - Born To Die: Her voice sounds just beautiful. Effortless presentation

 

[Maxx134]

Just wanted to tell you how great this combo sounds. Hiby Music App --> 128gb SDXC --> Samsung Galaxy S3 --> Fostex HP-A8 --> ESW9LTD

Tsuyoshi Yamamoto Trio - Autumn in Seattle: High hat is perfect, piano sounds just right, bass is also exact. nothing is missing. It is an intimate sound (the good intimate, not congested).

Lana Del Rey - Born To Die: Her voice sounds just beautiful. Effortless presentation

your impressions I have to agree 100% as I am using mine every day they simply do not stop amazing me with their presentation.


You have noted what I would say is a perfection in tonallity and timbre of sounds from instruments to vocals,
all are presented in a beautiful way,

Which is a realization that Audio Technica has MASTERED the usage of wood in cans above and beyond what any other manufacturer I believe could do...

It's is not even an wood sound quality like the esw10jpn or esw11ltd.
It is an impression of livley timbre and tonal certainty that proceeds from this unit(!),
which gives more realism than I have herd in my music with any other headphones..
My music sounds like a higher bit rate version with these headphones. ..

I am not saying It is a perfect headphone as it does not have great isolation, but it is a most enjoyable one.

There are many cans out there for different purposes.
This one has the elusive "maical quality" that the "anv, ltd, jpn" series have..

 

[RAFA]

your impressions I have to agree 100% as I am using mine every day they simply do not stop amazing me with their presentation.


You have noted what I would say is a perfection in tonallity and timbre of sounds from instruments to vocals,
all are presented in a beautiful way,

Which is a realization that Audio Technica has MASTERED the usage of wood in cans above and beyond what any other manufacturer I believe could do...

It's is not even an wood sound quality like the esw10jpn or esw11ltd.
It is an impression of livley timbre and tonal certainty that proceeds from this unit(!),
which gives more realism than I have herd in my music with any other headphones..
My music sounds like a higher bit rate version with these headphones. ..

I am not saying It is a perfect headphone as it does not have great isolation, but it is a most enjoyable one.

There are many cans out there for different purposes.
This one has the elusive "maical quality" that the "anv, ltd, jpn" series have..

True. They beautifuly interpret your music. The 11ltd and the 9ltd are the headphones to go if you want to enjoy music.

Also it should be said, that the ESW9LTD are not so forgiving like the normal ESW9. Bad recording or mastering can be easily distinguished from good.

 

[Maxx134]

Yes whats funny is that it unforgivingly conveys the bad recordings beautifuly..

 

[dallan]

The esw9ldt is much more forgiving than the esw10jpn.

 

[RAFA]

The esw9ldt is much more forgiving than the esw10jpn.

Back then, I was deciding between the ESW9 and the JPN and took the cheaper way. Now I regret it.

 

[wolfen68]

Also it should be said, that the ESW9LTD are not so forgiving like the normal ESW9. Bad recording or mastering can be easily distinguished from good.

 
This is very true.  I find the ESW9's very forgiving and enjoyable.  Often when using my ESW9LTD I will notice that a certain song sounds flat, dry or lacking punch/dynamics.  Almost every time it is the recording, as moving on to a well done recording really shows the ESW9LTD as providing a beautiful and more intricate presentation then the ESW9. 

 

[Maxx134]

The esw9ldt is much more forgiving than the esw10jpn.

Hey! No fair!

You should post a pic of your "my precious" next to the esw9ltd.

 

[Maxx134]

Back then, I was deciding between the ESW9 and the JPN and took the cheaper way. Now I regret it.

It really depends which sonic presentation you prefer As it's more of a choice as they both have different great sound.

I would say the jpn is a bit more neutral or mid centric while the esw9 is on the sweeter side with a slight recession of lower mids which is extremly well done so as to give it a sweet impressively uncongested soundstage for its size .

Still it is much more neutral than the older esw9 which had a fatter juicy & less resolution bass...

The jpn is more intimate and thus more perception of a revieling nature but also about twice as more a "solid" tonality in the mids to bass hits,
so the esw9ltd comes out with edge on bass impression..

In other words for me I am prefering the esw9ltd sonic impression and balance of a sweeter yet balanced resolving nature from my memory of the jpn model which was a more tuned in image of resolving nature.

So Dallan correct me if I am a bit off as you have the "my precious"..

 

[dallan]

It really depends which sonic presentation you prefer As it's more of a choice as they both have different great sound.

I would say the jpn is a bit more neutral or mid centric while the esw9 is on the sweeter side with a slight recession of lower mids which is extremly well done so as to give it a sweet impressively uncongested soundstage for its size .

Still it is much more neutral than the older esw9 which had a fatter juicy & less resolution bass...

The jpn is more intimate and thus more perception of a revieling nature but also about twice as more a "solid" tonality in the mids to bass hits,
so the esw9ltd comes out with edge on bass impression..

In other words for me I am prefering the esw9ltd sonic impression and balance of a sweeter resolving nature from my memory of the jpn model..

So Dallan correct me if I am a bit off as you have the "my precious"..

Sorry, i like the jpn better. I was thinking that it was just an issue of sound signature and but after doing a lot of comparing I feel they are just better. The good news is that the ltd is much closer to the jpn then the original 9's in terms of resolution and dynamics, not just half way. Originally i said half way but that was more referring to sound signature. When you put sound signature aside and just take the phone for overall clarity/transparancy and dynamics instead of how you want your level of balance(i.e. jpn is more punchy bass and clearer but ltd is warmer but not more with less treble, more bass weight) the jpn is better. Like i said though, the ltd is getting close while the original is a different animal on a lower level. I use the ltd most of the time fwiw. Don't like taking the jpn out so much but every time i do it is stunning. I think it will become another L3000. 

 

[Maxx134]

Exactly well put, as usual..

And to add to that, I have alwasy stated that it is a farce and utter fable to think you could ever mod an esw9 to sound like an esw10jpn..
Its just "no way" not gonna happen and that "Germania" thread was an utter waste of time and utter downright lie IMHO.

I posted similar thought there it is simply not possible...

I have tried many ways to approach the JPN sound and closest I could get was a sonic level just a slight step up over the the esw9 but not approaching the other two(esw10jpn&esw9ltd).

The esw10jpn & esw9ltd are the only two cans I would'nt dare think to open to mod, because they hit a nerve to my core, of trueness.
There was a "sweet spot" of tonal/timbre certainty, where I said oh schiit, they got it just right...
It is alive.

First time that occured was with the w3000anv..
Superceeded by my current HD800s.
I even moded those hd800s and my Ultrasone ED8,
so nothing was "off-limits" for me.
Check out my sig and you will see,
Only the esw10jpn, and now esw9ltd are,
"The Untouchables"..

 

[cky8]

I really like my esw11ltd. Sold all my other headphones. But reading through the posts here still makes me excited. Of course there is this subjective factor, but would someone like me be missing out big time not having the esw9ltd and esw10jpn in pocession?

 

[Maxx134]

No dont worry I would say the esw11 is like a larger warmer sweet caramel to the esw9tld
sweet vanilla and the esw10jpn like a cool coconut flavor..
lol
You only loose out if you like all the flavors..


The esw11 was to me tied with ed8 level,
which is top portable leveL..

My own prefernce tast was of a brighter nature in mids so I stayed with the ed8,
which are now collecting dust while I have fun with my esw9ltd..

 

[Hiyono]

I got my pair this weekend. Burning in now.