[Mach3]

  Well, just ordered a pair. I already have the W3000ANV, but I couldn't resist. Would love to have an AT woodie collection. I've heard some of the others, and liked them. Not all-purpose cans, but they hit the spot in certain moods and musics. Agree with what earfonia said about the AT's.
 
Does anyone here have any experience with the W5000 and classical music? From my brief listen with them it seems like that is what they would be most suited for. I listen to a lot of classical music. Hmm...

 
Stockwise the W5000 aren't great for classical music. The biggest problem is the ear pads are too thin and don't offer a great seal. It's also reason why there a huge low end dip and why a lot of people bend the frame to apply more pressure for a better seal.
I myself have found a much better way to resolve this.
While not doing permanent damage to the frame by physically bending it.
Tried this on the W1000X, W3000ANV and W5000 with great success. Foam is 8mm think.
If you're not good at DIY or can't be bothered. The W1000X I purchased came with brainwavz thick memory foam pads which works also.
 

 

[earfonia]

  The FA (Fischer Audio) woodies I have aren't just FA-003 with wood cup. The one I have consist of the following
 
FA-003 Ti (Titanium) with Bog Oak (2090 year old wood) wood cups.
Basically it a FA-003 driver with a titanium coating resulting in a more crisp and clear highs. Neutrally more flat than W1000Z, so less pronounce bass and vocals
 
FA-002w Limited Edition Japan with Karelian Birch wood cups. 
FA-003 with APE-02S (passive frequency response filter). Does sound better than the FA-003 but with the APE-02S it make them much harder to drive.
 
FA-002w High Edition with Cherry Wood cups
FA-003 with APE-02S slight warmer sound than the Karelian Birch.
 
FA-003w High Edition with Zebra Wood cups (Not shown in photo above)
FA-003 with wood cups and no APE-02S filter

 
To some up the FA woodies are tune closer to the HD600 sound signature and are sometimes referred to as what HD600 would sound like in a closed configuration.
In terms of sound quality
FA-003 TiW > FA-002w HE > FA-003w
 
W1000Z is not really better than the FA-003 TiW, just very different sound signature. I would say a lot of people would prefer the W1000Z sound more.
Due to the fact the FA-003 Ti are harder to drive properly at 64 ohm vs W1000Z 43 Ohm. The FA-002w HE are the hardest to drive out of the pack at 200 ohm.
In term of value I do feel the W1000Z offer much better value, build quality feel more luxury and expensive. Example FA-003 Ti is $199 plus the Bog Oak wood cups $500. 

 
Wonderful collection you have there!
 
Thanks for the impressions!

 

[lostinthesauce]

What I have used with great success is medical O2 (oxygen) tubing. Wrap them around the outside of the pad to get a rough size cut then trim them down. I do have ridiculously big ears, so this allows the pads to flex enough to accommodate them. Trying to insert the foam, for me, just isn't as comfortable.

 

[Mach3]

Wonderful collection you have there!

Thanks for the impressions!

Thank you and you are most welcome

What I have used with great success is medical O2 (oxygen) tubing. Wrap them around the outside of the pad to get a rough size cut then trim them down. I do have ridiculously big ears, so this allows the pads to flex enough to accommodate them. Trying to insert the foam, for me, just isn't as comfortable.

Yes I agree as I have heard a W3000ANV with such configure with rubber tubes. However the foam I mention are more readily available. Either method will work and make the headphone sound more musical.

 

[lostinthesauce]

Thank you and you are most welcome
Yes I agree as I have heard a W3000ANV with such configure with rubber tubes. However the foam I mention are more readily available. Either method will work and make the headphone sound more musical.

I have a lot of paramedic friends so find it easier to get the tubing.

By the way, I love your collection also.

 

[Ra97oR]

I prefer bending to the headphones to shape than padding the pads. Change of the distance from your ears to the driver will change the sounds signature and I would avoid doing so if possible.

 

[lostinthesauce]

I prefer bending to the headphones to shape than padding the pads. Change of the distance from your ears to the driver will change the sounds signature and I would avoid doing so if possible.

I could be wrong, but it seems to me that bending the frame would increase the pressure on the pads and thus bring the drivers closer. Less space for them to do their job. I know on all of the headphones I have put the tube into it had been a positive step to my non-golden ears. The ATH-M50S benefited the most as the bass tightened up and the sound stage got a little bigger.

As an aside, I must have the same size head as the AT engineering department as I have not had any fitment problems that others have complained about on this forum for the various headphones I own. And that includes the rubber band mod.

 

[Mach3]

I have a lot of paramedic friends so find it easier to get the tubing.

By the way, I love your collection also.

 



Wish I have paramedic friends too  
Thanks you, now I just need the ath-esw10jpn and the ath-esw11ltd to finish my woodies collection.
 
 
Quote:

I prefer bending to the headphones to shape than padding the pads. Change of the distance from your ears to the driver will change the sounds signature and I would avoid doing so if possible.

 
Bending the frame to getting more pressure is like using your hand to apply pressure to the ear cups. Yes it does sound more musical, but it also sounds more narrow and closed in a negative way due to the ear being much closer to the drivers. But hey if you it works for you, more power to you

 

[Mach3]

Spent the night listening to Katie Melusa with this beauty. The W1000Z is really growing to me even more since I've got them. Well deserved Hi-Res Audio stamp of approval. Anyone still um and ah..ring to leave the mid fi looking for a good over all closed cans. Look no further.
 

 

[the wizard of oz]

W5000 I enjoy for many different genres of music, but I must admit that since I tried the AD2000X in the AT Store in Paris, I found that that headphone had better tonal balance, and more accurate timbre for piano music.
Doesn't hit quite as low as the W5000 though, but then they are open headphones.

 

[parrymike]

  The original W1000 is very different compared to the W1000X.
 
Whereas the W1000X tends to sound a bit squished in, with a more forward and aggressive, bassy sound, the original is a polite well-mannered headphone with very good treble extension, very good sense of space and separation, but with very little bass.
 
In fact, even after modification, its bass still doesn't reach low enough for a more "realistic" rendition. It sounds like it cuts off pretty abruptly, making you want more.
 
But its mid and treble far eclipses that of any other W headphone released afterwards IMO. It has a very clean and neutral sound signature for an Audio Technica headphone, though the midrange is still forward in the same sense.
 
If it had just a smidgen more bass extension, it would have been the flagship IMO, because there is no other headphone from Audio Technica that could portray space and cleanliness the way the W1000 did.
 
Anyway, interested in how this W1000Z will be tuned. I can see they brought the leather ear pads back. Or maybe it's synthetic?

 
Did Bill-P ever reveal details of his W1000 mod? I'd be very interested to to give them a try.

 

[Arcamera]

Got these recently. I've been really enjoying them. Lovely. Spacious, articulate, shimmering, intimate. Well done AT

 

[Jeangenie]

   
Ok I had a chance to compared it with the W1000X & W3000ANV.
 
Bass Quality - Surperb but not super extended, impactful and punchy. Does bleed into mid in anyway.
Bass Quantity - Improvement over the W1000Z which I feel was slight south of neutral. Obviously the W3000ANV offer more bass quantity
Mids - Magical like the W3000ANV, however the W3000ANV vocal sounds more forward.
Treble - Very refined and not sounding grainy at all. A hair more extended than the W3000ANV
Sound Stage - Slighty ahead of the W3000ANV
Imaging - On par/very close with the W3000ANV
 
With the new W1000Z I felt better tonal balance throughout the spectrum compared to the W1000X, specially the much needed slight bass boost.
I love the improved build quality and the thicker ear pads. I tried it on the W3000ANV and it seem to sound more spacious, giving a better sense of openness.
The W1000Z and W3000ANV frame is exactly the same material/colour. Only different is the thicker non lamb skin ear pads, wood cups and sleeved cable.
In the sound front, the W1000Z is tonal tuned more nuetral/transparent than the W3000ANV.
The W3000ANV bass quality and quantity is on the warmer side and is a major factor that set it apart from the W1000Z.
Even though the W3000ANV is not neutral and more laid back, I still feel it a euphonic/mucical masterpiece in it's own right the.
 
I feel for the price paid for the W1000Z $460 USD delivered, the W1000Z offers excellent sound and value.
Alot of people dislike the angel wing design, but it works for me.

can you compare the w1000z with the TH900?
Whats your favorite Closed Can that isn't the W3000ANV?
Which can would you consider the most neutral

 

[SunTanScanMan]

  Got these recently. I've been really enjoying them. Lovely. Spacious, articulate, shimmering, intimate. Well done AT

Which of your amps are you using them with?

 

[Arcamera]

 
Which of your amps are you using them with?

I use them with the WA6. I really like the 6 with AT's, from what I've experimented with so far.