[AppleheadMay]

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You should sell the P-1u and keep the HA5000ANV =)
 

 
Ok, but why?

 

[uelover]

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Ok, but why?

They are a couple how can you bear to separate them apart you heartless little thing

 
jk.

 

[purrin]

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Frankly I wouldn't mind wearing the LCD2/3 on the street but it is open back so that is not possible... And if I can bear wearing the LCD2, I think it is a waste not to use  the W3000ANV portably for showing off and for others' appreciation of its beauty and let it sit at home, and given that it is closed-back it should exactly serve that purpose. Stuff like K1000 or LCD2/3 should sit at home...    
 

 
 The W3000 is easy to drive - very sensitive and works well out of a iPod. The W3000 isolation is pretty good and suitable if you were sitting around in a library or something, but not in a car, train, or plane. If you just want something portably for showing others appreciation of its awesomeness, you may want to consider a Sony R10. The R10 is the only closed-back which I consider over the W3000. Personally I'd go with a good set of IEMs for portable like the UERM or ES5, but then no one can really see those.

 

[AppleheadMay]

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They are a couple how can you bear to separate them apart you heartless little thing

 
jk.

 
Stop hitting the doggie!  

 

[nikongod]

 
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Stop hitting the doggie!  

Its a cow wearing a saddle. 

 

[AppleheadMay]

Eh? Who 'd put a saddle on a cow?
Anyway, he needs to stop hitting it whatever it is!
 
 
EDIT: I wonder if these ESW9 are real at that price and if that is a valid company?

 

[MikeLa]

 
I ran across this thread researching the ATH-AD2000.  I was looking for another reference headphone to use with a Balancing Act for when the LCD-2's get too heavy.  Well, I ended up purchasing the W3000ANV instead.  I'm still in that honeymoon period, but I've been enjoying them very much with the Balancing Act. From what I was reading, I thought I might be disappointed with their bass, but that hasn't been the case.
 
This is the first AT headphone I've heard.  I was wondering if any W3000ANV users have experience with the ATH-AD2000 and could give me a sense of how it compares to the W3000ANV?

 

[purrin]

Think of the AD2000 as an open version of the W3000 with less bass and more speed. It doesn't have quite the charm of the W3000 with its cup reverb effects, but because it's open, there's more clarity to the sound. They are equal in terms of extraction of detail. 
 
BTW, only a bass-head could think the W3000 is bass lite. Lots of mid-bass, not so much extension though. The AD2000 has adequate to not-enough bass depending upon who you ask.
 
Finally, the AD2000 reminds me a lot of grown up Grado RS-1s without the mid-bass hump and smoother treble.

 

[googleli]

How does the W3000ANV compare with the LCD3?

 
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Think of the AD2000 as an open version of the W3000 with less bass and more speed. It doesn't have quite the charm of the W3000 with its cup reverb effects, but because it's open, there's more clarity to the sound. They are equal in terms of extraction of detail. 
 
BTW, only a bass-head could think the W3000 is bass lite. Lots of mid-bass, not so much extension though. The AD2000 has adequate to not-enough bass depending upon who you ask.
 
Finally, the AD2000 reminds me a lot of grown up Grado RS-1s without the mid-bass hump and smoother treble.

 

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

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Think of the AD2000 as an open version of the W3000 with less bass and more speed. It doesn't have quite the charm of the W3000 with its cup reverb effects, but because it's open, there's more clarity to the sound. They are equal in terms of extraction of detail. 
 
BTW, only a bass-head could think the W3000 is bass lite. Lots of mid-bass, not so much extension though. The AD2000 has adequate to not-enough bass depending upon who you ask.
 
Finally, the AD2000 reminds me a lot of grown up Grado RS-1s without the mid-bass hump and smoother treble.

I did own and enjoy the AD2000 for a while, that was re-cabled with Cardas by Moon Audio.  I was restless and traded them for cash and a balanced SR-325i, but should have stayed with the AD2000 and re-terminated them as balanced instead.  The AD2000 were definitely less aggressive than my old RS-1, but more mid-centric and less punchy.  So you think the W3000ANV is like a closed AD2000?
 

 

[wind016]

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I think they are. I was at another headfiers house a few days ago. As far as a amps goes, he have a liquid fire, dark star, and peak/volcano(peak not present). The headphones that were there were....he-6, T1,  heavily modded d7000, ed8(didn't directly compare them since they are not in the same class as the rest), and hd800. Brent thought the w3000 was the best of the night. I'm a huge he-6 fan, but I might have to agree. I still think overall, the he-6 was the best out of the dark star, but the w3000 out of the liquid fire did some things better than the he-6 did.
 
I had a slight preference for the he-6 because of the bass extension, neutrality and open soundstage. But the mids out of the w3000/liquid fire combo was just sublime along with very precise imaging and effortless treble. It was just a fantastic sounding combo that had excellent synergy. It's the most enjoyable closed headphone I've ever listened to. And if I was face with a choice between these and the r10, I would take these. Not that the r10 isn't excellent, they were by far the best closed headphone I've listened before these . And even better than most open headphones. And still better technically than the w3000, it's just the w3000 does a better job imo at making music sound good.
 
I've been on a quest for the last few years for the perfect closed headphone. My criteria was good isolation, high end sound that can compete with high end open headphones, easy to drive, and beautiful wooden cups. Until now, I've haven't come across such a headphone. There were some that were beautiful(d7000), some that sounded incredible(r10, but not an option for me), some that have great isolation, but none had all of the qualities I was looking for until now. Are they perfect? No, I wish they had more bass extension, maybe be a tad more neutral(but I guess they wouldn't be as romantic sounding either), and even though the isolation is decent, it's not great either. But given the small quibbles, they meet pretty much everything I've been looking for in a closed headphone for the last few years. And these are a pair that I never intend on selling.

I agree with much of what you said. I would take the W3000ANV over the R10. The R10 is ok but not my cup of tea I suppose. I found it really bright and I question its "closed headphone" status.

 

[MikeLa]

Purrin and HeadphoneAddict, thanks for your input.  The AD2000 sounds like a nice headphone. How was the fit, I heard some had problems with their ear touching the inside of the earpiece?

 

[wind016]

 
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Purrin and HeadphoneAddict, thanks for your input.  The AD2000 sounds like a nice headphone. How was the fit, I heard some had problems with their ear touching the inside of the earpiece?

I had that problem. It irritated my ears, but it's a good sounding headphone, though I don't think it sounds very similar to the W3000ANV. Then again, I can't remember that much from so long ago.
 

 

[moodyrn]

I actually agree. They don't they definitely have more differences than similarities and don't think they sound like open w3000s at all. But everybody ears are different.

 

[purrin]

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I did own and enjoy the AD2000 for a while, that was re-cabled with Cardas by Moon Audio.  I was restless and traded them for cash and a balanced SR-325i, but should have stayed with the AD2000 and re-terminated them as balanced instead.  The AD2000 were definitely less aggressive than my old RS-1, but more mid-centric and less punchy.  So you think the W3000ANV is like a closed AD2000?
 

 
To clarify, what I meant was if we put the W3000 drivers into an open enclosure (or put the AD2000 drivers into a closed enclosure) - they are probably going to sound very close to each other. The raw drivers have a lot of similarities in bass response, midrange (the "AT mids", i.e. the 4k peak), treble (fairly smooth), and are among the most detailed and fastest in AT's lineup. Of course once you put something into an enclosure, it sounds quite different (some of the differences I've qualified in my original post.)
 
I've taken these things apart, heard them open, and measured them - so I kind of have a unique take on things.
 
So yeah, I guess I stand by my original take: I suspect the AD2000 would sound like "open" W3000s (or vice versa) - but only if you knew how the W3000 drivers in an open enclosure would actually sound like.