[AppleheadMay]

Are you listening to another genre of music than let's say a month ago?
I do (and most of us do I guess) enjoy certain phones better with certain genres.
With the portables I am testing at the moment I love the ESW9 for all genres but hardrock and the likes. The ES10 absolutely rules when it comes tho those kinds of genres though.
 
 
I must say It hasn't occurred to me (yet) that my preference for overall sound signature changes.
Even with speakers I have been pretty stable throughout the years.
But you may have a different experience where your preference for different sound signatures change. Maybe throughout the year, different seasons different moods?

 

[TheOtus]

 

8As, not A8s. Lol.
 
Heir Audio's CIEM.

Ohh, made a mistake there. Still wouldn't have known them though. xD

 

[rhythmdevils]

I heard the W3000anv recently and actually thought they were fairly decent.  I thought I should say something since I wash harsh on them before.  I'll have to agree with the idea that they are funky, but do it in a pretty good way.  For being funky.  They're much lighter weight than I was expecting.  Must have thin cups.  They really are extremely light weight. 
 
Soundstage is great for a closed headphone.  They have a pretty airy, open sound to them.  Pretty well balanced, but they are missing lower bass in a serious way and they emphasize upper mids a little bit.  Though they didn't seem overly harsh- nothing like a John Grado.  Which is surprising.  Mids are warm and pretty airy as well though a bit wonky or honky or something- not quite "right", but it's in a way that is not that bothersome.  I bet they'd be great female vocal headphones for those that aren't looking for accuracy, because they have that nice warmth that's good for vocals and the airyness would accentuate the breathy qualities in someone like Emmylou. 
 
I don't think they are worth the money at all.  And I wouldn't own one at any price even 100 bucks because they just aren't accurate or well balanced enough for me.  But they're the best ATH Woody I've heard and from what I heard, I'd take these over any John Grado or Beyer or Ultrasone I've heard and probably over any of the Denons, but that's harder to say without listening to both. 
 
FYI this was a limited listen, so take it for what it's worth. 
 

 

[maverickronin]

That's quite a compliment coming from you... 

 

[rhythmdevils]

 
Yeah there aren't that many headphones I like.  I didn't exactly like these, but I'd call them pretty decent compared to other headphones out there and I can see why some people would love them.  They are obviously designed and tuned by ear rather than with measurements.  They are highly colored, but I'd say they managed to put their flaws in places that aren't as bothersome as they might otherwise be- there are more "accurate" headphones that are much more bothersome and actually sound less realistic because of the kind of problems they have.  So they have a kind of "precise coloration" if that makes sense.  I think Purrin said they were like Sextetts in that way.  I think the Sextetts probably have a better midrange, but these have better/cleaner treble, the ATH is more fatiguing/harsh/glaring in the upper mids than the Sextett.  I'm not sure about bass response, it's probably similar.  ATH's have a bigger, airyier soundstage.    From memory...  I didn't exactly run them through a rigorous test or listen that long. 

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

I'm experiencing a bit of a "personal crisis" with regard to Audio-Technica. I use the term loosely, of course.
 
Listening to the W3000ANV as of late, I have to admit I'm not really enjoying its sound like I was before. It sounds too harsh to me often times. This is somewhat baffling to be honest, as my fondness for the [stock] HD800 has recently been rekindled, and I've also been enjoying the new SRH1840 quite a bit. I've also experienced a similar effect with the W11R, and before the two woodies in question it was the L3000 that started sounding disagreeable to me in many circumstances. This isn't really an issue of synergy from a particular source, because I find myself reacting the same way on a variety of setups.
 
Tastes can change, I suppose. In my case I often find myself gravitating toward different types of sound signatures from one month to the next. At the moment I prefer darker sound signatures, but my recent fondness for the HD800 and SRH1840 makes this aversion to many of the W series puzzling.
 
There are woodies I still enjoy listening to at the moment however. Namely the W10VTG and W10LTD.

I go through the same thing at times and my moods and tastes change, but I've always got something different laying around to pick up and listen to when that happens (like you).  Sometimes I'm in a Stax SR-007 or LCD-2 mood, and other times it's HD800 or HE-60.  But I never seem to get tired of my SR-009, HE-500 or LA7000.
 

 

[wind016]

 
Yeah there aren't that many headphones I like.  I didn't exactly like these, but I'd call them pretty decent compared to other headphones out there and I can see why some people would love them.  They are obviously designed and tuned by ear rather than with measurements.  They are highly colored, but I'd say they managed to put their flaws in places that aren't as bothersome as they might otherwise be- there are more "accurate" headphones that are much more bothersome and actually sound less realistic because of the kind of problems they have.  So they have a kind of "precise coloration" if that makes sense.  I think Purrin said they were like Sextetts in that way.  I think the Sextetts probably have a better midrange, but these have better/cleaner treble, the ATH is more fatiguing/harsh/glaring in the upper mids than the Sextett.  I'm not sure about bass response, it's probably similar.  ATH's have a bigger, airyier soundstage.    From memory...  I didn't exactly run them through a rigorous test or listen that long. 

I actually feel the W3000s have a lush lower mid and mid emphasis with a relatively flat upper mid. Not sure about the Sextett. I've read that they sounded grainy.

They are also very picky when it comes to the recording. Recordings with emphasis on vocals sound incredible, but so-so for some other tracks for me. I usually EQ them for rock tracks but flat for lush vocal recordings. Sadly, I haven't had much time with them lately, but the moments when I can finally relax with them with my favorite singer is heavenly.

 

[MuppetFace]

Quote:

I go through the same thing at times and my moods and tastes change, but I've always got something different laying around to pick up and listen to when that happens (like you).  Sometimes I'm in a Stax SR-007 or LCD-2 mood, and other times it's HD800 or HE-60.  But I never seem to get tired of my SR-009, HE-500 or LA7000.
 

Yeah, I'm finding this to be the case. My source material is pretty much the same as it was before, but suddenly I find I'm just not liking a pair of headphones I used to enjoy. It's happened in the past the most with the L3000. I've owned three of them over the years, and there are times when I think it sounds awful, and other times when I think it sounds great. The K1000 would be the other big culprit here. A real love/hate relationship for me (though I have the "bass light" version).
 
Stax are pretty much the only headphones I find myself consistently enjoying.

 

[VVKA]

MuppetFace
How often you listen DX1000? Prefer to them wooden АТ?

 

[MuppetFace]

Depends on which wooden AT you're talking about. I prefer the DX1000 to some of them (W1000X, W11JPN) though not others (the W10VTG, W11R, W3000ANV). I also like the D7000 a bit more than the DX1000 too.
 
The biggest issue I have with the DX1000 is the fit and comfort. Those huge pads just don't fit right against the contours of my face. It also creates a weird sort of pressure in the space between my ear and the driver, a sort of vacuum-like sensation that bothers me. I do like their sound on the right setup though, and I think that they're aesthetically very pleasing.

 

[VVKA]

Thanks! W3000ANV to me are very interesting, as well as W5000.
I have been very disappointed in W1000x and there are fears something the general in them and W3000ANV.

 

[uelover]

Quote:

Thanks! W3000ANV to me are very interesting, as well as W5000.
I have been very disappointed in W1000x and there are fears something the general in them and W3000ANV.

Which aspect of W1000X disappoints you?
 
Personally I don't like W1000X but W3000ANV has been great so far. W5000 seems to not pair well with many of the amps out there.
 

 

[VVKA]

Quote:

Which aspect of W1000X disappoints you?
 
Personally I don't like W1000X but W3000ANV has been great so far. W5000 seems to not pair well with many of the amps out there.
 
 
 

Very bright and sharp top frequencies. Too fast - reverberations are cut strongly off. A pressing bass.
As a whole an unnatural sound.
At W5000 really confuses amplifier selection.
 

 

[AppleheadMay]

I received my second pair of W3000ANV yesterday. So that would mean I like their sound.
But then I do like just about every AT I heard and I enjoy the variation between them.
The W1000X I still love as much as I always used to. It was the phone that got me into ATs in the first place.
I must say I really found my brand here. I have sold / am selling most of my other phones except the HD800 which I like to keep for classical and the Denons.
I'll probably be adding the Fostex to my inverntory as well.
 
The DX1000 amazed me when I first got it but after comparing it to the D7000 is sounded plain weird to me. So totally different and just not right.
 
The K1000 I was amazed by in the beginning but after a while I sarted to think of its sound as something artificially mimicking the sound of speakers. I don't know how to describe it in a better way. I know that's not the opinion of most people. Nevertheless IMO the K1000 is a phone that one needs to have heard.

 

[Audiogalore]

I agree the K1000 is a out of the head experience; but never the less a great and accurate sound.