[PianoForte]

Thanks for your informative responses, guys.

Regarding the stax, I'm still a bit perplexed on what to go for. 3030ii, 4040ii, 303 with a t1, 404 with a t1, one of the aforementioned with a srm-600 limited (which i haven't been able to find reviews of.) I'm still slightly hesitant for the stax because of the lack of punchiness that mahler requires at times and because it seems like i really have to have a big spoon to dish out the required dough from my wallet to get a decent sound from stax. Also, I've been through the thick forest of the stax thread, but it was so thick, I couldnt find any clear path... Can you guys show me the path? (I can't or am not willing to afford the O2's)

Regarding the W5000, I personally was not content at all with them when i auditioned them at Yodobashi Camera through the HA-5000 amp. Maybe it's just cause im used to open phones, but to my ears everything sounded pretty muddy and unclear. I know many others have experienced different, of course. I love my current ad700's, so i was hoping the W5000 would amplify the great soundstage of the ad700's...


So I guess grados will have to wait till I'm back in the states. Denon's or stax it seems. If I get the denon's, I was considering scooping out somedough for a woo 2...

Once again, any opinions would be very helpful. Thanks for the ones provided already!

 

[cmk]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PianoForte /img/forum/go_quote.gif cmk: How's the transparency of the D7000 in your opinion? Ever since going to open-cans a few years ago, I've always hesitated going back to closed. If you could nitpick, do you wish there was an open-ended D7000 (and hypothetically assuming none of its other positive sonic qualities are lost)?

I think you have a good discussion going on here, with some alternatives, eg W5k being offered.

Personally, I wouldn't worry too much about the closed/open debate, but rather focus on the how the music is conveyed with each can. You are looking at a very select group of cans which cost quite a bit, and should meet all your musical tastes. So take your time and look around.

Back your question: do I lose anything with a closed can - I think that depends more on the design on the can. The closed cans which I are wider - ie they place the drivers further away from the ear than others, eg W1000 is too near IMO. The AT W100 that I have has a conical shaped wooden enclosure - probably harder to make and that gives the music more "body".

The D7000 has the drivers similarly placed, but the great thing about them is level of detail/resolution offered is about the best I've heard. Let me also state that this really depends on the context of the system used. In many instances if you hear the system in a less than ideal context, then blame the can for the sound produced, I think you do injustice to the can. While in the shop, the D7k sounded just nice and musical, when I brought it back to my own system, it exceeded all those parameters and sounded even better. So given the right ancilliaries: amp, cables and a good source, it elevated the sound at least equal (or better) the Omega II in resolution. Actually this exercise is also a testament to how resolving the D7k is, because if you don't get the front end right, this will be obvious from the listening.

While I would agree that the RS1 is a very intimate can, it is very open and that means that your surrounding has to be quiet to really enjoy the music without interruption/noise. As for comfort, what works for some, may not work for others. I would say the Grado type of headset is ancient and very personal, you either like it, or hate it. So try before you buy.

I cannot offer an opinion on the W5000 as I've not heard it, but coming from AT and being their top wood model, it should also be on your shortlist of cans.

Happy hunting, that's half the fun!

 

[tigermilk]

Do you make it up to Tokyo often? If so and I can get RS1s in the US cheaper than Japan. I'll be in Tokyo April 7-12 on a quick vacation and also to get some Stax gear (I'm loving my 006t+404s and am looking to augment with the 252 amp, 202 phones, and the SR-003 phones for the office). Stax in Japan are 30-40% cheaper than here in the US, and I see the Grados are 30% or so cheaper here than Japan. So if you are in Tokyo around that time, perhaps a little cash+gear swap can be worked out...

 

[iponderous]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PianoForte /img/forum/go_quote.gif Regarding the W5000, I personally was not content at all with them when i auditioned them at Yodobashi Camera through the HA-5000 amp. Maybe it's just cause im used to open phones, but to my ears everything sounded pretty muddy and unclear. I know many others have experienced different, of course. I love my current ad700's, so i was hoping the W5000 would amplify the great soundstage of the ad700's...

That's surprising. They don't sound muddy or unclear to me and I'm coming from the Grado HF2 and the SR125. However, they do have a different presentation to open headphones, which is to be expected. I don't think that the W5000 has a strikingly expansive soundstage, but I would describe it as spacious. It's noticeably larger than the Grado's intimate presentation to my ears. Still, to each his own.

 

[PianoForte]

Tigermilk: I was just in Tokyo on Sunday for the marathon, but it's pretty far/expensive(domestic travel with any other visa aside from a tourist visa is ridiculously expensive here) from me. So, I don't know exactly know what I could do for you when you come to tokyo. I could order something off a japanese website and have it sent to your hotel or wherever you're staying (sometimes they only accept yen through bank transfer and not visy)...If you think of something, let me know. I think I'll wait on the grados, though I could use a better dac... Maybe it would be too complicated, but perhaps I could give you a little extra in addition to shipping if I sent you a v-dac or something of similar size to bring with you to japan, and ship it to my address. The v-dac costs about 600.00 USD at Yodobashi! anyway, just a thought... Let me know what you think.

Iponderous: To be fair, I didn't listen too long to the W5000's, and perhaps just knowing that they were closed threw a psychological muffle over my ears. Also, I listened to them at Yodobashi, which has to win the award for the loudest store on the planet (including gun shops that having a firing range inside...) With that said, there is the possibility that they're simply not for my ears. What is your source, might I ask?

Still confused on stax, concerned about impact...I want to want them but still don't know enough about the components...thinking about a denon d7000 woo2 combo...

 

[n3rdling]

I'd take a 40 year old Stax SR-5 over the D7000 or RS1 without batting an eye. When you move up to the Lambdas, it's not even a contest IMO. The D7000 is extremely colored and muddy, and the RS1 is grating/has no soundstage. I really dislike those cans.

 

[iponderous]

Nothing special just yet Pianoforte. At the moment I plug them into my Yamaha stereo receiver, CD player and ipod touch. There should be a headphone amplifier coming further down the track. As you say, they may not be for your ears.

As I mentioned in my earlier post, I was initially considering the Denons. However, after trawling through the threads here and reading various reviews, I came to the conclusion that a lush, bass orientated sound signature wasn't what I was after. I then read a review of the ATH-W5000 here by another Head-Fier that piqued my interest. So I set about reading up on these headphones.

I wasn't in a position to audition them before purchasing so it was a leap of faith. I'm happy to say that I have not been disappointed. Interestingly, the reviews that I read very much accorded with my own impressions. I don't think that this headphone is for everyone, what headphone is really? However, it's flavour very much appeals to me and suits the music that I listen to very well.

I'd love to audition a Stax sometime.

 

[PianoForte]

iponderous: yeah, i question my ears sometimes... all the reviews raved over them. perhaps someone took out the drivers and snuck some ipod earbuds behind the screens... i'd like to listen to them again in an ideal environment. I'm glad your leap of faith came with positive results! Maybe there is a god....