SA-5000 up's n down's
Jun 20, 2005 at 1:10 AM Post #16 of 35
Everything everone's said thus far I agree with, except the build quality, which I find to be outstanding. Mine don't creak or any such thing--sold and beautiful.

I really really REALLY like these 'phones. But then again, I really really REALLY like electronic music.

So, you judge
biggrin.gif
 
Jun 20, 2005 at 1:43 AM Post #17 of 35
My personal opinions, nothing more:

Pros:
Very good detail.
Good transient response.
Excellent mid-bass.
Wonderful image, when equalized, anyway.
Respond well to equalization.
Comfortable, once you get used to them.
Innovative double headband.
Pads were either real leather, or a very good simulation!
Pretty!

Cons:
Nonuniform response.
Built in reverb effect.
Weak deep bass.
Over-emphasized highs (highlights detail, but edgy and fatiguing).
Silver painted plastic bales (big turnoff for me). Handle with care.
Paper inserts (not the drivers, but the black things appear to be paper covered in fabric).
Fake driver mounts. Drivers are mounted in the plastic inserts, while the outboard rings carry only screens. I still wonder why.

Overall impression:
Style out-prioritied substance. I suspect that there are some frustrated engineers at Sony over this project. That is just my impression.


gerG
 
Jun 20, 2005 at 2:22 AM Post #18 of 35
Quote:

Originally Posted by axle
Everything everone's said thus far I agree with, except the build quality, which I find to be outstanding. Mine don't creak or any such thing--sold and beautiful.

I really really REALLY like these 'phones. But then again, I really really REALLY like electronic music.

So, you judge
biggrin.gif



I don't think the build quality issue has to do with creaking, rather the choice of materials. Most of it seems to be made of a plasticy, brittle material.
 
Jun 20, 2005 at 2:25 AM Post #19 of 35
Quote:

Originally Posted by axle
I really really REALLY like these 'phones. But then again, I really really REALLY like electronic music.


These are the CANS for electronic music.

The creaking was bad for me in the beginning, but has ceased. Funny, perhaps the frame needed breaking in, but something tells me the creak shall return.
 
Jun 20, 2005 at 5:11 PM Post #20 of 35
The SA5000 is not bright in the grado sense of over-exaggerated highs. It is only bright if you are a fan of the "smoothed-over" sound provided by gear like the Sennhiser HD650, Singlepower PPX, or Naim CDX, to name a few. All strip recordings of their true grit or edge in the name of providing a "nice" sound rather than an accurate sound. Neither the SA5000 nor DAC1 do this. If you want high-resolution, high-speed, brutally honest sound, the DAC1/SA5K combo is for you. If you don't want to hear how terribly that underground cd was mastered, how noisy vinyl is, or how much hiss your amp has, the SA5K is not for you.
 
Jun 20, 2005 at 5:23 PM Post #21 of 35
I'm not very sure if the SA5000 has brutal honest sound.... I think the treble is tipped up a bit with the midrange taking less precedence and the bass not exactly extendidng to the nether-regions. This is why, IMO, the SA5000 sounds brutally honest, when in fact, I felt that it was colored to sound "brutally honest".
 
Jun 20, 2005 at 5:28 PM Post #22 of 35
Quote:

Originally Posted by Joey_V
I'm not very sure if the SA5000 has brutal honest sound.... I think the treble is tipped up a bit with the midrange taking less precedence and the bass not exactly extendidng to the nether-regions. This is why, IMO, the SA5000 sounds brutally honest, when in fact, I felt that it was colored to sound "brutally honest".


Perhaps those are the colorations of your amp/source coming out? The only headphones I've owned with better bass extension are the DT770's. In terms of the mids/highs balance, I suppose that really is just a matter of taste, having been around enough. It is not the frequency response that makes something revealing though, it is the detail reproduction and ability to produce sharp or sudden sounds that a lot of gear can mask.
 
Jun 20, 2005 at 5:54 PM Post #23 of 35
Quote:

Originally Posted by Joey_V
I'm not very sure if the SA5000 has brutal honest sound.... I think the treble is tipped up a bit with the midrange taking less precedence and the bass not exactly extendidng to the nether-regions. This is why, IMO, the SA5000 sounds brutally honest, when in fact, I felt that it was colored to sound "brutally honest".



It sounds "fun" and I dont give two hoots if it is colored or not. Nobody can comment on "neutrality" and "coloration" without reference...and there are no references.

The SA5000, at the $670.00 that I paid for it, were good value for the money. At $350.00 they are a friggin bargain!

I am sure all of yo know what happened to my SA5000s. Once I get them repaired they are going nowhere...

gs
 
Jun 20, 2005 at 6:19 PM Post #24 of 35
Quote:

Originally Posted by gsferrari
It sounds "fun" and I dont give two hoots if it is colored or not. Nobody can comment on "neutrality" and "coloration" without reference...and there are no references.


I had my suspictions when I listened to it.. then the graphs were posted and based on the graphs that one guy put out, it is colored more so than I'd like.

Anyway, GS.... what happened to your 5000?
 
Jun 20, 2005 at 6:31 PM Post #25 of 35
Quote:

Originally Posted by Joey_V

Anyway, GS.... what happened to your 5000?


He took a Butter Knife to 'em to test for plastics.
evil_smiley.gif
 
Jun 20, 2005 at 6:33 PM Post #26 of 35
OH YEAH!! I remember.... Gs.. you crazy person!
600smile.gif
 
Jun 20, 2005 at 7:05 PM Post #28 of 35
Jun 20, 2005 at 8:54 PM Post #29 of 35
OMG. I used to own the SA5000 and that just breaks my heart.
frown.gif
 
Jun 20, 2005 at 10:05 PM Post #30 of 35
Quote:

Originally Posted by virometal
These are the CANS for electronic music.


God this thread is driving me crazy, pretty much all I listen too is electronic music, mostly IDM and Ambient.

I was all set to order the SA5000s in early May, had even picked out a vendor, then one fine morning I went to my car to go to work, put it in reverse..........and nothing happened.

Had it looked at by two different places, $3,000 minimum to get it fixed
frown.gif


So yeah, I got a new car instead of new headphones, I don't like to dip into my saving for toys so I have to wait till a bit later in the summer to order them.

Why does real life have to get in the way of music?
 
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