[Gu Sensei]

I think it may be matter of one's own sensitivity. I think I am somewhat sensitive to it. I love the sound of the W5000s, there is some serious WOW factor going on particularly for jazz & vocals. If that is what I mainly listened to and the brightness wasnt a problem, I would stick with these cans. I dont listen to jazz & vocals too often and the brightness can be uncomfortable. For you, it might not be a problem. I have not once felt that they Denons are too bright.

As for the bass, the W5000 has a beautitful, rich, textured bass. I think it really sounds incredible as long as you are not listening to music that emphasizes bass, such as my favorite, funk. Again, for jazz and vocals, the W5000 are the way to go if the brightness and comfort are not a problem.

The best thing you can do is find a place where you can A/B them with several of your favorite CDs. Still, until you get them home and spend a lot of time with them, it is hard to tell.

I think you are safer with the Denons. Just keep them in good condition so you can sell them later if they turn out to be less than you hoped for.

 

[dreamwhisper]

There is certainly a WOW factor in the midrange of the W5000, however I didn't find the headphones in general to draw me into the music as much as the HD650's.
Listening to jazz and vocals, the W5000's, even with the WOW midrange, felt a little too polite for me to be fully drawn into the music.
I didn't find the W5000's to be particularly bright compared to the HD650's
as far as the amount of bass is concerned there are mods you can do to boost this.
The main issue I had with the headphones was the comfort.

I can't comment on the Denons.

However, I found the comfort to be quite a problem

 

[Gu Sensei]

I really thought the HD650's would be the one for me. I went all out too: stock, to Zu SE, to an Apache, to Equinox balanced. What an expensive dead-end that all turned out to be. I never could get past the "veil."

I totally get drawn into jazz/vocals with the W5000s. I love the transparency but the brightness is a fatal flaw for me. I guess the AT was another expensive deadend for me as I got all AT cables plus the HA5000.

Thank goodness for the GS1000s! They give me all of what I love about the HD650s plus a lot more. Occasionally slightly bright but tolerable.

 

[Gu Sensei]

See what you made me do dreamwhisperer, I had to go and pull out my HD650s after being all nicely packed and ready for a FS listing! They are really nice cans. But after popping on my GS1000s, I can quickly identify where my allegience lies. Bigger soundstage, deeper bass, more transparency.

 

[Henmyr]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gu Sensei /img/forum/go_quote.gif I really thought the HD650's would be the one for me. I went all out too: stock, to Zu SE, to an Apache, to Equinox balanced. What an expensive dead-end that all turned out to be. I never could get past the "veil." I totally get drawn into jazz/vocals with the W5000s. I love the transparency but the brightness is a fatal flaw for me. I guess the AT was another expensive deadend for me as I got all AT cables plus the HA5000. Thank goodness for the GS1000s! They give me all of what I love about the HD650s plus a lot more. Occasionally slightly bright but tolerable.

Are you saying W5000 is brighter than GS1000? In what way?

Is it the treble in in the W5000 that bothers you? Do GS1000 have less treble?

Or is it the midrange which is too bright with W5000? Have GS1000 got a less bright midrange?

 

[Gu Sensei]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Henmyr /img/forum/go_quote.gif Are you saying W5000 is brighter than GS1000? In what way? Is it the treble in in the W5000 that bothers you? Do GS1000 have less treble? Or is it the midrange which is too bright with W5000? Have GS1000 got a less bright midrange?

Yes, the W5000 sound brighter to me than GS1000.

I guess it is in the treble. But, hmmm... I am still struggling a bit with all the lingo and terminology to describe the listening experience. I have been reading for a while but not done a lot of writing in part for my struggle to get a good hold on how to describe what I hear. Let me put it this way, if I am listening someone playing a trumpet...

W5000: horn is close to my ear, slightly painful: 'bright'
GS1000/RS1: horn is a meter or so away, very very mild discomfort but tolerable: 'slightly bright'
K701: horn is played behind a paper wall: not at all bright, slight 'veil'
HD650: horn is muffled by a blanket: too veiled

The bright/transparency thing seems very tied together for me. I love the transparency of the W5000 but dont like the brightness. The Senns have no brightness but not enough transparency. The K701s are good compromise for me but they lack the bass I love. The GS1000s are nearly perfect.

Sorry, if I am completely mangling the lingo. I am doing my best!

 

[Gurra1980]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gu Sensei /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yes, the W5000 sound brighter to me than GS1000. W5000: horn is close to my ear, slightly painful: 'bright' GS1000/RS1: horn is a meter or so away, very very mild discomfort but tolerable: 'slightly bright' K701: horn is played behind a paper wall: not at all bright, slight 'veil' HD650: horn is muffled by a blanket: too veiled The bright/transparency thing seems very tied together for me. I love the transparency of the W5000 but dont like the brightness. The Senns have no brightness but not enough transparency. The K701s are good compromise for me but they lack the bass I love. The GS1000s are nearly perfect. Sorry, if I am completely mangling the lingo. I am doing my best!

OMG! The W5000 must sound something like a chainsaw sawing in metal! My bigest concern with K701 is the brightness.

 

[rlanger]

The W5000 are pretty special sounding headphones, but I wear my cans all day at the computer while working, and just found that everytime I would move my head, they would flop around.

Traded them for some recabled D2000s and really couldn't be happier. The D2000s are great for the wide variety of music I listen too, and they fit like a dream.

 

[glitch39]

Amen on recabled D2000's. still comes out cheaper than a stock D5000. the stock cable is pathetic.

the D2000 is a sleeper. does not call too much attention to itself unlike its woodied brother.

 

[inthecup]

Quote:

Originally Posted by glitch39 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Amen on recabled D2000's. still comes out cheaper than a stock D5000. the stock cable is pathetic. the D2000 is a sleeper. does not call too much attention to itself unlike its woodied brother.

Any suggestions to where to get them recabled? Thanks.

 

[jantze]

Quote:

Originally Posted by inthecup /img/forum/go_quote.gif Any suggestions to where to get them recabled? Thanks.

APureSound - Where The Music Is Always Pure - APS Audio LLC.

 

[antonyfirst]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gu Sensei /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yes, the W5000 sound brighter to me than GS1000. I guess it is in the treble. But, hmmm... I am still struggling a bit with all the lingo and terminology to describe the listening experience. I have been reading for a while but not done a lot of writing in part for my struggle to get a good hold on how to describe what I hear. Let me put it this way, if I am listening someone playing a trumpet... W5000: horn is close to my ear, slightly painful: 'bright' GS1000/RS1: horn is a meter or so away, very very mild discomfort but tolerable: 'slightly bright' K701: horn is played behind a paper wall: not at all bright, slight 'veil' HD650: horn is muffled by a blanket: too veiled The bright/transparency thing seems very tied together for me. I love the transparency of the W5000 but dont like the brightness. The Senns have no brightness but not enough transparency. The K701s are good compromise for me but they lack the bass I love. The GS1000s are nearly perfect. Sorry, if I am completely mangling the lingo. I am doing my best!

Great post. Could you do the same regarding cymbals? That would be really useful for me.
Best,

Tony