[MacedonianHero]

I would say the ATH-W3000ANVs are the best closed cans I've owned/heard. To qualify this statement, here are the closed headphones I've owned in the past: Ed.8LE, D7000 (twice), DT770/600, SRH840, DT1350 and I've heard the following extensively: TH900, SRH-940, D5000, DX1000. These W3000s don't make me feel like I'm sacrificing sound quality when selecting a closed headphone in anyway next to my other headphones. A very tall order IMO. 

 

[Marleybob217]

Quote:

I would say the ATH-W3000ANVs are the best closed cans I've owned/heard. To qualify this statement, here are the closed headphones I've owned in the past: Ed.8LE, D7000 (twice), DT770/600, SRH840, DT1350 and I've heard the following extensively: TH900, SRH-940, D5000, DX1000. These W3000s don't make me feel like I'm sacrificing sound quality when selecting a closed headphone in anyway next to my other headphones. A very tall order IMO. 

I just read a review on headfonia on this headphone and they were praising it. Just proves that money can buy you about everything, even an awesome sounding closed headphone. 
 
How would it compare to open headphones in the same price range?

 

[Marleybob217]

Quote:

 
Rich, vivid, congruent
highly detailed
no sibilance issues
full and satisfying bass
extended treble without any tizziness or harshness
very comfortable with excellent isolation
 
they did improve when I replaced the stock cable
with one by Audioquest - don't recall which one
at the moment, sorry (so many cables...)
But even with the stock cable, I really liked them
from the very first listen.

I just read a review on headfonia about these cans, and it seems like these are quite something.
The only negative thing is obviously the price, I mean it is closed but it's a bit to precious to take outside. 
Would you say these cans feel solid?
I've seen these headphones for under 400 euros on ebay (new), I might buy these when I have money instead of open headphones!
 
 
How do these scale up when hooked to a better amp/dac? 

 

[Mortalcoil]

My vote goes for the Ultrasone Sig Pro.  Having lived with them for a while now I must say they really do alot of things right.  Im being vague I know , however if you take the time to read up on them you will see where I am coming from.  They have been my primary "go to" headphones leaving my poor GS-1000s feeling lonely.
 
I find it funny how I once laughed at Ultrasone in general and now I must say I am quite the fan.  I have two headphones on either side of the spectrum, the GS-1K being one of the most opened hps and the Sig Pro , probably being the one hp with the greatest amount of isolation available today.  Must admit that I have been swayed, the Sig Pro is definately top tier in so many ways. 
 
 
Having not heard the TH-900 I suppose I really cant comment, but damn they are getting some fantastic reviews also.
 
I agree with you Marleybob217, a good pair of closed hps is sometimes a requirement .... especially when your SO has bat like hearing...lol

 

[MacedonianHero]

Quote:

I just read a review on headfonia on this headphone and they were praising it. Just proves that money can buy you about everything, even an awesome sounding closed headphone. 
 
How would it compare to open headphones in the same price range?

 
Very competitively. At last I can listen to closed headphones and feel that I'm not giving up anything in terms of sound quality.

 

[zazex]

Quote:

 
Rich, vivid, congruent
highly detailed
no sibilance issues
full and satisfying bass
extended treble without any tizziness or harshness
very comfortable with excellent isolation
 
they did improve when I replaced the stock cable
with one by Audioquest - don't recall which one
at the moment, sorry (so many cables...)
But even with the stock cable, I really liked them
from the very first listen.

 
Quote:

I just read a review on headfonia about these cans, and it seems like these are quite something.
The only negative thing is obviously the price, I mean it is closed but it's a bit to precious to take outside. 
Would you say these cans feel solid?
I've seen these headphones for under 400 euros on ebay (new), I might buy these when I have money instead of open headphones!
 
 
How do these scale up when hooked to a better amp/dac? 

 
They're very well made and feel very solid.
 
As for taking them outside, I don't -
but they're very unobtrusive really;
matte black and silver along with
being moderately sized.
 
As for how they sound "when hooked
to a better amp/dac"?  I think they sound
terrific.  Or extraordinary.
 
I mean, pick your descriptive word of choice
meaning something beyond merely "great".
 
BTW, I read the headfonia review after I
bought the headphones, and it just
served to confirm what I was hearing.
 
Sony is a big consumer electronics outfit, yes,
but when their engineers really put their efforts
to something the results are often quite
extraordinary: ,
the SACD, mirrorless SLR cameras, top grade
video and audio recording gear used by professionals
worldwide.  S
 
So I'm not at all surprised that they came up with
a great headphone when they decided to do so.

 

[Eargasmo]

Wow, no one dropping AKG K550 in this conversation?

 

[Marleybob217]

Quote:

Wow, no one dropping AKG K550 in this conversation?

It is just on the market, so not a lot of people have heard these.
 
But I agree they should be in this thread, Tyll seemed to really like these.
 
Have you listened to them? And how do they compare to other closed headphones in that price range? Say compared to the SRH940.

 

[Marleybob217]

Quote:

 
 
They're very well made and feel very solid.
 
As for taking them outside, I don't -
but they're very unobtrusive really;
matte black and silver along with
being moderately sized.
 
As for how they sound "when hooked
to a better amp/dac"?  I think they sound
terrific.  Or extraordinary.
 
I mean, pick your descriptive word of choice
meaning something beyond merely "great".
 
BTW, I read the headfonia review after I
bought the headphones, and it just
served to confirm what I was hearing.
 
Sony is a big consumer electronics outfit, yes,
but when their engineers really put their efforts
to something the results are often quite
extraordinary: ,
the SACD, mirrorless SLR cameras, top grade
video and audio recording gear used by professionals
worldwide.  S
 
So I'm not at all surprised that they came up with
a great headphone when they decided to do so.

 
Wow man, you're making me a believer in these sonys.
 
I'm seriously considering to buy one. I don't think I would drag these around wherever, but more for home use. How is the soundstage on these headphones?

 

[Marleybob217]

Quote:

My vote goes for the Ultrasone Sig Pro.  Having lived with them for a while now I must say they really do alot of things right.  Im being vague I know , however if you take the time to read up on them you will see where I am coming from.  They have been my primary "go to" headphones leaving my poor GS-1000s feeling lonely.
 
I find it funny how I once laughed at Ultrasone in general and now I must say I am quite the fan.  I have two headphones on either side of the spectrum, the GS-1K being one of the most opened hps and the Sig Pro , probably being the one hp with the greatest amount of isolation available today.  Must admit that I have been swayed, the Sig Pro is definately top tier in so many ways. 
 
 
Having not heard the TH-900 I suppose I really cant comment, but damn they are getting some fantastic reviews also.
 
I agree with you Marleybob217, a good pair of closed hps is sometimes a requirement .... especially when your SO has bat like hearing...lol

Open headphones sound really awesome, but my HD650 barely got any use because of my girlfriend with bat hearing
 
Hmm Sig pro does look awesome, and super isolation is a big plus but how is the sibilance? I've heard that ultrasone has a lot of sibilance problems.
 
How would you describe the sound, soundstage, mids, timbre etc.

 

[Mortalcoil]

The Sig Pro is probably the warmest sounding hp currently in the Ultrasone stable.  Personally (meaning, by my ears) I dont hear any ssssibilance what so ever , to me they offer a good soundstage great detail and great mids to boot.  The bass quantity and quality is there in spades.
 
For me the Sig offers great PRaT (Pace Rythym and Timing) which lends itself perfectly to many genres including Electro, Jazz and some forms of TrancendentalUberWaffenTribal mixes (Im kidding here with the TrancendentalUberWaffenTribal thing btw

).
 
Pehaps do some reading on the Sig, see other opinions on it, and if you have the chance audition them for yourself.  They really isolate wonderfully to boot, giving you the opportunity to ROCK OUT until 4 am if your heart desires

.

 

[Moostrkraaft]

The W3000s have the soundstage and imaging of TOTL open cans. Hard to believe until you hear it. Perhaps the best dynamic headphones (closed or open) for vocals period. For vocal-type music, they can make the LCD3s seem too aggressive and the HD800s too artificial. They are, however, very genre-dependent, more so than any of my other headphones. But when you've got the right music, they can best any open headphones I've ever heard.

 

[Marleybob217]

Quote:

The W3000s have the soundstage and imaging of TOTL open cans. Hard to believe until you hear it. Perhaps the best dynamic headphones (closed or open) for vocals period. For vocal-type music, they can make the LCD3s seem too aggressive and the HD800s too artificial. They are, however, very genre-dependent, more so than any of my other headphones. But when you've got the right music, they can best any open headphones I've ever heard.

I do love vocals! But If I had to choose between the sig pro and W3000, I'd probably go for the sig pro. Not for it's sound quality but because this seems like a headphone that can be dragged around wherever and manage. 
 
As a student I really can not afford one headphone for every occasion/genre.

 

[Marleybob217]

Quote:

The Sig Pro is probably the warmest sounding hp currently in the Ultrasone stable.  Personally (meaning, by my ears) I dont hear any ssssibilance what so ever , to me they offer a good soundstage great detail and great mids to boot.  The bass quantity and quality is there in spades.
 
For me the Sig offers great PRaT (Pace Rythym and Timing) which lends itself perfectly to many genres including Electro, Jazz and some forms of TrancendentalUberWaffenTribal mixes (Im kidding here with the TrancendentalUberWaffenTribal thing btw

).
 
Pehaps do some reading on the Sig, see other opinions on it, and if you have the chance audition them for yourself.  They really isolate wonderfully to boot, giving you the opportunity to ROCK OUT until 4 am if your heart desires

.

Sounds pretty darn good . But I don't see myself having this kind of money while still being a student.
If only my internship was a paid internship....

 

[zazex]

Quote:

 
Wow man, you're making me a believer in these sonys.
 
I'm seriously considering to buy one. I don't think I would drag these around wherever, but more for home use. How is the soundstage on these headphones?

 
The soundstage is equal to or better than any other closed headphones I've heard.
Including the AKG 550 and AT 900 which generally get high marks in this regard.
 
Along with a few other headphones in the general price range,
they consistently sound superb on a wide variety of music.