After selling nearly all of my headphones to pick up one of the new flagships, I found myself without a pair of open back headphones for my office. With all the delays, I decided to go for an ‘interim’ pair and got a nice deal on a pair of ATH-AD1000PRMs. I previously owned the AD2000s, my first high end pair of headphones, but much preferred the W5000s that I eventually picked up. They were very nice but there was nothing there that really grabbed me like with some other headphones. Also, I did not find them terribly comfortable due to excessive clamping and the driver casings touching my ears.
I was curious to revisit the AD2000s after reading so many positive reports and it was very early on my headphones journey that I had them. I came across a pair of AD1000PRMs at a significantly cheaper price and decided to go for them instead. I purchased a used pair, but they can be had under $400 US here.
This won’t be much of a review, but let me get to some key points:
1. These babies are much more comfortable than the AD2000s to me. Much less clamping. Going back and forth at the store, this was immediately noticeable and is my experience with them at home. However, the metal driver casings do touch your ears. I slid a couple of rubber tubes under the pads and that solved the problem. Not as comfortable as my D7000s, but not bad at all.
2. As the pictures show, there are some fancy markings that differentiate the appearance from the other AD1000s. I like the honeycomb look of this line. There is a rubber tube covering the headband metal bars that is not there with the AD2000s.
3. The sound signature and quality is pretty much what I remember the AD2000s to be like. Not sure what else to add as they generally fit with descriptions of the AD2000s. Fast, detailed, forward presentation, bright. I had could not tell the difference at the store but conditions were not good. Still not quite my cup of tea, but all around very good headphones.
That really is all I have to add about my impressions. I would love to compare them directly with a pair of AD2000s at home but those are long gone.
This is from one of the on-line importers:
Advanced resolution drivers is the biggest improvement of the new ATH-AD1000PRM from Audio-Technica, Japan. Both left and right drivers adopt independent core line as a result of 4 cores. Featuring high purity 7N-OFC cord adoption with 99.99999% of OFC, allowing the Y-cord to deliver the efficient digital sound. The black aluminum body is lightweight, stable, and sleek. The unique fitting system is both comfortable and well balanced.
Type: Open air dynamic type
Driver: φ53mm
Output overpressure value: 101dB/mW
Playback frequency zone: 5 - 40,000Hz
Largest input: 1,000mW
Impedance : 40ohms
Mass: 270g
Plug: φ6.3/φ3.5mm gold-plating
Cord/code length: 3.0m, Y type
The really interesting thing is that from what I could tell from the display at the audio shop and what I have heard from another Head Fi member is that the AD1000PRMs share the same drivers as the AD2000s. However, the most I can find on the web is that they share the ‘same technology.’
Here are the specs for the AD2000s:
Audio-Technica's new 2004 ATH-AD2000 Air Dynamic headphones features a large 53mm aperture driver made with high purity bobbin winding OFC-7N voice coil for high quality sound reproduction with deep balanced bass. With unique self-adjusting bearing armband (world's first) with newly developed 3D "wing support" which allows comfortable and enjoyable listening experience. Designed with light weight aluminum honeycomb casing with a total comfort around your ears.
Specifications
Type: Open-Air Dynamic
Driver Unit: 53mm, OFC-7N bobbin winding voice coil
Magnet: Neodymium
Frequency response: 5 - 45,000Hz
Impedance: 40 ohms
Max. Input Power: 1000mW
Output overpressure value: 102dB/mW (JEITA)
Plug: Mini/Standard Gold plated 2 Way
Cord length: Elastomer/OFC-6N+OFC/3.0m
Net weight (without cord): 250g
They do not quite match so I am questioning whether the drivers could still be the same. Any Head Fiers with better kanji skills than mine might be able to help out here.
Based on comfort, the similarity of the sound, and the price difference, it would be hard for me to pick the AD2000s over these.
AD1000s (not PRMs) on left and AD2000s on right for comparison.
Link to Japanese site ATH-AD1000PRM
I was curious to revisit the AD2000s after reading so many positive reports and it was very early on my headphones journey that I had them. I came across a pair of AD1000PRMs at a significantly cheaper price and decided to go for them instead. I purchased a used pair, but they can be had under $400 US here.
This won’t be much of a review, but let me get to some key points:
1. These babies are much more comfortable than the AD2000s to me. Much less clamping. Going back and forth at the store, this was immediately noticeable and is my experience with them at home. However, the metal driver casings do touch your ears. I slid a couple of rubber tubes under the pads and that solved the problem. Not as comfortable as my D7000s, but not bad at all.
2. As the pictures show, there are some fancy markings that differentiate the appearance from the other AD1000s. I like the honeycomb look of this line. There is a rubber tube covering the headband metal bars that is not there with the AD2000s.
3. The sound signature and quality is pretty much what I remember the AD2000s to be like. Not sure what else to add as they generally fit with descriptions of the AD2000s. Fast, detailed, forward presentation, bright. I had could not tell the difference at the store but conditions were not good. Still not quite my cup of tea, but all around very good headphones.
That really is all I have to add about my impressions. I would love to compare them directly with a pair of AD2000s at home but those are long gone.
This is from one of the on-line importers:
Advanced resolution drivers is the biggest improvement of the new ATH-AD1000PRM from Audio-Technica, Japan. Both left and right drivers adopt independent core line as a result of 4 cores. Featuring high purity 7N-OFC cord adoption with 99.99999% of OFC, allowing the Y-cord to deliver the efficient digital sound. The black aluminum body is lightweight, stable, and sleek. The unique fitting system is both comfortable and well balanced.
Type: Open air dynamic type
Driver: φ53mm
Output overpressure value: 101dB/mW
Playback frequency zone: 5 - 40,000Hz
Largest input: 1,000mW
Impedance : 40ohms
Mass: 270g
Plug: φ6.3/φ3.5mm gold-plating
Cord/code length: 3.0m, Y type
The really interesting thing is that from what I could tell from the display at the audio shop and what I have heard from another Head Fi member is that the AD1000PRMs share the same drivers as the AD2000s. However, the most I can find on the web is that they share the ‘same technology.’
Here are the specs for the AD2000s:
Audio-Technica's new 2004 ATH-AD2000 Air Dynamic headphones features a large 53mm aperture driver made with high purity bobbin winding OFC-7N voice coil for high quality sound reproduction with deep balanced bass. With unique self-adjusting bearing armband (world's first) with newly developed 3D "wing support" which allows comfortable and enjoyable listening experience. Designed with light weight aluminum honeycomb casing with a total comfort around your ears.
Specifications
Type: Open-Air Dynamic
Driver Unit: 53mm, OFC-7N bobbin winding voice coil
Magnet: Neodymium
Frequency response: 5 - 45,000Hz
Impedance: 40 ohms
Max. Input Power: 1000mW
Output overpressure value: 102dB/mW (JEITA)
Plug: Mini/Standard Gold plated 2 Way
Cord length: Elastomer/OFC-6N+OFC/3.0m
Net weight (without cord): 250g
They do not quite match so I am questioning whether the drivers could still be the same. Any Head Fiers with better kanji skills than mine might be able to help out here.
Based on comfort, the similarity of the sound, and the price difference, it would be hard for me to pick the AD2000s over these.
AD1000s (not PRMs) on left and AD2000s on right for comparison.
Link to Japanese site ATH-AD1000PRM
