[qveda]

@AnakChan, Wow, some really cool gear!   What is the box with the tube behind the A&K ripping station in your first photo ? 

 

[Music Alchemist]

I really wish there were more reviews out there for the Edition 5. Crazy price, but unique enough to arouse my curiosity. Hopefully someone publishes an in-depth comparison review someday...

 

[Mkubota1]

Nice work Sean!  Jealous as always of the show; not so much the summer humidity.  

 
 
As for portable amps having low-Z out, yeah-  I'm not even interested if it's not 0 or close to it.  I wonder if manufacturers just don't know this or if they're forced to make trade-offs for design limitations?

 

[Jeff Y]

Super-expensive Ultrasones look great and sound as great with vocals but I would get the FOSTEX! and I'm planning on getting the AK240 soon. I hope to get my hands on those pouches for AK240s too.

 

[Jeff Y]

Have you checked out the Calyx M portable player yet?(even if it's not in the show)

 

[0MoUsE0]

Cool and detailed review !
Thanks man !

 

[AnakChan]

  Nice impressions AnakChan.
 
One question regarding the new Fostex TH500-RP. Did you notice any real changes or improvements in the swivel / gimbal area? or is it business as usual as seen on the TH-600 / TH-900?

 
Shinnmachi-san said that there were some durability improvements there but I didn't pick up which part and how. To me it felt pretty much the same. But I had broken my TH-900 swivel twice so I wasn't about to test the durability of their demo units at the show.
 

  @AnakChan, Wow, some really cool gear!   What is the box with the tube behind the A&K ripping station in your first photo ? 

 
Sadly I don't have the name of that tube amp. It's an AK amp naturally. They had the same one in the Fujiya show in Februrary during the AK240 launch.
 

  I really wish there were more reviews out there for the Edition 5. Crazy price, but unique enough to arouse my curiosity. Hopefully someone publishes an in-depth comparison review someday...

 
The Edition 5 deserves a better credit than the general reputation Ultrasone has managed to receive. It's still not as smooth as some of the other cheaper competitors. This sounds like a low-ball but if the Ed5's were around the $800 mark I would actually consider picking one up.
 

  Super-expensive Ultrasones look great and sound as great with vocals but I would get the FOSTEX! and I'm planning on getting the AK240 soon. I hope to get my hands on those pouches for AK240s too.

 
I already have the Fostex TH-900 and funny that you mentioned that 'cos whilst listening to the Ed5 I was thinking to myself, under what conditions would I even want to consider owning the Ed5? It's because it's light and compact that makes it quite practical in using it for outdoor purposes.
 

  Have you checked out the Calyx M portable player yet?(even if it's not in the show)

 
Yes Currawong actually sent me a Calyx M demo unit over a few weeks back. I've given it an off 'n on listen to it but not made any conclusive thoughts to it. You should jump onto Currawong's DAP Off thread to get further "user experience" feedback.

 

[Music Alchemist]

  The Edition 5 deserves a better credit than the general reputation Ultrasone has managed to receive. It's still not as smooth as some of the other cheaper competitors. This sounds like a low-ball but if the Ed5's were around the $800 mark I would actually consider picking one up.
 
I already have the Fostex TH-900 and funny that you mentioned that 'cos whilst listening to the Ed5 I was thinking to myself, under what conditions would I even want to consider owning the Ed5? It's because it's light and compact that makes it quite practical in using it for outdoor purposes.

 
Would you be able to compare the sound of the ED5 with some of the best headphones? Does it offer anything the others don't, or is it inferior in every way? (The promo material on their site made it seem unique.)
 
Using it outdoors was actually one of the thoughts that came to mind when I first saw them, despite the risk.

 

[AnakChan]

   
Would you be able to compare the sound of the ED5 with some of the best headphones? Does it offer anything the others don't, or is it inferior in every way?
 
Using it outdoors was actually one of the thoughts that came to mind when I first saw them, despite the risk.

 
 I didn't bring any cans with me. For the day I only had my RWAK240 & the TG!334. So the only cans I managed to compare the Ed5 to was the Ed8 (although I really should have compared it to the SigDJ & SigPro too). As per the pix, I had both the Ed5 & Ed8 hooked up to the Hugo so I could switch back 'n forth between the two quickly with minimal interruption. It did feel the Ed5 was a more refined and larger soundstaging version of the Ed8. But along with it, seemed to have learnt some refinement qualities in the SigDJ/SigPro incorporated in the Ed5 - as to which parts though I'm not certain as I sold my SigDJs 2 months back. Some aspects (particularly the trebles), the SigDJ/Pro based on memory, still were smoother than the Ed5. But the bass and the mids of the Ed5 were in turn smoother than the Ed8. Sense of staging and space-wise, the Ed5 sounded more akin to (but not exactly like) the SigDJ/Pros. The Ed8 sounded small by comparison.
 
If we're talking purely about sound, there is little chance the Ed5 would win out against some cans that are even 1/4 it's price. e.g. purely on SQ I would pick my AD's and TH-900s over the Ed5. However if we start considering other aspects such as a portable amp req for the ADs or the fragility of the TH-900's for outdoor use (I broke my swivel twice before), there may be room for the Ed5 to fit into the collection if it were around the $800 mark. Writing this now, I regret not comparing the Ed5's and the SigDJ/Pros side-by-side 'cos those are reasonably portable too.
 
Edit: probably not much point talking about the Ed5 as I'd never be able to find one for $800

 

[Music Alchemist]

   
 I didn't bring any cans with me. For the day I only had my RWAK240 & the TG!334. So the only cans I managed to compare the Ed5 to was the Ed8 (although I really should have compared it to the SigDJ & SigPro too). As per the pix, I had both the Ed5 & Ed8 hooked up to the Hugo so I could switch back 'n forth between the two quickly with minimal interruption. It did feel the Ed5 was a more refined and larger soundstaging version of the Ed8. But along with it, seemed to have learnt some refinement qualities in the SigDJ/SigPro incorporated in the Ed5 - as to which parts though I'm not certain as I sold my SigDJs 2 months back. Some aspects (particularly the trebles), the SigDJ/Pro based on memory, still were smoother than the Ed5. But the bass and the mids of the Ed5 were in turn smoother than the Ed8. Sense of staging and space-wise, the Ed5 sounded more akin to (but not exactly like) the SigDJ/Pros. The Ed8 sounded small by comparison.
 
If we're talking purely about sound, there is little chance the Ed5 would win out against some cans that are even 1/4 it's price. e.g. purely on SQ I would pick my AD's and TH-900s over the Ed5. However if we start considering other aspects such as a portable amp req for the ADs or the fragility of the TH-900's for outdoor use (I broke my swivel twice before), there may be room for the Ed5 to fit into the collection if it were around the $800 mark. Writing this now, I regret not comparing the Ed5's and the SigDJ/Pros side-by-side 'cos those are reasonably portable too.
 
Edit: probably not much point talking about the Ed5 as I'd never be able to find one for $800

 
Thanks for the impressions. I suppose comparing them to all the other flagship models by memory wouldn't be realistic.
 
...But since you said the TH-900 has better sound quality (not to mention similarly priced headphones with even higher quality), perhaps I should remove the Edition 5 from my wish list, despite its potential to offer a unique experience.

 

[SpiderNhan]

Awesome write-up AnakChan. Thanks for the scoop on all the new gear.

 

[Jeff Y]

   
 
I already have the Fostex TH-900 and funny that you mentioned that 'cos whilst listening to the Ed5 I was thinking to myself, under what conditions would I even want to consider owning the Ed5? It's because it's light and compact that makes it quite practical in using it for outdoor purposes.
 
 
Yes Currawong actually sent me a Calyx M demo unit over a few weeks back. I've given it an off 'n on listen to it but not made any conclusive thoughts to it. You should jump onto Currawong's DAP Off thread to get further "user experience" feedback.

lol that is kind of me saving for a AK240 at the moment. I know it's not going to outperform my desktop setup or some super-crazy portable set-up but I personally think it does more bang for the buck than ultrasones

 

[Mortalcoil]

   
Shinnmachi-san said that there were some durability improvements there but I didn't pick up which part and how. To me it felt pretty much the same. But I had broken my TH-900 swivel twice so I wasn't about to test the durability of their demo units at the show.
 
 

 
 

 

[swannie007]

 
 
thank you for the feedback, but I must say that one pic gives me a powerfull vibe of super wrong.
shamelessly overpriced DAP used as .... a transport????
shamelessly overpriced DAC/amp used to power a .... shamelessly overpriced portable headphone, that given the specs shouldn't even require 1volt to be driven loud????
and the result can barely be called portable.
that's probably some kind of dream team of the moment for plenty of people, but I just see excess for portable gears.
 
 


may I venture and say that the knob and switch are from an amp stuck behind the A&K?

I must agree with this. The pricing on some of this gear is just plain ridiculous! Some of these manufacturers are just taking the piss as far as I am concerned. Certain segments of our hobby are heading in the same direction as some of the "audiophile" stereo gear that has stupid pricing. If enough people refuse to pay a kings ransom for this gear, then the manufacturers will take a reality pill and come back to earth with their pricing structures. We need to just say no to stupid high prices.
I know a lot of you folks will probably flame me for saying this, but somebody needs to say it. "Just say no to greed".
Just my 2c worth. 

 

[VisceriousZERO]

I miss Japan now. :c
 
Great report Anakchan! Hopefully next time I go to Japan there's another event!