[itza2mer]

I want to buy a mid-level Audio-Technica headphone that fits my current budget ($200). I would prefer closed headphones, and I've narrowed it down to the A900 and the A9X headphones. However, I would consider going with some of the newer open AT headphones in the same price range if they sounded significantly better than the closed models mentioned earlier. I want a phone that's easy to drive, with clean bass that I can here and 'feel'. I listen to a lot of Progressive Rock. I want a headphone that can reproduce the sounds of an overblown prog rock drumkit with thunderous ease.

 

[blux]

I have heard nothing but good things about the A900 unamped. Being a 32ohm phone they are easily driven, and are said to sound best when UN amped. The basic argument is that if your not going to be using a high end source or amp, nor do you plan to in the future, these are a good set of phones, because they dont change a lot when an amp or better source is added. They sound great on anything. The A900 is said to have a lot of bass as well, they are always suggested, along with the beyer dt770 for bass adicts, which I would consider as well, in your price range (80ohm version)

From what ive heard, the open phones that AT has have a very weird sound signature. I guess to some people they are anoying to listen to, but if you do some kind of pad modification they are okay. I wouldnt trust them though, the reviews seem bad, and you would have better luck buying a grado..

Personally I am about to buy the A900s, but I keep going back and forth between thoes, and some upper end grados. I like the idea of a closed phone, but the open ones sound so much nicer.. You really need to spend a great deal of money to get a closed phone that sounds like an open one, but hey, I'm probably telling you somthing you already know.....

Edit: By the way, I dont know much about the A9x.. other than the fact that they look really sweet...they dont have the D.A.D.S. technology though, and they seem to be an older model..

My money stays with the A900, but check out the Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro 80 ohm..They had a lot of very clean punchy bass.

 

[itza2mer]

blux,

Thanks for the DT770 suggestion. I'll weight the pros and cons between the DT770 and A900. It's easier said than done, but I really want to stick with one phone for a while. I do like the fact that the A900 sounds good with just about any source, and knowing that a more expensive amp really wouldn't be that necessary is a plus. I really can't justify going thru the amp/phone- better amp/better phone cycle anymore.

 

[blux]

One difference between the A900 and the DT770 could be the build. Allthough I havent seen the A900 in person, from pictures I have seen i would say that the A900 looks a lot nicer, with the metal, and pretty color, lol.. The beyers seemed kind of cheap, they were comfortable but just plastic.. The cord was also like a telephone cord if I remember corectly, the cord on the A900s is wrapped, along with the 3D wing support, I dont think the we can go wrong with the A900s.


I think we should both purchase the A900 together, the only thing holding me back is spending less money and going for a grado phone. I just keep thinking that if I get a grado, I'm going to need to do the whole amp buisness to make em shine.

On the other hand I think 200 is a lot to spend on some cans youve never even heard before..

let me know what you decide..