[Pepsione1]

I just got the w1000 but I am already begining to hate them (began with loving them for the first 3 hours or so). I can't stand listening to the brightness it gives.

Perhaps it is clarity that it presents not harshness. What ever it is its getting on my nerves.

I also know that I don't have the warmest source and amp but if I can stand my MS1 in the same system, why am i getting annonyed by the w1000. I just can't put my finger on it, something is very wrong.

I had them burned in for about 30 hours so far and they are still being burn in with my fingers crossed.

 

[fyrfytrhoges]

oh man, don't be sayin that! I'm waiting for my w1000's to get here! I have a feeling that any phone you run with the sony ns500v is going to sound bright, that's what I've found anyway. I only use it now for movies and sacd duties.

 

[Matt]

...it seems to me that what you are experiencing is not necessarily excessive treble, per se, but rather distorted treble. Often times when there is "just something off that I can't put my finger on" it's distortion of some sort.

To illustrate, I was at a Florida Orchestra performance Sunday night and while the crashing cymbals and screaming horns were bright, they (obviously) were not electronically or transductionally distorted, and therefore posed no fatigue or irritation, aurally or mentally.

I used to have Grado RS-1s and ATH-W100s, and they all did that distorted treble bit to a fair degree. With my electrostats now, it's pretty much gone altogether.

- Sir Mister Matt

 

[LobsterSan]

Hmm...

While I do think they are bright cans, I find them much more subdued than say my MDR-V6. My thinking about the w1000's is that they present lots of detail in the high-frequency areas, but they are presented in a smooth fashion. At least that's how I feel about them when compared to the sr-325 and the MDR-V6. I have not tried the MS-1 -- which are I suppose comparable to the RS-1? I've not done an in-depth A/B between the RS-1 and the w1000, but my limited impressions of the RS-1 were that they were a teensy bit smoother. Coming through a wheatfield ha-1, the Sony CD3000 had slightly clearer and more articulate highs (some would say harsh, but I can kind of liked it) than the w1000 on the same amp.

Perhaps give them some more time? Maybe if you spend some more time they will grow on you, or your perceived harshness will tame out with some more burn-in? I can't remember how mine sounded since when I first got them anymore. Also, they had been burned in for about 25-30 hours before I received them anyways.

 

[Old Pa]

Not me. Maybe you're not used to closed cans.

 

[Matthew-Spaltro]

The W1000 takes more then 30 freakin hours to sound their best. I have about 30 on mine too and I experience the same thing. It needs more time like say 110 more hours.

 

[andrzejpw]

I say let them burn in for 100 hours before making too many judgements. AT cans are notorious for requiring burn in to sound their best. If it doesn't improve. . . then the situation if pretty troubling. I've heard quite a few compare their brightness to that of grados. If that's the case, I wouldn't touch these!

 

[Frag|LE-]

i hated my hd600s because they were way too bright and after burning them in they sound completely different (pretty much perfect). why are you complaining so early?

 

[wallijonn]

Pep,

how about chip rolling the CHA-47?

 

[tigger]

Pepsi,
Try using them straight out of a PCDP just to eliminate possible amp problems/incompatabilities, Or borrow another CDP and try that. You can easily find an Audio dealer who will allow a home audition.
If you still don't like them after all that plus 100 or so hours, then you can probably sell them here or eBay for a good price.
Maybe closed cans are not for you. Or maybe your hearing all the crap on the recordings.

 

[Pepsione1]

Quote:

Originally posted by Matt ...it seems to me that what you are experiencing is not necessarily excessive treble, per se, but rather distorted treble. I used to have Grado RS-1s and ATH-W100s, and they all did that distorted treble bit to a fair degree. With my electrostats now, it's pretty much gone altogether.

Really, this is the first time I came across such a comment. So you think the brightness in all of grado's line is due to distortion? This is very interesting because everyone seems to agree that the woodies are nothing but smooth except for me & you.

Quote:

Originally posted by LobsterSan While I do think they are bright cans, I find them much more subdued than say my MDR-V6. My thinking about the w1000's is that they present lots of detail in the high-frequency areas, but they are presented in a smooth fashion. At least that's how I feel about them when compared to the sr-325 and the MDR-V6.

I find the my v6 much more enjoyable because it doesn't have the scream high frequency details. I think I'd like high freq. details if they were smoother.

Quote:

Originally posted by Old Pa Not me. Maybe you're not used to closed cans.

I chose the w1000 over the rs1 because I thought I like closed phones. I sure like my v6 a lot (much more then the open ms1). Maybe I was wrong?

Quote:

Originally posted by wallijonn Pep, How about chip rolling the CHA-47?

I've been thinking about getting a new meta42 amp after I got the woodies. But now I have to decide if I want solid state or tube amp (I first thought tube amps would make the woodies sound too warm but maybe not).

Quote:

Originally posted by tigger Pepsi, Try using them straight out of a PCDP just to eliminate possible amp problems/incompatabilities. Maybe closed cans are not for you. Or maybe your hearing all the crap on the recordings.

I didn't have the time to do source swapping before but I think I will tonight. I also have other cdp at home that I can try. I actually did think that the sony ns500v was the cause of the problem but question still remains, if I can stand the MS1 in this very same system then why do I hate the w1000 so much?

 

[wallijonn]

Pep,

that's easy. different balance of sound. did you try moving them forward laterally about 1/8" off ear axis?

that's like asking why your W1000 works fine with a 6922 tube but another headphone, with the same impedance, sounds different? synergy. have you tried a Burr-Brown opamp or DAC?

what does it sound like straight out of cdp headphone jack?

 

[Matt]

Quote:

Originally posted by LobsterSan Perhaps give them some more time? Maybe if you spend some more time they will grow on you...

Yeah, I did that with the RS-1's and ended up with ringing ears. With the RS-1's, on my rig, which was through an RA-1 with a DVD-Audio player, they had two major problems: first, they were not terribly transparent (for the price). They were good, but not great. I found myself wanting to turn up the volume to resolve more detail.

Furthermore, as stated above, they had what I believe to be that mechanical treble distortion. Whatever the degree, it was enough to cause metal stress while listening.

The ATH-W100's were bright and had that harshness about them in the upper ranges...I'm not saying it was huge, it was subtle (mostly mentally fatiguing), but it was like using super-ultra-fine grit sandpaper against your skin instead of course grit. Electrostats, on the other hand, are bright but with none of the stress...they're more akin to a sheet of teflon, baybee! Maybe I'm especially sensitive to that particular small facet of listening, because now the problem is gone.

This kind of stuff may not bother you, but it drove me batty and far, far away from RS-1s and certain other cans, like the ATH-W100s and left me with ringing ears. Watch out for that!

- Matt

 

[j-curve]

Hi Matt,
If you do have a sensitivity to a particular frequency band, I'm wondering if it could be around 3kHz since someone mentioned that the W100 is generous there. Can I ask what musical instruments you have played for an extended period (ie. actual instruments, not through headphones)? Or have you regularly had your ears blasted by a particular set of speakers (esp. with horn midrange or horn tweeters)?

On the other hand, bright is bright, and I agree with you that the W100 is bright.

 

[elnero]

The W100's bright?

Bizarre, at the moment I'm using them with a D25S which is said to be bit bright and hard as well, I don't find them bright at all and I'm normally quite sensitive to it.