FritzS
Been here a while!
Sound of Blue Danube
Sound of Blue Danube
Posts: 1,364
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Post by FritzS on Jan 5, 2008 17:47:49 GMT
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Post by serverbaboon on Jan 5, 2008 18:07:13 GMT
I'm trying to work this out, I am looking at some ATH-A900's and Audio Cubes some to be the cheapest at the mo.
Mr Pink seems to have been impressed with his experience with PriceJapan.
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Post by slwiser on Jan 6, 2008 0:53:22 GMT
I have had experience with both PriceJapan and AudioCubes. Both were fast and very good packaging.
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Post by dc on Jan 6, 2008 12:56:27 GMT
just go with whichever is cheapest for your particular phone, they're all highly reputable
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Post by leporello on Jan 8, 2008 15:21:02 GMT
Influenced by Mike's anthem to the Audio Technica W1000s I bought some from price japan. I paid four pounds more tham Mike but I was very impressed by the service and the 'phones.
Being so easily led has always been a problem of mine so I'm not sure I should read any more headphone posts as it's too bloody easy to spend money in Japan.
Whilst I'm here and almost on topic I'd like to ask another couple of questions re. purchasing a set of W5000 pads to replace the "man made leather" ones on the W1000s.
1. Will treated W5000 "cow made" leather ear pads really make any noticeable improvement over the standard pads on the W1000s? I know that real leather is absorbant, but how absorbant it is will depend on how the leather has been finished.
2. Does changing these pads require any skill? In considering a benchmark to answer this question, please answer it as if it asked by a smarter than average chimpanzee. I daren't try this out on my W1000s as I'm not sure that I'd be able to refit them without spoiling the karma for my family and near neighbours.
If changing these pads does make a difference and providing that it's easy to do, I'm prepared to repeat my little shopping in Japan adventure and buy the replacement pads from bluetin.com.
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Post by leporello on Jan 9, 2008 0:43:07 GMT
leoporello, I purchased a W5000 after selling my W1000 and the leather pads are more comfortable, cooler, and less sticky than the pleather. I believe Mike found them for about $80 and that is a lot of money IMO. Unless you plan to keep the W1000 for a long time you may just have to put up w/ the pleather pads. I have looked at the pads and I would venture to say that it would be a bit difficult to replace and you would have to be very careful not to rip the pleather or leather pads. Another option you have is to sell your W1000 and get a W5000. Although IMO the W5000 are not worth the extra money, unless you buy them used. Good luck. Now there you go again! You're all at it. You tell me to hold on to the W1000s until I get the W5000s, using sublimal undertones in your reply. Don't deny it, I see them with my very own eyes every time I remove my aluminium foil helmet. I simply refuse to succumb to the thoughts you are putting into my head, by doubling my medication if necessary. More seriously thanks for the advice, I'll stick with W1000s until either an impulse to buy, or less likely, that it becomes life critical that I upgrade my cans. My W1000s have only a few hours on them but there are some things about their sound and particularly their sound stage, that I prefer to my Sennheiser HD650s with over 400 hours on them, aleady. I find their soundstage and bass to more integrated. The HD650s are great cans but on some tracks, particularly those with heavy bass or percussion, I find their broader soundstage distract at times. On the other hand I find the cosmetic appearance of the W1000s brash and rather cheap, in both senses of the word. However, as I don't have a mirror on my desk or a webcam, their appearance doesn't matter too much....yet! Cosmetically, the W5000s are much more to my taste. If I do succumb I'll go back to pricejapan. Thanks again, Leporello A.K.A. Ron.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 9, 2008 9:54:53 GMT
Leoporello and Miguel Do you guys realise that the W1000 have a frequency response from 5 HERTZ to 40KHZ ? This is far better than the vast majority of speakers, and far better than any normal speakers at the low frequency end ! ;D You guys never cease to amaze me about talk of upgrading to even more expensive cans, when you haven't even come close to realising the existing one's full potential in conjunction with higher quality electronics ! Ron, if the cap doesn't fit, please ignore the last comment ! SandyK
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Post by leporello on Jan 9, 2008 18:35:19 GMT
Leoporello and Miguel Do you guys realise that the W1000 have a frequency response from 5 HERTZ to 40KHZ ? This is far better than the vast majority of speakers, and far better than any normal speakers at the low frequency end ! ;D You guys never cease to amaze me about talk of upgrading to even more expensive cans, when you haven't even come close to realising the existing one's full potential in conjunction with higher quality electronics ! Ron, if the cap doesn't fit, please ignore the last comment ! SandyK You talkin to me, huh? You talking to me? I don't see anyone else here! You talking to me?...Punk! Leporello. Sandyk, You do realise that I'm only a dilletante with a geddit card and a total ignorance of the mechanics of the gadgets that give me access to the world of sound and music that I've only recently re-discovered. I bought the W1000s on impulse and in the belief that they would complement to my HD650s and in the belief that they would provide me with an alternative sound. I trawl these threads looking to pick up the morsels of insight that my enfeebled brain can absorb. I also enjoy reading the very articulate, informed and entertaining threads. Due to, I hope, a resolvable mobility problem, my pleasure in the World of sound has become more important to me and more pleasurable. I won't go into that now, all I want to say really is, thanks for the information re. the frequency of these 'phones. It'll take a wee while for me to absorb it's significance but it's one step on in a pleasurable little adventure. Please don't fear to offend me, and I apologise for upsetting you now, so please regard this apology as a reserve for the inevitable occasion when I offend you on any thread. Please treat this reserve apology as transferable. This could save the moderators and all those involved in the next offence caused by me. Oh! I did understand that your miss-spelling of my name was a joke and that no offence was intended.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 9, 2008 20:44:27 GMT
"Oh! I did understand that your miss-spelling of my name was a joke and that no offence was intended."
OOPS ! Not deliberately spelled that way. Apology for what ? I would hope that I am not so thin skinned that I readily get upset ! Regards SandyK
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Post by Deleted on Jan 10, 2008 2:24:34 GMT
"Sandy, just because a can is advertised to go to 5 HZ does not mean you can hear it or that it is better than a can that goes to 20 HZ. The Grado RS1 "only" goes to 12 HZ according to the manufacturer and IMO its bass is way better than either of the W1000 or the W5000."
Miguel You need to match the better headphones with higher quality electronics, to fully appreciate them. This also includes the CD player etc. Don't forget that bass performance can be quite subjective. Yes, I agree that some manufacturers specifications mean more than others. Get rid rid of those tubby (flabby?) valve amplifiers, and try a good solid state headphone amplifier that can go down to DC ! You will hear (feel?) the improvement . Alex
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Post by leporello on Jan 11, 2008 14:51:16 GMT
NEVER! as a a matter of record I am getting rid of all my SS amps (except the Adcom GFA555) and going to VALVES. Big deal! I'm in the process of cutting my family with a chainsaw into convenient sized proportions for my West Highland terrier, Bengi. Thus, as it were, killing two birds with one stone. Freeing me from distractions whilst enjoying my music so beautifully rendered by my Green Solo, my Sennheiser HD650s and my W1000s, and the necessity of dragging up to the damned petshop for evil smelling parcels of dog food for a week or so. Had it not been for Mike I would not have discovered pricejapan and my new sense of harmony in life. Please note that unlike others here, who should know better, I've stayed on topic
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Post by Deleted on Jan 11, 2008 21:12:05 GMT
ON TOPIC !
My ATH W1000 came from Price Japan in under a week, arriving on Xmas eve. Pretty damn good service for that time of year ! SandyK
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Post by fanboi on Jan 11, 2008 22:59:40 GMT
Somewhat on topic, I personally have bought from Bluetin and found them communicative, prompt and efficient, another person of my acquaintace here in Sydney has used Price Japan and had no problems either (no it is not sandyk). Further to Mr leporellos enquiry and rather more off topic but perhaps following the "ball" so to speak, 1 - changing the pads on the W1000 did not seem to me to be particularly difficult (I do admit to above average manual skill levels) - perhaps similar to fitting a tight fitting rubber band over the neck of a jar. I was advised that there is a Right and a Left pad and that they differ, the difference is not at all readily apparent, there is also a correct positioning in the rotational direction, the skirt is deeper at one point, this is apparent. Otherwise, they are retained by having the slightly stretchy edge slipped under the retaining lip adjacent the metal periphery of the cup. I will mention that to the eye there is no appreciable difference but to the touch there is. I have only recently made the change and they have yet to see much use, so a direct comparison is not easy and a value judgement so personal a thing as to not be worth the attempt. Perhaps some time while it is still summer here I will visit Sandy and he can do a direct comparison with his. 2 - WRT W1000 v W5000, I have been pondering this for 9 months since I first ordered the W1000 based on their reputed synergy with the headphone amp I first bought (the fact that they were significantly cheaper helped ) The difference in price paid for my K701 and is more than I have yet paid for a phono cartridge. The main points raised regarding the W5000 that I can recall ATM are greater neutrality, wider soundstage, better with rock and that it may take some weeks of listening to them on various music before one obtains the "aha" moment, they match very well with the Solo, oh and they come with a nice carrying case And now, following fine Rock Grotto tradition, completely OT (well not quite as OT as the Tottenham chainsaw massacre ) I do notice with rather wry amusement that each improvement in quality of reproduction of music in my system/s is accompanied by the discovery of yet more sub-standard recordings. Now I am aware that sandy thoroughly disapproves of my SET amp and horn speakers, but he did like my choice of cans, so there must be some commonality there. I admit that his critical listening ability is much more finely honed than mine. What I will say in this respect is that, the W1000 are (like my speakers) much less forgiving of any harshness in a recording than my K701. eg some recordings that I now dislike on the speakers or the W1000 are listenable (and enjoyable), on the K701. The K701 are a little "darker" and without that slight "edginess" that both my speakers and the W1000 seem to have, that edginess, it seems to me, is what gives life and excitement to good recordings (just listening to Sade Diamond Life on LP, now Vivaldis 4 Seasons , Reflex & speakers - bloody marvelous ), unfortunately it also seems to accentuate any harshness, particularly with voices where the mic has been over driven, the K701, no less detailed, allows me to hear the distortion but does not accentuate it - perhaps you will find something similar with the Senns - I have not had sufficient exposure to them to have an idea there.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 11, 2008 23:17:31 GMT
Tony For every recording that is exposed as substandard, you should also find some recordings where it is almost like hearing them again for the 1st time. Alex
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Post by Deleted on Jan 11, 2008 23:26:19 GMT
NO ! I was just making sure that this time I hadn't strayed off topic , as Ron so nicely pointed out. In relation to the 2nd part, It must be all that Cuban food that you eat,and the fine Cuban cigars that you smoke ? Wouldn't it be cheaper to use Aerogard to keep the flies and mosquitos away, than envelope yourself in an expensive cloud of smoke ? Alex
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Post by Deleted on Jan 11, 2008 23:51:10 GMT
Miguel If the sound of solid state equipment is so excruciating to your ears, why are you keeping the Adcom GFA555 ? Alex
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Post by leporello on Jan 12, 2008 0:08:02 GMT
I am such a stinker! mrarroyo, please don't worry about your distressing intimate problem. Whilst I'm delighted to have had the pleasure of obtaining a magnificent pair of W1000s from pricejapan, I am new to this home entertaiment business and have yet to even consider adding smell to the sound and vision of my system. An elderly maiden aunt of mine suffered from a similar condition and whether by choice or preference chose to sleep with the family pet goat. This may sound odd to you, but we all felt that her sleeping arrangements rather took the edge of our aunt's natural body odor. This was in the old days of course before we could even imagine shopping in Japan.
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Post by leporello on Jan 12, 2008 0:13:52 GMT
fanboi, thanks for such a full and helpful reply. I'm going to think about it before replying.
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Post by JML on Jan 13, 2008 16:10:41 GMT
I've changed the pads on the W1000 and W100, to the leather pads from the W2002 (I think the leather pads for the woodies are all the same, but I've not personally seen and touched those on the W5000).
You need to be very, very careful when replacing the pads. And patient. The greatest dangers are tearing the stitches that hold the open-weave fabric to the pads, from pulling them too much to stretch the pads over the earpieces, or catching something on a sharp fingernail. You need to put several fingers inside the pads to pull them over the slots around the earpiece. The first time I replaced the pads it was accompanied by much cursing.
My suggestion is to practice by removing and reinstalling the OLD pads before you try and put the new ones on. And look closely at the vinyl section that goes on the angled mount for the pads, and match it up properly (you can see that there's a wider section towards the bottom of the earpiece).
The leather pads are cooler, but don't expect that your ears will be sweat-free from the swap, unless they're so small that they fit inside the pads.
The faux suede (Escaine?) on the AD2000 pads is cooler, probably because the headphones are open and the ear hole is larger, but I don't know if they'd fit on the closed headphones. And they're far less densely padded. The earpieces have the same outside diameter on the closed and open models, but the space for your ear is larger on the AD2000 and pleather D900 models. The pads on the D900 seem to be the same size as those on the AD2000, with more space for your ear with either of those pads, and the D900 pads are more densely padded than those on any of the other AT headphones I've seen, but they're not leather. So it's possible the pads for the D900 might work well on the closed woodies, but I've not tried that (and have no plans to).
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Post by leporello on Jan 14, 2008 16:25:58 GMT
The faux suede (Escaine?) on the AD2000 pads is cooler, probably because the headphones are open and the ear hole is larger, but I don't know if they'd fit on the closed headphones. And they're far less densely padded. The earpieces have the same outside diameter on the closed and open models, but the space for your ear is larger on the AD2000 and pleather D900 models. The pads on the D900 seem to be the same size as those on the AD2000, with more space for your ear with either of those pads, and the D900 pads are more densely padded than those on any of the other AT headphones I've seen, but they're not leather. So it's possible the pads for the D900 might work well on the closed woodies, but I've not tried that (and have no plans to). Thanks for the reply. Faux suede looks like a better proposition all round. Although their not burnt in I'm already beginning to prefer the sound of the W1000s over my HD650s with something approaching seven hundred hours on them. I find the HD650s sound stage to be a little too precise and seperated. Compared to the W1000s the HD650s seem a little cold. Sort of arithmetic rather than melodic (if that makes any sense). My intention was to stick with both sets, one open and one closed. However, I'm beginning to have doubts about whether the Sennheisers are entirely to my taste. As I'm new to this I don't have experience of many headphones. I've owned a set of Grado SR80s and failed to appreciate the Grado sound or ear torture. I owned a set of HD580s for four years and liked them without even thinking. I bought the HD650s in the naive belief that I'd get more of what I liked about the Sennheisers by spending a little more cash and getting a bigger bucket of it! It's possible that I've listened to the HD650s much more closely than any of the 'phones I've owned. There have been times when I have been astounded by the quality they produce. There have been times when I felt bullied by their bass. There have also been occasions when they have startled me, causing me to jump in my chair, thinking that something wierd has happened behind my back. Anyway taken together this led me to follow Mike's lead to pricejapan and to the purchase of the W1000s. To my ears, the sound stage on the W1000 is slightly more narrow than on the Senns but more integrated. They are also natural. I notice when listening to digital broadcasting that the Senns are a trifle too accurate, in so far as they reproduce sounds that our ears don't pick up in normal circumstances. It's rather like sitting in a studio and conversing with a producer on the other side of the glass through mics. To my taste the W1000s from a cosmetic point of view are garish to the point of vulgarity, fortunately they are not a fashion item so I have no need to wear them in public. I may at some time in the future sell off my Sennheisers and buy the AD2000s you mention. But I need to be cautious, as the more I read on these threads, the more my options expand. However, the last thing I want or need is a collection of headphones and amplifiers. I need time to think about my family budget as I've promised to buy my wife a new tool set so that she can repair and tune my dune buggy before the summer comes.
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Post by JML on Jan 14, 2008 17:35:25 GMT
It's funny, but I've only heard folks on your side of the pond refer to the ATs as garish. Maybe that says something about US and Japanese tastes in visual presentation vs. your more demure UK fans... There are clearly auditory preferences, too, given the popularity of the Grado sound over here. But then again, I like UK audio equipment like Linn and Spendor!
The AD2000 is an open headphone, and the soundstage is broader than the closed W1000. I also feel the AT cans to be more transparent and clear than the Senns, but I've never owned the latter and heard them only enough to "see" the veil and feel the clamping force.
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Post by leporello on Jan 14, 2008 19:12:52 GMT
It's funny, but I've only heard folks on your side of the pond refer to the ATs as garish. Maybe that says something about US and Japanese tastes in visual presentation vs. your more demure UK fans... There are clearly auditory preferences, too, given the popularity of the Grado sound over here. But then again, I like UK audio equipment like Linn and Spendor! quote] Well I would have described us as being restrained rather than demure. I've taken the liberty of enclosing a snap of my lady wife and I in a less formal moment. www.manze.co.uk/images/people.jpgGold headbands and red earcups? I think not!
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Post by serverbaboon on Jan 14, 2008 22:44:46 GMT
Back on topic
Just got my ATH-A900 purchased from Audio Cubes, ordered on the 7th arrived today.
Time wise pretty good...the only thing is that I payed by clicking the Paypal button and didn't create an account first so couldn't track the order and also didn't get any notification.
Still can't grumble at 7 days including a weekend. Off topic ...even straight from the box they are a revelation compared to the crap I have been listening too. Just need that green solo to arrive.
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