Audio Technica ATH-A900X quick impressions vs DT880, Q701, KRK 8400, HD580, Grado 325

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Quick post from head-fi...

New A900X owner here. The plan was to try them @ BB, but they matched newegg, so I was out the door for $245. IMO, these are worth quite a bit more. I enjoy them more than:

10. PX200 ii
9. HD380 Pro
8. KRK KNS-8400
7. DT770 Pro 250 Ohm
6. DT880 Pro 250 Ohm
5. HD580
4. DT880 Premium 600 Ohm

1. Q701
1. Grado 325i
1. A900X

They're VERY comfy, a little warm, but that's to be expected w/ supraural headphones (they sit lightly on my upper ears). The vocals have less sibilance than all of them (can't quite recall the Grados). The lower end has enough for any genre, the soundstage is fantastic for a closed phone, and even the highs aren't too bad. I've had them on/off for about 5 hours now and they seem to be evening out nicely.

For $225 online, I don't think much can contest these right now. Although, I have not heard AKG K550's or Shure's SRH-940.

The pads do seem to be getting less stiff and have more give than when I originally put them on. What gets me about this headphone is that it's more FUN than the 880 600's. I also hated how the 880's would touch my ears on the inside...that and they were a touch too bright...at least not burned in.

I'll update this thread w/ gaming impressions vs Q701's eventually, but feel free to pop in and ask questions. I love questions. :D

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The best evidence for a good phone is that you leave them on and let the tracks play cause you're too curious to see how the next track will play. Also, my cat has been in detention outside for 30 minutes longer than normal...yup, GREAT headphones.

It's RARE to have such crystal clear mids AND low end quantity WITH quality. The Q701's have an almost unnatural mid response that always drove me nuts. But they're soundstage and positioning put them up here w/ the A900X's. Grados were FANTASTIC, but can't really double as gaming phones.

So Q's if you're into shooters. 325's if you're into music. A900X if you want a good balance between the two. I'd love to hear any 940 or 550 owners chime in about these things.

Have a great week [H]!!
 
Thanks for posting this, information on the new Audio-Technica cans has been scarce. I'm anxiously awaiting some sort of confirmation on an open version. I much preferred the AD-series to the A-series headphones from AT.
 
As someone who enjoys metal music, maybe slightly more than the average Joe or Dave, how do these AT headphones stack up? The HD595 I have are "ok", nothing more for it, but they are just about dead, and I was looking for a replacement that was closed (now sit next the Mrs when gaming so she QQ's all the time about the music leaking).

Just wanted your 2 cents, because everyone tells me to get Grados, but I don't want a pain the neck and ears from my headphones!
 
Curious comparison between closed headphones (A900X) and several open headphones (1-6)...

@ Liggy: Grados would be open too so you'd have the same issues as far as leakage really, not typically the best choice for gaming either.
 
I much preferred the AD-series to the A-series headphones from AT.
I probably would too, but already have plenty of open cans and really needed something for LANs. :p

Just wanted your 2 cents, because everyone tells me to get Grados, but I don't want a pain the neck and ears from my headphones!
Get these...

Grado L-Cush Large Replacement Ear Cushions

They made a HUGE difference in comfort for me. The SR325i's are my absolute FAVORITE for in your face music. They do so so well for that. Of course, Impulse is right on both counts...lots of sound leaking everywhere and terribly claustrophobic for gaming.

Curious comparison between closed headphones (A900X) and several open headphones (1-6)...
I have heard Ultrasones and Shures as well as the A900, but didn't own them, so felt uncomfortable listing them as I've not owned them. The ranking is simply for others to compare w/.

The Ultrasones I heard (750?) were all bass and worse than the DT770's for picking out positional cues. The 2 Shures, 840 and 940 have too little bass to be fun. The A900 has a great reputation already and these are improved on those.
 
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The HD580's and Beyer DT880 600ohm sound best with bit of amping both can's are neutral versions of their related brothers and cousins. Also the HD580's are discontinued which is a sad factor.

The lower-end Grado's are well suited for metal and rock, the higher end versions such as the GS and PS1000 are more neutral with a sparkly treble range.

Funny how my taste differs from yours greatly, I found the AD900's to sound greatly superior to the closed A900X's, only closed can I ever liked is my CD950's and CD3000.

They are no slouch headphones though.
 
The HD580's and Beyer DT880 600ohm sound best with bit of amping both can's are neutral versions of their related brothers and cousins. Also the HD580's are discontinued which is a sad factor.
I had a custom built PIMETA for the HD580's and also run LittleDot's MKIII which REALLY made the 580's sing. I'm still pissed they were stolen. I bought them from amusicdirect.com over a decade ago and never had a single problem with them. Insurance check comes soon, then it's balls to the wall. :D HD600 vs HD650 or hold out for HD700?

The lower-end Grado's are well suited for metal and rock, the higher end versions such as the GS and PS1000 are more neutral with a sparkly treble range.
The PS1000 is on my hit list. That is the one phone I'm most looking forward to hearing. I'd love to get a chance to audition one @ a local head-fi meet.

Funny how my taste differs from yours greatly, I found the AD900's to sound greatly superior to the closed A900X's, only closed can I ever liked is my CD950's and CD3000.
I have never heard the AD900's, only the A900's. I'm sure based on your comments, that you're a soundstage/air whore. :D

I NEED closed for LAN parties. It's a must. I tried my HD580's and they were useless. Heck, even HD280 Pro's couldn't stop the onslaught of a 5000 RPM closet of doom sitting next to me!!

We need some [H] meets down here in Tempe/Phoenix!! You sound like you've got a lot more experience than me and it's always nice to meet folks w/ different tastes! What type of music do you listen to? I'm currently listening to A State of Trance 550, CD1 (Armin van Buuren) and it's surprisingly peaceful. I'm on track 6 right now, but Solar Stone is my favorite so far. I need to get my AKG pads back as I'm sure it would be AMAZING on those.
 
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I had a custom built PIMETA for the HD580's and also run LittleDot's MKIII which REALLY made the 580's sing. I'm still pissed they were stolen. I bought them from amusicdirect.com over a decade ago and never had a single problem with them. Insurance check comes soon, then it's balls to the wall. :D HD600 vs HD650 or hold out for HD700?

Ahh the Pimeta's they go back fairly far, I haven't heard from a Pimeta setup for about over 3-4 years now or so, these day's people are just into the Ray Samuels line of portable amp's or the O2/ODAC by nwavguy. Although the HD580's/HD600 and HD650's are not picky with pairing with the right amp, there high impedence means you need some extra ompphff to drive them to shine, own both the 580s and 600 and to be honest, the HD600 is only a cosmetic change with a metal mesh grill and and different coloured housing.

The PS1000 is on my hit list. That is the one phone I'm most looking forward to hearing. I'd love to get a chance to audition one @ a local head-fi meet.

Well there are Headfi meets that do pop up from time to time, have to check the meet's subforum now and then to see if one is near you, another one is auditioning the can's at a local audio store or one of those library lease headphones or w/e.

I have never heard the AD900's, only the A900's. I'm sure based on your comments, that you're a soundstage/air whore. :D

Not really, closed headphones generally sound more congested due to the small soundstaging and imaging provided, although bassheads are another group of audiophiles, closed headphones generally offer the most impact and sub-bass when it comes to EDM music or any music you desire that thunder bass from. Although my LCD2's please me with enough impact from time to time, their are some closed headphones like the Fostex T50RP (LFF's Paradox) is another league for those after a neutral signature.

I NEED closed for LAN parties. It's a must. I tried my HD580's and they were useless. Heck, even HD280 Pro's couldn't stop the onslaught of a 5000 RPM closet of doom sitting next to me!!

Yeh I wouldn't be surprised. You should really give the T50RP's a try next time, There's alot of praise on the Headfi boards going on about them the sound it offer's once modded. Either Mr Speakers BMF, smeggy's Thunderpants, LFF's Paradox or self DIY etc.

We need some [H] meets down here in Tempe/Phoenix!! You sound like you've got a lot more experience than me and it's always nice to meet folks w/ different tastes! What type of music do you listen to? I'm currently listening to A State of Trance 550, CD1 (Armin van Buuren) and it's surprisingly peaceful. I'm on track 6 right now, but Solar Stone is my favorite so far. I need to get my AKG pads back as I'm sure it would be AMAZING on those.

I listen to pretty everything out there except any k/j pop music and country and folk. But overall I'm pretty much a electronics kind of guy with a bit of rock and metal here and there. I have an inventory of headphones/amp setups to keep me satisfied with all the different genres I listen to.

....
 
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Thanks for all the info bro. I'll digest it over the next few days!

The only gripe I have about the A900X is that they pinch the top of my ears a bit too much, although admittedly, I'm getting used to it. I've been through SO many pairs looking for my perfect closed headphone. Any other recommendations if I like the A900X sonics? I'd love something to go around the ear. If the cups were just a TOUCH bigger @ the top, they'd be perfect.
 
The W5000 will be a next good upgrade. If you want the best of AT then you can go for their flagship 50th Anniversary headphones namely the W3000ANV. Quite expensive but once you walk the path of audiophilia you will not stop.
 
Mods: Delete this^^

:D

I'm pretty happy w/ the A900X. I can't remember the last time I listened to a headphone that did justice to everything I threw @ it. The don't change the litter box, but they Owl City justice. ;)
 
The W5000 will be a next good upgrade. If you want the best of AT then you can go for their flagship 50th Anniversary headphones namely the W3000ANV. Quite expensive but once you walk the path of audiophilia you will not stop.

Once you start getting into this territory, it's time to try to make it to a Head-Fi meet or something. Try before you buy is important when your spending hundreds to thousands on headphones.

I had the chance to sample a W5000 at one point and I did not care for them in the slightest. They didn't sound bad, but they didn't particularly wow me either. For $800 they should. I had assumed that I was just destine to dislike all closed-AT cans, until someone pulled our an L3000. Now those... those were beyond amazing. So, it can be done :p
 
Once you start getting into this territory, it's time to try to make it to a Head-Fi meet or something. Try before you buy is important when your spending hundreds to thousands on headphones.

I had the chance to sample a W5000 at one point and I did not care for them in the slightest. They didn't sound bad, but they didn't particularly wow me either. For $800 they should. I had assumed that I was just destine to dislike all closed-AT cans, until someone pulled our an L3000. Now those... those were beyond amazing. So, it can be done :p

They go cheaper then $800 typically around 400 for a used one in great condition. The L3000 are very rare AT's, called leather-heads also, have read a few impressions on them, they supposedly sound best paired with one of the old discontinued AT amp's and their sound don't suit everyone. Either way I'm no $2.5-3k headphone collector lol.

But as viper has said already, it's best auditioning audio gear before dropping your hard earned cash onto it
 
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are these headphones better than DT990 pro 250ohms?

i am looking to upgrade from A700
 
iam trying to compare the

AKG K550
Audio-Technica ATH-A900X
DT 990 pro 250ohm

for my next set of headphones

looking for better postional audio and more bass and just overall balanced sound
 
So you'd recommend the ATH-A900X for straight up gaming as well then? I want a pair that I can wear for hours on end that have immaculate sound response, not just for games, but for music. Would these fit the bill? I'd pay any price for what I listed as requirements, though I wouldn't mind going with cheaper phones to save some cash with great sound as well. I've been in this "What should I get?" mode for a while now with headphones, my current set is a pair of Sennheisers that are way past their lifespan.

FYI I play stuff like MMO's, Shooters, etc.Basically everything.
 
So you'd recommend the ATH-A900X for straight up gaming as well then? I want a pair that I can wear for hours on end that have immaculate sound response, not just for games, but for music. Would these fit the bill? I'd pay any price for what I listed as requirements, though I wouldn't mind going with cheaper phones to save some cash with great sound as well. I've been in this "What should I get?" mode for a while now with headphones, my current set is a pair of Sennheisers that are way past their lifespan.

FYI I play stuff like MMO's, Shooters, etc.Basically everything.

If you are not a basshead get the AD900. A900 are nice and fairly good all around. However it is closed and it does get rather warm after use.
 
from most of my research into a set of closed headphones, people seemed to favour the A900 over the A900X, saying the 900X wasn't "as good" as the 900s, but the 900s are harder to find now too.

Just an FYI if they have any 900s in stock you might want to try them if you like the 900xs.
 
right now iam between the A900X and the AKG K550

the K550 are a little more but are regarded as one of the best sealed cans and are comparable to the denon 2000's for alot less money

the denons are like $399 on amazon and the K550 are going for 280
 
Don't buy the D2K's for retail price from Amazon, buy it from Headroom or something as it's much cheaper. In terms of sound, from my ear's, K550 > D2k. K550 are clear, lively treble, not bass bloated like the D2k but produces a nice tight clean bass reproduction, impact and sub-bass wise, can be a bit bright with some music. The D2k have a lot of sub-bass but is muddy, unclear and congested sounding compared to the K550, but the D2k looks nice for its wooden housing.

Honestly when I heard the A900 and A900X, I found subtle to no differences. Order by sound for the ATH *900 range. AD900 > A900 = A900X.
 
well i have the A700 now and they are not much different than the A900

i think iam leaning toward the AKG K550's

btw iam using an ASUS STX to drive them
 
i'm also interested in the K550's. i've read they're pretty light on bass, and some say that's due to improper fitment. anyone here have the K550's? anyone use them for gaming?
 
after reading some threads that compared the A900X to the K550's it seems that the general census is that the K550 does what the A900X but better or more detailed

like the bass is tigher and and with the mids. The soundstage is bigger and fuller slightly. AKG is advertising this headphone as a closed headphone that has an open sound. I guess they may have nailed it. I would suspect these would be great for gaming. I know the A700s and the A900 or A900x are great for gaming too. I definately thinking of picking up a pair of K550's to try out i want to find a place that has them so i can listen and compare them. They go for about $289 on amazon.
 
iI went ahead and ordered a pair of AKG K550 off ebay bnib for $250 shipped

in heard too many good things about it and seems to have everything I'm looking for in this price range
 
I'm still debating which ones to get, but I would like to get a Xonar DG as well while I'm at it.
 
How do these stack against older AKG headphones? I got a chance to sample a K701 and quite frankly, found them boring. They just sounded sort of... flat I guess?

The K701/Q702's are too bright, i.e. high frequency sounds will sound like high shrilled scream to your ears. They do have a vase soundstage but they are dry sounding and dull.
 
open cans will always be better for gaming, i already have that written in my book.

at the same time i do prefer closed cans but this is why i own 2 headphones, 1 for games and 1 for music/movies.
 
Went to best buy yesterday and listened to the AKG K550 , A900X , ATH-ESW9A, 558's,

I liked the K550 the best for several reasons. The A900X sound really close to the K550 but the headphone did not fit on my head. they were very loose and slide down my head and i couldn't get a good seal at all. the were very loose. I was surprise because i get a good fit with my A700. I felt like the A900x were a little more less clear on the vocals and bit more bassy. the ear pads are also stiffer and not as comfy as the K550's. I was able to get a good seal with the K550's and i felt like the bass was tight but the mids and top end were clearer and i would describe it as very balanced. they sound like an open headphone like the AD700 but alot more detailed with better bass and overall accurate sound. the sound stage is huge. I was not impressed with the 558's they sounded veiled and not as clear almost muddy. they had good base and the cans fit good like the pads felt like they were shaped to my ears. they were cheapest out of the bunch and if your in that price range they are a good choice. The ATH-ESW9A sounded really good and maybe better than the K550 slightly and the A900x. they also cost more and they fit sort of on your ear and not as isolating as the K550 or A900x. They are extremely comfortable and well made. They sound really good but they lack isolation and as wide soundstage. I think the K550 would be a great choice gaming. I will give an update review once i get my K550 early this week.
 
How is positional audio on the A900X, I ask because my only AT experience was with an ATH-A500, it was my first audiophile headphone and after using it for a while I discovered it was jacking up positional audio in games. It took me a long time to figure it out because I had just started playing HL2DM and thought it was just bad audio in the source engine. I cannot explain exactly what was happening, maybe sound was distorted or muffled in some way but I just could not locate people in games as well as others and it was all fixed by switching those cans out for PC-350s.
 
Closed headphones for gaming under $150 = BRAINWAVZ HM5

http://www.amazon.com/BRAINWAVZ-HM5-Studio-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B006MA9XXM

The AKG 55 appears to be a fine closed headphone. I would have gone for a used pair myself but got a pair of 558s for cheap instead. Too bad you have to have closed bc the 558s are pretty much second only to the 701 or 598 in terms of directional sound. I don't love them for music but for games and tv over long periods? Perfect.

That is, after you take the stupid foam tape off of the inside of the grill.
 
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the a900x and the K550 sound similar. I preferred the K550 sound. The a900x did not fit on head well and were sliding off. The K550 fit great. That might. have made a difference

in did not think the 558 sounded superior to the a900x and k550. They sounded veiled.
 
the a900x and the K550 sound similar. I preferred the K550 sound. The a900x did not fit on head well and were sliding off. The K550 fit great. That might. have made a difference

in did not think the 558 sounded superior to the a900x and k550. They sounded veiled.

You have to take the foam off. They sound damn near like closed headphones with it intact. They are still a bit too neutral for me and music but for gaming they do really well.
 
Went to best buy yesterday and listened to the AKG K550 , A900X , ATH-ESW9A, 558's,

I wish the Best Buy near me carried any of that... They've got some very low end Senn stuff here, some Koss, and a lot of Beats/Bose/Skullcandy crap. Oh and one low end AiAiAi pair I think.
 
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