[donunus]

Is there a thread somewhere that does a comparison of the AT woodies like the w2002 w100 w11 w1k w5k etc etc??? If anyone knows, can you pls post a link cause I cant seem to find one.

 

[moonboy403]

Before I bought my W5000, from my research on the forum, there were never any direct comparisons between all those headphones. There were only review/comparisons between the W1000 and W5000 as they're similar, but with the W5000 more refined. I can attest to this as I have had both.

As I've read, the other three woodies you mention have different sound sig than the W1000 and W5000 (but W2002 is closer to these two than the W100 and W11).

Sorry for not being very helpful.

 

[donunus]

Its very weird after all these years that no one has compared them. I know Elephas has a bunch of them, maybe some other users too.

 

[strangelove]

I have owned the AT W5000, W2002, W11JPN, and W10VTG. Briefly I can say that the W5000 has by far the best details and imaging of any of them; it's not even close. Where the W5000 lacks is I find it overly bright and thin sounding. I Fitz F5005 modded mine and I much prefer them that way. They get a little dark and loose some of the imaging qualities, but the sound is more balanced I find. The W2002 has slightly more bass than the stock W5000 and a more balanced sound. I also has a wonderful midrange, esp with female vocals but I found it a bit colored. Compared to the W5000 it doesn't have quite as much detail and the fact it lacked bass compared to the F5005 and the coloration led me to end up selling it. The W11JPN is a very warm, suductive sound phone. It has a much more closed soundstage and darker sound than any of the other AT woodies I've heard. It is very unique. I keep it for that quality. The W10VTG has been described as a lesser version of the W11JPN, but I find them quite different. The W10VTG is much brighter with much more PRAT. However they can be somewhat sibilant in the highs. That said they sound great unamped so I keep them for that.

 

[donunus]

aaahhh nice writeup. I wonder where you'd rank the w1000s among those

 

[moonboy403]

Which one exactly are you looking into donunus?

 

[donunus]

Maybe in the future I might want to try an AT woody and have been hearing mixed reviews about the w5000s saying they were detailed and very good sounding yet thin like strangeloves assesment above. I wonder if the w1000 might be slightly less analytical yet retaining the detailed and balanced sound

 

[boomy3555]

I know that AT is much more popular over at Jaben forums. Maybe they might have some comps for you to read. You can't spit over there without hitting an ESW9 or ESW10jpn

 

[rjsbass]

does the wood actually help the headphone at all? i could imagine it resonating and helping notes sustain more...but since the sound is going right into your ear i'm sure the sound waves won't have enough time to resonate through the wood into your skull before the note changes

 

[moonboy403]

Quote:

Originally Posted by donunus /img/forum/go_quote.gif Maybe in the future I might want to try an AT woody and have been hearing mixed reviews about the w5000s saying they were detailed and very good sounding yet thin like strangeloves assesment above. I wonder if the w1000 might be slightly less analytical yet retaining the detailed and balanced sound

The W1000 is only a less refined version of the W5000. For the W5000, matching it with a tube amp is the way to go as it gives the W5000 some warmth. I would say that the W5000 has a pretty special soundstage since it's triangular and holographic.

 

[donunus]

so the w1k is tonally the same in balance all throughout?

 

[xenithon]

From the Audio-Technica W/L series hierarchy thread, here is (IMO) one of the most epic posts in Head-Fi history:

In the beginning, there was the W10VTG. And it was good. And God said, Let there be light", and there was the W10LTD. It was light (a lighter shade of wood). And it was different. Its sound was thinner. And for more than a few, it wasn't so good.

Then God said, "Let me return to the goodness of the W10VTG, but make it better." And then there was the W11JPN. And it was good. Very good. God was pleased.

And God said, "Let there be a rounder shape of wood", and there was the W100. And for many who liked the thinner sound of the W10LTD, but didn't like it, the W100 was good (though for some, only the ones later in the production run sounded good.)

But God got forgetful and said again, "Let there be Light" (while looking at his earlier W11JPN), and there was the W11R. And it was not so good. God had created the "red-headed stepsister of the family".

Then God said, "Let there be beautiful", and there was the W2002. But God is a merciless God. At least to those without HA2002 or Sugden HeadMasters.

Then God said, "Let there be beautiful for the masses", and there was the W1000. I'll stop saying anything about this W1000, because the original poster owns one.

Then God said looked at his past creations and curried up his knowledge and his skill and said, "Let there be my ultimate", and there was the L3000. And it was good. It had everything that was good in all of prior creation and was good.

Then God said, "Let me finally get the W10LTD, W100, W2002, W1000 done right", and there was the W5000. And finally, it was good.

And so God rested, until the 50th anniversary of his creation.

 

[boomy3555]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rjsbass /img/forum/go_quote.gif does the wood actually help the headphone at all? i could imagine it resonating and helping notes sustain more...but since the sound is going right into your ear i'm sure the sound waves won't have enough time to resonate through the wood into your skull before the note changes

Can you imagine a plastic violin or piano?.

The natural "Timbre" of the wood adds resonant properties to the sound waves bouncing back to your ear. The hard part is finding the right wood, thickness, shape,and finish to reveal the best from the wood. while still eliminating the sibilence most closed cans have in the upper mid and highs. It's hard to get only the good notes to bounce back without the bad. Mahogany is used mostly because it's still cost effective with the best natural resonant poroperties for the size of the area of most headphone cups.

 

[moonboy403]

Quote:

Originally Posted by donunus /img/forum/go_quote.gif so the w1k is tonally the same in balance all throughout?

Don't quote me on it, as I don't have my W1000 anymore, but if I remember correctly, they are very similar tonally speaking.

 

[donunus]

hahaha xenithon that post is brilliant