Audio Technica ATH AD900X {$180 Used} {$299 New}
Personal Back-Story
I recently emailed Mr. Doris
a Public relations professional with Audio- Technica U.S., INC. I would first
of all like to thank him for allowing me to do this review as well as for his
great communication with me! Non the less, I’ve been doing reviews for about a
year now and wanted to apply my trade toward a great cause and do a more
professional review. So I emailed Mr.
Dorris to see if I could do a review for Audio-Technica U.S and he graciously agreed.
My interest in the ATH AD900x is rooted in my love for open back headphones, as
a happy owner of the Beyerdynamic Dt 880 I was curious to see how the Audio
Technica open back within the DT 880 price range performed, and I was not
disappointed.
Pros: Spacious airy sound,
fantastic bass, sound stage and imaging
Cons : Slides a little, to
little decay, aggressive,
Build [3.8/5]
Not the toughest headphone
ever made, a lot of plastic. But it feels very sturdy, and has a good weight in
the hands. Visually is very well made, a very attractive headphone to look
upon.
Specs
Type Open Air Dynamic
Driver Diameter 53mm
Frequency Response 5-35,000
Maximum Input Power 1,000mW
Sensitivity 100dB/mW
Impedance 38ohm
Weight 265 g
Cable 3.0 meters
Ease of Use
[Comfort/Fit/Isolation] [4/5]
Very comfy, the clamp is
wonderful the only issue I have with them is the wings. While the wing system
is implemented very nicely, the wings themselves has slightly less padding than
the A900x and W1000x… making the headphone slide around a millimeter or so if you’re
moving around. While this does not have a bearing on sound, it is a little
distracting at times.
Price to Performance : [5/5]
Compared to the DT 880 which
is in the same price range, I’d say that the AD900x like the Dt 880 is a
fantastic bargain! The sound is very detailed and spacious, and over all the
mix of elements on the headphone are wonderful for it’s price range!
Complimentary Genres: Metal EDM and Classical
Sonic Test Process
Source Win 7[Foobar2000
WASAPI] -> oDac -> MonoPrice Premium Coaxial Cables -> Matrix M Stage
[Lme 49990 OpAmp]
Headphone reference notes- I like to
demo all headphones against my Beyerdynamic Dt 880, as they are a well know
reference can. Reference notes will
always be in italics, and are included in the Video Reviews and Head Fi review
posts.
Reference points, will be in bold italics. In each of the seven reference songs I will
specify what parts of the song I am listening to, to evaluate the 3 parts of
the spectrum. In addition to other
aspects of the overall sound presentation.
In addition, I always like details presented in all frequances
Highs- looking for and evaluating air, nice
extension and good energy and placement within sound stage
Mids- looking for and considering weight,
body and tone
Bass- listening
for, control, texture and punch/impact
Sound Stage- reported after listening to all tracks
Imaging
–Track #3 and #4 are well
mastered for 2D and 3D imaging
Instrument
Layering-reported after listening
to all tracks
Timbre- realism of sound, fun versus real
Speed- ability to retain mirco-details in ultra-fast tonal shifts
Music Auditioned [All
Lossless quality, tracks vary from 16 to 24bit]
Sound
Sound Signature-
Very neutral but with an aggressive tight bass, very spacious and quick
natured. Detail presentation and imaging are fantastic, as is instrument layering
and separation. Lean, mean and airy
Dynamics- Super quick, sometimes a little to fast
Timbre- Very real, great timbre on the highs and mids, yet the bass can be a
little too lean… a little mechanical in nature.
Speed- VERY fast, even the bass is
super tight and very quick!
Sound Stage: Great
sound stage, a nice sense of air throughout. 2D and 3D imaging are nice as well, could be slightly
deeper though. Instrument separation though
is wonderful!
Highs- Wonderful sense of air and detail, very spacious with
a surreal extension and energy.
Mids- On the
aggressive side, not forward but with a great edge and crunch to them, very
punchy. Yet with a delicate enough body for vocals and classical.
Bass- VERY
tight sub and mid bass, pairs magically with EDM, Classical and Metal, but a little too lean for other genres. The
decay is a bit too short, timbre is a little mechanical. Still a very tight and
enjoyable bass, in addition the bass is presented ever so slightly forward… a
nice mix of elements really, overly lean yet slightly forward bass… works very
well for the headphone!
Amplification Need or
Suggested – These do not need an amp, but
they would sound fantastic with a nice hybrid tube amp!
In addition comparative notes will be in italics and
only included in the full Head Fi review and mentioned in the Video Reviews.
