foood4thought's Full Review: Audio-Technica ATH-A900 Professional Headphones
Build Quality The first thing I noticed when I received my A900s was how well they were built. All the joints are perfectly free and noise free. They feel like quality equipment and nice materials were used. However, the double headband feels cheap a lone piece of plastic covers each arch and it feels loose and cheap to an extent. Another downfall is their delicate feel. However, this shouldnt be an issue because these arent exactly portable headphones and should never be abused. What is lost in durability is gained in comfort.
Comfort These are by far the most comfortable headphones I have ever had the pleasure to wear. The ׁd wing design does its job well and I honestly cant feel them on my head; the headphones feel as though they are floating. Clamping pressure is moderate in my opinion. While others claim it is very light, my previous headphones (Philips SBC HP820) didnt clamp as tightly as these. As far as head banging goes Id recommend against it with these phones. While they will stay on, they do move around a bit.
Sound:
Isolation The closed design of the A900s allow for an approximate 10db attenuation of outside noises. While outside noise can be heard, it is very quiet and virtually undetectable with music playing. Fortunately this leads to quieter listening volumes and prevents others (such as roommates) from being bothered by your late night listening habits.
Bass These headphones are fairly bass heavy for high-end phones. That said, these are NOT the headphones for listening to music with the eq in a v. The bass is detailed and goes low, but isnt as loud as many cheaper phones. If you are willing to lose the eq, youll find yourself immersed in detailed, low bass that remains pleasant even when driven hard. The bass can be slightly boomy at times, but keep in mind boomy bass on $200 headphones is nothing like boomy on the headphones that came with your walkman. UPDATE: As my headphones aged, they lost the boomy sound. They sound truly excellent now.
Mids I have heard many people remark that the A900s have scooped out mids. I dont find this true at all. After approximately 40 hours of use, the phones sound very flat and true to life. Voices come to life infact, good recordings give me chills.
Highs The highs sound great. They are very detailed and crystal clear. Chimes sparkle, bells ring, hi-hats sound amazing. Another great thing is they dont lend themselves to ear fatigue a feat I consider rather amazing.
Other notes: The A900's certainly sound better with my headphone amp connect or through my receiver compared to the line out on my sound card. When connected to the amp, the highs sparkle and the bass is absolutly amazing. It extends low and sounds superb; it's as close to a live recording as I've ever gotten. While these may not require an amp, I'd seriously suggest at least considering one if you are using the line out on your computer as a source.
Overall The A900s sound pretty neutral to me. Jazz sounds AMAZING on these, rock sounds great, but as I progressed into heavier metal tracks, they werent forward enough.
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