foood4thought's Full Review: Audio-Technica ATH-A900 Professional Headphones
Build Quality – The first thing I noticed when I received my A900’s 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 shouldn’t be an issue because these aren’t 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 it’s job well and I honestly can’t 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) didn’t clamp as tightly as these. As far as head banging goes… I’d recommend against it with these ‘phones. While they will stay on, they do move around a bit.
Sound:
Isolation – The closed design of the A900’s 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 isn’t as loud as many cheaper ‘phones. If you are willing to lose the eq, you’ll 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 A900’s have “scooped out mids.” I don’t 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 don’t 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 A900’s sound pretty neutral to me. Jazz sounds AMAZING on these, rock sounds great, but as I progressed into heavier metal tracks, they weren’t forward enough.
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