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Audio Technica headphone question -- closest to leatherhead?


Dusty Chalk

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They are out of production. There were a few used a few months back, they come and go (kinda like Karma Chameleons).

You can probably get a pair for ~$300 used, but I guess it will also depend on demand as well. Thank god it's not an HF-1, otherwise you'd pay mucho mucho!

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Bumping up an old topic.

So yeah, after reading repeatedly how nice the JPN's and the VTG's are, I'm passively in the market for them (although it has to coincide with my having money, of course, which I currently don't), but was wondering if anyone has any additional thoughts on this, now that the a900ti and a950ltd are out...? Are they in the running, or are they more in W2002/W100 territory, or "other"?

Currently, I use the CD3000 as sort of a poor-man's L3000, as, until I get them recabled (the L3000's, that is), I am really unhappy with the midrange suckout. I'm actually tempted to put in an EQ. The Sony's certainly don't have the same delivery of transients that the Audio Technica's do (can you say, "smoov"?), but since I'm not doing critical listening, they are perfectly adequate for passive work listening.

I'm tempted to just get a pair of each and decide for myself. They are black (the A500 and the A950ltd are, anyway, even if the a900ti is not), after all, and closed, the former of which is not a criteria, but certainly a plus, and the latter of which is definitely a criteria.

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I am interested to hear the 950ltd as well.

Although I had the W3k, and I really liked the sound, the VTG just has this 'magic mojo' going for it.

Current market prices would dictate you'd be looking at around $600ish (probably a bit more) for the VTG, and around $1100 for a JPN. This is, of course, assuming you purchase from a head-fier. If you are lucky enough, you might be able to snag one off Yahoo Japan for a bit less.

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These two headphones are truly enjoyable in my opinion. The W10VTG is quite magical yet balanced while is the W11JPN is fantastically sweet and euphonic. :D I personally prefer the W11JPN's sound signature. I might be selling one of my W11JPNs in a few weeks; I'm not sure yet though.

With regards to the W10VTG, some people have noticed variations in different ones. The difference in sound seems to be one between "magical" and "dull". I'm not quite sure about the specifics, but Jason (jjcha) seems to know the most about it. Dan's (Grawk) old, now Jay's (jbloud) W10VTG is an example of the best of the crop apparently. :) Back in the day, a number of people (one of whom was Scott, overlunge - team organizer of ATOWF) were reportedly rather unimpressed by the VTG. It is most likely that theirs were not of the "better ones" unfortunately. As to how to tell the difference without comparing them first-hand, I am not sure.

As for the W11JPN, I've owned a number of W11JPNs (ranging from #23 to the one of the last ones), and though I haven't compared them thoroughly, I don't think there have been obvious variations in the production run.

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I bought the A950LTD when it was released, and sold it soon afterwards because I felt it would never get any listening time with the L3000 around. It is kind of a "mini L3000" in many ways, but it can't match the L3000's refinement.

The W11JPN also sounds somewhat like the L3000. Unlike the A950LTD, I don't think it is eclipsed completely by the L3000. The W11JPN has its own unique qualities that makes it great-sounding and able to hold its own against the L3000, W5000 and W2002.

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I bought the A950LTD when it was released, and sold it soon afterwards because I felt it would never get any listening time with the L3000 around. It is kind of a "mini L3000" in many ways, but it can't match the L3000's refinement.

With the number of headphones in your collection how does anything get any listening time?
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I am interested to hear the 950ltd as well.

Although I had the W3k, and I really liked the sound, the VTG just has this 'magic mojo' going for it.

Current market prices would dictate you'd be looking at around $600ish (probably a bit more) for the VTG, and around $1100 for a JPN. This is, of course, assuming you purchase from a head-fier. If you are lucky enough, you might be able to snag one off Yahoo Japan for a bit less.

FYI, I recently sold my VTG for $450 shipped. I could probably get more but I think that is a fair price. Regarding the $1100 for a JPN, that is just insane. The W2002 with a HA2002 will trump over the W11JPN anyday in both resolutions and dynamics. People tend to discount the W2002 b/c they heard them with the wrong amps. Anyway, I don't think one should be paying $1100 for the W11JPN. In higher end systems, I can't even get the W11JPN to best my HD-650. I found both the W10VTG to lack in resolution and details comparing to the W11JPN, W2002, and L3000. IMO, people should give more credit to the W2002.

BTW, the A950LTD has similar many traits of the L3000 but a lot less refined. The most L3000-like headhone is my W2002 w/ L3000 drivers in them. :)

Purk

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FYI, I recently sold my VTG for $450 shipped. I could probably get more but I think that is a fair price. Regarding the $1100 for a JPN, that is just insane. The W2002 with a HA2002 will trump over the W11JPN anyday in both resolutions and dynamics. People tend to discount the W2002 b/c they heard them with the wrong amps. Anyway, I don't think one should be paying $1100 for the W11JPN. In a higher end systems, I can't even get the W11JPN to best the HD-650. I found both the W10VTG to lack in resolution comparing to the W11JPN, W2002, and L3000.

BTW, the A950LTD has similar many traits of the L3000 but a lot less refined. The most L3000-like headhone is my W2002 w/ L3000 drivers in them. :)

Purk

The price of JPNs and VTGs is going through the roof as more people decide they like them. Considering rarity and age, it's not surprising they are going up. As to the W2002s being better with the HA2002, sure, if you buy the 1 amp they don't sound like ass with, they may sound better. Who wants to buy a specific amp for them. The JPNs and VTGs may not be "best" at anything, but they sure sound good, and if what you want is euphony and not resolution and detail, they're a great choice.

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The VTG and JPN are worth the value if you compare them to certain headphones like the Darth Beyers and Edition 9. :P

If people are asking almost $900 for Darth Beyers and $1.2k for the Edition 9, I would accept that the VTG and JPN cost more than that.

When I sold my JPN, most of the offers I got were in the $1.1k to $1.3k range. VTG offers were $650 to $750.

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When I sold my JPN, most of the offers I got were in the $1.1k to $1.3k range. VTG offers were $650 to $750.

You did well. I sold my W11JPN to Mulveling a year ago for $600 and recently sold my W10VTG for $450. Next time I need to wait for more offer. Of course, I don't think of them as highly as others here. But I agree that good closed headphones are very difficult to come by but for the same price the W5000 is actually better , of course, if you don't have a fit problem.

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The price of JPNs and VTGs is going through the roof as more people decide they like them. Considering rarity and age, it's not surprising they are going up. As to the W2002s being better with the HA2002, sure, if you buy the 1 amp they don't sound like ass with, they may sound better. Who wants to buy a specific amp for them. The JPNs and VTGs may not be "best" at anything, but they sure sound good, and if what you want is euphony and not resolution and detail, they're a great choice.

The HA2002 not only an excellent match to the W2002, it also works wonder with both the W10VTG and W11JPN. The HA2002 actually out performed my SDS prior to the upgrade and many amps I've tried when driving the W2002, W10VTG, and W11JPN.

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The VTG and JPN are worth the value if you compare them to certain headphones like the Darth Beyers and Edition 9. :P

If people are asking almost $900 for Darth Beyers and $1.2k for the Edition 9, I would accept that the VTG and JPN cost more than that.

That's an interesting way of looking at it. While that logic may hold, it still doesn't convince ME to pay that much for them. :D

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