Audio Technica 3D Wing System Solution

[KaminKevCrew]

So, a little while ago, I bought the ATH A2000X. Now, IMO, it's a decent headphone. Definitely not worth the MSRP, but I got mine for less than half of that, so that's much more acceptable. 

 

Anyway, I got kind of annoyed (Like everyone else) about how the lack of vertical tilt made them stick out at the top of my ears, and prevent a good seal. This was especially annoying for me, since I have a pretty massive head (XL baseball caps are still a touch too tight for me, also, what the hell Audio Technica!?!?!? I KNOW that your ATH A900XLTD has vertical tilt, and I have worn them, they are super comfy! Why the hell don't you put that shit on everything!?). 

 

Anyway, I have a pair of broken Hifiman HE-500s, and I thought I was going to fix them the other day, so I bought some MrSpeakers Alpha pads, since ZReviews over on YouTube really liked the HE-500 that way. Anyway, long story short, my HE-500 isn't fixed - yet.

 

I figured that since I have the earpads here, doing nothing, I might as well see if I can get them to fit on my A2000X. It took a while, and I was scared of tearing them, so I ended up stretching them out a bit on my Hifiman earpad rings for a bit, to get a little more room in there (If you don't happen to have any of those, just take your time) Anyway, once I got the pads on, I had the opposite issue! they were too wide at the bottom of the pad. That was interesting... So I bent the headband a bit (I put it under my chin, and pushed up, hard.) That fixed it up pretty well, and after one or two more bending attempts, I got them to fit perfectly. And now, holy crap! The Alpha pads feel SO much better than the pleather stuff that Audio Technica uses on their $850 MSRP 'flagship' headphones. Another What the hell moment from Audio Technica. Anyway, I literally barely even feel these things on my head, and it's incredible. 

 

For the record, I'm 99% sure that all of the A series has metal bands under the plastic/rubber casing on the headband, so you should be able to bend them even if you don't have a top-flight pair. So, if you have $60 and a pair of A series Audio Technica headphones, try the alpha pads. I'm pretty sure it will solve all of your problems with comfort. Well worth the investment and the time. 

 

For these headphones, all I really notice is a larger sound stage, and perhaps a touch more in the bass department. I can report back later, and actually compare the pads, even though it takes five minutes per pad, to put the Alphas on... Still #worth!

 

So yeah, give it a go if you can, I think you will be pleasantly surprised!

 

I'm working on getting Photos uploaded, so that will happen at some point here!

[KaminKevCrew]

So, after a bit of listening, these headphones have a much more pronounced low end (So it's actually there now, instead of hiding) and the treble seems to have lost some of its bite, which I appreciate; it makes loud listening doable. Also, the sound stage definitely feels a lot bigger to me, and I'm 99% sure that has to do with the drivers being ~2X farther away from my ears. Anyway, I'll do some comparative listening with the HD800 tomorrow, but I think it's getting pretty close to HD800 levels of sound stage, and that's saying something!

 

Also, the detail is absolutely astounding. I was just listening to the Unaccompanied Cello Suite No. 1 in G Majow, BWV 1007: Prelude, by Yo-Yo Ma. Anyway, I could hear when he bumped the chello slightly, and I could even hear when the bow was sticking to the string ever so slightly as he reversed direction. Like what? That was an amazing experience.

[Guest]

Amazing what a simple pad swap can do to a headphone, isn't it. Kind of like when someone takes a $1100 "flagship" and screws up the midrange with "improved" pads.

 

Okay, done harping on the T1. Sounds like you may be on to something here. HD800 levels of soundstage is quite something, given it's supposed to be the grand poobah of soundstage in all of headphonedom.

[KaminKevCrew]

Amazing what a simple pad swap can do to a headphone, isn't it. Kind of like when someone takes a $1100 "flagship" and screws up the midrange with "improved" pads.

Okay, done harping on the T1. Sounds like you may be on to something here. HD800 levels of soundstage is quite something, given it's supposed to be the grand poobah of soundstage in all of headphonedom.

Yeah. It's also been a few days since I've listened to the hd800, so I may be off the mark there, but I was literally getting chills from the a2000x, and the hd800 hasn't done that for me yet... I think that the lightness of the ath also helps me forget that I'm wearing headphones, so that may also have something to do with it.

[KaminKevCrew]

The first picture shows how I bent the headband, only one hand is on my phone to take the picture, instead of the headphone.

Also, I wish that ltt could either resize photos automatically, or have a file size limit of 3mb, because I have more pictures I would like to add, but can't...

[Guest]

Yeah. It's also been a few days since I've listened to the hd800, so I may be off the mark there, but I was literally getting chills from the a2000x, and the hd800 hasn't done that for me yet... I think that the lightness of the ath also helps me forget that I'm wearing headphones, so that may also have something to do with it.

 

Well, clearly the HD800 isn't being amped properly. Gotta use a balanced amp to grip the driver by the ballz.

 

Those alpha pads look like they were made for the A2000X. I've always thought ATH closed phone pads looked thinner than ideal. M50, anyone?

[KaminKevCrew]

Well, clearly the HD800 isn't being amped properly. Gotta use a balanced amp to grip the driver by the ballz.

Those alpha pads look like they were made for the A2000X. I've always thought ATH closed phone pads looked thinner than ideal. M50, anyone?

They definitely are too thin. That's why a lot of people complained about the drivers touching their ears. Let me tell you, I've never met a person that would have an issue with these pads on this headphone. Everything is angled now... The drivers are angled in the cup, the cup itself has a bit of an angle to bolster the rear end of the pads, and now the pads are angled. So... I like it!!!

[Guest]

They definitely are too thin. That's why a lot of people complained about the drivers touching their ears. Let me tell you, I've never met a person that would have an issue with these pads on this headphone. Everything is angled now... The drivers are angled in the cup, the cup itself has a bit of an angle to bolster the rear end of the pads, and now the pads are angled. So... I like it!!!

 

Good. Save some dough over them pricey Sennheisers.

[dylan43270]

I wonder if we can get Massdrop to do a discount on Alpha Pads... If so I would probably buy a couple pairs. 

 

I am very curious to see how the sound changed from a leather pad swap on HD800, it seems like blasphemy in the headphone world.

[KaminKevCrew]

I wonder if we can get Massdrop to do a discount on Alpha Pads... If so I would probably buy a couple pairs.

I am very curious to see how the sound changed from a leather pad swap on HD800, it seems like blasphemy in the headphone world.

There's no way you're getting those pads on the hd800, I'm sorry to say.