Audio-Technica is a standard for musicians and music enjoyers everywhere. Their flagship ATH-ADX5000 continues to be a hit amongst audiophiles and music producers, as the open-air design allows for detailed sound and at a high resolution. They have recently released a followup to those flagship headphones, this time in a version they named the ATH-ADX3000. These headphones retail for $999, and today I was able to give them a listen and check out all the details in their design and sound quality.
What Comes In The Box
- ATH-ADX3000
- Detachable A2DC Cable (6.35mm termination)
- Hard Carrying Case
Aesthetics and Functionality
The people who loved the look of the ATH-ADX5000 will find that they can appreciate the look of the ADX3000. The open-back design shows off the driver technology and gives it a futuristic look. They have the same velour earpads that are comfortable to wear for long periods of time, as well as lightweight enough to feel like you’re wearing nothing. I would argue they are a little too lightweight for my taste; they feel like they could break easily if ever so slightly mishandled. I found that the ear seal was not 100% there, and there was a bit of space at the bottom and took away from the listening experience.
Setting up the headphones with my audio system was very easy. I used the Questyle CMA18 portable DAC/Amp to give the headphones a little extra boost, even though their low impedance allows them to be fairly adaptable and not need the power boost. The long cable is a bit cumbersome to deal with, and I would have liked to see a shorter cable option for people who just want to use this at their desk like I did. Nonetheless, the setup was simple and I was listening in no time.
Tech Specs
- Type: Open air dynamic
- Driver: 58 mm
- Sensitivity: 98 dB/mW
- Frequency response: 5 to 45,000 Hz
- Maximum input power: 700 mW
- Impedance: 50 Ω
- Input jack: A2DC connector jack
Let’s talk about the difference between the ADX5000 and the ADX3000. Visually, they are nearly identical. Technologically, there are few noticeable differences. With an impedance of only 50 Ω instead of the 420 Ω, the ADX3000 is more adaptable and easier to drive than the ADX5000. The frequency response does not go as high, and the ADX3000 is also slightly less sensitive than the flagship. All this being said, the ADX3000 definitely advertises as a more versatile, easier-to-use version of the ADX5000.
Listening Review
Soundstage
The soundstage on these headphones is incredibly wide, as is to be expected with a pair of open-back headphones. Wearing these made any track I listened to super immersive. The frequencies expanded in width and depth, but not so much in height. It was a rather flat sound overall, but I found I didn’t mind it. The sound signature had excellent balance that leaned slightly more towards the treble side. The stereo imaging was very accurate, and placing instruments in the field was easy. The flat signature paired with the lightweight design makes this the ideal headphone for mixing and mastering, and I could definitely see music producers picking up a pair of these cans to work on their future projects.
These headphones don’t have any noise canceling, and sound isolation is not quite there because of the open-back design. However, once the music starts playing, the high sensitivity allows you to boost the volume to drown out any ambient noise very easily. You don’t need much power to get these running,
Low Frequencies
Open-back headphones tend to have a more relaxed low end, the the ADX-3000 follows precisely that format. While the bass stayed relatively even in power with the other frequencies, there was still a lot of drive and color coming from this range. The warmth of bass guitars and punchiness of the kick drums came through with excellent clarity that didn’t overwhelm the other ranges. In particular, I was listening to “GARÇON” Yseult, and I loved the sound of the crunchy electric guitar with the slamming kick drum.
Mid-Range Frequencies
The mid-range shows off some impressive detail and clarity. Sound reproduction is fairly accurate and helps instruments sound precise throughout listening. I liked hearing all the layers in large instrumental tracks, especially one like “Abatina” by Calypso Rose. The stacked guitars and percussion were all heard fairly evenly across the board, getting a little extra detail to stand out against some powerful vocals. Hearing the horn section and the delicacy of the plucked guitar really sold me on the level of pinpoint detail these headphones get.
High Frequencies
The high end comes in to bring overall balance to the whole signature. It is airy and bright, as I would hope an open-air headphone would be. The frequencies dissipate naturally at the very top, without oddly cutting off or getting more synthetic sounding as you get higher. Even after blasting the volume a bit, it’s easy to listen to these for hours on end. There are no piercing or shrill qualities the sound takes on, and instead has a very colorful and relaxed tone. Listening to classical pieces like “Danse Macabre” allowed me to hear the space of the room through natural reverberations, as well as the detail in the string instruments.
Summary
Audio-Technica is a famous brand, and their products show that. Between the impressively detailed midrange and the balance between the frequencies, the ATH-ADX3000 is a truly great headphone that does justice to the ATH-ADX5000. Not only is it incredibly lightweight for prolonged use, but it also comes easier to drive and ready to be integrated into any studio environment. While it may not be the most interesting headphone for casual listening, the work possibilities with the ADX3000 are endless.
The Audio-Technica ATH-ADX3000 is available at Audio46.
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