Category: Reviews

Lets look on top-level class of professional studio monitor dynamic headphones and meet with 53 mm Audio-Technica ATH-A2000Z, having 5 Hz – 45 kHz sounds frequencies playback support, titanium cups, 2000 mW maximal power input and closed acoustic architecture. Their sensitivity is 101 dB/mW, impedance is 44 Ohms, mass is 294 g; speakers baffle is made from magnesium alloy for resonance reduction, cable with 3 m length is mounted to both cups, is not detachable and is connected to sound source via TRS 1/8″ mini jack connector with gold-plated contacts, left and right channels have separate grounds, which many other headphones do not have.

Inside of Audio-Technica ATH-A2000Z there is a magnetic system German Permendur, coils are wound with use of OFC-7N wire for mass reduction and better signal transmittance, magnets’ yoke is made of pure iron, PCB of headphones is located in their top part for better air circulation inside them – all this together allows to much better and loudly reproduce all sounds frequencies. In each cup there is only 1 audio emitter; headphones are produced with use of Double Air Damping System ( D.A.D.S ) technology, increasing quality and loudness of basses reproduction due to their resonance inside cups; they are released only in silver-black color variant. Device has no active noise-cancellation function, like some other monitor headphones do, however they have very good external sounds isolation. Audio-Technica ATH-A2000Z have no smartphones and volume control buttons and microphone.

Headband of Audio-Technica ATH-A2000Z has auto-adjustment system to different sizes of heads of different users, earpads are made from soft material for comfortable listening over long time. Manufacturer also tells about implementation of different other techniques for increased amplitude-frequency characteristic uniformity. Package with Audio-Technica ATH-A2000Z contains : screw on adapter to TRS 1/4″ jack connector, warranty card and user’s guide. Headphones are great and aimed for professional studio use, they have according characteristics and will have according price at time of appearance in shops : > 680 USD. For high quality sounds and music playback such characteristics are not needed and there is ability to buy much cheaper consumer level or studio entry-level 40 or 50 mm monitor headphones with good characteristics.

If from headphones compactness and small mass are needed in the first place, then there is ability to look on in-ears headphones, which do not reproduce audio frequencies as good, as monitor ones do, but they cost much less and have small sizes, are light and comfortably place inside ears. Which is especially important during sportive exercises and trainings, also wire of such headphones often has slider and clip, to prevent its tangling and clinging to clothes and surrounding objects.

There is also need to note, that Audio-Technica – is a Japanese company, established in Tokyo in 1962 year, as phonographs cartridges producer. Then it started to develop and introduced among its products microphones and headphones, among which now there are wired and wireless models. At current moment it is one of the leading foreign consumer sound electronics and government organizations devices supplier in USA. And in the country of a rising Sun audio devices are usually made with high quality of components and assembling.

Company Audio-Technica released new very professional 53 mm dynamic monitor headphones ATH-A1000Z with 5 Hz – 43 kHz reproducible sounds frequencies range, 2000 mW max input power, 101 dB/mW sensitivity and closed acoustic architecture. Impedance of headphones is equal to 44 Ohms, mass is 265 g; cable with 3 m length is attached to both cups, in it left and right channels have separate grounds, in contrast to many other headphones, it is connected to sound source via TRS 1/8″ mini jack connector with gold-plated contacts and is not detachable. Manufacturer tells, that there are additional techniques implemented to make amplitude frequency characteristic more even; cups bodies are made from aluminum for reduced chatter during audio playback.

Audio-Technica ATH-A1000Z are not foldable and have no active noise-cancellation function, as some other monitor headphones do, but they have good isolation from external sounds; each cup has only 1 audio emitter. Coils of drivers are wound with use OFC-7N wire for mass reduction and better signal transmittance, yoke of magnet is made from pure iron, which allows to reproduce sounds with higher quality. PCB of Audio-Technica ATH-A1000Z is located in their top part, which allows air to move more freely in cups and also increases quality of reproduction of audio frequencies. Device uses technology Double Air Damping System ( D.A.D.S ), increasing quality and loudness of basses reproduction due to their resonance inside of headphones. Headband and cups are covered with soft material for comfortable wearing during long-time listening; they have no built-in microphone and smartphones and volume control buttons.

Headband of Audio-Technica ATH-A1000Z has auto fit mechanism for comfortable use by users with different head sizes; headphones are supplied only in crimson color variant. Package with Audio-Technica ATH-A1000Z contains : screw-on adapter to TRS 1/4″ jack plug also with gold-plated contacts, warranty card and user’s guide. Headphones are very professional : they have large membranes, very wide reproducible sound frequencies range, very high max input power and good sensitivity, their price is according : goes up to 680 USD. For their characteristics, they are not overpriced, because headphones are oriented for very professional studio application; but they are not needed for simple high quality audio and music reproduction : for this purpose there is ability to buy much cheaper consumer level or professional studio entry level 40 or 50 mm monitor headphones with good characteristics. If compactness and small mass of device is needed the most, then there is ability to buy much cheaper in-ears headphones, which do not provide the same quality of sounds frequencies reproduction, as monitor headphones, but they are very light, comfortable and have small sizes. Which is very important during sportive exercises and trainings; also cable of such headphones often has slider and clip, which prevent its tangling and clinging to clothes and surrounding objects.

There is also need to note, that Audio-Technica – is a Japanese company, established in Tokyo in 1962 year, as phonographs cartridges producer. Then it started to develop and introduced among its products microphones and headphones, among which now there are wired and wireless models. At current moment it is one of the leading foreign consumer sound electronics and government organizations devices supplier in USA. And in the country of a rising Sun audio devices are usually made with high quality of components and assembling.

Among in-ears dynamic headphones with not high price there is a new device – 10 mm headphones Pioneer SE-CL502 with 20 Hz – 20 kHz sound frequencies playback support, 100 dB sensitivity, closed acoustic architecture and 17 USD price. Their impedance is 16 Ohms and mass is 4 g, cable is mounted to both cups, is not detachable, its length is 1.2 m and it is connected to sound source via 1/8″ mini jack connector.

Pioneer SE-CL502 have no active noise cancellation function, as some monitor headphones do, each cup has only 1 audio emitter. Headphones have no built-in microphone and smartphones and volume control buttons; as well as clip and slider on cable, to prevent its tangling and clinging to clothes and surrounding objects.

Package with Pioneer SE-CL502 headphones contains : interchangeable ears-tips of different sizes ( small, medium and large ), warranty card and user’s guide. All in all headphones are good enough, they are mainly oriented on use during sportive exercises and trainings and everyday compact use, they are not overpriced. There is need to note, however, that there is ability to find similar in-ears headphones cheaper and, adding small sum, there is ability to buy good monitor headphones, providing better sound quality.

Pioneer Corporation – is a Japanese manufacturer of electronics, company was founded in 1938 year in Tokyo as service center for repair of radio and speakers. Currently this is one of the largest world wide corporations – producers of electronic devices; it participated in development of many electronics novelties, among them there are : cable TV, optical disks, DVD, plasma displays, Organic LED ( OLED ) displays and other devices. There is also need to note, that in the country of the rising Sun audio technics and electronics overall usually is developed and manufactured with high components and production quality.

Company JVC presented its novelty – 11 mm in-ears headphones HA-KD1, created specifically for kids and having 20 Hz – 18 kHz reproducible sounds frequencies range, neodymium magnets and 200 mW max input power. Their sensitivity is 85 dB/mW, impedance is 33 Ohms and mass with cable is 11.3 g, without it : 4.5 g. Wire length is 0.85 m, it is mounted to both cups and is not detachable; to sound source it is connected via 1/8″ mini jack plug with nickel-plated contacts, compatible with Apple iPhone.

Volume level of JVC HA-KD1 is limited by 85 dB – safe for children level, they are supplied in 4 colors variants : blue, white, light blue and pink; package with headphones contains : stickers for device decoration, warranty card and user’s guide. All in all headphones are good enough and cost around 15 USD, from one side, this price is adequate for their characteristics; from the other : for smaller price there is ability to buy in-ears headphones with better characteristics and for approximately the same sum to buy monitor headphones, providing better sound quality. So, JVC HA-KD1 can be recommended for purchase only if there is need in exactly kids’ headphones, created for them and safe for them.

One of the new monitor headphones is a 40 mm device AKG K 72, supporting reproduction of 16 Hz – 20 kHz sounds frequencies, with closed acoustic architecture, 112 dB sensitivity and 200 mW max input power for 70 USD. Their impedance is 32 Ohms and mass is 200 g, cable with 3 m length is connected to only one of the cups, to sound source it is connected via 1/8″ mini jack connector. Headphones are supplied only in matte black color variant, wire is not detachable, earpads are made from leatherette and headphones are not foldable.

Package with AKG K 72 contains : screw-on adapter to 1/4″ jack connector, warranty card and user’s guide. Headphones are good : they have large membranes, full range of reproducible sounds frequencies and high sensitivity, their price, from one side, is adequate to their characteristics, from the other : there is ability to find much cheaper good 40 and 50 mm monitor headphones.