This wont be a full review on the ATH W5k but rather an addendum to follow up on my admittedly noobie review posted @LYN many many moons ago. Those interested in my initial thoughts of the W5k can do a search. Since then, I've gone through (and am still going through I must add) a learning curve from complete zero to HERO??...nahhh im still a noobie as Im discovering the more I know, the more I don't really know. More importantly Im posting this to inform and mayhaps assist my fellow Team Audio Technica kakis to maximize the potential of their beloved AT cans. O and this may also be of interest to the Grado&Alessandro gang here so read on.

Brief History
To be honest, I haven't listened much to my W5k due to other cans (esp porty), professional & social obligations but mainly because even though the W5k is easy to drive (gets ear blowing volume ampless with most any DAPs) I found it's extremely hard to drive well. The things I love about the W5k are the extremely quick, extended and liquid highs (which I've only heard from a Quad Electrostat eons ago), the deep, articulated and textured bass (most cans do BOOM BOOM easily but very few do articulation IMO) and last but not least, the amazing all encompassing 3D headstage that can literally make the canned listening experienced disappear! That's when its behaves.

When the W5k plays naughty, the forward mids can get thin and bites real fast, the lean presentation and exhibitions of a strange 'unnatural and unbalanced' (there...I said it! But I still don't know whats honky though) overall sound - all which makes the listening fatiguing and unrewarding for me. I found more satisfaction from my cheapie iM716 driven by a Gmod+Tomahawk. To be fair, I too found have similar ambivalent feelings about the Senn HD600 which is why I got rid of it.

However I still kept the W5k because of the greatness (to me la) it seemed capable of but never quite fully coming out of the closet. Reminds of Clark Kent stuck as a geek and unable to display his Super powers! Still, Clark Kent being Clark Kent (& W5k being W5k), I didn't lose all hope and kept the W5k till now despite valiant efforts including amp rolling and screams of "Will The Real W5k Please Stand Up...Please Stand Up!".

On the positive, I do know that Audio Technica makes a special amp (HA5000) specifically for the W5k which got me to do a bunch of research. For the curious, I didn't buy the HA5000 because though gorgeous, it cost >USD1k+!

Flash To The Present 2 Weeks ago
After much deliberation but mainly procrastination, I finally got a Hi Current Class A Mosfet headamp (based a lot on the AT HA5k) Diy'd by non other than Gary of Gmod fame. Why didn't I diy u ask? Me...the only gun I know (and use as often as I can) is the 'cannon' between my legs. Otherwise Im hopeless. Lolz!

1stly this amp burn HOT. It almost scalded me a few times I tell ya but after a buncha misadventures we finally got it to work. And reliably too! Although in proto-form (which is why I didn't post any pics coz its just too Fugly and Messy currently), it completely transform the naughty nature of my W5k. How so u ask??
To begin, toss all the negatives I and prolly anyone have ever said about the W5k. The AT topdog now exhibits fantastic tonal balance across the board losing all hints of any leanness, thinness, honkyness, weirdness, fatigueness and any other negative-"ness" I can think off! Instead it's the most balanced cans I've heard even surpassing the albeit boring very good and tonally correct (did i mention boring??) HD600. Now couple that tonal balance with extended articulated & refined bass, hyper extended detailed yet smooth analoguish transparent highs, sweet intimate breath-in-your-ears mid vocals accompanied by the famed W5k electric like yet liquidy fast speed/PRaT and last by far not the least, the incredible 3D enveloping band-in-your-head soundstage presentation. That mon ami, IMO is the latest iteration of my W5k!

And the best maybe yet to come as we further refine the amp by utilizing synergistic, better quality and correctly valued components. Do I hear some uber exotica components calling?? My proto amp is currently using Jln Pasar source jamicon caps and Belakang Mati made pots and transformers but I've got a custom wound hi-current Transformer, Alps pot, Mundorf Mcaps, Blackgates, etc.. on the way. Can I expect improvements? Well IMHO the Gmod gained 15-20% by switching to Vcaps from BGs. Im sure we can all do the math but to be honest, the GAmp+W5k duo is adi performing incredibly. The 716/PK1/supermod K75 are sadly doing sorrowful impresarios of Akon's "Lonely I am so Lonely.." as the W5k have been caressing my head and ears at every opportune moment.

And The Moral Of This Monologue is....
So what does this have to do with anything? Before I bore all of yous with further superlatives of the W5k....hold on to your underwear boys and gals. Its just may have everything to do with all you Team AT and Grado/Alessandro kakis because like my W5k, most of those cans are low impedance (and prolly hi current demanding). If my W5k can have this life changing experience with the "correct & synergistic' amp, Im highly motivated to think that this simple logic may also apply and perform similar feats for your AT cans.

Perhaps instead of crying wolf and blaming the AT cans for their weird "house" sound, an amp change maybe all that's required to turn your Fugly Duckling into a Princess. For those that wanna know, most amps available either commercially and Diy'd are voltage based. That is they primarily utilize voltage and voltage swings to drive the cans. AT is made of a different sauce. ATs (the W5k atleast but I suspect most of their mid-upper models too eg. A700,900,W1k,etc..) are designed to run specifically on current (amperage instead of voltage) which is why the closed AT cans usually exhibit this bright, lean and 'funky' house sound.
Of coz the above statements are only my personal postulation but atleast I know it applies to the W5k (which exhibits classic AT funky house siggy to the worst extreme when amped incorrectly btw). Unfortunately since true HiQ hi current fixed voltage class A amps are about as rare as an honest man in BolehTown, I cant offer much further advise than to say build your own or gasp...buy ATs HA2000/3000/5000 amps. I can however do this for my fellow TEAM AT kakis. Those in KL are welcome to contact me and through appointment, can audition my amp with your AT cans at a chosen locale in Cheras KL. Otherwise feel free to ask me pertinent question. O and ofcoz all this is IMO and YMMV applies. Party On Boyz&Galz.

This post has been edited by scottiebabie: Oct 3 2007, 03:24 PM

Long reading makes me dizzy especially coming back from outstation.
So now your new love is W5k not IM716 anymore?

my super mod iM716 sounds harsh and compressed/restricted in comparo bliv it or not! and in no way am i diss'in my beloved iM716 but the class A super current amp + W5k is blowing my mind. its like a crazy-nasty combo of electrostats electric but liquidy transparent detailed mids&highs + dynamic's full & low bass (W5ks been tested to 16hz btw) + head "speakers" 3D soundstage abilities + analogue's sweet smoothness all-in-one package! and all this with chapalang Jln Pasar Belakang Mati parts!!!

O and my Mundorf supreme uber caps + other boutique parts just arrived this afternoon. can it get any better??? HoooHaaaa !

Are you writing for a magazine or something? Nice one though