Audio Technica ATH-ADX3000 Headphone

[johny_2000]

ATH-ADX3000

These featherlight (257 g) audiophile headphones are hand-assembled at our facility in Machida, Tokyo, from components built in-house, and are rigorously tested before leaving the factory. They ar ...

www.audio-technica.com

ATH-ADX3000​

Modelled after our flagship ATH-ADX5000 open-back headphones, the ATH-ADX3000 is designed to bring the natural Open-Air sound to a wider audience. These headphones feature 58 mm integrated driver units, which position the diaphragm, voice coil, baffle and magnet in a single unit, resulting in improved airflow and full-range audio reproduction. This creates an optimum structure, reducing unnecessary sound distortion. The result is full-range audio with natural bass, pure mid and high frequencies, and a precise, realistic soundstage.
These featherlight (257 g) audiophile headphones are hand-assembled at our facility in Machida, Tokyo, from components built in-house, and are rigorously tested before leaving the factory. They are outfitted with replaceable velour earpads to ensure lasting comfort and come with a detachable 3.0 m (9.8') cable with A2DC (Audio Designed Detachable Coaxial) connectors at the headphones and a 6.3 mm (1/4") gold-plated stereo plug for connecting to devices.

As a leading innovator in transducer technology for over 60 years, Audio-Technica places special emphasis on driver design to achieve the optimal sound from each pair of headphones. The ATH-ADX3000’s integrated driver units are handmade in our Machida, Tokyo, facility to ensure the highest quality.

The ATH-ADX3000 open-back design allows unrestricted airflow that prevents any distortion or artificial enhancement to the sound. This results in a purity of sound with truly authentic sound staging and imaging

Specifications​

Headphones
Type	Open air dynamic
Driver Diameter	58 mm
Frequency Response	5 to 45,000 Hz
Maximum Input Power	700 mW
Sensitivity	98 dB/mW
Impedance	50 ohms
Weight	Approx. 257 g (9.1 oz), without cable
Connector	A2DC connector jack
Accessories Included	Detachable cable (3.0 m (9.8’) / 6.3 mm (1/4”) gold-plated stereo plug), Hard shell carry case
Replacements/separately sold items	Replacement earpads, AT-B1XA/3.0 balanced cable

 

[johny_2000]

Measurements from Den-Fi:

 

[GXAlan]

Audio Technica ADX3000 — Unlockable Potential

The first headphone that I purchased was an Audio Technica ATH-A500 back in 2006. Since then, I've had a soft spot for Audio Technica. That doesn't mean I'm willing to accept bad products from Audio Technica–on the contrary, in fact. After owning many of Audio Technica's more modern products

den-fi.com

Full review. Summary is that it’s super comfortable but very bright in sound. I wonder how much of it is intent based upon science.

 

[Dazerdoreal]

Measurements by Den-Fi indicate that it is the same headphone as the twice as expensive ADX 5000 but with worse pads.

ish's squig.link

Kyle's database for headphone and IEM measurements taken on a KB501X clone.

ish.squig.link

ish's squig.link

Kyle's database for headphone and IEM measurements taken on a KB501X clone.

ish.squig.link

 

[johny_2000]

Summary is that it’s super comfortable but very bright in sound.

Someone mentioned that Audio Technica was aiming for the HD800's sound signature. It makes sense then that these are very lightweight, bright sounding headphones.
More concerns have been raised about the overboosted 3,5-5 kHz FR. It may sound too shrill for female vocals without EQ.

Measurements by Den-Fi indicate that it is the same headphone as the twice as expensive ADX 5000 but with worse pads.

It's clear that the goal was to lower their price to attract more customers. So they used the 5000 base with some tweaks here and there. Several listeners of them said that the 5000 pads made the 3000 sound less bright. If that's true, I wouldn't call the 3000 pads worse - they were originally designed to be brighter, not neutral.

 

[johny_2000]

I have been testing these ATH-ADX3000 headphones for a few days and here are some of my subjective conclusions:
- the comfort level is lower than the HD650 and definitely lower than the HD800S. The clamping force is higher, the headband is not as comfortable and the adjustment steps are too coarse. For my head, one position is too high, the next is too low.
- the standard cable sucks. Thin and stiff.
- the ear cups are large in diameter, but the ear holes are round and small - they slightly pinch my earlobes.
- the bass is not better than the Sennheisers. When EQing with high gain, distortion begins to be heard, but it does not go much deeper.
- the mids are too shrill, but return to normal after EQing according to the Harman curve.
- the highs are very shrill. Much higher than the HD650, in my tests about +7 dB. And even higher than HD800S, by about +2...+3 dB. After Harman curve equalization they return to normal, but with significantly higher attenuation settings.

Overall, I didn't like them. I didn't hear any advantages over the Sennheisers. Taking into account the more uncomfortable fit on the head and the need to replace the cable, I think that they are not worth the money.

My PEQs for Harman OE 2018:
Preamp: -9.0 dB
Filter 1: ON LSC Fc 105 Hz Gain 11.5 dB Q 0.7
Filter 2: ON PK Fc 55 Hz Gain -7.5 dB Q 0.6
Filter 3: ON PK Fc 200 Hz Gain -2.0 dB Q 1.0
Filter 4: ON PK Fc 530 Hz Gain 3.5 dB Q 1.0
Filter 5: ON PK Fc 3100 Hz Gain 4.0 dB Q 2.0
Filter 6: ON PK Fc 4100 Hz Gain -6.0 dB Q 2.0
Filter 7: OFF HSC Fc 10000 Hz Gain 0.0 dB Q 0.7