Review this product
- Showing 7 of 7 reviews.
Flag This Review
Link To Review
Audio-Technica ATH-ESW9A Stereo Headphone
Posted by dale from Akron Ohio on 2012-10-31Posted on Audio-Technica ATH-ESW9A
Recommend Product: Yes
Pros: Bass, Mids, Treble outstanding
Cons: Possibly fragile, no protective case
Sources: iPhone4 alone, iPhone4 with PA2V2 amp using LOD, various computers using the Audioengine D1 DAC and the D1's headphone out.
First impression: Soft highs, like so many of the newer high-quality headphones these days. The treble is about 5 db lower than the Shure 1840 (a non-bright headphone) at 10 khz, and gradually rises to the same level around 2-3 khz. I used a slight boost in Foobar2000 to get close to the 1840's output, so I could compare the other qualities on a more or less equal basis. Larger amounts of EQ can introduce distortions as well as irregularities in the frequency balance, but my small test adjustment proved successful. Vocals and instruments with the ESW9A were very similar in presence and harmonic quality to the 1840, but seemed very subtly rougher, which may be an unavoidable result of trying to bring the two signatures closer for these tests. Other than that, the sound is very similar except that the ESW9A is somewhat darker and bassier. The bass is strong, yet doesn't have the kind of upper bass emphasis that colors or muddies the lower midrange.
I ran a series of tone sweeps with the ESW9A to confirm what I was hearing in these preliminary tests, and the only significant variances from flat or neutral (compared to my most neutral headphones) were a slight emphasis at 2 khz and 7 khz, and a gradual rolloff in the deep bass to approximately -3 db at 50 hz and -6 db at 30 hz. This bass response is similar to what I experienced with the new Sennheiser Momentum, except that the Momentum has looser, less well defined tones and impact at the same output level. I expected the ESW9A to have a dramatically smaller sense of space or soundstage than the Shure 1840, since the 1840 is an open model and the ESW9A is a small on-ear closed headphone. The difference was there, but not dramatic, which was quite a surprise. Compared to the Momentum, vocals seem clearer with the ESW9A, and not just because they're more forward (they are, somewhat), but it's probably the same effect as the ESW9A's tighter and better-defined bass.
My overall analysis of the ESW9A's sound: Treble: Soft, but near ideal for most users. Midrange: Excellent, should be near ideal for most users. Mid to upper bass: Excellent, but not for bassheads, not even marginally. Deep bass: Slightly less than ideal, but very good. My overall judgement of the ESW9A is that it's a headphone which can transition well between genres that like a strong yet detailed bass, such as rock or some of the house music, and also those genres that favor vocal and instrumental tone such as jazz, classical, folk, and acoustic. If you like a cooler, leaner sound like the Shure 1840, the ESW9A might not be a good match. If you like a really hard-hitting bass for gaming and other applications that benefit from a lot of physical sensation, also not a good match. For everything else I think the ESW9A is ready to play hard, because the overall sound is smooth and free of peaks and recesses, and the quality of that sound is excellent.
The new ESW9A seems slightly above average in weight for a small on-ear headphone, but due to the soft spongy earcups and the very spongy lining under the headband, the weight will not be noticeable. The moderate clamping force will get much more attention than the headphone's weight, but because the earcups have a wide range of rotation and those cushy earpads, the comfort level will be high. With the earcups folded flat and pulled all the way down, the ESW9A can be worn around the neck comfortably, but it's a tight fit, with the eacups less than an inch from my adam's apple. The outer face of the earcups is supposed to be some kind of exotic wood, yet it looks to me like it could easily be made of plastic, so if it really is wood I can't tell. The ESW9A does look very nice in an understated way - not a fashion/bling headphone in the modern sense, but more like the look of an old library with dark wood fixtures, with its patrons wearing cardigans and smoking tobacco pipes.
The ESW9A's cable is dual-sided, non-detachable, and terminated by a 3.5 mm plug. The wires going to the earcups are 2 mm thick, and the two sides become bonded together (but separable) about 15 inches below the earcups. Total cable length is about 4.5 feet. The ESW9A did not include a 6.35 mm adapter plug, but did include a flat plastic carry bag that I would not recommend using. Although the headphone does not look especially fragile for normal use (unless you yank the very thin cable frequently), any impacts on the thin plastic carry bag could easily damage it.
In other reviews I've done I've included the following music examples with comments about how the headphones sound with each track. My suggestion is instead of reading each one as an absolute unto itself, you could compare my notes here to other reviews and see how the ESW9A compares with each individual track.
Bauhaus - Bela Lugosi's Dead (~1980): Strong midrange sound effects - this is a good worst-case test for resonant-type sounds in the most sensitive midrange area. Handled very well by the ESW9A.
Beethoven Symphony 9, Solti/CSO (1972): Very good overall sound. Of special note for this headphone are the bass impacts beginning around 10:30 of the fourth movement. Those impacts won't overwhelm you since they're soft and well in the background, but you can really feel the weight they carry.
Blues Project - Caress Me Baby (1966): Rarely mentioned, but one of the greatest white blues recordings ever. The loud piercing guitar sound at 0:41 into the track is a good test for distortion or other problems. Handled very well here.
Boz Scaggs - Lowdown (1976): Good sound quality - this is a great test for any nasality in the midrange. Handled very well by the ESW9A.
Buffalo Springfield - Kind Woman (~1968): A Richie Furay song entirely, rarely mentioned, but one of the best sounding rock ballads ever. This will sound good on most headphones, but it's a special treat with the ESW9A.
Cat Stevens - Morning Has Broken (early 70's): A near-perfect test for overall sound - this track will separate the best sounding headphones from the lesser quality types. Nothing specific, except that almost any deviation from perfect reproduction will stand out with this track. Sounds excellent on the ESW9A.
Catherine Wheel - Black Metallic (~1991): Goth with industrial overtones - I like this since it's a great music composition and the sound effects are smoothly integrated into the mix. This may sound distorted or mushy with some headphones, but the ESW9A renders the deliberate instrumental distortions clearly.
Def Leppard - Bringin' On The Heartbreak (1981): MTV goth/pop/metal at its best - good ambience and high energy - the better headphones will separate the details and make for a good experience. Lesser quality and the details tend to mush together. The ESW9A plays this perfectly.
J.S. Bach - E. Power Biggs Plays Bach in the Thomaskirche (~1970): Recorded on a tracker organ in East Germany, the tracks on this recording have the authentic baroque sound that Bach composed for, albeit the bellows are operated by motor today. The ESW9A plays the tones seamlessly through the upper limits of the organ, which cover nearly the full range of human hearing. Of special note are the pedal notes - tracker organs have low-pressure pipes and don't typically produce the kind of impact around 30-35 hz that modern organs do. A headphone that's lacking even a little in the low bass will sound especially bass-shy with this type of organ, but the ESW9A delivers the full experience of this music.
Jamming With Edward - It Hurts Me Too (1969): Intended originally as a test to fill studio down time and set recording levels etc., this was released a few years later for hardcore Rolling Stones fans. Although not as good technically in every aspect as the Chess studio recordings of 1964, and in spite of the non-serious vocals by Mick Jagger, this rates very high on my list of white blues recordings, and sounds absolutely delicious with the ESW9A.
Jennifer Warnes - Rock You Gently (1992?): The strong deep bass percussion at the beginning of this track has been cited as a test for weakness or distortion in certain headphones. The ESW9A plays those notes with good impact and control. Having played this track a number of times now, I'm highly impressed with the ESW9A's bass reproduction and detail throughout the track.
Jimmy Smith - Basin Street Blues (early 60's): This track has some loud crescendos of brass and other instruments that don't sound clean and musical on some headphones. The ESW9A provides very good reproduction. Listen particularly to the second crescendo at 15 seconds in, for maximum detail effect. I'd like to emphasize that these crescendos are probably the worst-case test I have for instrumental separation and detail, and the ESW9A aces them.
Ladytron - Destroy Everything You Touch (~2009): Featured in The September Issue, this song has heavy overdub and will sound a bit muddy on some headphones. Sounds great with the ESW9A.
Milt Jackson/Wes Montgomery - Delilah (Take 3) (1962): The vibraphone is heavily dependent on harmonics to sound right, and the ESW9A plays it superbly.
Pink Floyd/Dark Side of the Moon - Speak To Me (1973): Strong deep bass impacts will be heard and felt here.
Rolling Stones - Stray Cat Blues (1968): Dirty, gritty blues that very few white artists could match. On some headphones the vocals and guitar lack the edge and fall more-or-less flat. If you're a really good person, playing this song will probably make you feel nervous and uneasy.
Tony Bennett - I Left My Heart In San Francisco (1962): Frank Sinatra's favorite singer. Highest recommendation. With some of the best headphones, the sibilants on this recording are very strong, but not with the ESW9A.
2 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Did you?
Outstanding Portable for the Office
Posted by Hammer from My cubicle on 2011-07-26Posted on Audio-Technica ATH-ESW9A
Recommend Product: Yes
Pros: Beautiful sound, looks to match
Cons: Often faked, somewhat uncomfortable
I've gone through several headphones for office use, including Sennheisers, Grados, a variety of IEMs and even the awesome Denon D-2000. The small Sennheisers like the PX-100 are ideal in terms of portability and size, but they are open, limiting your listening volume, and while they sound good - they don't sound THIS good.
The Grados for all their wonderful sound - are even worse on the open cup noise front... this feature eventually lead me to closed phones only for the office. IEMs tend to be uncomfortable for me for all day use, and they also block out everything, including your boss who's trying to get your attention.
Then I went 'closed', to the Denons, and they were AWESOME, especially with a Total Bithead. But frankly, they're too big to wear all day in the office, they're hot on my head, and they are maybe over revealing - especially if you have a fondness for 80s pop.
So, finally, I settled on a closed earpad layout... and did a LOT of research - and here we are...
The Audio Technica ESW9s are a little warm, which I like. Before you dismiss that, consider the effect: they make everything sound pretty decent. Tracks that were unlistenable on the Denons, because frankly you just experienced too much analytical detail, sound clean and friendly through the ATs. The form factor is small-ish, with nice leather head band and earcups. The fit can be a bit pinchy until you get used to them - kind of like new glasses - but this is the only flaw I've found.
I can't really speak to durability, because I'm pretty careful with them. They're so pretty - how could anybody abuse them?
Overall, driven with a modest amp even off something like the Amazon cloud, the noise floor is really low, the sound is lively, full, and enjoyable. Coworkers who try them, referencing them to their iPod earbuds or Sony office-issue junk of course, are always WOW'd - literally. And more importantly, I am too. I'll never go back from here. If they ever break, I'll have to get them fixed or find another pair. In fact, they're so good, that I've stopped shopping for office headphones for the first time in 5 years.... now some nice custom IEMs for travel... that's another story.
13 out of 14 people found this review helpful. Did you?
Great headphone, great sound and uncomfortable
Posted by SkyKidFalken from Vancouver, Canada on 2010-10-24Posted on Audio-Technica ATH-ESW9A
Recommend Product: Yes
Pros: Great sound for a portable headphone
Cons: uncomfortable, seriously
This headphone delivers great sound at home and with portable devise
only downside, uncomfortable.... seriously, and quite easy to be broken
9 out of 18 people found this review helpful. Did you?
I think I need a Learjet
Posted by Rick-K from Long Island on 2010-01-18Posted on Audio-Technica ATH-ESW9A
Recommend Product: Yes
Pros: wonderful sound
Cons: Can pinch your pinna!
Luxury on your head. I found these uncomfortable for long listening sessions; however if you listen for less than an hour at a time and need or desire portability in a closed headphone this might be the one. Best with lossless sources. Smooth and revealing.
13 out of 17 people found this review helpful. Did you?
Loved them, look good, sound great.
Posted by blackbird4 from Montreal, QC on 2010-01-16Posted on Audio-Technica ATH-ESW9A
Recommend Product: Yes
Pros: See above
Cons: No detachable cord,
I got these on sale at headroom, but after receiving them the full price would have been justified. Great product !!!!!
8 out of 10 people found this review unhelpful. Did you?
Never expected a phone that looked this good to sound so great
Posted by dasmb from Albany, NY on 2010-01-13Posted on Audio-Technica ATH-ESW9A
Recommend Product: Yes
Pros: Great look, good isolation, drivable from portables
Cons: Difficult fit, highlights some source failures
My recent round of headphone mania centered around finding an office-friendly replacement for my Grado RS-2s, a gorgeous pair of phones that leak whatever you're listening to into the environment.
I wanted something with a well defined stage, slight warmth, accuracy and resolution that also looked fantastic.
Before purchasing these, I checked out the Beyerdynamic DT770s and the AKG 271s. The Beyers were comfortable but boomy and sort of cold. The AKGs won on comfort, build and sound quality, but I felt they just looked too ostentatious for office and commute listening.
The wooden resonating chamber and leather pads add subtle elegance that impressed me. They sounded pretty good off the iPod/Phone, with or without a headphone amp (though the stage really comes alive with the amp). Maybe a little harsh at first. However, what really shocked me is how phenomenal they sounded with my turntable! These do phones highlight failings in digital formats that the Grados hide (such as shimmer in high hats and cymbals), but that's my own fault for listening to mp3!
This an executive headphone with an audiophile's soul. Its quality will impress you. Highly recommended for Grado heads dying for a more private experience. Although for $300 I think they could include a 1/4 phono adapter...my $40 Porta-Pros did!
22 out of 22 people found this review helpful. Did you?
I use with a Total Air Head & i pod
Posted by Glen from Aspen CO on 2010-01-11Posted on Audio-Technica ATH-ESW9A
Recommend Product: Yes
Pros: Sound, Looks, Sound
Cons: Price
The ATH-ESW9A are what I take on every road trip. I am 49yrs. old and have been a Audiopile sence High School. When my kids bought me a i pod for my birthday I was in heaven as I had all my music with me. But the sound was not what I was used to. I looked into some better headphones, not much helped. Untell I purchased a Total BiteHead and the ATH-ESW9A. Now that is what I remembered as music. This was sick. The sound is so good I sometimes use them instead of my Senn AH650. I just love them. Small, light, the fit, the looks. A classy clean sound and a classy look. Being 49yrs of age I dont want some cheap plastic look. On a airplane I can crank up the Volume and no one heres a sound. They don't block out back ground sound but I have not found a pair of headphones that do and sound like these. My Favorite portable Headphones by far.
17 out of 19 people found this review helpful. Did you?
-
Ordering Information
-
Customer Support
- Contact Us
- Toll free 800-828-8184
- Send Us Feedback
- B-stock Outlet
- Things On Sale
- Gift Certificates
- Manufacturer Directory
- My HeadRoom
-
Learn
-
More Info
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
All site contents copyright © 1995-2013 HeadRoom All Rights Reserved
Hours M-F 9am-5pm MST Privacy Policy | Contact Us