Verdict
Get beyond what might seem like their anachronistic configuration , and the ATH - WP900 are an super accomplished pair of phone .
Pros
Cons
Key Features
Introduction
Iconic , like fabled , is a word that ’s become devaluate latterly – but iconic ( or legendary , for that matter ) is an entirely appropriate elbow room of describing the Audio - Technica brand name . The Japanese manufacturer celebrate its 60th natal day in 2022 , and what it does n’t know about headphones , turntable , microphone and so on , is n’t really deserving know anyway .
Audio - Technica has been using wood in the construction of some of its earphone since the mid-90s – and the ATH - WP900 are just the latest example of the praxis . Sir Henry Wood is a very believable acoustic fabric , after all . Mind you , the Sir Henry Joseph Wood is n’t the only feature that harks back to the last century when you attend at the ATH - WP900 – they ’re wired headphone , but plan with portability in mind .
Retro is also a word that ’s bandied about a lot . But it has to be better than former - fashioned , has n’t it ? permit ’s find out which one of these password is more applicable to the Audio - Technica ATH - WP900 .
The Audio - Technica ATH - WP900 are on sales event now , and in the UK are priced at £ 599 or thereabouts . American client are wait at around $ 649 , while in Australia you should gestate to part with AU$899 or so .
The headphones ’ very specific configuration means there is n’t a huge amount of like - for - similar competition to put this price into context . What is certain , though , is that any telephone number of well - consider blade – fromBoseandBowers & Wilkins toSennheiserandSony – will trade you great - sounding , equally portable over - auricle earphone that manage perfectly wellwithoutwires , for a chunk less than the Ath - W900 ’s outlay .
Design
Fundamentally , there ’s nothing strange about the design of the ATH - W900 . They ’re over - capitulum earphone , and consequently they look – broadly speaking – like virtually every other couple of over - ear earpiece .
You do n’t have to get your magnifying chicken feed out to see there are some points of difference , though . As it has been doing since the mid-1990s , Audio - Technica use wood for the driver housings here – the ATH - WP900 housing are substantial , machine maple with a thin slice of flame maple ( bring home the bacon by guitar producer Fujigen ) fused on top .
In my opinion , they look good – sporting a finish that ’s midway between that of a guitar and a fiddle – and Audio - Technica claims the unique cereal will melt and become more shining with eld . The relief of the structure consists of matte plastics and smooth , nicely dramatize synthetic leather for the headband and the earpads .
The clamp force is well gauge , too , and the ATH - WP900 are wanton to get well-heeled inside . They ’re an highly trim 243 g without their cable length , which – along with the soft carry - fount to keep their maple housings depend natty , and the 90 - academic degree swivel available for each earcup – make them an ideal candidate for portable use . With the obvious caveat about their needing to be wire to asource player , of row .
Features
Inside each living accommodations sit a 53 mm full - range dynamical driver – Audio - Technica is exact a frequency reception of a signally recondite 5Hz to an as remarkable 50kHz top - ending . The driver themselves are coat with DLC ( diamond - alike carbon ) , which apparently help oneself achieve this giddily mellow double reply , while an angled baffle regulates airflow between the front and the derriere of the machine driver in an effort to modulate abject - end and mid - range response .
Audio - Technica provides a selection of cables in the promotional material , one with a gold - plated 3.5 millimetre unbalanced termination and the other with a amber - plat , five - pole 4.4 mm balanced alternative . Each is 1.2 m prospicient , and each has a couple of A2DC ( audio - contrive detachable coaxal ) terminations at the other final stage , since both earcups need wiring .
Sound Quality
It run low without saying that £ 599 - Charles Frederick Worth of wired phone merit a half - decent source of music . Equally , it goes without say that a smartphone with a headphone socket is about as rare a sight as an affordable electricity bill .
So the ATH - WP900 are attached to both anApple MacBook Proand aSamsung Galaxy S21smartphone using the admirableiFi GO Bar USB DAC ( which , handily , has both 3.5 mm and 4.4 millimeter output ) . medicine is provided by internet - attached memory board and the Tidal app on both devices .
With Each Moment Like the First by James Holden and The Animal intent playing via Tidal , it does n’t take long for the Audio - Technica to dress their stall out . And good to say it ’s a generously detail , politely entertaining and thoroughly listenable stall .
Extension down to 5Hz remains a fanciful notion ; nevertheless , the ATH - WP900 dig deeply and shoot creditably intemperately where small frequencies are refer . Control is proficient where attack and disintegration are pertain , and so rhythmic expression is confident and convincing , too . The textural aspects are n’t overleap , either . And although the low mid - range now above is just slimly recessed , the journey from the bottom of the frequency chain of mountains to the top is passably smooth .
In fact , the top - end is just as well bring in as the bottom . ternary sounds sparkle and bite , but they never vocalise less than innate – and the amount of hunky-dory and/or transient point these Audio - Technica headphones are capable of unearthing only adds to their sense of purpose .
But it ’s in between that the ATH - WP900 are at their most straightforwardly impressive . A vocalist as idiosyncratic as Wanda Jackson during funnel shape of Love sounds vividly awake , absolutely pack with fine contingent of character , grain and attitude .
There ’s a directness to the Audio - Technica delivery that has nothing to do with force , but plenty to do with active headroom and rock - solid soundstaging . The airiness of the overall ATH - WP900 key signature is n’t in any way diffuse or insubstantial ; it ’s only wide and decent organised .
Downsides are remarkably few . The ATH - WP900 can suffer just a little of their severity at high volumes – braggart levels can put the squeeze on the soundstage just a little and make the slight “ five ” chassis of the frequency reply a little more obvious . And while they ’re not lecture snoot , the Audio - Technica are n’t buff of very abject - flake - rate content ( but then who ’s pass this money on phone in ordering to heed to Spotify ’s devoid tier ? ) . Otherwise , though , they ’re an even - handed and spirited listen .
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Should you buy it?
A combination of deeply enjoyable sound timber and equally pleasurable aesthetics make the ATH - WP900 a pick out selection .
require some headphones to plug away directly into your laptop computer ? hold open yourself a pile of money and see elsewhere .
Final Thoughts
Everyone sympathize the theoretical benefits of wired phone , but not everyone is positive they ’re deserving the aggravation . And in some ways , it ’s true – the ATH - WP900 are more of a faff than their wireless counterparts . But they ’re also a more convincing and gratifying listen than even the most capable mainstream wireless option – so if you may live with the physical constraint , the audio benefits will reveal themselves immediately .
Trusted Score
How we test
We test every earphone we review thoroughly over an extended period of time . We utilize diligence - standard tests to liken features by rights . We ’ll always tell you what we find . We never , ever , accept money to review a product .
Find out more about how we essay in ourethics policy .
FAQs
No 6.3 mm overseas telegram is provided with the WP900 , just 3.5 mm and 4.4 mm terminated cables .
Full Specs
Sustainability
entrust Reviews ’ holds the fact that spheric warming is not a myth as a core note value and will endlessly endeavour to assist protect our planet from hurt in its business practices .
As part of this mission , whenever we review a product we air the fellowship a series of questions to help us estimate and make transparent the shock the machine has on the environment .
We currently have n’t received answers to the question on this product , but will update this page the moment we do . you may see a detailed dislocation of the interrogative we ask and why in oursustainability info page .
