Tag Archives: audio recording

Audio-Technica Intro New Open Ear Audiophile Headphones

October 26, 2024 The Silo Leave a comment

STOW, OH, October, 2024 — Our friends at Audio-Technica are at it again and have just announced the introduction of their ATH-ADX3000 Open-Air Dynamic Headphones, designed to bring true high-end sound quality to the under-$1,000 usd headphones category. Celebrating 50 years of headphone design and production, the new ATH-ADX3000 features Audio-Technica’s most advanced driver technology to deliver natural, spacious audio.

A Few Takeaways (more below)

Light and comfortable, weighing less than 10 ounces and with velour earpads, the ATH-ADX3000 headphones are comfortable, to say the least. If you are a home recordist know that they’re ideal for long mix sessions, and not just due to comfort or their open-back design.

58-millimeter integrated driver units house tungsten-coated diaphragms (which produce excellent transient response), voice coils, baffles, and pure iron magnetic circuits. Coupled with Audio-Technica’s proprietary Core Mount Technology that optimally places the driver units, this results in full-range audio reproduction across an astonishing 5Hz–45kHz frequency response that needs to be heard to be believed.

These near-flagship headphones come with a specially designed aluminum carrying case.

Uses the A2DC proprietary coaxial connector which reduces connector rotation and glitchy connections.

The Nitty Gritty

The ATH-ADX3000’s open-back design allows unrestricted airflow of the diaphragm, for extremely pure audio quality with realistic soundstaging and imaging, with nearly no use of dampening material or acoustic aids. The ATH-ADX3000 features a full-range driver that is designed entirely by the engineers at Audio-Technica and manufactured and hand-assembled in Audio-Technica’s Machida, Japan factory. The driver utilizes the same technology as the company’s acclaimed flagship ATH-ADX5000 headphones.

Japanese Craftmanship

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. Did we mention that the ATH-ADX3000’s integrated driver units are handmade in our Machida, Tokyo, facility to ensure the highest quality? Sure did- but it is worth repeating.

Audio-Technica’s exclusive Core Mount Technology positions the driver’s voice coil in the middle of its housing, so that the acoustic space is balanced in both the front and the back of the driver. Audio-Technica lead engineer Hiromichi Ozawa noted, “Our engineers worked hard to achieve a frequency response that is not easy to obtain by using only natural air flow. Our expertise in driver technology influenced our approach to open-back headphones, and enabled us to ensure that the driver diaphragm moves with the purest motion possible.”

The ATH-ADX3000 employs a 58 mm tungsten-coated diaphragm, pure iron magnetic circuit, voice coil, and aluminum housing, which are all combined in a single integrated driver unit. The diaphragm is extremely lightweight and responsive, and the pure iron magnet enables exceptional dynamic range and high efficiency. Together, this approach creates an optimum structure that offers superb clarity and stereo imaging, with articulate bass, a smooth midrange, and detailed, extended high frequencies.

The ATH-ADX3000 is designed for long-wearing comfort, thanks to its light weight of only 280 grams. It’s supplied with a detachable 3.0m (9.8-foot) cable with A2DC connectors and comes with a robust aluminum storage case.

A2DC Connector

The Audio-Technica ATH-ADX3000 Open-Air Dynamic Headphones is available starting October 24, 2024, at a suggested retail price of $999 usd/ $1,387 cad.

Audio-Technica was founded in 1962 with the mission of producing high-quality audio for everyone. As we have grown to design critically acclaimed headphones, turntables and microphones, we have retained the belief that great audio should not be enjoyed only by the select few, but accessible to all. Building upon our analog heritage, we work to expand the limits of audio technology, pursuing an ever-changing purity of sound that creates connections and enriches lives. For the Silo, Frank Doris.

Travel

My Magical Mystery Tour of Abbey Road Studio In London

February 3, 2021 The Silo Leave a comment

Have you ever experienced something surreal?

I had reason to visit and work at Abbey Road Studio in London, and it still seems surreal!! My colleague Jayson Tomlin, Gary Katz (producer of Steely Dan), and myself were there to do testing and evaluation of some new technologies we’ve been working on for broadcast and consumer applications.

We spent a full day working in one of the mix-down studios, along with members of the BBC, Scotland Yard, Abbey Road, David Perreau, Felix Konrad, and some of Gary’s record producer ‘buddies”…Hugh Padgham (Genesis, Rush, Phil Collins, Police, Sting, XTC), and Elliott Randall (studio guitarist for Steely Dan).

Frank with Hugh Padgham (left) and Gary Katz (right)

Our connection with Gary has enabled us to connect with key members of the music production world, which in turn has enabled us to further evolve technologies for broadcast, and soon the consumer markets. Our work at Abbey Road was another step along this process, and it raised the bar for us, on what is expected of our products.

Frank on the steps of Abbey Road Studios

Being able to set foot into the building and studio where the Beatles recorded and produced all of their material was breathtaking. I’ll never forget, as we were wrapping up the events for the day, the studio engineer, whom we were working with, said “hey guys come with me, two is now open!” In my mind I’m thinking “this is where all the ‘magic’ happened.” So, off we went, and sure enough we walk into studio #2, and it’s still pretty much the same as if John, Paul, George, and Ringo were there the day before. Getting chills—again—as I write this!!

Jayson Tomlin and others take in Studio #2

Probably the most gratifying moment that day was towards the end. Hugh Padgham had been listening to some tech I’d developed, and told me how he’d done work with the late George Martin. His comment was how he had a good sense about how George produced the Beatles, and could we apply my ‘gizmo’ to their music.

Abbey Road Cafeteria

So…in the building they recorded the album Abbey Road, we added some treatment to the song “Golden Slumbers.” Together, all of us were in awe to hear the Beatles music, with some treatment from our efforts, done at Abbey Road!

Tape deck used in the recording of Sgt. Pepper’s

There’s a skylight in the ceiling of the studio we were working in. While listening, I looked upward through the skylight, and thought, “if Mr. Martin, Mr. Lennon, and Mr. Harrison are listening, my hope is you won’t feel I let you down.” I felt a tear trickle down upon having this thought. Quite possibly one of the coolest occurrences in this boy’s life!!

Frank between pianos used for the Beatles’ “Get Back” and John Lennon’s “Imagine”

Modestly, it was reassuring when each of our well-known music industry guests gave us the “thumbs up’ for our efforts. Further indication of how our little organization keeps growing and raising the bar! In closing, my sincere thanks to Jayson Tomlin, Gary Katz, Hugh Padgham, Andrew Scheps, and Elliott Randall for your feedback and friendship!!