Or, if I had to put it another way, think of this headphone as the bass lover’s MSR7 – one badass headphone with good looks and a sweet, sweet sound. Not only is this headphone going to deliver some fantastic sound in the low end, but the mids and highs aren’t horrible either – resulting in a fairly articulate sound that is heavy in the low end. Now, if you’re a basshead…and you’re sick to death of woolly, undefined bass that bleeds all over the place, the Audio Technica ATH-WS1100iS may be the answer to your prayers. Likewise, if your preferred sound is laid-back but articulate, I would recommend the brighter-sounding, detail-heavy MSR7 – also from Audio Technica and also costing $249. Indeed, the solid low end and not-too-too-shabby high end easily lend this headphone to certain listening tastes where more laid-back ‘phones just can’t hack it.Īs mentioned above, if you’re a classical music junkie, this probably isn’t the headphone for you. This isn’t the headphone to bump some Beethoven to, but it’s a strong performer wherever there’s a need for a driving beat. It’s relatively inexpensive, it looks good, and it’s soooo bassy. Sure, it’s nowhere near as open-sounding as an open-back headphone, but the soundstage on the WS1100iS is fantastic – the clarity and separation no doubt helped along by the overall dynamic sound. Quite surprisingly, these headphones imparted a decent sense of space and depth to the music we played. Female vocals don’t really suffer, though, so it’s not a total loss. Despite the missing detail, the sound isn’t terrible – just be aware that there may be some clipping in the upper limits of the high end. While not as much of a failure as the midrange, the high end on the WS1100iS isn’t as complete as we’d like it to be. Male vocals are simply meh, and we would never recommend these headphones if you’re looking for high fidelity in the mids. While the sound isn’t terrible, it’s not terribly accurate, either. There’s just something about it that doesn’t sound right…like the mids are trying to be part of the upper low end. The midrange of the WS1100iS sounds kind of thin or off-kilter. And while the word “bassy” may conjure up visions of Beats By Dre, the bass on the WS1100iS has some massive impact while keeping things relatively clean – there’s only the slightest bit of bleeding in the lows. From first listen, it’s plain to see that is definitely a bassy headphone. The lows are deep and full, with a strong character that can sometimes overshadow the rest of the frequency range.
#Ath ws1100is with audioengine d1 dac driver
The driver is also a little oversized – something not too uncommon on bass-centric headphones – revealing a low end with some natural-sounding “oomph” in the low end. The durable design is bolstered by the inclusion of aluminum extenders.Īs these specifications show, the WS1100iS offers a wider-than-average frequency range, a low nominal impedance, and decent volume levels. With ample pleather padding on the headband and earcups, these headphones stay comfortable while isolating a good deal of sound. The packaging is modest, but the build is one of obvious quality. The WS1100iS comes packaged with some literature, a leatherette carrying pouch, and a removable cable with a built-in mic and remote. But weighing in at a price of $229.00, just what kind of sound are we looking at? Audio Technica ATH-WS1100iS Review The Audio Technica ATH-WS1100iS is one such specimen. Of course, some headphones come along and offer something entirely different that still delights our ears, requiring us to re-evaluate what we consider to be a “good” headphone. Here at Majorhifi, we tend to prefer headphones that embody the whole package: good looks, good fidelity, and a pretty well-rounded sound.