Audio-Technica W5000 Wood Headphones

Considered one of Audio-Technica’s most stunning designs to date, the W5000 headphones live up to their nickname, “Raffinato”—Italian for “refined.” The company’s 3D Wing system ensures a stable, comfortable fit, while the striped ebony wood cups look beautiful and provide superb acoustic characteristics to boot. Inside, the 53-millimeter drivers are equipped with a Permendur magnetic circuit, high-quality OFC8N voice coils, and neodymium magnets developed exclusively for this model. The sound is rich and detailed, with deep bass reproduction courtesy of the Double Air Damping System. The cable has an elastomer sheath to prevent tangles, and the padded hardshell case is lined with luxurious red fabric. 

These headphones stand out for their huge, immersive soundstage, especially notable for a closed-back design. One Head-Fi reviewer says, “On the matter of soundstage, the ATH-W5000 paints a very wide, tall, and deep canvas to showcase the musicians. Within that expansive soundstage comes precise imaging that is spot on. Each musician and instrument occupies its own airy space.” Hi-Fi Plus expands: “With the A-T 5000s, your initial impression is of balanced warmth. They sound like transparent headphones, with good macro balance… bass, midrange, and treble are present in about the right amounts. I would add that the 5000s have what I've described in the past as an ‘n’-shaped perceived response: low bass and upper treble are reduced and midrange is slightly emphasized.”