Audio Technica ATH-ADX5000 Reference Air Dynamic Open-Back Headphones

The Audio-Technica ATH-ADX5000 is the company’s flagship open-back headphone, and in its own words a landmark in open-back performance and a new reference in home listening, blending Japanese craftsmanship with Audio-Technica’s pursuit of perfect sound. Each housing is hand-assembled in Tokyo. Inside are enlarged 58mm integrated driver units with tungsten-coated diaphragms and Permendur magnetic circuits, positioned by Audio-Technica’s newly developed Core Mount Technology behind a honeycomb-punched housing, in a magnesium frame that keeps the weight to 270g.

Integrated driver unit

Each driver is a single integrated construction: diaphragm, voice coil, baffle and magnet are combined into one unit. That reduces unwanted vibration and saves weight, because no screw clamps are needed. The baffle is made of PPS (polyphenylene sulfide) and glass fibre, which is highly rigid, so the diaphragm moves stably.

The 58mm drivers use a Permendur magnetic circuit, with exceptional magnetic characteristics, and a tungsten-coated diaphragm, whose high rigidity improves transient response. Audio-Technica calls them True Motion High-Resolution Audio drivers, reproducing extended high frequencies for true high-resolution audio.

Core Mount Technology

Newly developed for the ADX5000 (patent pending), Core Mount Technology places the driver unit in the optimal tuning position within the housing. That improves airflow efficiency, which contributes to highly transparent mid and high-frequency reproduction and a rich, precise bass, for wide-range sound.

Honeycomb housing, hand-assembled in Tokyo

The housing combines a honeycomb-punched design with closed sides. Without side ventilation there is no undesirable loss of air pressure from inside, so the sound stays perfectly balanced. Each housing is carefully hand-assembled in Tokyo, and the magnesium frame and arms give a rigid, thin and lightweight construction. Every ADX5000 is individually identified by a laser-etched serial number.

Alcantara earpads and headband

The earpads and headband are covered in Alcantara, a material known for its durability and used in the automotive and fashion industries for its quality and texture. Audio-Technica chose it for outstanding comfort over long home listening sessions.

Accessories of luxury

The ADX5000 is packaged in a specially designed, luxury hard carrying case. Its detachable 3.0m cable is 6N-OFC (oxygen-free copper), with A2DC connectors at the headphones and a machined stainless steel 6.3mm (1/4") plug, gold-plated, designed to avoid resonance and give stable sound reproduction.

A2DC connectors

A2DC (Audio Designed Detachable Coaxial) is Audio-Technica’s own miniature audio connector, used since 2015 on all its in-ear headphones and on selected over-ear models with detachable cables.

Good to know

• At 420Ω they need a capable headphone amplifier, such as the Shanling EH90.
• In the box: ATH-ADX5000 headphones, detachable 3.0m cable with A2DC connectors and 6.3mm gold-plated stereo plug, hard carrying case and user manual.
• This item is ordered on demand, so it may take longer than our usual 2–4 working days.