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Audio-Technica ATH-A990Z Art Monitor Closed-Back Dynamic Headphones Black
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Free returns are available for the shipping address you chose. You can return the item for any reason in new and unused condition: no shipping charges
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Return this item for free
Free returns are available for the shipping address you chose. You can return the item for any reason in new and unused condition: no shipping charges
Learn more about free returns.- Go to your orders and start the return
- Select the return method
- Ship it!
Purchase options and add-ons
Brand | Audio-Technica |
Model Name | ATH-A990Z |
Color | Black |
Form Factor | Over Ear |
Connectivity Technology | Wired |
About this item
- Frequency Response - 5 – 45,000 Hz and Impedance - 11.5 ohms
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This Item Audio-Technica ATH-A990Z Art Monitor Closed-Back Dynamic Headphones Black | Recommendations | dummy | dummy | dummy | dummy | |
Try again! Added to Cart | Try again! Added to Cart | Try again! Added to Cart | Try again! Added to Cart | Try again! Added to Cart | Try again! Added to Cart | |
Price | $219.00$219.00 | $149.00$149.00 | $119.00$119.00 | $199.00$199.00 | $269.00$269.00 | $99.00$99.00 |
Delivery | Get it as soon as Sunday, Mar 31 | Get it as soon as Sunday, Mar 31 | Get it as soon as Sunday, Mar 31 | Get it as soon as Sunday, Mar 31 | Get it as soon as Sunday, Mar 31 | Get it as soon as Sunday, Mar 31 |
Customer Ratings | ||||||
Sound quality | 4.4 | 4.0 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 4.6 | 4.6 |
Value for money | 4.4 | 3.9 | 4.4 | — | 4.2 | — |
Comfort | 4.3 | 5.0 | 4.3 | — | 4.6 | — |
For gaming | 4.2 | — | 4.2 | — | 4.4 | 4.0 |
Noise cancellation | — | 3.4 | — | 3.5 | 4.1 | 4.0 |
Sold By | Amazon.com | HIFIMAN | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | Focus Camera LLC | Amazon.com |
connectivity tech | Wired | Wired | Wired | Bluetooth, USB | Wired | Wired |
headphones form factor | Over Ear | Over Ear | Over Ear | Over Ear | Over Ear | Over Ear |
connector type | 3.5mm Jack | 6.35mm Jack, 3.5mm Jack | 3.5mm Jack | wireless | 3.5mm Jack, 6.35mm Jack | — |
noise control | — | — | — | sound isolation | sound isolation | sound isolation |
headphones jack | 3.5 mm Jack | 3.5 mm Jack | 3.5 mm Jack | — | 3.5 mm Jack | 3.5 mm Jack |
cable feature | Retractable | Detachable | Retractable | Without Cable | Detachable | Detachable |
Product guides and documents
What's in the box
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Product information
Product Dimensions | 11 x 5 x 9 inches |
---|---|
Item Weight | 11.8 ounces |
ASIN | B01AYZZE24 |
Item model number | ATH-A990Z |
Customer Reviews |
4.3 out of 5 stars |
Best Sellers Rank | #110,028 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics) #2,685 in Over-Ear Headphones |
Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
Date First Available | August 10, 2016 |
Manufacturer | Audio-Technica |
Country of Origin | China |
Item Weight | 0.34 Kilograms |
Units | 1.0 Count |
Number Of Items | 1 |
Warranty & Support
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Product Description
The ATH-A990Z art monitor closed-back dynamic headphones feature proprietary large-aperture 53 mm drivers with OFC bobbin-wound voice coils to deliver Hi-Res audio reproduction The drivers' integrated yoke and top-mounted PCB contribute to the high-resolution performance by providing superior transient response and smoother airflow for precise diaphragm movement The lightweight aluminum housings reduce unwanted resonance and incorporate Audio-Technica's double Air damping system (D A D S) for Deep bass reproduction A-t's improved 3D wing support system ensures a great comfortable fit aided by the headphones' soft premium-grade ear pads The 3 0 M (9 8') tangle-free cable is cloth-wrapped for lasting durability
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers like the appearance of the headphones, mentioning it's good looking, with a wing design. They also appreciate the detail level. However, some customers are disappointed with the size. Opinions are mixed on sound quality, comfort, quality, durability, and portability.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers like the detail level of the headphones. They say the clarity and separation for gaming is outstanding, and the headphones are very detailed, accurate, and concise. They also say the vocals never get lost, and instruments are all clear. The highs are crisp, clear, and full, and it gives depth to everything. The bass is emphasized without being overwhelming, and lyrics come through clear.
"...The big thing with the A550Zs is exquisite upper mid range and treble. Vocals are beautifully lifelike and strings are an absolute pleasure...." Read more
"...colder sound, but they make up for it with the extreme instrument clarity and separation, which is what I bought them for...." Read more
"...are fun and exciting sounding while still being very accurate and concise...." Read more
"...the box I found my self gazing at the headphones, they are sexy, revealing, those ear cups are to die for...." Read more
Customers are satisfied with the appearance of the headphones. They mention that the wing design is great, comfortable, and sexy. They also appreciate the 3D wing and comfort-arch pivot design. Overall, customers are impressed with the sleek and modern design.
"...looking with the big Audio Technica wing support and otherwise very simple in looking, all black plastic, rubber and pleather with understated..." Read more
"...The cool dark green and reflective chamber ring is very nice (the pictures don't do it justice)...." Read more
"...Upon opening the box I found my self gazing at the headphones, they are sexy, revealing, those ear cups are to die for...." Read more
"...notes from violin, guitar solos and such all sound fantastic and super crisp...." Read more
Customers are mixed about the sound quality of the headphones. Some mention that the drivers just sound like cheap headphones, while others say that the bass is still present and picking up sounds like they've never heard before. The headphones are vocal forward with lots of detail in the vocal range. They also have very high BPM double base drums and fast mid guitar. The price was great for the quality, and they arrived super fast. However, some customers say that when using a decent DAC, the bass becomes more prominent and the sound is slightly colder.
"...The soundstage increased, really helps it sound less closed and congested, not to really big levels like my AD900 but it gets damn close, especially..." Read more
"...I disagree, these headphones(A990Z) have clear sound but the bass does not live up to the hype...." Read more
"...They are the most comfortable and beautiful sounding headphones I own, love these. I even bought a Bluetooth clip adapter to use these with...." Read more
"...It feels incredibly comfortable now that I'm used to it. It sounds amazing too. I've never really had a "high end" pair of dedicated headphones...." Read more
Customers are mixed about the comfort of the headphones. Some mention that it's extremely comfortable and light, while others say that it causes discomfort and a pinching feeling on the pads.
"...Comfort - The A550Zs are very comfortable fit (I do have a large head so lack of clamp force may be an issue for people with smaller heads)...." Read more
"...Extremely comfortable and light. Sound quality is unmatched in this price range, actually I would put these up against $250.00 headphones...." Read more
"...It feels incredibly comfortable now that I'm used to it. It sounds amazing too. I've never really had a "high end" pair of dedicated headphones...." Read more
"...One thing that didn't subside was a pinching feeling on the pads. The pads themselves are quite comfortable and soft, made of high quality faux [?]..." Read more
Customers are mixed about the quality of the headphones. Some mention that they're nice headphones with a wonderful Dolby Atmos sound, while others say that they are low quality and ruined by terrible ear pads.
"...SOUND [with stock pads])Simply put, these headphones are fun and exciting sounding while still being very accurate and concise...." Read more
"...gazing at the headphones, they are sexy, revealing, those ear cups are to die for. Those curves... Such attention to detail by Audio Technica...." Read more
"...The earpads were not the greatest. I strongly suggest buying another type of pad that will fit over the headphones...." Read more
"...I am ashamed to say my head is pretty big. This headset is perfect though and should fit about anyone unless you are pretty small...." Read more
Customers are mixed about the durability of the headphones. Some mention that the build quality is vastly better, the cable is well made, and long-lasting, while others say that the headband does not seem very durable and feels like cheap plastic.
"...Bu seem solidly enough put together, I wouldn't worry much about durability, there's just nothing premium about the build...." Read more
"...your ear are nicely padded, though it's made of the same cheap pleather like material most ear-cuffs use so after about a year of wearing/using this..." Read more
"...to replace the cable, in the future when I'm forced to... otherwise very durable and well made cable... just very, very, very long!..." Read more
"...They do break in a bit, so first wear will be the least comfortable but they get better after a few sessions...." Read more
Customers are mixed about the portability of the headphones. Some mention that they are quite light, while others say that they're a bit heavy and bulky. The long cable and the design make them not portable at all.
"...They are quite light, I find the clamp force absolutely perfect (secure but I don't feel any squeezing) and the stock ear pads are quite comfortable..." Read more
"...You cannot adjust them. They do have a little weight. Not an issue if the headband had sufficient support...." Read more
"...Extremely comfortable and light. Sound quality is unmatched in this price range, actually I would put these up against $250.00 headphones...." Read more
"...OK. Bright. Lack body (weak bass).Light. Short cord.Did not come with a 1/4" plug or an adapter...." Read more
Customers are dissatisfied with the size of the headphones. They mention that the ear pads are small and not large enough to fully go over their ear. The cans are on the smaller side, and positioning them is key. The cord is obnoxiously long for routine on the go use, and the sizing is too shallow to offer any support on the head and inner ear, and they lack midrange.
"...to... otherwise very durable and well made cable... just very, very, very long!..." Read more
"...But the real problem is that they are too shallow to offer any support on the head and the inner diameter of the ear hole is too small for most...." Read more
"...the Sony ear cups were crushing my earlobes...because the A990Z ear cups are much bigger and easily fit my entire earlobe in side...." Read more
"...Bad. Lack midrange. Too much trebble.If you like this style I strongly recommend that you save a bit and get the ATH-A990Z...." Read more
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Top reviews from the United States
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Build Quality - They do feel cheap when holding them, definitely a lot plastic involved. Bu seem solidly enough put together, I wouldn't worry much about durability, there's just nothing premium about the build. The cable is fixed (which is disappointing, not sure why Audio Technica is still so intent on making fixed cable headphones) and as mentioned very long.
Comfort - The A550Zs are very comfortable fit (I do have a large head so lack of clamp force may be an issue for people with smaller heads). They are quite light, I find the clamp force absolutely perfect (secure but I don't feel any squeezing) and the stock ear pads are quite comfortable for several hours continuous. I'd prefer a cloth earpad to leather or pleather but these are quite comfortable regardless. They seem a bit smaller than the older models using the wing support, which will be good for most people.
Sound quality - They generally sound wonderful, especially if you are looking for detailed, vivid sound without over the top bass. Very detailed, excellent for gaming or complex music. Even the little flaws in recordings pop out from time to time. Decent soundstage, though not huge (My old AD900s have a substantially larger soundstage, but those are higher end an d open back) but better than expected fro a closed back headphone in this price range. The big thing with the A550Zs is exquisite upper mid range and treble. Vocals are beautifully lifelike and strings are an absolute pleasure. The bass is very typical of AT headphones, crisp, tight, precise if a little reserved. The bass is definitely more prominent when using a decent DAC than just plugging into a computer or phone, but they are easy enough to drive. Sound isolation good, but not great. All around a great sounding pair of headphones.
Value - Excellent. The A550z are probably the best sounding closed back headphones under $250 that I have put on (sound quality/signature is very similar to the A990Z, although the A990Z feels much better put together and has maybe a smidge more bass) and nothing else at its price point seems particularly close. If you need a ton of bass or really want a premium feel then you'll want to look elsewhere, otherwise if you're looking for something closed back its hard to find much not to like.
I absolutely recommend these for live sound monitoring in a closed studio environment, and perhaps they are usable for mastering and engineering, but I lack the experience to for certain. They have a slightly colder sound, but they make up for it with the extreme instrument clarity and separation, which is what I bought them for. Also, these are fantastic for FPS gaming since they differentiate sounds so clearly.
Major Con: for me this is huge, the cable is not replaceable... for such a high end pair, this is hard to justify... I will absolutely be modding them to replace the cable, in the future when I'm forced to... otherwise very durable and well made cable... just very, very, very long!
Oh and I purchased fuzzy velour earpads off the internet since I listen for so many hours each day (the stock pads are great but do eventually make you sweat), make sure you get 105-110mm x 105-110mm sized ones for the ATH-1000 (couldn't find these on amazon, btw), etc series and they will fit correctly... sound was not impacted dramatically.
Top reviews from other countries
All headphones need to be worn in, as they play and things loosen up they sound better. So I kept them to wear them in.
The next thing that was holding them back was my media. If you are planning to play compressed MP3s via your phone, these are not for you.
When playing MP3s they did not flatter the sound like my other headphones. It sounded compressed and lacked detail. I connected to my streaming service and played some high definition audio. They immediately came to life, the bass became defined, there was plenty but it wasn't overpowering the other frequencies.
Firing up Akon's I wanna Love You, when the bassline dropped, they kept up but never lost sight of Akon and Snoop, even at the busiest stages of the mix.
These definitely do benefit from amplification, my computer has a built in headphone amp (Xonar DG soundcard). It isn't the best, but pushes all my other headphones no problem. They can also drive these fairly well, but I think they will be even better with some higher-end amplification to them. I am currently doing research on headphone amps.
The design is quite good, I don't have any problem with them slipping on my head or shifting, and they do feel comfortable.
Overall now that they are broken in, I am happy with these and would purchase again.
They are a change from my usual bassy headphones, but the way they keep their composure and handle my music has made these my new go-to.
Now that they're broken in, they even sound okay with MP3s, although lossless audio is where they truly shine.