Audio-Technica launches new Wooden Series Headphones, Digital-to-Analog Converter and Balanced Headphone Amplifier for high-definition audiophile audio enjoyment.
The new AW Series, which the name is derived from the first letters of “Art monitor (A)” and “Wood (W),” consists of two models: the ATH-AWKT/f, using housings made of striped ebony wood, and the ATH-AWAS/f, which use housings made of Asada cherry wood, which was adopted for nine previous models. The ATH-AWKT/f headphones are based on a theme of "tradition" while that of the ATH-AWAS/f is "innovation".
ATH-AWKT/f
The ATH-AWKT/f headphones adopt striped ebony wood, which is hard and has a high specific gravity and, therefore having a high damping effect. The 53mm drivers incorporated a German-made permendur magnetic circuit and a 6N-OFC bobbin-wound voice coil. The German permendur has high coercivity and responsiveness, and is widely used in the meter bearings of measuring and airplane instruments. It is an ideal magnetic material contributing to both good sound attack and decay characteristics in sound signature. Bobbin-wound coils are used for the voice coils, thus minimizing the size and weight while contributing to increased driving power. The use of high-purity materials, such as 6N-OFC, ensures stable sound quality.
ATH-AWAS/f
The ATH-AWAS/f headphones, another model in the AW Series, adopts tough Asada cherry wood as its housings. The ATH-AWAS/f housings have the same semigloss finish, and are of the same size, as those of the ATH-AWKT/f. The 53mm drivers of the ATH-AWAS/f headphones, unlike those of the ATH-AWKT/f, were designed to showcase the company's current state of the art DLC-coated diaphragms.
The ATH-AWAS/f, like the ATH-AWKT/f headphones, adopts a "double-air damping system (D.A.D.S.)", which is unique to Audio-Technica and provides another acoustic space in the 6N-OFC bobbin-wound voice coils and housings. In addition, these two headphones (/f) are specially equipped with Premium Fabric Braided headphone cables for prevention of tangling.
AT-DAC100 Digital-to-Analog Converter
The new Hi-Res Audio Digital-to-Analog Converter AT-DAC100 supports PCM signal up to 32bit/768kHz and native DSD up to DSD512. It takes your digital audio content and transforms it into analog so that you can amplify the signal in your sound system to enjoy Hi-Res easily. Virtually all music played through a digital device, including the tracks you stream on music services like Spotify and Apple Music, needs to be converted to analog in order to be heard through a pair of headphones or speakers. AT-DAC100 works as an interpreter that takes these digitally stored recordings and translates them back into high quality analog signal.
AT-BHA100 Balanced Headphone Amplifier
The Balanced Headphone Amplifier AT-BHA100 is designed in a compact form factor, featuring a quad independent preamp vacuum tubes with power transistors. The hybrid system is designed to fully showcase the superior sound of vacuum tubes with powerful output of the transistors. The amplifier offers multiple interfaces including XLR combo connector balanced input, RCA stereo input, two sets of balanced headphone outputs (4.4mm and 4-pins XLR), plus two independent 6.3mm outputs for headphones with different impedance and sensitivity.
These new headphones and devices are pioneers which can open up a new world of sound, sophisticatedly combining the craftsmanship Audio-Technica has accumulated and excellent sound quality created with fine control. Through the combination of "tradition" and "innovation", we will be able to experience a sound world with the two distinct characteristics at the same time.
