JVC HARX900 High-Grade Full-Size Headphone

Incredible soundstage is the best thing about these full-size cans. Unmodded, they are merely good. The "Top Pop" mod makes the bass tighten up quite a bit, stopping any "boom." It really makes these come alive. Very 3D.

These are shockingly good for $56. The build quality is as good as most pairs costing more than twice as much. And, the sound is clear and defined without being harsh or fatiguing. Although, I thought it was a little lacking in the low-end department. (I'm not a basshead. But, I do like deep, tight, defined  bass.) I also like their simple, full-size, non-folding style. Their size and shape make them great for home or office use. But, I doubt if you wanna be carrying these around with you.

Pros:

-Clear and defined mids and highs, without the harshness in the upper mids that can often accompany such clarity.

-No distortion on the low-end. No fartiness or boominess.

-Fairly open sound, especially from a closed set. But, to be honest, these cans aren't fully closed. There are openings behind the ring-type grill on the backs of the cups. I guess you could call them semi-open.

-The appearance and build quality defy their low price.

Cons:

-Mids can be a little too upfront depending on song. And, may be too much for some listeners in general.

-Bass is a little light, almost distant. This is probably due to the openings on the back of the cups. Sealed cups would no doubt increase the bass. But, they could also end up boomy, overbearing, and/or undefined.

-They resize a little too easily. The slightest touch to reposition them ends up opening them a couple of clicks. A tighter click-stop would really help.

I'm still not sure whether I want to keep them or not, despite their outstanding value and quality. It will all depend on whether or not the sound becomes more balanced with burnage. Right now, they are a little mid-heavy and bass-light for my personal preference. The weird thing is that I see people mod these to try an open up the mids and highs, and tone down the low-end. I couldn't imagine why someone would want to do that with these phones.