After another 30 hours of burnin I took another listen and these phones really started to sound good. The mid and high are very good and the detail is impressive to say the least. All of my issues aside from one were gone. The one issue that never went away was the bass, these phones just didn't seem to have enough bass, mid bass, and possibly even lower end midrange.
The problem was I really liked the upper range. So I got radical! (well for me radical
), I decided the problem was inadequate amplification. So I researched various options for getting a headphone amplifier, DAC, and or combination of the above.
In the end I picked up an Auzentech X-Fi Forte sound card that has a built in headphone amplifier designed for Hi-Fi headphones and a decent DAC with the ability to roll OpAmp's. Slapped the puppy in my computer and let er rip. WHAT A DIFFERENCE!!! The lower midrange and all the bass was suddenly there! Along with a TON OF DETAIL I didn't know existed! Without touching the EQ, bass knobs, or anything these phones sound fantastic and if I really do want extra bass I barely after to increase one of those settings to get it in spades. Now all I have to do is play with the apps and features of this new very kewl sound card to see how to get what I want out of it. Musically it is all I could have ever asked for and I suspect games and movies are going to benefit as well probably even more.
As for the DX1, if someone doesn't really want alot of bass and loves their midrange and highs with alot of detail this phone is for you. If you want the bass you do need an amplifier in my opinion though. Amplified I would say this headset is kind of like an AD700 except it's a closed phone and has slightly more bass, it doesn't have as much soundstage as the AD700 though. Maybe another way to look at it, is it's like an A700 without the midrange suck out.
Just as an aside I have tried my Philips HP910 with my new soundcard as well and they now have to much bass but still sound damn impressive. They give me a serious bass blast when I want it and due to their open design give me the big sound stage.
Out of the two phones I am right now finding myself gravitating to the JVC more than the Philips, the detail of the JVC is just to much to not use them. I also find they are sliightly less fatiguing for me and more comfortable.
For anyone looking for cheap amplification and a better DAC than what is in most PC's default sound cards, this Forte card is very nice and Auzentech has a $20 mail in rebate offer going on right now. I will have paid $125 when the dust settles. All the DACs, DAC/amps, Amps I looked at were going to cost about that much or a lot more (having owned a Fiio E5, I don't consider it an option for my needs). It's not portable but it will kick my games up a knotch or two and I don't see myself walking around with fullsize can's on very often anyway.
. Actually these are sounding a bit better even with a couple hours of burnin. They are loosening up a bit, not quite so crisp which was actually detracting of the music as it was intrusive. I am not sure about the bass but I did start to get used to a bassy phone in the HP910. I think I will have a very good idea of what they are going to be really like by Monday maybe Tuesday as I suspect they will need a good burnin if what I have read about JVC cans is correct. I also need to remind myself that I was hoping they wouldn't be to bassy and just get into the sound experience they offer.
