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My quest for more BASS...

post #1 of 21
9/30/09 at 6:00am
Thread Starter 
Dear fellow Head-fiers,

My Senn HD580 feels rather inadequate when I have my play button on my ambient, electronic playlist, particularly on the low side of things.

I have scouring through the Head-fi forum looking for a complimentary can that is capable to help fill that deep void.

Potential candidates like M-Audio Q40, Beyerdynamics DT-770, etc have been mentioned rather frequently. However, it is rather unfortunately over here in the Oriental East, there are few, if not none where a demo is permitable. To add salt to my wound, it's heresy to even mention the words return policy.

The closest I could get are those demo MDR-XB700s boldly highlighted with the words EXTRA BASS at the local Sony Gallery showrooms.

So, I know this has been discussed many times before... But will a... say DT-770 Pro 80 or 250 (sitting on the fence on this one) give me that thumping bass I have been missing out on my HD580?

I do expect some tradeoffs in some other frequency departments, and I certainly don't expect it sounding like a HD800 with a pair of 12" subs on each side. As long the highs, mids and sound staging, etc are slightly above average (not sh1tty though), I am perfectly fine. I just need to have fast tight bass reverberating down my spine, but of course it must be a fun and engaging listening experience.

So what do you think? Denons.. Ultrasones... M-Audios.... Beyersdynamics..... Audio Technicas??? Something that will trash the living daylights outta my HD580s in the bass department (little point if it's just a meager trashing). Or should I just settle for an easily accessible Sony MDR-XB700....
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post #2 of 21
9/30/09 at 12:49pm
Thread Starter 
Silly me... This thread shouldn't be here... Mods!!!!!! Please help move this to Headphones (full-size)....
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post #3 of 21
9/30/09 at 12:57pm
What about your gear ?
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post #4 of 21
9/30/09 at 1:43pm
Thread Starter 
Currently...
iTunes -> Apogee Duet -> Graham Slee Solo -> Sennheiser HD580
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post #5 of 21
9/30/09 at 2:05pm
Ultrasone......
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post #6 of 21
9/30/09 at 2:32pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by syke View Post
Currently...
iTunes -> Apogee Duet -> Graham Slee Solo -> Sennheiser HD580
very nice set up. the dt770 has a different sounding bass from the 580, but it is perhaps louder. of course, it also shields outside noise, so it works pretty well for anything really. the dt770 80 pro is one of my favourites of all time no matter what. i find however, that the housing plays a part in its sound: some plastic echoes.

i am not as much into electronic, but i rely heavily on trance and thus, look for fast phones which don't distort bass too much.
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post #7 of 21
9/30/09 at 11:01pm
just got my xb700 and wow am i a happy puppy... i dont have much to compare at but my previous fav bass cans was akg dj 81 and the 518 series but now i cant even think of putting those back on my head... the sony is reaally good for my use and i think the search for cans that suits all my needs is over... not a audiophile can i guess but sure is awesome for just relaxing and enjoying music...
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post #8 of 21
9/30/09 at 11:21pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by syke View Post
Dear fellow Head-fiers,

My Senn HD580 feels rather inadequate when I have my play button on my ambient, electronic playlist, particularly on the low side of things.

I have scouring through the Head-fi forum looking for a complimentary can that is capable to help fill that deep void.

Potential candidates like M-Audio Q40, Beyerdynamics DT-770, etc have been mentioned rather frequently. However, it is rather unfortunately over here in the Oriental East, there are few, if not none where a demo is permitable. To add salt to my wound, it's heresy to even mention the words return policy.

The closest I could get are those demo MDR-XB700s boldly highlighted with the words EXTRA BASS at the local Sony Gallery showrooms.

So, I know this has been discussed many times before... But will a... say DT-770 Pro 80 or 250 (sitting on the fence on this one) give me that thumping bass I have been missing out on my HD580?

I do expect some tradeoffs in some other frequency departments, and I certainly don't expect it sounding like a HD800 with a pair of 12" subs on each side. As long the highs, mids and sound staging, etc are slightly above average (not sh1tty though), I am perfectly fine. I just need to have fast tight bass reverberating down my spine, but of course it must be a fun and engaging listening experience.

So what do you think? Denons.. Ultrasones... M-Audios.... Beyersdynamics..... Audio Technicas??? Something that will trash the living daylights outta my HD580s in the bass department (little point if it's just a meager trashing). Or should I just settle for an easily accessible Sony MDR-XB700....
You just might have to expand your search. In my experience headphones which claim "EXTRA BASS" and have a very high sensitivity (efficiency) rating usually sound like hammered dog excrement (especially on good equipment with a dedicated headphone amp), with barely any mids or highs to speak of. This is due to the lack of damping in such highly sensitive headphones. It is this lack of damping which makes such headphones sound "full" on an extremely weak portable player that also makes the very same headphones resonate excessively (and often uncontrollably) on even slightly better equipment. As such, such bass-oriented headphones sound extremely sluggish and loose on the bass.

Thus, PROPER headphone design is a compromise--and will always be so.
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post #9 of 21
10/2/09 at 3:28am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Eagle_Driver View Post
You just might have to expand your search. In my experience headphones which claim "EXTRA BASS" and have a very high sensitivity (efficiency) rating usually sound like hammered dog excrement (especially on good equipment with a dedicated headphone amp), with barely any mids or highs to speak of. This is due to the lack of damping in such highly sensitive headphones. It is this lack of damping which makes such headphones sound "full" on an extremely weak portable player that also makes the very same headphones resonate excessively (and often uncontrollably) on even slightly better equipment. As such, such bass-oriented headphones sound extremely sluggish and loose on the bass.

Thus, PROPER headphone design is a compromise--and will always be so.
Darn... I could live with such "Bassy" headphones from my Apogee Duet's headphone out though. And leave the Solo & HD580 for vocals, jazz & orchestra.

If that's the case.. Would a DT770 Pro 250ohm or even the 600ohm ones be a better match if I had running via a Solo?
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post #10 of 21
10/2/09 at 3:30am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by eTe View Post
just got my xb700 and wow am i a happy puppy... i dont have much to compare at but my previous fav bass cans was akg dj 81 and the 518 series but now i cant even think of putting those back on my head... the sony is reaally good for my use and i think the search for cans that suits all my needs is over... not a audiophile can i guess but sure is awesome for just relaxing and enjoying music...
Hi eTe, Are you using the XB700 straight out from your portable player? Any desktop amp involved?
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post #11 of 21
10/2/09 at 3:34am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by shigzeo View Post
very nice set up. the dt770 has a different sounding bass from the 580, but it is perhaps louder. of course, it also shields outside noise, so it works pretty well for anything really. the dt770 80 pro is one of my favourites of all time no matter what. i find however, that the housing plays a part in its sound: some plastic echoes.

i am not as much into electronic, but i rely heavily on trance and thus, look for fast phones which don't distort bass too much.
I listen a little of trance as well when I am in the mood to.
Have you tried the DT770 consumer models? The Pros are pretty difficult to get around here, eBay is the only path for me. Are they that much different in terms of bass? How about the DT770 Pro 250?
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post #12 of 21
10/2/09 at 4:48am
The Sony MDR-XB700s are quite nice bass-centric headphones. I tried them with Sony Walkman X1000 series, and,.. not need to say anymore. the bass was really deep, but, still the mid and treble were adequately present to complete the sound/music. I noticed, they have less mid-bass hump, which I think quite easy to your ears, for long hours listening. Try them first, and decide later.

Thank you.
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post #13 of 21
10/2/09 at 12:12pm
one word.....

Denon

D5000 or modded D2000/D5000 depending on budget and if that fails sony CD3000 are fantastic fun bassy cans that are only slightly unbalanced, with really quite nice detail, sexy looking too IMO; or then beyer DT880
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post #14 of 21
10/2/09 at 3:21pm
Just FYI - The Beyer DT770-80s Pros are considered better sounding but the DT770-250s are considered to have stronger bass.
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post #15 of 21
10/2/09 at 6:05pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by syke View Post
Hi eTe, Are you using the XB700 straight out from your portable player? Any desktop amp involved?

im running it straight out of my netbook works great but my old iriver 1gb player makes them really amazing... the bass literally is BIG i mean its like i got 15inch sub on my head haha... but anyways they work great out of any portable... i guess i need to hunt a amp down again to try to see the difference... or im actually thinking of trying those sansa clip players with it... i so far never came along as good sounding mp3 player as my old iriver... that reminds me ill go post wanted add for a 1gb and if i like it ill buy the 8gb one... but still i highly recommend the xb 700 to anyone...
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