"Basshead" headphones for under $100... definitely not HTF600's

You might try the Creative Aurvana Live!.

While CAL!'s bass is good, it is far from best headphone for bassheads. Bassheads who want "clear music"? These are oxymoronic.

You either need to pick one extreme or the middle ground here. CAL is kind of in the middle with nice bass and treble. I'm sure you know you can't have the cake and eat it too.

Quote:

Originally Posted by xXDUNNXx 

but will they handle the power?

 

I'm not even sure how the power ratings on Headphones work...ive seen it in terms of mw's and the HTF600's take 1500mw while those seem to take 1000mw...

Power rating is never a problem with headphones. Good headphones can handle any listening level a sane person can tolerate and more. That said, certain headphones can handle distortion better than others at 100dB.

Where did you get 1W rating for the CAL!?

Quote:

Originally Posted by xXDUNNXx 

but will they handle the power?

 

I'm not even sure how the power ratings on Headphones work...ive seen it in terms of mw's and the HTF600's take 1500mw while those seem to take 1000mw...

The power rating does not mean much for bass quality at high volume, it is only the maximum power the headphone can handle (with whatever bad quality) without damaging the drivers - but with prolonged listening, your hearing is more likely to be damaged first before that is reached. According to the graphs at innerfidelity.com, both the CAL and the Denon AH-D1001 (which is essentially the same headphone branded differently) have high bass distortion at 100 dB SPL, but I do not trust those graphs, they are often incorrect. The Sony XB500 should probably suit your needs as far as loud bass is concerned, although for overall sound quality it may very well be a downgrade from the RP-HTF600.
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by kingpage 

Bassheads who want "clear music"? These are oxymoronic.

Having a preference for well extended bass with good impact does not imply a preference for high distortion or muddy sound. If there is no extreme bass emphasis, a good headphone can achieve the bass while keeping the mids and treble clear enough.

Well, you don't think that if "a good headphone can achieve the bass while keeping the mids and treble clear enough", that would be quite neutral? Bassheads demand at least a 10db bump somewhere in the bass region, I'd imagine.

There are bassheads and there are people who enjoy bass quite a bit while not excessively (myself). CAL is not basshead bassy, while it's a little bassier than D1001. From graphs, CAL's distortion at 100dBSPL is less than D1001. And don't expect any lesser headphones can outperform these two good headphones. Many higher end headphones have a similar issue, based on the graphs from innerfidelity.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kingpage 

Well, you don't think that if "a good headphone can achieve the bass while keeping the mids and treble clear enough", that would be quite neutral?

Not necessarily, it could have the bass emphasized, and be flat from a few hundred Hz (maybe 300) upwards. But I referred to not extreme amounts, so less than 10 dB. Also, by clear enough I meant not polluted by THD and IMD products from loud bass the headphone can only produce with high distortion.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kingpage 

There are bassheads and there are people who enjoy bass quite a bit while not excessively (myself). CAL is not basshead bassy, while it's a little bassier than D1001. From graphs, CAL's distortion at 100dBSPL is less than D1001. And don't expect any lesser headphones can outperform these two good headphones. Many higher end headphones have a similar issue, based on the graphs from innerfidelity.

The Sony XB series apparently does not (perhaps because the bass is boosted by the acoustics of the headphone, rather than the drivers needing to do more work to achieve the high SPL), although they are otherwise not very good. From the under $100 category, the SRH-440 and KNS 6400 seem to stay at reasonably low distortion at 100 dB, but these can hardly be described as "basshead" without equalization.

Quote:

Originally Posted by xXDUNNXx 

 I have a pair of Panasonic HTF600s

 

on the e11

 

they are overpowered and the highs seem to ride on or fluctuate with the bass note.

 

You're putting a low impedance headphone that is sensitive on an amplifier, which it doesn't need, and you're experiencing it being over powered, and this surprises you?

Try running it off the E11. No amplification.

Very best,

with a little Equalising.. Ministry Of Sound MOS006 can handle "a good headphone can achieve the bass while keeping the mids and treble clear enough". though unequalised SQ is somehow bassy..