Bassheads Rejoice Again! Sony Updates Extra Bass Headphones - Page 4

http://www.amazon.co.jp/%E3%82%BD%E3%83%8B%E3%83%BC-MDR-XB900-SONY-%E3%82%B9%E3%83%86%E3%83%AC%E3%82%AA%E3%83%98%E3%83%83%E3%83%89%E3%83%9B%E3%83%B3/dp/B00931SA72

pricing on amazon.jp for XB900. Translates to like $189 USD. I still expect US pricing of these to be in the 180~$200 range at launch, probably around 150 EUR in europe, Sony is often relatively cheap in europe vs US from my experience.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jgray91 

so i manage to read that russian article with minimal help from google. The verdict they reached: xb900 > xb600.
The reported that ther's no metal parts externally, but there might be metal in the headbands. The xb600 is slightly sibilant, which they claim that it's good for vocal elligibility and may not be suitable for vocalless music. There's no mention of the xb900's treble tho.
They also report that both of them ar quite detaioed for bass cans, but lack that special something that some cans have.
Xb600 is also midbass centric, or at least they have more midbass focus compared to the xb900. But there's this interesting thing they noted. While there's not much different noted in the measurements other than lower spl for tye xb900's bass, subjectively they could feel the vibrations from the earpads themselves.
Other than that they feel that the bass would work best with movies of you're at home, or on the road since the isolation is quite good and the bass would compensate any louder outside noise.

Thanks for the translation work. Well, the new XB cans really look interesting. I think Sony are trying to blend the detail of the XB1000 with the mid-bass punch of the XB500. As the XB600 is more mid-bass-centric, that is the can that I'm most interested to hear. Still, the treble peaks are a little too high for my liking. As I feared, they are quite sibilant, according to the article.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Malevolent 

 

Thanks for the translation work. Well, the new XB cans really look interesting. I think Sony are trying to blend the detail of the XB1000 with the mid-bass punch of the XB500. As the XB600 is more mid-bass-centric, that is the can that I'm most interested to hear. Still, the treble peaks are a little too high for my liking. As I feared, they are quite sibilant, according to the article.

Personally I'm not suprised if I'd like XB900 more than XB1000. The description of XB1000 even if they costed say $150 wouldn't make me get them, XB900 on the other hand seems more along my personal tastes. Well both XB600 and XB900 seems to pack lots of punchy bass based on the shape of FR graph, at least it's safe to assume both will feature more punchy bass than XB700 just by looking at the graph. Actually I think XB900 looks like it would sound punchier/snappier than XB600 in the bass. Why? Because it rolls off very slightly in the very deep bass range versus XB600, trust me this isn't a bad thing but a good thing if you like punchy, snappier bass than lowbass soft rumbling bass ala XB700. From experience I can say "hill-shaped" bass response with a peak around the midbass region, especially when the peak is centered around 80~100Hz or so gives you the ideal punchy bass that should roll off down deep slightly. Very low frequencies demand more power and low frequencies are slower (this has to due with the wavelength being longer) and if you cut out some at the very deep range it helps providing you more of the punchy/snappy higher bass frequencies as there's more power to be focused there. It's not ONLY down to the shape of the bass curve but it's also down to the driver's ability/quality itself as can be seen from for example the typical 30Hz squarewave measurements but the shape of the bass curve do also contribute and if you take all known punchy bass headphones they almost every1 share this "hill-shaped" rather than flat extending down to like 20Hz bass curve.

Good example of "punchy bass" measurement:

http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/UltrasonePRO900.pdf

Hill-shaped bass curve + 30Hz squarewave has this very "curvy" pointy shape. PRO900 are among the "punchier" headphones out there, it's not the tightest but fairly "tight"/fast bass, the vertical length determines this.

For example Fidelio L1 has suprisingly punchy & snappy measuring bass, just look at that beautiful 30Hz squarewave:

http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/PhilipsFidelioL1.pdf

Best news so far today, after the dissapointment with denons urban raver d400 :(

Quote:

Originally Posted by RPGWiZaRD 

 

Personally I'm not suprised if I'd like XB900 more than XB1000. The description of XB1000 even if they costed say $150 wouldn't make me get them, XB900 on the other hand seems more along my personal tastes. Well both XB600 and XB900 seems to pack lots of punchy bass based on the shape of FR graph, at least it's safe to assume both will feature more punchy bass than XB700 just by looking at the graph. Actually I think XB900 looks like it would sound punchier/snappier than XB600 in the bass. Why? Because it rolls off very slightly in the very deep bass range versus XB600, trust me this isn't a bad thing but a good thing if you like punchy, snappier bass than lowbass soft rumbling bass ala XB700. From experience I can say "hill-shaped" bass response with a peak around the midbass region, especially when the peak is centered around 80~100Hz or so gives you the ideal punchy bass that should roll off down deep slightly. Very low frequencies demand more power and low frequencies are slower (this has to due with the wavelength being longer) and if you cut out some at the very deep range it helps providing you more of the punchy/snappy higher bass frequencies as there's more power to be focused there. It's not ONLY down to the shape of the bass curve but it's also down to the driver's ability/quality itself as can be seen from for example the typical 30Hz squarewave measurements but the shape of the bass curve do also contribute and if you take all known punchy bass headphones they almost every1 share this "hill-shaped" rather than flat extending down to like 20Hz bass curve.

 

Good example of "punchy bass" measurement:

 

http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/UltrasonePRO900.pdf

Hill-shaped bass curve + 30Hz squarewave has this very "curvy" pointy shape. PRO900 are among the "punchier" headphones out there, it's not the tightest but fairly "tight"/fast bass, the vertical length determines this.

 

For example Fidelio L1 has suprisingly punchy & snappy measuring bass, just look at that beautiful 30Hz squarewave:

 

http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/PhilipsFidelioL1.pdf

Yeah, you're right, the XB1000 aren't very punchy. They are more like the XB700 than the XB500. There is a distinct rumble, but the overall bass presentation is softer. Like you, I prefer punchy bass, as opposed to a deep rumble.

You've got me very interested in studying these FR graphs. I'll stack up my cans against each other and compare them with whatever FR graphs Tyll has got on his website. It'll definitely teach me more about how the FR helps to shape a headphone's sound.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jgray91 


I don't get the impression that they thought the XB600 very sibilant, but it is a valid concern. I guess the lower price tag also entails that the target customers would like more V shaped sound than the higher ones, although judging by today's view of more moneis = moar of the same thing, some would probably be disappointed by the slightly different sound of the XB900 if they expect it to be XB600 + moar bassz YO!

Well, I think Sony have learned from the mistakes of the XB1000. The latter seemed to promise too much with those huge 70mm drivers. They were insanely big, but quite tame when compared to its 3 smaller siblings. I guess that's why they retired them way too early.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sneaglebob 

Best news so far today, after the dissapointment with denons urban raver d400 :(

When I tried them on, I thought they sounded very much like the Beats Studio. They were quite bassy, but it sounded like a muddy mess. I think even the LP2 sounds clearer. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Malevolent 

When I tried them on, I thought they sounded very much like the Beats Studio. They were quite bassy, but it sounded like a muddy mess. I think even the LP2 sounds clearer. 

Yea not suprised, the D400 has just way too veiled highs, LP2's highs are also very veiled which I didn't like and had to use some EQ on, I don't even know how Denon has managed to make such a poor sounding headphone so expensive.

The XB900's are part of the Closed Mid-Fi Portable Battle of 2012.

Quote:

Originally Posted by RPGWiZaRD 

http://www.amazon.co.jp/%E3%82%BD%E3%83%8B%E3%83%BC-MDR-XB900-SONY-%E3%82%B9%E3%83%86%E3%83%AC%E3%82%AA%E3%83%98%E3%83%83%E3%83%89%E3%83%9B%E3%83%B3/dp/B00931SA72

 

pricing on amazon.jp for XB900. Translates to like $189 USD. I still expect US pricing of these to be in the 180~$200 range at launch, probably around 150 EUR in europe, Sony is often relatively cheap in europe vs US from my experience.

word thanks for that.   It looks like they are at $163 right now with pre-order guarantee.  I just Facebooked my sister in Japan asking her to order me a pair.  Hopefully amazon.jp dosnt have a problem with shipping to the okinawa marine base shes stationed at.

Quote:

Originally Posted by RPGWiZaRD 

 

Yea not suprised, the D400 has just way too veiled highs, LP2's highs are also very veiled which I didn't like and had to use some EQ on, I don't even know how Denon has managed to make such a poor sounding headphone so expensive.

Yup. They stuck their venerable name on it, placed an astronomical price tag, and made it sound like a Beats Studio. I love bassy headphones, but please, if you're going to make it sound so muddied, be realistic, and knockoff a few hundred dollars off of that sticker price.

Just to let you all know (again) - the SONY XB900's are one of the lowest-priced competitors in the Closed Mid-Fi Portable Battle 2012. They will need reviews once they are out - so that Head-Fi knows if they are the next value Basshead cans or not.

Drop by with your thoughts - and provide reviews once you get yours! 

Quote:

Originally Posted by BRSxIgnition 

The XB900's are part of the Closed Mid-Fi Portable Battle of 2012.

 

Originally Posted by BRSxIgnition 
 

Just to let you all know (again) - the SONY XB900's are one of the lowest-priced competitors in the Closed Mid-Fi Portable Battle 2012.

I'm sorry, I didn't quite catch that...

Oh BTW, maybe the XB900s should be in some kind of closed, mid-fi portable battle thing.  Yeah, I know it sounds crazy, but maybe someone can look into it.  Just a thought...

Quote:

Originally Posted by warrenpchi 

 

I'm sorry, I didn't quite catch that...

 

Oh BTW, maybe the XB900s should be in some kind of closed, mid-fi portable battle thing.  Yeah, I know it sounds crazy, but maybe someone can look into it.  Just a thought...

Bahahah - I just felt the need to pose again, because the poll had to be restarted. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by BRSxIgnition 

Bahahah - I just felt the need to pose again, because the poll had to be restarted. 

  Yeah, I know.  Just messin' around.