Mid-Fi Closed Portable Headphone Battle 2012 Discussion V3 [FINAL] - Page 14

I'm actually ready to pass on all of these headphones. I was looking forward to starting the new year with new cans, but I'll just wait.

Anyone tried the akg k550 with a zo amp? would that improve their bass impact?

Anyone know of a place that sells denon ah-d600 for $300?

Quote:

Originally Posted by BRSxIgnition 

Quote:

Originally Posted by erod 

I'm actually ready to pass on all of these headphones. I was looking forward to starting the new year with new cans, but I'll just wait.

Same thing here.. It's a shame the K550's have bad sealing, as those would be perfect for me otherwise.

Yeah the seal of the K550 is terrible. I couldn't get a seal on it whatsoever.

Quote:

Originally Posted by miceblue 

Yeah the seal of the K550 is terrible. I couldn't get a seal on it whatsoever.

+2  The seal issue makes their bass anemic which, in turn, unnaturally brightens the highs.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Craigster75 

My gut feeling is that the majority of those who are raving about the K167 haven't yet tried the M-100.

And my gut feeling is that those who are raving about the M100 haven't yet tried the K167

Harsh highs??? Oh for God sake...!

So, where are the reviews?

Quote:

Originally Posted by miow 

 

And my gut feeling is that those who are raving about the M100 haven't yet tried the K167

 

Harsh highs??? Oh for God sake...!

Touche

Whelp, I'm calling it quits until next year. The M100s were highest on my radar, until I've finally read enough to determine that instead of making an even more balanced M80 with better mids (my biggest complaint about the M80s), we've just got more bass and mids that still won't do enough for me. Momentum won't do because who likes them more than anyone else? Tyll. And I've come to realize I don't appreciate the same qualities he does. MDR-1R just seem unremarkable, even if a good amount of people like them. 

It's such a bummer. I really wanted the M100s for their design, features, and imagined SQ (better M80). While 90% of people in the M100 thread were calling for the M100s to have more bass than the M80s, I was one of the only people calling for a different signature-more balanced than M80s with, specifically, better mids. Looks like the masses got their way, and it's a bummer we have just another V-shaped portable consumer headphone. It's disappointing that the manufacturers aren't recognizing the 1 area in the industry which remains to be developed-balanced, portable headphones. It is impossible to find a headphone that has 1) a balanced signature 2) folding cups 3) detachable cables 4) a generally low profile 5) portable features like a small case or mic controls on the cables 6) comfortable 7) good isolation 8) easy to drive. 

Literally, take the M100s, give them a gloriously balanced signature, enlarge the cups just a little bit so all the comfort complaints disappear, and they would become for the next 5 years what the M50s were for so long. They would be the absolute standard bearer of recommendations. 

Beyerdynamic is supposedly coming out with some new headphones next year, noticeably something to replace the 770s. Hopefully they can deliver. 

On second thought, maybe I just take up V-Moda on this 2 free headphones offer and get M100s and realize I may never find a headphone that is uncompromising for me. My criticism of the M100 isn't based on actually hearing them, so maybe I would actually like them. Val, seriously if you want to woo this community, come out with extra supple pads for the M100s that greatly increase comfort and change the signature to be a bit more balanced. I know his opposition to this has always been the fact that different pads change the signature, but hey, not everyone is entirely enamored with the M100s, so releasing new pads can actually only increase the number of people who are pleased with M100s. It's such a win-win-win-win-win, I can't see any reason not to do it. If he hits a good balanced signature, people on here would buy them in droves, meaning more money for V Moda, a better perception of V Moda from people who think they only make consumer phones, etc.

Quote:

Originally Posted by UCLA 15 

Whelp, I'm calling it quits until next year. The M100s were highest on my radar, until I've finally read enough to determine that instead of making an even more balanced M80 with better mids (my biggest complaint about the M80s), we've just got more bass and mids that still won't do enough for me. Momentum won't do because who likes them more than anyone else? Tyll. And I've come to realize I don't appreciate the same qualities he does. MDR-1R just seem unremarkable, even if a good amount of people like them. 

 

It's such a bummer. I really wanted the M100s for their design, features, and imagined SQ (better M80). While 90% of people in the M100 thread were calling for the M100s to have more bass than the M80s, I was one of the only people calling for a different signature-more balanced than M80s with, specifically, better mids. Looks like the masses got their way, and it's a bummer we have just another V-shaped portable consumer headphone. It's disappointing that the manufacturers aren't recognizing the 1 area in the industry which remains to be developed-balanced, portable headphones. It is impossible to find a headphone that has 1) a balanced signature 2) folding cups 3) detachable cables 4) a generally low profile 5) portable features like a small case or mic controls on the cables 6) comfortable 7) good isolation 8) easy to drive. 

 

Literally, take the M100s, give them a gloriously balanced signature, enlarge the cups just a little bit so all the comfort complaints disappear, and they would become for the next 5 years what the M50s were for so long. They would be the absolute standard bearer of recommendations. 

 

Beyerdynamic is supposedly coming out with some new headphones next year, noticeably something to replace the 770s. Hopefully they can deliver. 

 

On second thought, maybe I just take up V-Moda on this 2 free headphones offer and get M100s and realize I may never find a headphone that is uncompromising for me. My criticism of the M100 isn't based on actually hearing them, so maybe I would actually like them. Val, seriously if you want to woo this community, come out with extra supple pads for the M100s that greatly increase comfort and change the signature to be a bit more balanced. I know his opposition to this has always been the fact that different pads change the signature, but hey, not everyone is entirely enamored with the M100s, so releasing new pads can actually only increase the number of people who are pleased with M100s. It's such a win-win-win-win-win, I can't see any reason not to do it. If he hits a good balanced signature, people on here would buy them in droves, meaning more money for V Moda, a better perception of V Moda from people who think they only make consumer phones, etc.

I feel the same regarding being on a different page from Tyll, but I understand that doesn't necessarily mean that we are on the same page.  However, don't give up on the M-100 without hearing them.  They may surprise you.  It was the mids and the highs that surprised me in a good way, not just the bass.  The bass is boosted, but these are not v-shape cans, at least not on the high end.  The M-100 has the smoothest extended highs I have ever heard on a headphone.  In contrast, I thought Momentum had harsh highs and muddy bass that intruded too far into the mids without going deep enough into the sub bass region.  Next to the Ultrasone Signature Pro, the M-100 is the best closed headphone I have heard at any price.

I've been looking into the UE6000 and AKG K167. I believe both headphones have what I am looking for in my next upgrade. I briefly auditioned the UE6000 at the Apple Store a few weeks ago, and I liked their sound signature. I'm thinking of passing by for another listen, but in the meantime can anyone with experience with both compare the two? 

*bump*

I noticed Best Buy had a lot of these newer portable headphones up for audition. I honestly didn't care for the sound of many of them or the fit (one of the Audio Technica pairs they had kept sliding off my head and were totally non-adjustable), but I liked the demo of the Sennheiser Momentums. The sound samples they had were amazing -detailed, warm, amazing soundstage- and I bought them, thinking they would be ideal for both portable use and an overall audio upgrade.

3 days later and after plenty of burn-in, they are going back. I have tried every player and every amp/EQ combination I can think of and I simply cannot get them to sound anywhere near as good as the in-store demo pair. I understand the so-called "Sennheiser Veil" and they worked good for a handful of tracks (notably, classical), but they were just too dark and way too inconsistent from track to track (particularly on female vocals...Roxette isn't supposed to sound boring). And of the demo headphones there, these sounded the best by far. I want to say the AKG 550's were worthy of another listen though, but this time to my own music and not the in-store samples. But then again, they cost roughly the same as the 702. Hmm...

So...I think I'm sticking with IEM's for portable use for now, if that is the best these "Mid-Fi" portables can do.

Edit: And...after reading the above, the 550's are eliminated from contention because of the poor seal. Too bad.

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoldfishX 

*bump*

 

I noticed Best Buy had a lot of these newer portable headphones up for audition. I honestly didn't care for the sound of many of them or the fit (one of the Audio Technica pairs they had kept sliding off my head and were totally non-adjustable), but I liked the demo of the Sennheiser Momentums. The sound samples they had were amazing -detailed, warm, amazing soundstage- and I bought them, thinking they would be ideal for both portable use and an overall audio upgrade.

 

3 days later and after plenty of burn-in, they are going back. I have tried every player and every amp/EQ combination I can think of and I simply cannot get them to sound anywhere near as good as the in-store demo pair. I understand the so-called "Sennheiser Veil" and they worked good for a handful of tracks (notably, classical), but they were just too dark and way too inconsistent from track to track (particularly on female vocals...Roxette isn't supposed to sound boring). And of the demo headphones there, these sounded the best by far. I want to say the AKG 550's were worthy of another listen though, but this time to my own music and not the in-store samples. But then again, they cost roughly the same as the 702. Hmm...

 

So...I think I'm sticking with IEM's for portable use for now, if that is the best these "Mid-Fi" portables can do.

 

Edit: And...after reading the above, the 550's are eliminated from contention because of the poor seal. Too bad.

Best Buy doesn't have the V-Moda M-100 and IMO they are superior to EVERY offering at Best Buy, including Momentum,  so they may be worthwhile to try since they are great about returns.  I have also auditioned all but three of the headphones on this survey and find the M-100 superior to all that I have tried.