So is there anyway to know before buying, if a headphone can get loud enough? Any technical specs way or anything to help. If so, please let me know. Also why is it, some headphones get loud while others seemingly distort. Is it just the way the companies design it.
Just ask around............this is a very important issue with me also, I listen at 100-120 on the Fiio X5 and also have the Cayin C5.
"Loud" headphones that I have off the top of my head:
JVC SZ2000
Audioquest Nighthawk
Yamaha HPH MT220
Beats Studio 2.0
V Moda M100
V Moda LP2
Sennheiser Urbanite (Urbanite XL is not loud and distorts)
Beats Solo 2.0
The best sounding out of these are the Nighthawk and the MT220. I have more but this is what can think of right now.
Yea, see I've listened louder and louder in increments over the years. I have been listening to headphones since probably 14 almost exclusively as opposed to speakers. My folks didn't like noise. So headphones was my only other option. It started with those small on ear/around the head whatever they call them headphones. Then I graduated to a pair of $30 JVC's which I remember liking and actually thinking was very expensive at the time, heh. I never had expensive stereo equipment but I had a personal stereo AIWA, the turntable, 5CD carousel, two cassette tapes and radio type deal with speakers which I didn't use. The AIWA was really loud...it went up to 50 and it was a loud 50. Over time, gradually, I maxed out at 50. I stayed there until 2006 when the player just died one built-in audio device at a time. I had it 9 years. Then I went to portable players like Cowon X5 which I loved and it was loud but I could make it louder with EQ and it still sounded good. Then after a few years, their batteries weren't holding a charge. Got a Sanza Fuze original which I really liked, another EQ job though. Too quiet without it. It wasn't as good as the Cowon but it was good for the price. Anyway, several years later. I find out about this really versatile player called a Fiio. X3 II was just right price for what I wanted. That doesn't need an EQ. That thing is loud on high gain.
So yea, sorry about the life story but in increments from 14 to now 32. That's how I got to where I am. I'm not saying that when I hit 50 I won't have Tinnitus, I may. It may be a delayed sort of deal. Lord knows, I've had things bother me now, that didn't bother me at 25. That's just the way things go. I've tried reversing it, going quieter with music. I just feel I lose the enjoyment. I like the energy. I know when I've pushed it too far by when I take off the headphones, if my ears are ringing or not. If not, I'm fine and 95% of the time, I'm fine.
It's funny, I started as a bassy warm headphone guy, was enthralled by the boosted mid-bass/upper-bass Beats/Sony XB stuff. Then moved onto Extreme Bass stuff that Hawaiibadboy is into and got some cannons. I still love all that. But I found myself going in the complete opposite direction over time. I got the Audio Technica AD700X. It's considered treble heavy. I love it. It's like after all the basshead stuff, I started missing the details and clarity. But your right, the V6 and M50x when I first heard them, sounded like nothing but treble. But I had been listening mostly to warmer headphones all my life. When you go years and years of one way and suddenly change to another. It's like your ears and brain need time to figure it out. Over time, I started to love the V6 and M50x and I can now switch from a bassy or basshead headphone to a balanced or treble heavy headphone. I enjoy it.
Just ask around............this is a very important issue with me also, I listen at 100-120 on the Fiio X5 and also have the Cayin C5.
"Loud" headphones that I have off the top of my head:
JVC SZ2000
Audioquest Nighthawk
Yamaha HPH MT220
Beats Studio 2.0
V Moda M100
V Moda LP2
Sennheiser Urbanite (Urbanite XL is not loud and distorts)
Beats Solo 2.0
The best sounding out of these are the Nighthawk and the MT220. I have more but this is what can think of right now.
I'll check some that I don't have on my list out. I had distortion with the Beats Studios 2.0, I didn't think they were very loud as is, so I wanted to put them up to 120. But they didn't like 120. I had Beats Studios 1.0 which I felt distorted just a tad less. Bose QC25 distort at like 90 on a Fiio with ANC on (off it is too quiet but doesn't distort). Actually, I have never had an ANC headphone that didn't distort. I know they aren't popular on head-fi. I always wanted one but I never could find one that got loud enough.
It's wild that the Urbanite on ears doesn't distort but the over ears do. I had the same thing with the Beyerdynamic Custom Pro One which is over ears, distorts at loud volumes. Loved it but couldn't get it to the volume I liked without distortion. I got the Beyerdynamic Custom Street which is the on-ear version. No distortion. Distortion out of on-ears/in-ears seems to be a lot less likely to occur. Not sure why. I really like the Beyerdynamic Custom Street. The non-bass analytical sound is really good, the bass settings are controlled, one is tight audiophile bass, the other is controlled but boomy basshead bass. It is V-Shaped which some people don't like, kinda Beyerdynamic's thing. Too bad nobody gives them a shot. They are really nice and not very expensive considering your getting three different headphones in one. They also have the best passive noise isolation I've ever heard and I have a lot of headphones. They blow away the studios which have ANC. Nipping at the QC25's heels even.
Audioquest Knighthawk, heard about that one. I love the name heh. I don't know much about it. I'll check it out. I was so close to buying a V-Moda Crossfade LP original a few months back. But didn't pull the trigger. I am considering it though.
Thanks for the reply. It's nice to know I'm not the only one who listens loudly.
Yea, see I've listened louder and louder in increments over the years. I have been listening to headphones since probably 14 almost exclusively as opposed to speakers. My folks didn't like noise. So headphones was my only other option. It started with those small on ear/around the head whatever they call them headphones. Then I graduated to a pair of $30 JVC's which I remember liking and actually thinking was very expensive at the time, heh. I never had expensive stereo equipment but I had a personal stereo AIWA, the turntable, 5CD carousel, two cassette tapes and radio type deal with speakers which I didn't use. The AIWA was really loud...it went up to 50 and it was a loud 50. Over time, gradually, I maxed out at 50. I stayed there until 2006 when the player just died one built-in audio device at a time. I had it 9 years. Then I went to portable players like Cowon X5 which I loved and it was loud but I could make it louder with EQ and it still sounded good. Then after a few years, their batteries weren't holding a charge. Got a Sanza Fuze original which I really liked, another EQ job though. Too quiet without it. It wasn't as good as the Cowon but it was good for the price. Anyway, several years later. I find out about this really versatile player called a Fiio. X3 II was just right price for what I wanted. That doesn't need an EQ. That thing is loud on high gain.
So yea, sorry about the life story but in increments from 14 to now 32. That's how I got to where I am. I'm not saying that when I hit 50 I won't have Tinnitus, I may. It may be a delayed sort of deal. Lord knows, I've had things bother me now, that didn't bother me at 25. That's just the way things go. I've tried reversing it, going quieter with music. I just feel I lose the enjoyment. I like the energy. I know when I've pushed it too far by when I take off the headphones, if my ears are ringing or not. If not, I'm fine and 95% of the time, I'm fine.
It's funny, I started as a bassy warm headphone guy, was enthralled by the boosted mid-bass/upper-bass Beats/Sony XB stuff. Then moved onto Extreme Bass stuff that Hawaiibadboy is into and got some cannons. I still love all that. But I found myself going in the complete opposite direction over time. I got the Audio Technica AD700X. It's considered treble heavy. I love it. It's like after all the basshead stuff, I started missing the details and clarity. But your right, the V6 and M50x when I first heard them, sounded like nothing but treble. But I had been listening mostly to warmer headphones all my life. When you go years and years of one way and suddenly change to another. It's like your ears and brain need time to figure it out. Over time, I started to love the V6 and M50x and I can now switch from a bassy or basshead headphone to a balanced or treble heavy headphone. I enjoy it.
From what I can figure everyone is different and some people go on and on and never get it. Funny though I all of a sudden noticed it but still have not stopped listening to loud headphones.
I guess if I would have stopped listening loud it would have stayed at a low level. It's actually louder now and the feeling is like when your ears ring after lighting a firecracker or going to a loud concert. Still it does not bother my sleep or even my perception of sound quality. Even when I was 16, I had really loud ringing after concerts?
If anything I think I was actually born with really sensitive ears?
I can still listen and tell the differences between DACs.
I think people mean well and want to help. The fact that I am not a master of audiophile lingo doesnt help for me describing my issues better. I also take warnings about dangerous volume levels seriously. It's hard to go quiet after you've gone louder though. I feel very unfufilled when I try.
In regards to my initial post. After I made this post, I googled a bit and I have seen several headphone makers say max input power is the amount of volume a headphone can handle before distortion/clipping occurs. Which is exactly what I thought might be the case. Shame is alot of great headphones have low input power. I love Beyerdynamic over ears but those are 100 to 200mW. Too low....they distort well before my preferred volume. Sennheisers dont always provide the specs but when they do, most of the time they are 500mW or less. Still not enough for me. Two good companies that I am limited in using.
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