[Nordwestlicht]

Hi folks,
 
I'm just curious about what you know (not think without really having actually heard!) about open headphones with a really tight bass.
 
I only ask for OPEN headphones. No semi open and of cause no closed ones.
 
What do I mean with 'tight bass'?
 
I don't mean how low the bass reaches or how emphasized it is compared to the mids, no.
 
I mean really fast, tight, hard, kicking bass on an open pair of headphones.
 
For example:
 
The Fidelio L1 (semi open) has such a bass. But sadly this headphones are not open, so it can't be counted here, and there are some metallic resonances within the bass presentation, but that's another story...
 
From all open headphones that I know personally, the Audez'e LCD-2, AKG K701 and Beyerdynamic T90 have the tightest bass.
 
But their bass isn't as tight as the bass that comes out of the L1. (Maybe the L1's bass is just too tight...?!)
 
The HD800 has also kind of a tight bass, but it's not as tight as the bass of both of its electrodynamic competitors, the K701 and T90, for example.
 
The opposite of a tight bass is produced by for example the DT990, HD600/HD650, GMP400 and many other open cans.
(Another example: Also the big former Denons (D2/5/7000), being semi open/closed, don't offer what I would call 'tight' bass.)
 
So what do you know? Which open headphones have the tightest bass you've ever heard, regardless of the price?
 
Let's collect some. (Maybe this topic is also interesting for some other members here.)
 
The three I've already mentioned here are:
 
Audez'e LCD-2
AKG K701 (K702/Q701)
Beyerdynamic T90
 
And please, if you want to disagree with my few statements here, feel free to do so.
 
Greetings from Germany,
 
Frank

 

[electropop]

Electronic music kind of tight, or melodic pitch accurate kind of tight? ... Well what the heck, HD800 with a good setup are the best I've heard, regardless of genre. 701's are amazing for the price. The Fidelio, haven't heard... But I doubt it's as high in quality as those two. "Metallic resonance", as I understand it, usually takes away from "tight".

 

[MalVeauX]

Heya,
 
Hifiman HE-400
AKG Q701
 
Very best,

 

[TMRaven]

LCD-2 has less tight of a bass than Fidelio L1?

 

[biggbenn74]

Quote:

Heya,
 
Hifiman HE-400
AKG Q701
 
Very best,

+1 for the Q701 here! MalVeauX always knows this stuff.

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

Pro 2900. The Q701 sounds wooly next to it. That's how tight the Pro 2900 bass is. The Pro 2900's bass is the quickest, most textured, tightest bass I have ever heard. It could use a couple decibels more to make that bass stand out (at times, the Q701 is bassier), but with bassy songs... the Pro 2900 shines in the bass department.

The Q701 has amazingly tight bass as well. Just lacking in sub bass.

The HE400 has both sub and mid bass, and it's a great balance between tightness and fullness, but isn't as quick as the other two.

 

[Asr]

Audio-Technica AD2000. Saying that any other headphones have tight bass is an insult to tight bass.

 

[TontonJoK]

go for HE 400

 

[TontonJoK]

He 400s have correct bass but also every thing else, for bass denon d5000 or d7000 but closed, ultrasone pro 900 (closed) or 2900 opened

 

[valerianaoff]

+1 for HE-400 ))
 
Cheerz!

 

[Nordwestlicht]

I haven't compared both at the same time, but to me -maybe because of the general sounding of the L1- the L1's bass sounded slightly tighter/harder.
 
Maybe you could ask Tyll, because he should be able to make a direct comparison to clear things out in this regards.
 
Quote:

LCD-2 has less tight of a bass than Fidelio L1?

 

[LugBug1]

The K702's had the tightest bass I've heard. Some people complain it hasn't enough but I'd say they've got it spot on for critical listening.

 

[electropop]

Quote:

Audio-Technica AD2000. Saying that any other headphones have tight bass is an insult to tight bass.

 
Hahahaa. Nice one. 
 
I miss mine. Though I'd put them pretty close to the AKG 70X family...

 

[Ra97oR]

AD1000PRM/AD2000, STAXsss. Whoever left out STAX is a bit silly!
 

 

[wje]

What's the budget?  Without a price being known, the recommendations are all over the place.