I know these cans get a bad rap in certain areas but that's dependent on the listener and gear they use with it. When burned in and driven properly they are a great set of reference headphones. Emphasis on reference. They are exactly what they are meant to be and deliver great presence. I'm not a fan of over-driven bass which was I huge reason I bought these. They aren't lacking at all in this area as many reviewers claim, yet most likely under-driven and hence the reason some feel this way. When pair with a good amp, especially a tube headphone amp that can match the impedance they a deliver strong responsive bass that's not over produced. I'm a big jazz fan and Jaco comes through clean and rich, same goes for Entwistle, Jack Bruce, et al. My taste in music covers several genres including jazz, classic rock, bluegrass, folk, etc... and these cans perform well across the board. There is no artificial sound in the mids at all as some feel, they are true and direct. For those wanting a clean, flat, true reference sound that can't afford top tier, these are the cans for you.