After owning the VTrues for 3 months I have come to a conclusion on them. They are definitely funky. I've noticed something was different about them since day 1. First off these things are HUGE, but they aren't tall. So even if you have a small head, the band will have to be adjusted. Normal sized heads will need a LOT of adjustment. They look like alien spaceships have landed on your head with their funky aluminum look. They are also equally heavy, not uncomfortable, but I wouldn't go jogging with them.

You must equalize these headphones to make them sound anywhere near good. They can sound great if so. But out of the standard music apps on your phone or iPod, don't count on these blowing you away by any means. However, use an app like EQu, and these come alive. Like, very alive. That reason alone saves these headphones from being anything but a fashion statement.

Also, on the topic of sound quality and aesthetics; if you don't like the blue color theme that the headphones possess, invest in an aftermarket cable. There are a few eBay sellers with the "Y" cable design that come in various colors. I purchased a stealth black Kevlar over a pure silver weave cable ($25 on eBay) and it transformed the look of these dramatically. It also cleared up the sound by quite a bit, or at least quite a bit to my ears.

So overall... If you can dig the way these look and have a music equalizer easily available, these can be worth the money. They're definitely a novelty item. If you can find a pair under $65-$70, they'll definitely be worth the buy.

Edit: here is my best EQ using Denons app:

I purchased the XX's about a week ago, so I've had time to fiddle with them for a while. Let's just jump right in with the sound. Unequalized, these sound like you're listening to a set of desktop speakers through a piece of wood. Not great. It's very muffled. But, the bass is very present, even the sub bass. Hence, the "Xtreme Xplosives" moniker. However, once properly equalized, they open up quite a bit. There is a slightly airy feeling about them, as if the sound is trying to break out of the earcups, but again, they still have a muffled veil stopping them. It's strange. They aren't entirely open or muffled, just somewhere in between. However, when paired up to a FiiO E11, highs become more piercing, bass shows more presence, they become more alive. This is with the EQ setting to max. They become very fun to listen to, but not for long periods of time. The clamping force on these bad boys is quite much, especially if you have a wider head like I do. The worst part about the headphones, honestly, is the construction. 100% PLASTIC. The only visible metal are the screws that hold the headband together. And speaking of the headband, after just 2 days of indoor use the headband won't stay fully retracted. The weight of the earcups pulls the right side headband adjuster down about 6 clicks. Good job, JVC Quality Control Department. 2 DAYS. Anyway, moving on. I purchased them at Marshalls, a discount retail store here in the southern states. I gave a big $20 for them. I didn't know what exactly to expect. I had previously owned a set of XX earbuds, and I loved them. They were like Sony XB500 in-ears. After about 3 hours of burn in, I finally started listening to them, and a week later, you now have my review.

TL;DR Version: Plastic $20 headphones that need equalization to sound decent and may or may not lose headband adjustment after a weekend.

So, a few months ago, I set off to find the most eardrum shattering bass I could buy under 100 bucks, and I struck gold. Behold, the Sony MDR-XB500. Simply put, the most punchy bass you can buy in a set of headphones. On to the review.
 
Value: A perfect 10 out of 10. These headphones can easily compete with those that are 3 or 4 times their price, and still end up winning. If you are on a budget, and you want bass, here is your set of headphones, sir or madame. 
 
Audio Quality: 8 out of 10. Right out of the box, not only will you hear the bass, you will FEEL the bass. And it's not held back either. The bass is like an angry dog , it will bite you given the chance. In some cases, such as dubstep and hip hop, this is a good kind of bite. However, when playing Beethoven's 9th Symphony, the bass is a little too over-emphasized. Be sure you have a good equalizer if you want to get the most out of these headphones.
 
Design: 6 out of 10. Well, these headphones, let's be honest, are not very fashionable. Pillows for earpads? A little bit much, even for myself. The Y cable gets annoying sometimes. And the adjusters on the headphones will slip out of place constantly. There is even a specific way you have to hold them if you don't want them falling down all the time. That being said, Sony has still managed to somewhat pull off a halfway decent looking pair of headphones. IMO, they still look a bit funky.
 
Comfort: 8 out of 10. There are only 2 reasons why this is not a 10. 1, the earpads are like sponges for sweat, and they get very, very hot very, very quickly. So super-sweaters be warned. And 2, the headband itself has near to no padding on it whatsoever. It is actually very hard. But, because the headphones are more lightweight, this really doesn't become an issue considering that you have the headband properly adjusted.
 
Overall: 8 out of 10. I am very satisfied with this pair of Sony headphones. Listening to anything from Dubstep to Classical, these headphones will deliver excellent sound and incredible bass. And at a pricepoint of around 50 bucks... Bassheads, these headphones are definitely not to be missed. If you don't already have yourself a pair, go get yourself one right now! Thank you for reading.
 
 

One of my first pair of headphones, the Numark Red Wave. Numark has been in the headphone game for quite a while, though not many people recognize it. So, they kinda know what makes headphones go boom, and what makes people want to buy headphones, sound quality, good looks and comfort. Enter the Red Wave. Truly, what will one day be considered, "A Classic" Why? Because not only do they look good, they have the bass as well. It is very hard to find an exceptional pair of DJ headphones anywhere nowadays, and these headphones will shock you with their performance. Now, to the review.
 
Value: 8 out of 10. Lately, Numark has been cutting their prices on their headphones, and the prices keep dropping. When I bought these at the beginning of this year, they were $100 US at my local guitar store. I had a gift card, I needed new headphones, I got them. Now, prices seem to be as low as $70 in some places. Definitely keep an eye out for price drops in the near future.
 
Audio Quality: 8 out of 10. From the first moment you plug these in to your iThingy or Mactop, the drivers are let off of their leashes and they come punching at you with bass that will rattle your skull. However, that bass means that you don't get the mids, or highs you would expect of a 50-100 buck headphone. The bass goes everywhere, and I mean everywhere. Unfortunately, at some moments, you will need a good equalizer to tone the bass down a bit so you can actually hear all of your music.
 
Design: A perfect 10 out of 10. I honestly think the design style of these headphones is what brings at least half of the potential buyers to look at the headphones. They look unlike any other DJ headphone you can buy on the market today. The red mixes perfectly with the black and silver accents. They collapse, swivel and the cups flip, so portability is high. It comes with a nifty pouch and a detachable cable with a 1/4 inch adapter. 
 
Comfort: 8 out of 10. the pads on the headphones aren't the plushiest, or the most comfortable money can buy, but they provide a nice, tight seal around your ears. This means great sound isolation. Not perfect, but pretty good. The headband looks plushy, but really isn't. That all being said, these headphones are surprisingly comfortable. The longest I have gone with these on my head is 3 hours. Not bad at all.
 
Overall: 8 out of 10. These headphones look sick for DJ-ing at the club, and they sound good enough for general everyday use. They bend, fold, swivel and grip any way you want, and they can go with you wherever you want to take them. If you prefer more bass in your music, this is the way to go. They aren't perfect... But that's what makes them have such amazing character. Thank you for reading.

I bought these headphones as my first step up into the "Audiophile" territory. From the first minute I put these on, my eyes were opened. Sounds I had never heard before in songs just came alive. Clear, crisp sound all throughout these headphones just makes music a joy to listen to. Here is my full review.
 
Value: 9 out of 10. The sound that the Q701's produce can easily compete against headphones 2, even 3 times their price. The fact that I snagged myself a pair for under $250 US is incredible. AKG definitely priced these headphones perfectly.
 
Audio Quality: A perfect 10 out of 10. The lows, mids and highs all come together in an orchestra of perfection. Good music is meant to sound like what these headphones make it sound like. Just. Perfect.  You WILL need a good amp though. Also, these are not basshead type headphones. The bass might be lacking, but for the person that likes classical and jazz, you don't need a booming bass to fully appreciate the music. These headphones provide the perfect balance for such kinds of music. Well done, Quincy and AKG.
 
Design: 9 out of 10. I got mine in Lime Green, and it definitely looks sharp. The black rings really make the green pop. The green stitching on the headband accents the black leather and black metal bands. And the green cable brings all that color into your music player or amp. They are big and bold, and I like that. 
 
Comfort: A perfect 10 out of 10. The velour earpads form right to the side of your head, the headband automatically adjusts to your head without you having to fiddle with anything, and there is nearly no clamping pressure at all. Sometimes, I even forget I'm wearing them. They make the Sony XB500's earpads feel like spring mattresses. Sweaty spring mattresses at that. Even wearing the Q701's for 4 hours, I didn't feel any discomfort at all.
 
Overall: A perfect 10 out of 10. If you are looking for your first big step into the headphone world, go here first. It's not even a step, it's more like a leap. But it's a leap that is so worth it. I am 100% satisfied with these headphones. AKG struck musical gold when they hopped on Q's bandwagon. This pair of headphones is really one of the all time greats. Thank you for reading.

So, the other day, I posted a forum about good headphones under 25 bucks. And one person said Monoprice. I had never even heard of them. He said they are amazing, especially for the price. So, I thought, what the hey, I'll give them a shot. Head-Fi community, you are now 3 for 3 right now on recommendations. So, thank you a lot. Let's get to the review!
 
Value: A true 10 out of 10. I managed to score mine for about 25 bucks. Headphones come with a short cable, and a long, thicker cable (I'll get to that problem in a minute) and a 1/4 inch adapter.
 
Audio Quality: 8 out of 10. Great lows, with a firm bass all around. Great mids, the bass does not bleed into it. Highs need an equalizer to doctor up. But other than that, these headphones rival ones that are 3 or 4 times their price. Sound isolation is one thing this little pair of headphones has truly shined in. You don't hear any outside noise, and other people can't hear your music either. Wonderful overall quality in the end.
 
Design: 8 out of 10. Kicker design. Reminiscent of the Audio Technica ATH M50. They fold, swivel and flip, so tons of portability. Does NOT come with a travel bag. The headphones do not adjust as easily as I would like them to though. It feels as though I have to force the headband to move just one or two notches. However, it's not that big of an issue, especially after owning the XB500's with the annoying headband that constantly slides unless you hold it the right way.
Now, here is the problem I encountered: a defective cable. The longer cable quit less than one hour I got the headphones out of the box. From what I have read, other owners have similar problems. BUT, the customer service at Monoprice MORE than makes up for this problem. In fact, I talked with some reps and they are sending me a new cable as we speak.
 
Comfort: 8 out of 10. As you can see, the headband only has 3 small pads at the top of it. This causes pressure points, even though they are quite small, they are still there. The ear cups could be a tiny bit bigger, but that's not really a complaint. Might change out the pads with some Beyer velour ones soon.
 
Overall: 8 out of 10. These headphones have been the most surprising to me out of any headphones I have ever owned. They just sound... Good, like an expensive closed headphone should sound like. But, it's not 100 bucks, not even 50. Just about 25-30 bucks. I have owned several bass heavy headphones, and these rival the sound they put out. Maybe not AS much bass, but it's more refined, so you can hear more of your music, rather than just wubwubwubboomboomwubwubwub. But, still enough to pack a hefty punch. However, although it is quite the bargain, in some bits and pieces (cables) you do get what you pay for. That being said, these have pleasantly surprised me, and I look forward to having these in my arsenal for many months to come. Go get you a pair at www.monoprice.com , and no, I was NOT paid to put that there, I just hope people go check it out. Thanks for reading.
 

I purchased these headphones because some other Head-Fi-ers recommended them to me. And the community is now 2 for 2 in recommendations for me! These are some pretty serious little earbuds. They pack quite a hefty punch, especially for the price, just 17 bucks! I have owned several full size, bass heavy headphones, and these can stand up with the best of them. Honestly, they sound just as good as my Numark Red Waves, both in sound quality and bass. However, if you want these to truly come alive, you will need a good equalizer. For the iPod Touch/ iPhone, use Dance or Bass Booster. My ASUS equalizer has made these things sound the best so far. Also, like most in ears, the cables catch quite a bit of movement noise (heavy breathing and when it slides across skin or clothing.) But, other than that, they are very comfortable. They look unlike any other earbuds out there. I'm sure there are a few, but I don't see them. Back to sound, if you like dubstep/ electronic, buy these. They even sound good when listening to jazz. These have blown my mind. And again, under 20 bucks!
Conclusion: If you are on the fence, I want to push you over. It's better on this side of the fence. If you want good sound quality, with booming bass, these are what you NEED to buy. Honestly, you won't regret it.