[Derek411]

I love music. Sony guy from day one almost. Walkman, Sony hifi and some panasonic. Sony MP3 and then iPod with sony headphones.

After a new friend impressed me with his hifi i looked at audiophile headphones as its a personal experience for me. Late night and family these days...

So i got the HD600's and amp etc. Flat, bass like poo hitting the floor. Then the M50x because i saw headphones and amps would be for my personality a money pit. Loved the detail. Mind blowing in fact but no excitement for me.

Got myself (theme) Sony XB900's from the extra bass line and i'm in head subwoofer heaven. Haven't touched my M50X's since. When the power hits that's what i like. I sampled many others from Sony, Bose including the QC's and XM3's etc even Beats models. I have studio 3's for the car they work fine.

Do i just not get it? Am i just a music lover? I think of a home TV theater and what these flat sound profiles would do to a movie? If we were in our cars with ear bleeding detail (treble) happy? Or the warmth and power?

 

[ADUHF]

Maybe you're an audiophile who likes bass?

It could happen.

 

[IEMusic]

I love music. Sony guy from day one almost. Walkman, Sony hifi and some panasonic. Sony MP3 and then iPod with sony headphones.

After a new friend impressed me with his hifi i looked at audiophile headphones as its a personal experience for me. Late night and family these days...

So i got the HD600's and amp etc. Flat, bass like poo hitting the floor. Then the M50x because i saw headphones and amps would be for my personality a money pit. Loved the detail. Mind blowing in fact but no excitement for me.

Got myself (theme) Sony XB900's from the extra bass line and i'm in head subwoofer heaven. Haven't touched my M50X's since. When the power hits that's what i like. I sampled many others from Sony, Bose including the QC's and XM3's etc even Beats models. I have studio 3's for the car they work fine.

Do i just not get it? Am i just a music lover? I think of a home TV theater and what these flat sound profiles would do to a movie? If we were in our cars with ear bleeding detail (treble) happy? Or the warmth and power?

You can love bass and still be an “audiophile” and music lover. But not all bass is equal, even if equal in quantity. I actually prefer IEMs b/c I like a lot of bass, and often don’t like the resonance that some closed back headphones have. Bass that is deep, accurate, reasonably fast, punchy, and not boomy or muddy, is awesome.

 

[Derek411]

I think the Sony's are better than most of the cheap flabby bass alternatives. I read they have the same driver as the XM3's.

I can hear the errors in some recordings like a powerful voice overdriving the mics recording and Birdys seat creak in skinny love.

I have to wonder if I'm inadvertently saving money as my sound signature is generic.

 

[ADUHF]

The XB900 is a little forward in the bass. But it's also a little depressed in the midrange. So maybe you like more of a U-shaped response with just a bit more on the low-end?

https://www.rtings.com/headphones/1-4/graph#886/4011
https://www.rtings.com/headphones/1-4/graph#886/4012

Ever heard of a couple guys named Fletcher and Munson? Well these guys did some tests see. And not only did they find that human perception of loudness is non-linear with respect to pitch and frequency, but also changes with respect to relative volume levels. Our hearing actually becomes less sensitive to bass and to some extent the upper treble as volume is decreased. So sometimes a little more volume is desired in those areas (esp. the bass) when listening at lower volume levels.

Notice how the curves on this equal loudness chart begin to "flatten out" as the loudness is increased from 0 phon (threshold of hearing or audibility) to 100 phon (threshold of pain).

The above scale with Fletcher and Munson's original loudness curves shown in blue...

So maybe you're an audiophile that likes to listen at lower volumes. Or one who just likes zippier-sounding cans in the bass and treble!

It could happen.

 

[bagwell359]

Bass - like most topics - controversial.

The HD-600 is a great can for classical, audiophile type stuff. I thought I had the amp to drive anything - Ragnarok 1, but after I heard it on a Bottlehead Crack, then I knew, if you can deliver current, you can get nice bass into the low 30's out of them, because out of the Ragnarok it's dropping at 85 Hz, and limp/dead under 60 Hz.

But I don't have a built Bottlehead Crack yet... so I live with my other 3 headphones - all planar, and all with very nice bass. One comes with quick bass, but lacks a bit of impact, the other two sometimes can have a bit of overhang (I like it tight), so some anti resonance treatments and EQ on all 3 and they are functioning well.

HFM HEX v2
HFM HE-500
HFM HE-6SE

Personally I hate the bass in closed cans - except a MrSpeakers 1.1, I'm sure there are others - but the bass is not flat and the earstage is usually quite narrow as well two things that kill them for me.

 

[PrincessLeliana]

Maybe you're an audiophile who likes bass?

It could happen.

We exist!

 

[StarTreker]

I'm a basshead, and I am pretty sure I wouldn't be considered an audiophile, by anyone on this site who owns a set of open ear cans, that cost 500 to 5,000 dollars. Having said that however, I do consider myself on the low end, of the audiophile spectrum. In other words, I was willing to pay good money for something that sounds so good, it made me pop a nut. Both the JVC SZ 1000's, and the V-Moda Crossfade LP2's, sound incredible to me. People often complain about closed back cans, as having lack of detail, and too much recessed mids and highs.

But that is what EQ is for folks. I razed my higher frequencies to +8DB, makes a huge difference in vocal clarity. Because I am all about that bass however, I also have the sub bass frequencies razed to +10DB, and I am running my cans through a Fiio A5 amp. When you can not only hear the sound, but feel it as well, you know your on a whole anotha level. Welcome friend, and don't forget to take pics of your cans and post them.

 

[Derek411]

I’m also very sensitive to treble. Good hearing? And the lower volume is right as I want to keep good hearing.

I had a set of Grado SR80’s and had to send them back as the treble was too much.

 

[StarTreker]

I’m also very sensitive to treble. Good hearing? And the lower volume is right as I want to keep good hearing.

I had a set of Grado SR80’s and had to send them back as the treble was too much.

You know, dogs have excellent hearing. Your doggy was probably like, "Turn that crap off, the 8K, 16K, and 20K melts my stapes giving me rabies."

 

[SilverEars]

This probably have a lot to do with the music of choice. Somebody told me audiophile headphones doesn't need bass because the typle of music listened to. If we go back a bit, a lot of the affordable audiophile headphones like Sennheisers and Grados lacked bass extension to the subs. And likely most audiphiles didn't for the type of music they mainly listened to.

Being an audiophile isn'f great. Expensive equipments, and lots of flavor of the months or gear cycling. If you're happy with what you got, no need to consider 'audiophile equipment,' and save your self money and the obsessing over headphones. There are plenty of other things one can get into.

 

[IEMusic]

This probably have a lot to do with the music of choice. Somebody told me audiophile headphones doesn't need bass because the typle of music listened to. If we go back a bit, a lot of the affordable audiophile headphones like Sennheisers and Grados lacked bass extension to the subs. And likely most audiphiles didn't for the type of music they mainly listened to.

Being an audiophile isn'f great. Expensive equipments, and lots of flavor of the months or gear cycling. If you're happy with what you got, no need to consider 'audiophile equipment,' and save your self money and the obsessing over headphones. There are plenty of other things one can get into.

All true.

You don’t have to like classical music, jazz, acoustic music, etc. to be an audiophile. To say one needs to like such music, and that one needs equipment that provides no bass is just being arrogant and pretentious. I happen to like those genres, but along with many other types of music.

Saying one NEEDS to buy expensive equipment is also just being obnoxious. There is a lot of amazing and amazingly expensive equipment, but nowadays, there are so many great budget options.

You’re doing yourself a huge favor if you don’t develop the obsessive compulsive behaviors of a stereotypical “audiophile”.

 

[SilverEars]

All true.

You don’t have to like classical music, jazz, acoustic music, etc. to be an audiophile. To say one needs to like such music, and that one needs equipment that provides no bass is just being arrogant and pretentious. I happen to like those genres, but along with many other types of music.

Saying one NEEDS to buy expensive equipment is also just being obnoxious. There is a lot of amazing and amazingly expensive equipment, but nowadays, there are so many great budget options.

You’re doing yourself a huge favor if you don’t develop the obsessive compulsive behaviors of a stereotypical “audiophile”.

Yes, 'audiophile' is a coined label like other labels out there. There is I'm sure stereotypes that people have of it as well. It doesn't mean it's a one size fits all label, it can be relative. In the most straightforward definition, it means lover of sounds.

I recall when I first got into the hobby. Grado SR60 was a popular option. People that start out in any hobby starts out with recommendations, and have not really run into enough equipement to make a preference judgement of their own. They probaly don't question, should no bass and boosted upper frequencies be how it should sound?

 

[FlowLikeWater]

I love music. Sony guy from day one almost. Walkman, Sony hifi and some panasonic. Sony MP3 and then iPod with sony headphones.

After a new friend impressed me with his hifi i looked at audiophile headphones as its a personal experience for me. Late night and family these days...

So i got the HD600's and amp etc. Flat, bass like poo hitting the floor. Then the M50x because i saw headphones and amps would be for my personality a money pit. Loved the detail. Mind blowing in fact but no excitement for me.

Got myself (theme) Sony XB900's from the extra bass line and i'm in head subwoofer heaven. Haven't touched my M50X's since. When the power hits that's what i like. I sampled many others from Sony, Bose including the QC's and XM3's etc even Beats models. I have studio 3's for the car they work fine.

Do i just not get it? Am i just a music lover? I think of a home TV theater and what these flat sound profiles would do to a movie? If we were in our cars with ear bleeding detail (treble) happy? Or the warmth and power?

bass provides foundation in music, u r on riht path. no bass = tin can. howver, bass quality matters too, and beats/low-end sony's r bad for quality. quality mids and highs are just as important as bass too.

if u ever get the urge to blow $2K, the absoltute best bass-oriented IEMs are the Empire Ears Legend X. insane bass quality and quantity, without sacrificing any other part of frequency spectrum

other recommendation is Sony IER-Z1R, bass quality insane, but more balanced frequency response than Legend X. pls preview them before buying tho if u are able


worst case, if u don't like that, then u can resell at minimal loss, TOTL holds value decentl well (especially if u can find the Sony's)

 

[IEMusic]

I recall when I first got into the hobby. Grado SR60 was a popular option.

It took me a while, but I finally decided to try good quality headphones. After reading several recommendations, I bought that Grado. I HATED it. No bass at all. Plus, the foam pads didn’t work for me and the plastic hurt my ears a lot. It turned me off to the hobby so much, that it took another 15 yrs before I tried open-backed headphones again. Now, I have a greater appreciation of the Grados, and am not knocking them, but they are definitely not a universal recommendation.