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Bass Banging Headphones
Jul 19, 2011 at 3:31 PM Post #16 of 38
Frequency graphs doesn't tell the whole story but
 

 
I think I remember reading that HFI-580 having similar/slightly less bass than Beats but more textured good quality bass while Beat's bass is very singletoned/boomy. XB500 then again should be quite a bit stronger than both in bass. HFI-580 has by far the best clarity of the 3 with the greatest instrument separation and Beats the worst. XB500 is probably among the most comfortable headphones, Beats quite comfortable and Ultrasones OK for most, slightly uncomfortable for some. Pick your preferences.
 
You could take ATH-PRO700MK2 into concideration too, close to XB500 in bass quantity but better balanced and won't look as silly while worn (but on the slightly heavier side for portable use). :p
 
Jul 19, 2011 at 3:44 PM Post #17 of 38
Well, I started off as a heavy basshead and I was upset by the Beats Studio weak bass. =P I used my Cowon S9 for auditioning at the time and Mach3bass was actively used. If anything, that just means the HFI 580 has more potential for bass pounding impact than the Beats.
 
Jul 19, 2011 at 4:13 PM Post #19 of 38


Quote:
xoria said:
Jesus, the Beats by Dre ARe overpriced..How comfy are the ATH-PRO700MK2? Does it have more bass quantity than the Ultrasones?
Click to expand...


The stock pads aren't that great, very shallow and slightly stiffer, several people have opted to change them for the ATH-M50 pads for example (then again I personally thought M50 pads get too sweaty but there's probably other alternatives too). Basswise it should be somewhere in-between Beats and XB500 and it's got better bass extension than HFI-580, with the M50 pads it's probably about there with XB500 levels probably due to the better seal most people get with them, XB500 has these VERY soft pillows that shapes according to your head so that's probably a huge reason for the exceptional bass impact too oh and these doesn't even get that sweaty for some reason even if it looks like they would.
 
Jul 19, 2011 at 4:40 PM Post #20 of 38
Quote:
rpgwizard said:
oh and these doesn't even get that sweaty for some reason even if it looks like they would.
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They make my ears sweat after only a short listen but I suppose that depends on the heat, the Ultrasone series didn't make my ears sweat but they weren't very comfortable in comparison to the XB's.
 
Jul 19, 2011 at 6:43 PM Post #21 of 38


Quote:
graphicism said:
They make my ears sweat after only a short listen but I suppose that depends on the heat, the Ultrasone series didn't make my ears sweat but they weren't very comfortable in comparison to the XB's.
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It's around 28C in my room during summer. The only times they get sweaty is when I do online gaming but that happens with all headphones due to the mental stress when I get captured by the game. Not listening to music though. It would be worse if it was real leather but it's some high quality pleather on those pads. Then I've used this XB500 so much it sits very gently with no pressure on my head at all so that might have to do with it though. With M50 which is the headphone that's been by far the worst in this regard I got sweaty pads in about 1 hr even when listening to music only.
 
Jul 19, 2011 at 7:09 PM Post #22 of 38
For bass focus, either the Pro700 MK2 or the XB500. I would personally choose the Audio Technica, since it sounds (IMO) like a refined XB500.

If you want bass with clarity in the rest of the spectrum, the HFI-580 is a better bet. Comparison review in my sig for more details, if you need it.
 
Aug 8, 2011 at 10:59 PM Post #25 of 38
WOW, just got these XB500s today, and they are everything I expected them to be. Best headphones evah <3
 
They were a tiny tiny bit muddy with the vocals, but changing the itouch's eq to R&B solved it. These headphones are awesome
 
Aug 8, 2011 at 11:05 PM Post #26 of 38
Heya,
 
I have the XB500's in my headphone collection because they are hands down one of the best basshead headphones for the money. They will thump and rattle your skull with bass beyond what you think is possible for $50 new and cheaper used. Crazy bass. But it comes with a price. You lose out big time on highs. Vocals sound absolutely muffled and capped in the XB500. Mids are absorbed and lack detail. The XB500 is all about the bass. And it sacrifices everything for the bass. So if you want pure crazy crumping bass for something like Dub and some beat based stuff like House and Dance, the XB500 will do it for the best price, but don't expect to hear detail, vocals and stuff that is in the upper mids and treble, because it will sound completely off. If you need the same kind of bass, slightly less forward, but with a really good mid/high presentation, the Ultrasone HFI 580 is the headphone to get. It's simply three times the price nearly.
 
One may wonder, why do I have both the XB500 and the Ultrasone Pro 900. They're not even comparable. I have the XB500 simply for the sake of comparison and being able to say, as a Pro 900 owner, the XB500 will satisfy your bass needs as a massive basshead. But, they will not satisfy for the rest of the sound spectrum. This is why Pro 900's are the electronic headphone. All the bass, far tighter, far more controlled and presented, with all the beauty of the rest of the sound spectrum.
 
I will say that if all I listened to was Dub, the XB500 would be the headphone because for it's cost and no need for amp, it does it best for the ratio of cost/performance. If you listen to more than Dub, things with some mids/trebles more involved, that's where you start to need a different headphone. And that's where you climb the ladder to the HFI 580 or the Pro 900, or other headphones inbetween those two massive tiers of basshead headphone.
 
Very best,
 
Aug 9, 2011 at 7:19 AM Post #30 of 38
I agree with MalVeauX about a stock XB500 but an EQ'd XB500 can sound great in the whole range especially with price taken into account. Out of box it's a bit too unbalanced for sure though.
 
This EQ setting for mine will make them sound great with any genre.

 
I haven't yet heard any headphone that improves more by EQing than XB500 yet.
 
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