[FishFilet]

 
Quote:

I will definitely agree with you. This thread has really been outstanding. We've got a few users that are really holding this thread together. Thanks guys.
 
Well, to answer your question about the XB700's needing an amp, I'll have to say no. Although, the Fiio E5 seems to be a popular pick to combine with the XB700's, mainly due to it's bass boost. Generally speaking though, they don't need an amp, as it really won't benefit them much. I'm sure it won't benefit your wallet much either.
 
I'm not sure about the HFI-580 though. One thing for sure, if you are a bass fanatic, the XB series is really the way to go. And it might even save you a bit of money. Perfect.

First off, thanks. I am really excited about the XB700's. To think that I can get a set that will be better than the Beats at just $80 is awesome. I still wonder though, how can the XB700's offer the same punch (meaning bass and volume) as the Beats if they are unamped. The Beats are amped so it just seems hard to believe. Trust me though I want to believe.
 
Will they really pound when connected to my iPod?

 

[Katun]

Quote:

First off, thanks. I am really excited about the XB700's. To think that I can get a set that will be better than the Beats at just $80 is awesome. I still wonder though, how can the XB700's offer the same punch (meaning bass and volume) as the Beats if they are unamped. The Beats are amped so it just seems hard to believe. Trust me though I want to believe.
 
Will they really pound when connected to my iPod?

An amp serves a couple purposes for a headphone. Here are the 2 main benefits:
 
1 - Sufficiently power the headphone - Some headphones are hard to drive due to their impedance. In other words, you can crank up the volume to 100% and still have it relatively quite. This is mainly a concern for the 'Audiophile' headphones. Many headphones will never need an amp to be powered, because they already run perfectly find straight from the source. In this case, these 2 headphones.
 
2 - Improve the sound quality - Headphone amps will usually improve the SQ of a headphone. This usually depends on the amp being used and the headphone. For many headphones though, an amp won't make a significant enough difference to really justify buying one. In this case, these two headphones wouldn't really see a tremendous boost in SQ.
 
So this goes back to your first question. If you stuck an amp to your XB700's, they would become louder. But I'm pretty sure if you stuck them straight into your iPod and turned them full blast, they would be plenty too loud for your liking, and for your hearing, without an amp. So, you ask if the XB700's can offer the same punch as the Beats without an amp? And I'll have to respond: more. Much more.

 

[LionTamer]

 
http://graphs.headphone.com/graphCompare.php?graphType=0&graphID[]=1193&graphID[]=1383
 
Based on this chart, the XB700 should be expected to have FAR more bass and sub-bass quantity than the Monster Beats.  Looking at the chart, it's not comparing like items...the Beats are relatively balanced, the XB700 is a bass-heavy headphone.
 
The question remains, though, if they'll sound as good to your ears, as the real trick is to have good bass without muffling the rest of the frequencies due to the overpowering bass.  I haven't heard the XB700's BTW, just reading charts here...but I wouldn't describe Monster Beats as "overpowering bass".

 

[FishFilet]

 
Quote:

An amp serves a couple purposes for a headphone. Here are the 2 main benefits:
 
1 - Sufficiently power the headphone - Some headphones are hard to drive due to their impedance. In other words, you can crank up the volume to 100% and still have it relatively quite. This is mainly a concern for the 'Audiophile' headphones. Many headphones will never need an amp to be powered, because they already run perfectly find straight from the source. In this case, these 2 headphones.
 
2 - Improve the sound quality - Headphone amps will usually improve the SQ of a headphone. This usually depends on the amp being used and the headphone. For many headphones though, an amp won't make a significant enough difference to really justify buying one. In this case, these two headphones wouldn't really see a tremendous boost in SQ.
 
So this goes back to your first question. If you stuck an amp to your XB700's, they would become louder. But I'm pretty sure if you stuck them straight into your iPod and turned them full blast, they would be plenty too loud for your liking, and for your hearing, without an amp. So, you ask if the XB700's can offer the same punch as the Beats without an amp? And I'll have to respond: more. Much more.

Awesome, then I am going to buy some XB700's today! I do listen to my music ridiculously loud however but I think before buying and expensive amp if I find that they don't blast my ears enough, I think I will see if my brother will build me a cMoy amp. I found some instructions at lunch and he loves doing this kind of thing. He can make really compact electronics although he mostly does car audio stuff I think he can do this no problem.
 
Thanks again guys I am off to find a good price on the XB700's. I will also be taking my Beats back but I will probably wait till my XB700's come in to compare one to the other better.
 
On a side note I also ordered some PortaPro's at lunch the other day because they are cheap as heck and lightweight they should be here tomorrow.

 

[RPGWiZaRD]

I've already kinda answered this if you read my earlier posts. First about the amp, no XB700 won't need an amp to sound great, they are rated 24 ohm only and I can notice it, they go louder than any other headphones I've heard, in fact almost on pair with volume levels you'd use with in-ear-monitors. lol I don't use an amp with mine despite I do have an FiiO E5 and Gary's PA2V2 (worth $60 that by many are considered as the best bang-for-buck amp for starting out with) amps but I run mine ampless cuz I already get the result I'm looking for without amp using kX Audio drivers and the amps just colors the sound for the worse vs my optimally configured EQ profile within the kX audio drivers for my SB Audigy 2 ZS.
 
About the bass, the Monster Beats are probably more likely to offer slightly more punchy bass (cuz sub-bass quantity is less) while XB700 probably offers at least as much quantity in bass but of sub-bass, I can imagine the Beats just won't be capable of what the XB700 are and what the frequency graph shows like you linked up there, they can produce bass even below our hearing capabilities, when I play 10Hz signal, I can't hear it but I definitely FEEL it with these XB700 and at normal volume listening levels even. XB700 probably have the strongest deep bass focus of any headphone like the graph shows, it's not really super strong in bass quantity above 100Hz for what you expect from a "Xtra bass" series, you do hear that too but comparing to the sub-bass quantity it's significantly less. Now it comes down to you what kinda bass you prefer, deep or punchy, eitherway the XB700 can be EQd to be very punchy simply tweaking 125Hz slider on a EQ rather than 62Hz slider which will add even more of the already very strong deep bass. Low frequencies like <70Hz doesn't appear to have so much "impact" to our ears, it feels more soft, while at around 100 ~ 125Hz it's very punchy bass with big impact that is a lot more easily felt. So depending on what music you listen to, it could be that even Beats sounded bassier if the music had bass output in the 100 ~ 120Hz range while if you listened to say example some hardstyle music which is known for its very low bass love (40~60Hz) then I'm sure you find the XB700 bassier. For me it was this way comparing to my Sennheiser HD 212 Pro and AKG K 518 DJs which in fact appears to have slightly more bass in most tracks, namely those with say 100Hz+ bass music while the XB700 is far more powerful in deep bass.
 
If you're worried about bass overpowering the mids and highs then you should definitely go for XB700, cuz it seems the way they tweaked the headphone to deliver deep bass and not focusing on 90 ~ 120Hz range which most headphone focus their bass output on due to it's the range that appears to have the biggest impact to our ears, it doesn't affect the mids and highs very much at all, I can boost the bass way up still and mids are still very well present, highs are very good too for this price but mids are better compared to the highs but they've probably done this on purpose to slightly roll off the highs so it won't be super screetchy (grado style) so you won't get any ear fatigue of these ones at all, don't get me wrong though the highs sound a lot more like $150+ headphone material than some $50 headphone but I cannot stress how impressed I am by the mids (~1kHz especially) of this headphone, maybe more than I am by the bass.

 

[FishFilet]

K just ordered XB700's from walmart.com I figured they are easier to return there if I don't like them. Very exited, cant wait. Thanks for all of the help guys.
 

 

[RPGWiZaRD]

I just have to add, I'm a really really spoiled basshead that thinks no headphone comes with sufficient bass without EQing and for me with these headphones it was more like mids overpowering the lows cuz I'm not used to be able to hear the mids so well in bassheavy music like with these so I actually raised the bass a bit more than I did with say my HD 212 Pro or AKG K 518 DJs. Cuz in the end when you look at the frequency response graphs, it's not how high the different frequencies are boosted but their relevance to the rest of the frequencies how bassy they appear to be (you could also lower mids and highs instead of boosting lows to get more bass). The XB700 have so much louder mids than I'm used to making me listening to a lower volume than I would with the other headphones to get mids sounding equal loud (ie bass is played louder on the headphones with recessed mids).

 

[Mochan]

I listen at low volumes with the XB700, too. I no longer need to EQ out bass but I listen at relatively low volumes, I love this as I can hear all the bass details and can feel the impact despite having to lower the volume.

 

[Mochan]

Hey MLE! Nice to see you again, I finally got an XB700 and I just absolutely LOVE it. They just might become my favorite headphones ever, period, as well. I was seriously thinking of selling my HD650 because these sort of take their place. While the HD650 still does quite a few things better, the XB700 isn't that far off and its bass is much more to my preference than the HD650's. Crazy how an $80 headphone can give a $400 one a run for its money.
 
I'm just happy that I have no issues with the pads on my ears. 
Quote:

After a bajillion headphones bought/used, the XB700s are STILL my absolute favorite headphone for music. PERIOD. Nothing comes close. Thunderous bass, yet crisp clarity. Something the DT770 Pro 80 couldn't pull off, and they cost 3 times as much. Not to mention that the Xb700 can be driven like an IEM. It's a sight to behold.
 
I just couldn't take the pads. Like I was allergic to them or something. And yes, the stitching to me WAS the deal breaker.
 
Are the XB700s super comfy? Oh yeah. But wear them in one session long enough, and I'd be surprised if you DON'T feel the stitching touching the side of your head where it rests around the ears. It's a damn shame. I want my XB700s back, as long as someone can mod the pads to not have the stitching where they are at.
 
I am however glad to hear some of the more 'serious' audiophiles here taking the XB700s as a serious headphone. I said it since DAY ONE, the XB700s are a serious contender, especially for those not afraid to EQ. I am one such person who HAAAAATES a flat frequency curve (except when it comes to gaming, a flat curve is a must), so EQ-ing is a regular occurence with me on all my headphones. The XB700s are just PERFECT for bassheads that wanna EQ.
 
The one thing the XB700 just doesn't do well is gaming without some form of removing quite a bit of the bass. I remember playing Mass Effect 2 on my 360 with the Mixamp, and as I was on my ship, I couldn't hear almost ANY dialogue, because the whirrs and hums of the ship were so pronounced. It was funny to hear.

The Mixamp is a basslight 5.1 amp, and believe me, that didn't stop the low end of the XB700s.
 
You guys really make me want them again. I miss their sparkly highs, that just goes so well with that thunder! The first thing that usually goes from headphones with anywhere near this much bass is the clarity. Not so here.
 
I too have a 'check' shaped curve, though I admit to being just slightly more critical of the high end than the low end.

 

[Mochan]

This has been a most excellent thread indeed! We should form a Brotherhood of the Bass of Doom or something hahah!
 
Regarding amps, here's what I have to say as a preliminary, but this will probably change as I go along.
 
The XB700 doesn't work too well with my portable amp, but right now the only one I have on hand is the E5. I have an E7 which I loaned out, but don't have it. I find that the E5 is largely unnecessary unless you just want to bass boost it to hell and back. And the E5 will do that! I find that this is too much for me in that the way the E5 does it is not to my satisfaction with the XB700.
 
Now if I wanted to give the XB700's bass a boost I would use the Marantz 1090! It seems a really good solidstate amp like the Marantz can really make the XB700's sing. I get he "Wall of Bass" effect similar to how the Beats Studios hooked up to the Demo Kiosk amp sounds, and then some! Unlike the Beats demo sound, though, the XB700 doesn't sound crisp and harsh but still has that smooth sparkling quality, but with the added wall of bass, or maybe I should say FLOOR of bass, as it isn't a wall that hits you hard but more like an all explanding layer of bass all around you that soothes and comforts. The XB700 sounds incredible on a bassy solid state, that's all I can say, and I don't need to do any kind of bass boost. Methinks this would also sound incredible on a Master Original amp, but I don't have one to test on at the moment.
 
I also found that tubes work wonders on the XB700. I'm just using a hybrid MP5 with Shugguang 12AX tubes but they give the XB700 an extra warm quality that I just love. It also adds some additional clarity to the mids and highs without getting in the way of the beautiful bass. I would say the XB700 definitely improves with the right amp.
 
The E5 isn't that amp, though, IMO. Methinks portables won't work too well with the XB700, but I sold off all my other portables like the Petite and the P4i. I will test them out with them though this Sunday, we have a meet. I'll post results on what amps sounded nice with them.
 
Quote:

I will definitely agree with you. This thread has really been outstanding. We've got a few users that are really holding this thread together. Thanks guys.
 
Well, to answer your question about the XB700's needing an amp, I'll have to say no. Although, the Fiio E5 seems to be a popular pick to combine with the XB700's, mainly due to it's bass boost. Generally speaking though, they don't need an amp, as it really won't benefit them much. I'm sure it won't benefit your wallet much either.
 
I'm not sure about the HFI-580 though. One thing for sure, if you are a bass fanatic, the XB series is really the way to go. And it might even save you a bit of money. Perfect.

 

 

[Katun]

Quote:

This has been a most excellent thread indeed! We should form a Brotherhood of the Bass of Doom or something hahah!
 

 
Hmm, Brotherhood of the Bass of Doom, eh? Nice, I like it. Count me in!
 
Quote:

Hey MLE! Nice to see you again, I finally got an XB700 and I just absolutely LOVE it. They just might become my favorite headphones ever, period, as well. I was seriously thinking of selling my HD650 because these sort of take their place. While the HD650 still does quite a few things better, the XB700 isn't that far off and its bass is much more to my preference than the HD650's. Crazy how an $80 headphone can give a $400 one a run for its money.
 
I'm just happy that I have no issues with the pads on my ears. 

 
That is really what I love to see. Where someone can find a headphone, that fits their preference better than a default "This is better because it's more expensive" headphone. Well said.
 
This is one of the many reasons I am way too excited to get mine. Even listening to the XB500 vs the AD700 last night, couldn't help put prefer the EQ'ed XB500. Easily. And at half the price. I already can tell that this XB series is really quite something. Moving up the ranks from XB300 to XB500 and soon to the XB700, I can't help but say there is just a bunch of improvement each one I move up.
 

 

[Mochan]

I'm a notorious mid-fier. I actually like the sound of the MS1 better than the MS2, the SR225, SR325, or even the MS Pro. I'm happier with the E7 than with the Mustang. I'm crazy like that. While I do admit that most of the higher end expensive models do have a sense of refinement that isn't present with the lower end stuff, it's also tends to be the case that the lower end stuff have a coloration that I am after which you typically don't find in the higher end stuff.
 
I guess I can count myself lucky that my tastes match lower priced gear. It's a lot easier on the wallet! I still hunger to try out the "good stuff" though, Stax Omega 2 for instance I still want to check it out, T1, HD800, etc. I will check these all out!

 

[Katun]

I'm only a mid-fier. Unfortunately, I haven't even stepped foot into high-fi territory. Although, I will someday with the K701s. I hope.
 
All have to say, when you say "try out the good stuff" I can't help but think why you wouldn't put the HD650 and the K701 in that category. Sure there is the T1 and HD800, but I think the common misconception is that those headphones do 'everything better than everything'. The cool thing about being a mid-fier is just that, you don't need yet alone prefer, the higher end stuff. You are content with something you know sonically, isn't as good.
 
But still, someday I will get something that can really bring my soundtracks out. Even though I can really see myself as a mid-fier as well. Someday K701, someday.

 

[RPGWiZaRD]

OK so I finally got the XB500 today.
 
Wow these are definitely bassier overall than the XB700 thanks to the bigger emphasize at 100~150Hz range. At same EQ setting as for XB700 they will pound my ears even in not so bassy songs and in bassheavy songs it's like earthquake for my head, similar experience being in a car with a proper 12 or 15" sub setup that makes it hard to breathe as the sub is pushing so much air. At my Sennheiser HD 212 Pro EQ profile it's still a bit too bassy, so this is my bassiest headphone ever I've tried, beating both Sennheiser HD 212 Pro and AKG K 518 DJ in both bass quantity & impact (XB700 has more deeper bass but less impact as those 2 due to not so much focus in 100Hz+ range). Lowering the bass a bit from there and it becomes quite suitable though. The bass of XB500 drowns the mids a lot more than that of XB700, probably due to the 100 - 500Hz emphasize.
 
However especially highs seems to be lacking a lot compared to the XB700, I've never had to boost the highs this much on any headphone to get a decent sound and what you hear then is rather typical $50 sounding highs. Also mids needs a decent boost but not as much as the highs, the EQ profile for these headphones are the closest to a V-shape I've ever had while XB700's EQ curve is the flattest I've used so far. The mids actually sound somewhat similar as XB700 but still not as great, they lack that extra touch of fine detail that makes the vocals sound alive like on a concert type of thing. The highs are just non-existant unless EQing. Soundstage also seems to be a bit worse, the XB700 definitely sounds a lot more "spacious".
 
I'll try and listen a bit more. Despite I like bass I wouldn't even concider transfering it for the wonderful sound quality of the XB700 is my initial impression.
 
EDIT: The bass is really insanely strong on these XB500, it vibrates my ears more than anything else, it's like having 2 subs to your ears listening to hardstyle. But then at the very deepest bass notes in the songs at around 40 ~ 60Hz feels stronger on the XB700 but 90 ~ 120Hz bass notes are sooooooo much stronger on the XB500 and probably stronger than on any other headphone.
 
Also it suprises me the XB500 seems to work rather well with gaming, I think it might even have more clear 3d positional sound, it's very very clear from what directions the sounds comes from.
 
Also they work suprisingly well for electronica, but with pop, ballads, jazz etc. you definitely miss the quality of the mids and highs with XB700.
 
For the 39 EUR I paid for these they are definitely good for the price after some quite drastic EQing though. I thought these would end up for sale but now I'm not so sure, it's the great 3d positional sound and bigger bass impact that's a positive suprise for me plus that the XB500 are far lighter and suitable size for my preferences.
 
To summarize pros and cons between XB500 and XB700 (from my personal taste):
 
XB500:
 
pros:
 
- Bigger bass impact due to punchier bass
- Smaller and lighter => more comfortable
 
cons:
 
- Mids slightly lack that fine detail
- Highs are very recessed, needs serious EQing
 
XB700:
 
pros:
 
- Deeper bass that adds this effect that suits great for adding more drama to movies
- Closest you get to real subwoofer type of bass
- Superior mids and highs
 
cons:
 
- Somewhat difficult to distinguish directions behind/front in games
- A bit on the heavier side at 294grams.
- May lack some punchy bass under some circumstances

 

[michaelbe3]

I use the Total Airhead with my xb 700 and the sound is just excellent. I don't really know if I need an amp but the xb bass just seem to get better. I have both the xb 700, 300 and ath m50 and they all have their individual sounds but I am so glad I stayed with the xb as initially they seem to take a hiding due to their looks etc...Thanks all for making me feel justified and correct about my headphones..