[TooPoor]

 I can't believe I'm back down to a beginner's budget after the money I've spent on equipment (see sig for an idea). It's almost all gone, well the good stuff is. But I digress... I'm in the market for closed cans that I can blast without interrupting my pregnant wife's blissful slumber. I'm a closet basshead who unabashedly giggles when presented with clean, powerful subbass. I've owned Sig Pros, D2k's, M100's, and currently JVC FX200s and GR07BE's. I'd love to go pick up some TH900's and call it a day but after having ~$5k worth of headphones at one time, the financial minister won't allow another >$1k purchase (something about a baby on the way), plus I'd rather go big turbo on my car (GTX35 anyone? Yes, please). So let's hear it! What I've been considering:
 
1. Mad Dogs - Started reading: TL;DR
2. JVC SZ2000 - supposed to sound like my FX200's but lack the painful, ear canal penetration (front runners)
 
That's honestly all I've got at this point. Don't bring your piercingly bright suggestions. I hate bright headphones (The way my HD800's were setup made them anything but bright). They'll be run by one of my many cheap amps: E09k, Vali (soooon), or Apex Glacier. If you have questions about my taste, feel free to ask.

 

[TooPoor]

 Good talk guise, see you out there.

 

[BillsonChang007]

Helo,

In all honesty, it's really hard to recommend a $300 headphone as you come from high end headphones unless you are really willing to drop the good sound of what you currently have and not to compare your $300 headphone with $1K headphones!

I personally like the Sennheiser momentum for basshead use. It's got the bass that extends deep and pretty loud. No, it doesn't have the recessed mids xD

Hope it helps!
Billson

 

[TooPoor]

 Yes! I a decent response!
 
 Honestly though, I needed to sell all my gear to make way for new living arrangements, car, and upcoming child. This stuff happens. I dearly miss my old equipment, but my audio budget has taken a substantial hit and rightfully so. I'm not looking for HD800 level quality. I've owned tons of HP's (most not listed in my sig) and I won't truly be happy again until I can have something like a LCD-3/HE-6 with TH900s... But for now I'd like to keep it at around $300, closed, U/V shaped. Did I mention I loathed the M-100's, dont mention them, please.
 
 I do have my D2k's in a drawer at the moment because my (at the time) puppy chewed through the cable. I could just go full Lawton wooden cups, cables, etc...  but thats $600. I'd rather pony up the extra for the TH600. Thoughts?

 

[BillsonChang007]

 Yes! I a decent response!

 Honestly though, I needed to sell all my gear to make way for new living arrangements, car, and upcoming child. This stuff happens. I dearly miss my old equipment, but my audio budget has taken a substantial hit and rightfully so. I'm not looking for HD800 level quality. I've owned tons of HP's (most not listed in my sig) and I won't truly be happy again until I can have something like a LCD-3/HE-6 with TH900s... But for now I'd like to keep it at around $300, closed, U/V shaped. Did I mention I loathed the M-100's, dont mention them, please.

 I do have my D2k's in a drawer at the moment because my (at the time) puppy chewed through the cable. I could just go full Lawton wooden cups, cables, etc...  but thats $600. I'd rather pony up the extra for the TH600. Thoughts?

As for now, I think the Momentum remain the best for your needs. You can buy them used for less than $280~? They don't sound bright, instead, it's the opposite of it (dark). Given you already have an amp, the loose bass shouldn't be a problem...

 

[davidsh]

I second the momentums. They are not the most technically perfect headphones, but they are a joy to listen to... Why not the m100, which you have already owned?

 

[BillsonChang007]

I second the momentums. They are not the most technically perfect headphones, but they are a joy to listen to... Why not the m100, which you have already owned?

I think it's because of it's highs?

 

[fateicon]

See if you can demo a pair of Yamaha Pro 400s. Sounds like you would like them. Don't really have time to retype all the extensive comments I've written about them on here, but it should be easy to find if you look. I can sum things up. Great isolation(better than my other closed cans), very efficient and can get loud off a sansa clip alone, capable of reproducing deep sub bass without mucking up the rest of the FR, makes percussion sound a lot more real(even making clicky kick drums come across more like the real thing), instrument timbre is accurate, soundstage works for orchestras, good clarity. Also works well for multiple genres as it tries to stay true to the source(not making a non-bassy song into mud or bombast, for instance). I don't know if you know a lot about source output impedance and all. The Yamaha 400 and 500 sounded vastly different on the Fry's demo wall then when I plugged them directly into my 1 ohm sansa clip. On the fry's demo material it sounded like the 500 was more balanced and the 400 had too much bass. When I plugged my yamaha cable into the 500 directly so I could play it on my sansa clip, the 500 sounded shrill. I didn't change the rockbox EQ on the clip or anything else really. 
 
I don't know how your portable sources measure in terms of output impedance or FR. I bought the sansa clip because it has verified measurements and I understand how it works. It's pretty neutral/transparent. If you plug a 400 into something with higher output impedance, it could bloat the bass. I own the Momentum, UE6000, K550, Aviator, Amperior, and HD25 for closed. I've heard the HD800 on numerous setups. Never found it to be piercingly bright but I was never all that into it either. I've also heard stuff like the T1, PS1000, GS1000, SR-009, Abyss, Mad Dogs, various Ultrasone, and none of it was really to my liking enough to consider buying. I've never felt like there was this big drop in enjoyability when comparing expensive stuff to phones that cost $100-$300. I notice that a lot of the more expensive phones are not about bass. Bass seems to be something more focused on by consumer brands.

 

[Lorspeaker]

A cheaper option...recableing your d2000...snap on a pair of Alphapads...lambskinnnnn.
U should get better isolation n comfort.

 

[TooPoor]

A cheaper option...recableing your d2000...snap on a pair of Alphapads...lambskinnnnn.
U should get better isolation n comfort.

I've been considering this too. Throw in wooden cups and its around $600 though... For an extra $200 I'd go with the TH600s

 

[Lorspeaker]

these decisions are crazy....u add this, then that...then u are in another playing field and say y not that option..lol...its tormenting. 
 
u heard the new NAD HP-50 headfone...v comfy, good seal..circumaural..spacious sounding...good for jazz, pops, vocals..smart looking can.