[Inspectah Deck]

Hello
 
I am looking for an over ear  headphone for listening to mostly rap/hip hop in the 300 to 400 dollar range. I am in no way a basshead but i do like my bass to be tight and punchy and for them to not overpower the vocals either. Good soundstage and clarity would be nice and good comfort cause i do listen for awhile, isolation also plays a big part. 
 
I have been looking at the Mr Speakers Mad dogs with the o2 amp and odac and the v-moda m-100 (The headphones will mostly be driven from my ipod). Is there anything better out there for me?
 
I could not find any forums that answered my question directly.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 
 
Thanks!

 

[SteveHiFi]

One or two to check out..
 
Shure SRH1540 ($500 but these would be worth stretching to)
 
Final Audio Pandora IV - about $400 - I'm in the UK and can't be bothered to check the US prices! Currently trying these with Cash Money & Marvelous old skool rap - nice! Soundstage, isolation, a bit of sub bass but tight into the mids - lovely.
 
Beyerdynamic T70p - This might be worth a look, bass is tighter and these are more forward/brighter I'd say. About $400 ish.

 

[Inspectah Deck]

Are the Shure 1540 easy to drive off an ipod?
 
Also what do you think of the mad dogs with O2 withe Odac? I've seen lots of good reviews on them some saying they are as good in sound quality as the lcd2s?

 

[zunehdrocks]

Yamaha pro 500 (these are selling for half the original msrp in the US's amazon)
These benefit from an amp. The fiio e11 should do the trick.
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2413643,00.asp
http://www.head-fi.org/t/653626/yamaha-hph-pro-500-review
Theres also the nad viso hp50
http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/i-love-these-headphonesthe-nad-viso-hp50

 

[zunehdrocks]

Theres the polk audio ultrafocus 8000 if you want noise cancelling
http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/comparative-review-high-end-noise-canceling-headphones-page-3
Oh and one more thing:
Don't get the vmoda m100 if you aren't a basshead.

 

[SteveHiFi]

The SRH 1540 has 46 ohms and 99dB sensitivity so is borderline from an ipod - an amp will likely be needed.

 

[Inspectah Deck]

Hmm yeah if amp is needed then probably not, goes over my budget slightly, you still haven't answered my question though ^

 

[Roy Munson]

I have a Mad Dog 3.2 which I think makes for a great hip hop can. The bass isn't overwhelming but its definitely there. I would recommend an amp with the Mad Dog as I've found driving them without one lacks volume and overall lack of authority. I haven't heard an O2 so I can't comment there. I do enjoy both the Magni and the Vali with them though.
 
Let me know if you'd like me to go into any further detail.
 
- Roy

 

[Inspectah Deck]

Yes please, this may sound stupid but what is the (3.2) is that the pro or what? Cause ive heard people say 3.1, 3.2 and im confused, haha. Could you maybe go into more detail with how the vocals, soundstage and the overall clarity are like? Thanks!

 

[Roy Munson]

The 3.2 is the most recent revision of the Mad Dog. Mr. Speakers makes changes/tweaks to the design of the Mad Dog and then incrementally changes the name of the can to reflect the current version. It's a nice touch so you can have some sort of basis when discussing and comparing different versions of the Mad Dog. The Mad Dog Pro is voiced/designed differently than the Mad Dog. Although they look similar they are supposed to sound different. I haven't heard the Mad Dog pro so I can't comment on them.
 
I think the Mids are where the Mad Dog shines. Voices sound relatively natural, full and very clear. When it comes to hip hop - instruments, samples, scratching, etc. all flow effortlessly with great separation and imaging. The bass isn't overwhelming nor in your face, but rather very defined and extends very well. Through my experience I've found the better source/amp in the chain the better the bass is defined. The bass impact can be adequate but sometimes lacks a bit. I've found it depends on the track though as lighter bass impact isn't necessarily a constant. I would not consider these bass head cans but I wouldn't classify them as bass light either. The treble is defined and relatively laid back. Overall these have a darker/warmer sound compared to a neutral headphone.
 
As for soundstage, it's not all that large but for a closed can I think it is very good. If soundstage is one of your main concerns, you might want to look into an open headphone.
 
Also, I noticed in your original post that you will be powering these out of your iPhone frequently. Although a mobile device can drive the Mad Dogs to reasonable levels of volume, these cans are planars and tend to like power. I can attest they perform better with an amp. I think the volume is suitable off a mobile device in a quiet area, but I took mine on a flight to see how they would perform in an airline environment and I found that my S3 simply couldn't provide them with enough juice.
 
- Roy

 

[ruthieandjohn]

Yamaha pro 500 (these are selling for half the original msrp in the US's amazon)
These benefit from an amp. The fiio e11 should do the trick.
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2413643,00.asp
http://www.head-fi.org/t/653626/yamaha-hph-pro-500-review
Theres also the nad viso hp50
http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/i-love-these-headphonesthe-nad-viso-hp50

Comparison of the Yamaha Pro 500 to the Beats Studio 2013 and the Beats Pro, from here (higher numbers are better):  http://www.head-fi.org/t/723136/battle-of-the-bassys-beats-pro-yamaha-pro-500-and-beats-studio-2013-compared#post_10634722
 

 

[Inspectah Deck]

These sound alot like what im looking for, so i think ill save some more and buy that and o2/odac, just one more question if you don't mind. Since the mad dogs are a modded headphone, do they tend to live a shorter lifetime than an un-modded headphone or are the mods really irrelevant? And do they require burn in?

 

[Roy Munson]

I personally haven't heard of any of the Mad Dogs failing. The Fostex T50rp (which is the headphone that is being modded) has been around for a long time and seems to be very durable/reliable. The Mad Dogs are built like a tank. If any issues should arise with the Mad Dog, I'm sure Dan from Mr. Speakers will take care of you. If you have any other concerns, I would email Mr. Speakers directly.
 
As for burn in, from my experience the bass tightened up a bit and the presentation as whole became even more silky smooth. That could be just me getting used to the sound of the headphone though. I find the more time I spend with these headphones the more I appreciate them.
 
Other people have recommended the O2/ODAC as a nice pairing with the Mad Dog. I've personally never heard the O2/ODAC. If you're interested in other amps Mad Dog owners have found to be a nice fit, take a look at this thread - http://www.head-fi.org/t/683118/mr-speakers-mad-dog-3-0-3-2-amp-pairing-recommendation-discussion-thread
 
- Roy

 

[Inspectah Deck]

Thanks for your help, roy.
 
And everyone else who recomended something but i think im sold on the Mad dogs!

 

[Solrighal]

Don't get the vmoda m100 if you aren't a basshead.

With respect, this statement is nonsense. The V-Moda M-100 would be an excellent choice. They are certainly capable of incredible bass but you'd need to EQ them before it got excessive.