[WaveRider69]

Hey guys what's up

I've always been really into the audio world, but mainly have been cars/home/club etc. Never had a chance to use headphones much until now.

I just bought the ATH-AD700's, my first pair of good quality cans.

I think the clarity and soundstage is impressive, but the bass is lacking incredibly, as well as some midrange. I've tweaked the eq and still lacking.

I want phones with this clarity and soundstage along with great midrange and tight clean strong bass that thumps my skull. What phones do I need?!

Until today I've been using modded KSC-75's that I put into HD205's and they've been decent. They have more bass than these audio technica but don't compare everywhere else of course haha.

I'm looking around $150ish but if this isn't going to do it, what will?

Also for now I'm using a Creative Xmod I know I know, I'm order an Auzentech X-Fi Forte this week thanks to some recommendations from some of you guys on here.

What do yall think?!

Thanks

******AN UPDATE AND EDIT for those inquiring minds that might come across this*******

I hooked the ATH-AD700's up to my newly purchased Xonar Essence STX and my opinion of these headphones has completely changed. I was blown away that very first hookup and after a few weeks of break in I am able to push these headphones further and further to much higher limits. The sound is FULL, ALIVE, VIBRANT, CLEAR, and with some tweaking of the bands even the bass is very solid, ACCURATE, satisfying, and is coming around getting deeper and fuller more and more each day. I knew it all starts at the source and the hardware from doing car stuff in the past so I was expecting an extreme improvement with a very good sound card, but I honestly wasn't expecting it to be extreme enough to allow me to officially say these headphones that I wasn't "entirely" impressed with before and was getting ready to sell them, they are now a part of my arsenal and I am most definitely keeping these babies. HAHA

I am ready to do some exploring now though so ATH-M50 are next on the list.
Hey actually do you guys think the M50's are going to be better than the A700's?

You guys all rule thanks millions!

 

[Acix]

Any Ultrasones will better for club, as well M-50 and the Q-40.

 

[sampson_smith]

Denon D2000's sound like an easy choice.

 

[David.M]

in before Denon D20.....

nvm, Sampson beat me to it

 

[eneloquent]

I listen to a considerable amount of EBM and Synthpop, and while not the same thing as you're asking for, they share some considerable musical genes. I have everything daft punk, ever - maybe that counts for something here.

Anyway, I've been thoroughly enjoying my Beyer DT770 Pro/80s, and off my uDac I prefer them to the HD580s. It's just my ears, but they respond incredibly well to synth drums, and don't slouch on any leads in the mid to high range.

 

[Nigel79]

Denon D7000 then D5000 then D2000

 

[WaveRider69]

OK Cool I've been checking all these out online pretty sweet stuff

Alright lets say for now I were to pick between these handful on a scale of 1-10 for the purposes I'm looking for how would guys rate the following or which would you vote for;

Ultrasone HFI-580
Denon AH-D1001
Audio-Technica ATH-M50
Beyerdynamic in the $100-200 range?

And I take it I shouldn't consider the A700's? When I heard the openback versions today I almost ordered the other ones right away maybe good thing I didn't.

Those Higher end Denon's and Beyers look pretty sweet I wasn't even aware of a lot of these headphones, awesome!

What do you guys think? Also I like to listen for hours on end, are any of these more/less fatiguing than one another?

Yes synthpop, everything electronica, pop, club, stuff with female vocals, synths, hard punchy beats, electrohouse, reggae, hip/hop R&B, etc.

Vocals, clarity, & soundstage are definitely equally important to the strong hitting clean tight bass I'm seeking.

I like rock & metal too but won't be using the phones really for that.

Thanks a ton for all of your guy's input for sure

 

[Acix]

I vote for any Ultrasones that you can get, Start with the HFi-550 and up...

 

[subtle]

I would find a used pair of Ultrasone PL750s, or new if it's in your budget, and avoid the Denon line altogether. The recessed midrange of the Denon models is not at all conducive to electronica.

 

[yashu]

sony XB700s!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


also, if you have some power, shure 440s work wonders with idm, and I just got a pair of Beyer DT770\80s and they are crazy good for the price, and very comfy, and withan amp will blow you away. Not like the XB700s though. The driver sony uses can really navigate around jazz and chamber music as well as they do electro, goth, rock, and of course, all the electronic genres. I listen to mostly IDM, but also deep house (russian minimal stuff) dub, dubstep, psy trance, old school beats, and some 4 on the floor power noise like SAM or Soman.

Senn HD555s used to be my electronic music preferred headphones since with electronic, there is a little room to be subjective, but there are other phones that over do them in almost every catagory if you look. The HD555 is, however, like the HHD595, something that you can depend on, and it certainly can be worn for hours and hours, but if tyou want comfort and isolation, it's the XB700s or the DT770s.

I did not inclide denon 1001ks because i had to mod mine to work well, so mine handle electronic beats fine, but not stock, too much HF and not enough controlled low end.

The XB700s will give you a massive headstage, can dip down well below 20hz, and it can do it on my sansa fuse. None of my other headphones can do that. Amped, they all sound great in their own way, but sony reallly did something good with that 50mm driver they were using in their v700s. They did something right because the XB700s are an experience unto themselves. It is also neat that the driver grille does not touch your ear. You feel the pressure in the chamber the giant surrounds make, and they isolate well so you can crank them without annoying everyone at the book store.

Most of the larger phones are going to prefer amping, except I had good luck with the xb700s, the HD555s, and creative aurvanas. I ended up taking the aurvanas and using the pads for my denons, and with the earcup resonances fixed, they can run unamped fairly well, but the stock aurvanas could too. I like the creatives a lot. Stock, the creatives are preferred over the denons, but now that I modded the denons, the aurvanas with the denon pads and so forth, they sound almost exactly like the stock denons, and my denons sound much more "tight" and put together. They have bass slam, something they never had, and didn't lose that air and space. Stock, if you want to save mone, the aurvanas are 98% denons, and better for electronic simply because they are a bit easier to drive, have a more solid low end and HF aren't as up front. I should have modded the creatives, heh.

 

[Ntropic]

I don't find that a recessed midrange takes away from dance; as such, the A700 is excellent.

 

[MrGreen]

What about an ES7?
It can also be used as a portable.

Personally I dislike bassier headphones with dance music because the bass is low quality

I don't think you'll find clarity/soundstage with the AD700 at this price

 

[Kommando]

+1 for Ultrasone.

If your looking for more balanced sound go for the PRO750's.

If your looking for more bass go the HFI series.

 

[yashu]

the xb700s are that one rare exception to the rule. Bass is there, but well controlled and never distorts the midband or HF, in fact, they are extremely fun and non fatiguing,

The dt770s are fun too, but there is no way I can run those without an amp and get the same enjoyment. Same goes with Shure 440s, AKG240s, and even the denons/creatives. The creatives work better un amped but still not as controlled as i would like. I don't know why the creatives do sound different, as I have taken both apart and they are just about identical in every way, but that is another story.

The HD555s always worked really well out of a good soundcard. I am sure the ultrasones will too, even AKGs, but the DT770s\80s seem to need all the power they can get. Same goes with shure 440/840.

I used to listen to electronic on grado sr325s, the original ones. They had this speed to them that made the attack of a kick or snare sound cool.

 

[MacedonianHero]

My vote is for Denon cans! Incredible bass, well defined and not bloated. The mids are not forward like the Shure SE530 (but still very balanced). I`m not a fan of the Ultrasone sound.

Honestly, take some ideas hear to narrow down your search, but ultimately let you ears decide!