Madmollusk
100+ Head-Fier
Confession: Until the DT150, I’ve always preferred strictly neutral headphones or headphones that target the so-called “reference” junkies. Why? Well, until now, I probably couldn’t have articulated a coherent answer, but the DT150 has illuminated the issue for me.
Headphones that possess extra energy in the mid-bass frequently suffer from one or two problems that ruin even well-mastered recordings.
The number one problem: the mid-bass swells and envelops its embankment, inundating the mid-range with mud and water, so to speak. The best example: Beats headphones (What a dreadful flatulent-sounding headphone). The second problem—equally common and equally egregious—is this: the mid-bass stays where it belongs (mostly), but looms over the mid-range like some demented mountain-top, psychoacoustically repressing the presence of vocals and driving everything else I love about music into a midrange valley—think, the DT770.
Of course, headphones, like the wonderful HD650 (or even the NAD Viso hp50), unequivocally demonstrate that you can eat your cake and have it too, at least when it comes to a prominent bass response and a full-bodied midrange presentation. Happily, I can now say the same thing about the DT150.
I admit: I want to impose more acoustic control on the DT150’s mid-bass, mostly to unmask its sub-bass response and to quicken its tempo a tad. But when I think about everything the DT150 does right, I’m simply slack-jawed. They are incredibly good headphones, and you’d be hard-pressed to find a better value (sonically speaking) at any price point.
So, cheers to all my fellow DT150 owners.
Headphones that possess extra energy in the mid-bass frequently suffer from one or two problems that ruin even well-mastered recordings.
The number one problem: the mid-bass swells and envelops its embankment, inundating the mid-range with mud and water, so to speak. The best example: Beats headphones (What a dreadful flatulent-sounding headphone). The second problem—equally common and equally egregious—is this: the mid-bass stays where it belongs (mostly), but looms over the mid-range like some demented mountain-top, psychoacoustically repressing the presence of vocals and driving everything else I love about music into a midrange valley—think, the DT770.
Of course, headphones, like the wonderful HD650 (or even the NAD Viso hp50), unequivocally demonstrate that you can eat your cake and have it too, at least when it comes to a prominent bass response and a full-bodied midrange presentation. Happily, I can now say the same thing about the DT150.
I admit: I want to impose more acoustic control on the DT150’s mid-bass, mostly to unmask its sub-bass response and to quicken its tempo a tad. But when I think about everything the DT150 does right, I’m simply slack-jawed. They are incredibly good headphones, and you’d be hard-pressed to find a better value (sonically speaking) at any price point.
So, cheers to all my fellow DT150 owners.