[etragedy]

 
I recently got my M2's. After a significant amount of time with them I am starting to get incredibly annoyed by their mid bass hump. It sounds artificial and to me distracts from the musical presentation. The mids on the M2 are slightly forward, but this doesn’t bother me and I enjoy their clarity and quality. The treble feels crisp and clear, but treble extension feels cut off which only emphasizes the annoying bass hump even more. I also feel that the M2's sounds "distant" compared to lower end stuff that I own (cx 300, M6, M9), but maybe that just comes with heightened clarity.
 
The weird thing about it is that I come from cx 300 type bass, and I’ve always thought I enjoyed an emphasized bass response. I love the frequency balance, feel and extension of the bass on my Meelec M6’s. Although the quality of the M6 bass could be better, I find that I enjoy its bass response much more than that of the M2’s. Even though the M2 beats out the M6 on midrange and treble quality, I continually seem to gravitate back to the cheaper M6’s again and again.
 
What can head-fi recommend me based on these impressions? In what could I find a more even bass response (if not one with sub base emphasis), still retain the clarity of the M2 mids, and increase the extension of my treble without it sounding like the sometimes overwhelmed or slightly sibilant M6 treble?
 
I find the fit of the M2 to be acceptable, build quality is good, cable is annoying with its memory and microphonics (The M6 cable is just to die for), and it comes with a good carrying case; all in all an overall decent package.
 
I have been doing a lot of reading and wonder if something like the sw-xcape might be up my alley. But I’m worried that the bass might not be enough.
 
I listen to alternative rock, hip-hop, classical, techno, trance. I would like to stay under $100 but if something above $100 seems to have a sizable lead on my preferred sound signature I’d be willing to sell the M2’s to pay for it.

 

[jasonb]

after spending extensive time with my pair of HD650's i now also find the M2's that i once LOVED to be to bassy. i absolutely love their mid-range though.

 

[etragedy]

so what IEM do you use if the M2 are not a good fit for you either?


Quote:Originally Posted by jasonb 

after spending extensive time with my pair of HD650's i now also find the M2's that i once LOVED to be to bassy. i absolutely love their mid-range though.

 

[jasonb]

i haven't been using anything but my HD650 lately. i do all of my headphone listening at home on my couch so full size cans make more sense. i'll probably just end up EQ'ing the bass out the next time i end up really using them. my portable player has a nice user adjustable EQ so i should be fine. i really do like the mid-range on the M2's so i don't really want to replace them. it's just crazy how our brain adjusts to different sounds.
 
i really do believe the M2's have the same overall sound signature as the HD650, just the HD650's have less bass. they are both warm and laid back, kind of dark sounding phones which is the sound i prefer. some EQ should fix my new found preference for less bass. 
 
maybe try a balanced armature IEM like the Phonak perfect fit or perfect bass. i have always been kind of interested in them, but never pulled the trigger.
 

 
Quote:

so what IEM do you use if the M2 are not a good fit for you either?


Quote:Originally Posted by jasonb 

after spending extensive time with my pair of HD650's i now also find the M2's that i once LOVED to be to bassy. i absolutely love their mid-range though.

 

[etragedy]

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