[pasi123567]

I had the DT 880 250ohm back in 2017 right after getting the K702 after asking for recommendations here. I found that the DT880 back then was very bright in comparison to the K702 and had way less sub bass as well. I also thought it had the hardest hitting fastest bass I have heard until then, which back then I didn't like that much, so I sold it.
Today, to get that same experience back I bought the DT880 250ohm yet again because I wanted to have that fast punchy bass experience back for some music. I was dissapointed. It sounded much slower than I have in memory, it had much better subbass extension and was less treble heavy than in memory as well. It felt like I had bought a completely different headphone.

My question is how this is possible? Can my memory be this bad? Was there perhaps a revision or did I maybe somehow got the wrong driver in the one from 2017?
I really can't explain it.

It's definitely not that I tried different headphones that are better so I don't appreciate it anymore, because I compared it to my K702 in 2017, which I still own and is still my main. It's funny because back then the K702 sounded slow in comparison to the DT880 I had but since I sold it and tried a lot of other headphones, none other than the DT880 really sounded faster in bass than the K702, so right now it seems the K702 actually has the fastest bass. Maybe someone knows whats up here.

 

[plmon]

While it's possible there might have been production changes that affected the sound, I think it's more likely that the expectations from your ears have changed after listening to other headphones.

For example, early in my headphone journey, I loved aggressive and forward treble peaks like what mid-fi AKG and Beyers had because they pushed a lot of smaller details forward. But after hearing the smoother treble in Sennheisers and the effortless treble in Stax, that's not really a requirement for me anymore. The Stax in particular changed what I listen for when I'm evaluating speed and transparency.

If you've listened to more headphones, your perspective on sound will probably have changed. That can affect how you remember headphones too. After listening to warmer headphones for a while, my AKG Q701 sounded so lean and unnatural to me compared to my memory of it. But when I listened to them again after listening to a wider variety of headphones, they sounded much better and while still a bit unnatural, not too far from my preferred tonality. But the bass did not hit as hard as I remembered, my expectations had changed after hearing planars and punchier dynamic drivers.

 

[pasi123567]

While it's possible there might have been production changes that affected the sound, I think it's more likely that the expectations from your ears have changed after listening to other headphones.

I bought myself the HD580 used again as well because that was another headphone where I thought the bass was faster than of the K702. It seems that you could be right. The bass on the HD580 definitely feels faster than the DT880 but almost equal to the K702, though with more impact. It could be that in 2017 I perhaps have thought impact is related to speed somehow.
I kind of remember the Beyer to be faster than the Sennheiser though, but it defnitely does not have more impact, they are pretty equal. Both significant more than the K702. I guess my memory could still just be bad.
Kind of sad though because I really had it that vivid and different in memory. The Sennheisers sound about how I remember them

Now the question is if something like what I have in memory even exists? Do you have knowledge of a headphone with really punchy and immediate attack/decay? I really would like to own something like that. It could be possible that I am searching for a sound which is impossible to make but who knows haha.

 

[HipHopScribe]

Now the question is if something like what I have in memory even exists? Do you have knowledge of a headphone with really punchy and immediate attack/decay? I really would like to own something like that. It could be possible that I am searching for a sound which is impossible to make but who knows haha.

Not impossible, but either with trade offs or spending a lot more money. T50rp mods like the Alpha Dogs can be pretty punchy with quick decay, but they're closed headphones so you're gonna have some other trade offs. Focal's higher end headphones are punchy and quick but a lot more money. A lot of planar headphones are quick, but they can struggle to be as punchy as good dynamic drivers

 

[pasi123567]

Not impossible, but either with trade offs or spending a lot more money. T50rp mods like the Alpha Dogs can be pretty punchy with quick decay, but they're closed headphones so you're gonna have some other trade offs. Focal's higher end headphones are punchy and quick but a lot more money. A lot of planar headphones are quick, but they can struggle to be as punchy as good dynamic drivers

Okay interesting. I don't necessarily have a problem with them being closed if they have those characteristics because they won't be my main anyway. Focal is definitely too expensive though. When it comes to Planars I owned the Deva but the bass wasn't really quick in any means on those at least.
I found another thread with a similar question and that person said the Fidelio L1 had the fastest bass he heared but I doubt it as I owned the X2 and those do not have this characteristic.
What if I get a normal T50rp? Thats cheaper at least lol. I also heared some people say Grados are punchy and fast, Would like if anyone can approve that.

 

[HipHopScribe]

The T50s are definitely best modded, but getting a stock T50 is a good place to start, especially if you're comfortable doing some simple mods yourself. There are plenty of guides online. Keep in mind they're gonna need a decent amp to get them enough power though.