[Mysticizm]

After doing alot of research on the most recommended headphones for $200 aud, and after my Dre Solos broke (i didnt buy these btw, they were given i know how much ye internetz a hatezem), i finally gave in to all the hype... AT-M50 but this time with the new improved M50x (updated version) i cant go wrong...

Now im not a Dre fanboy or anything, infact when i got the Dre's i had already had my vote on the M50's.
Ill tell my 1st impressions of the Dre Solo's 1st, from what i can remember.
 
Dre's:
Wow, the base is so punchy and there, the headphones are vibrating on my ears! (iphone 4s) I wonder what this hiphop/base song sounds like? (So excited to go through my songs) The volume at very high (on PC and iphone 4s) had muddy mids, i wish they went 20-30% louder but the mids would of just been more distorted anyway... the mids were its downfall imo. After awhile they began to get rattly, It was like something inside them fell apart and rattled in there with the base. They sounded broken. I thought i had to take them back. I postponed taking them back for too long, and then, wow..  the rattle was gone, the headphones had opened up... this must be what they were talking about to let them burn in.. it seemed alot longer then everyones expectations. They were better than before, Still wished they went 10% louder, but again the muddy mids...

M50x:
Opened them up, excited, put them into my ****ty $100aud Sony phone... they are clear, but wheres the volume? wheres the base? pretty high pitched... i realised later that iphone 4s has a better inbuilt dac. Tried them on my iphone... better loudness, still feels lacking... alot more higher pitched then the Dre's, the base is more like a mid base rather then a base-base (if that makes sense?) The base is there but the Dre solos with the vibration on the ears and the punchyness... i miss that. I thought, Its ok they will be awesome on my pc (got a Asus DG sound card)... im still not blown away... kind of disappointed actually... I have the volume at max and i want to increase it 30% but i cant, and at the same time i almost dont want to because they are too high pitched. Though, i still feel like id rather them louder and trade some hearing loss to high pitchness, just for some more punchy base and mids. They are alot more clearer (less muddled then the Dre's) And so i thought ill give it time to burn in, then i will hear the base that everyones going on about.. Im pretty sure im over the 100 hours burn in process, they sound the same to me, MAYBE a little louder and more there but that could just be me tripping. Im still hoping/waiting for the change. Using these in Ableton live was a big difference, Every instrument seems more defined and i could instantly pick up on things that i couldnt with my Dre's

Bottom line:
Wish the M50x went louder, like how do i do this? and werent as focused in the highs as they seem with abit more punchy ear vibrating base like the Dre's.
Wish the Dre's were a slight bit louder and the mids werent as muddy and the overall sound was more clearer like the M50x but not as high pitched... damn...

 

[lakedmb]

I'm definitely not an expert in the headphone world, but I'm guessing that you would benefit from an external amp.

 

[taffy2207]

Something along the likes of a Fiio E11k amp would would boost the volume for you, it's inexpensive at $60 and there's a bass boost switch. You won't get earth shattering bass but it will definitely add weight. The volume switch has no dampening and the design is slightly curved but they've proven to be minor problems, for me at least.
 
You should give your head time to adjust to the sound if you're used to Beats. Lots of Bass is usually at the detriment of mids.

 

[cel4145]

If you are running the volume at max, then you are likely clipping the dynamic peaks, which is also taking away from the sound.

Some headphones are naturally louder with the same amp/source. It's a function of impedance rating and sensitivity.

The FiiO E11K seems like a very good option for you

 

[Mysticizm]

Thanks for the replies guys, much appreciated.
Sorry this is a little late..
 
"you would benefit from an external amp"
alright, external amp.. so you guys are recommending the FiiO E11K? Ok..
What about a pc Dac, How would you compare the quality difference from FiiO E11K to a Focusrite Scarlett Solo? (i think that seems to be another popular choice)
 
"The volume switch has no dampening"
Sorry, i dont understand this
 
"You should give your head time to adjust to the sound if you're used to Beats"
True, but these just seem so under-powered to the dre's, not in the highs though.
 
"If you are running the volume at max, then you are likely clipping the dynamic peaks, which is also taking away from the sound."
Now that you mention this, I played around with the volume looking for a difference in quality (atleast i think thats what u mean with "dynamics") i do notice that the difference from 80 to 100 volume is very little, its the same difference as 70 to 80. So would that mean the headphones are underpowered? The volumes between 80-100 is hard to make out a difference in quality. Maybe a very slight muddiness in the base that is barely noticeable.

 

[jodgey4]

 
"you would benefit from an external amp"
alright, external amp.. so you guys are recommending the FiiO E11K? Ok..
What about a pc Dac, How would you compare the quality difference from FiiO E11K to a Focusrite Scarlett Solo? (i think that seems to be another popular choice)
 
The DG can be your DAC essentially. The Solo has preamp/ADC functions that you don't need to pay for. If you wanna stretch your budget up like that, then also consider the Fiio E12.
 
"The volume switch has no dampening"
Sorry, i dont understand this
 
It's likely to twist while in your pocket/moving around
 
"You should give your head time to adjust to the sound if you're used to Beats"
True, but these just seem so under-powered to the dre's, not in the highs though.
 
Amp fixes that . The highs could still be a problem for you.
 
"If you are running the volume at max, then you are likely clipping the dynamic peaks, which is also taking away from the sound."
Now that you mention this, I played around with the volume looking for a difference in quality (atleast i think thats what u mean with "dynamics") i do notice that the difference from 80 to 100 volume is very little, its the same difference as 70 to 80. But the volumes between 80-100 is hard to make out a difference in quality.
 
The amp is probably current limited at that point and causing problems, my DGX is like that.

Responses in blue above. Also consider checking the basshead threads there and asking for ideas if you want to try different headphones. There's so many on the market, you're bound to find something that suits your needs better (more punch in the basS, less highs).

 

[cel4145]

Now that you mention this, I played around with the volume looking for a difference in quality (atleast i think thats what u mean with "dynamics")

Every look at a graphical equalizer while a song is playing and watch some parts jump up on the scale for loud sections? Or watch a movie where all of a sudden it gets very loud--those are dynamic peaks where parts of the recording get louder momentarily--parts of the audio peak in volume.

When the amp in the device you are listening with gets pushed near it's limits, it might be fine playing the normal and quieter volume level parts of the music, but the peaks may be getting clipped, causing distortion of them and, perhaps, causing them not to play as loud as they should.

Since you wish the M50x went louder, you are definitely in the situation where a headphone amp would help increase volume and would help out.

 

[Mysticizm]

The reason i asked about the Focusrite Scarlett Solo is because i wouldnt mind getting some monitor/speakers down the line and maybe a cheap mic for recording some ideas that i have.
 
The Focusrite Scarlett Solo is $146 AUD
or theres a Behringer U-PHORIA UMC22 for $109 AUD
or a Presonus AudioBox iOne 2x2 USB / iPad Audio Interface $157 AUD
the cheap mic im looking at is a Behringer C-1 Condenser Microphone $79 AUD
 
So im wondering what the quality difference is like between the Ek-11 and one of those Digital interfaces? And if it really makes a difference over my ASUS DG soundcard?