[headache]

Yesterday evening i had a bit too much time (doesn't happen very often) and decided to make a comparison between:

Sony MDR-CD780
Sennheiser MX-500
Koss Porta Pro

i wanted to know how much I can turn up the volume at a frequency of 20 Hz before the headphones are going to distort.

for the test i used my terratec DMX 6fire soundcard (supposed to be very good, price 200,- EUR) and the "generate tones"-function of cooledit (phasing sinus, phase difference 90°).

The Koss Porta Pro is the winner! Well, i could turn up the volume to a max, that was absolutely headshaking. It felt like a helicopter was standing on my head, or even INSIDE my head.

The MDR-CD780 is not bad at all, but the max volume stays definitely behind the Porta Pro (about 50%). On the other hand, the sound is very clear and pleasant just until it is beginning to distort.

My Senn MX500 is the loser in this trio, of course. I almost didn't hear a sound before it began to hammer and chatter. To be honest, the real frequency range begins at ~ 50 Hz. From 50 Hz upwards the performance is very impressing for those tiny buds. But, esp. when you like electronic music like björk (hyperballad, all is full of love...) or radiohead (pulk/pull revolving doors), 50 Hz might not be deep enough.

Unfortunately, I don't own a pair of grados SR80s or HD600s. I would like to know, whether these cans can beat the Porta Pro in this "competition".

 

[sacriste]

I have the ksc35 and the mx500 and I agree with you that the freq range is a lot wider in the koss. The koss seems to have a subwoofer attached and the highs are fairly extended. The HD495 wins out of my cans, even without the subwoofer effect, because go lower in a nice flat way and don´t have a peak around 10 kHz as the koss. But the koss are funnier and more friendly with any kind of music.

 

[MusicLover]

Quote:

Originally posted by headache Unfortunately, I don't own a pair of grados SR80s or HD600s. I would like to know, whether these cans can beat the Porta Pro in this "competition".

In terms of max volume without distortion, the HD600's would, put simply, go beyond those other headphones by miles. There would be abolutely no competition. I once tested this and I got to the point where the bass was so low and powerful that I thought I would hurt my ears, without the slightest hint of distortion. Of course, IMO, this is the least significant determining factor in buying them. Once you hear them, you'll understand.

 

[Duncan]

MusicLover...

Are you completely sure about that? The Senns can only handle up to 150mw... and i've had them crying like a baby before... not being able to handle bass... flapping around... The Sony CD1700s that are now on their way to a new home handled it MUCH better...

...they can handle 1 watt of power...

...to be honest i've never looked at how much power Grados can handle though, so you could be right... but just thought i'd throw in the fact that I can get the Senns to bottom out

 

[PeterR]

Quote:

Originally posted by Duncan Are you completely sure about that? The Senns can only handle up to 150mw... and i've had them crying like a baby before...

That's *thermal* power handling (200mW for the Senns BTW), and has nothing to do at all with the drivers reaching maximum excursion, which at low frequencies will probably happen at a lot lower power levels.
That aside I'm pretty sure my eardrums will bottom out earlier anyway...

 

[Geek]

HD600s powered properly (yeah, yeah, blockhead. . .) can play so much fully extended, tight bottom end that the effect is completely ridiculous. The 600s that I have tend to "fart" at lower volumes though when played through a soundcard/12v airhead combo. You really have to feed them an insanely clean, refined signal from a good amp to get the extension out of them.

I haven't heard the other cans in this contest besides the DD780 (friend's house).

Cheers,
Geek

 

[MusicLover]

Quote:

Originally posted by Duncan The Senns can only handle up to 150mw... and i've had them crying like a baby

I have heard the Senns at ear-drum bursting levels and honestly have no clue to what you're talking about. If you really put them at that loud a volume, then I figure you would have gone deaf by now, or at least have such a bad case of tinnitis that you are close enough to deaf. Unless this depends on the amp.

 

[Duncan]

...The MDR-CD1700s are far more impressive to my ears than the Senns will ever be when it comes to low bass (20hz tone) ~ The bass has bite, and texture ~ unlike the rasping, uneven nature of the Senns when driven 'at ear bleeding levels'... The HD600s ARE better than the MDR-V6 though...

...I have yet to try that test tone on the RS1s... not sure that i'm brave enough though...

 

[usc goose]

Quote:

Originally posted by Duncan MusicLover... Are you completely sure about that? The Senns can only handle up to 150mw... and i've had them crying like a baby before... not being able to handle bass... flapping around... The Sony CD1700s that are now on their way to a new home handled it MUCH better... ...they can handle 1 watt of power... ...to be honest i've never looked at how much power Grados can handle though, so you could be right... but just thought i'd throw in the fact that I can get the Senns to bottom out

But let's not forget the king of v-vrap, MDR-V900...

[size=small]3 watts power handling baby.

[/size]

No clue at all what if anything that means to me though. Except I need to find a 3000 mw headphone amp.

edit: just a pre-emptive strike in case someone breaks the glass. yes i realize that number has nothing to do with anything except that these cans won't blow up when you put that much power through them. it would still be fun to see what happens though.

 

[sacriste]

Quote:

Originally posted by Duncan ...The MDR-CD1700s are far more impressive to my ears than the Senns will ever be when it comes to low bass (20hz tone) ~ ...I have yet to try that test tone on the RS1s... not sure that i'm brave enough though...

For me test tones are a very unnatural way to test equipment. I prefer to use music known to have what your trying to test and also see the integration with the rest of the music.

Some good bass test songs are:
A Thousand Years, Sting (all the song is over a heavy synth low bass cushion)
The Plaza Of Execution, Zorro Soundtrack (The intro sounds like a big demolition ball falling on your head)
Say So, Andrae Crouch (Is not too low, but very clean bass, around 50 Hz)

My second option is narrow band pink noise in the bass region.

See you in my next birthday, Duncan!

 

[Dwagun]

I've come across a website that has some low frequency test tone .wav files that they use to test subwoofers

http://www.sdinfo.com/down/index.html

I havent tried them myself but I thought that you guys might want them

 

[MusicLover]

Does anyone know of a place where you can test high frequency tones?