[bigdaddyp16]

4 have kind of caught my eye:
 
Sennheiser HD-25-1 II, but like I mentioned before, I'm worried about their ability to be pushed enough by an unamped portable, as well as whether they're bass-heavy enough.
 
Sennheiser PX 200-II, but they seem pretty light on bass.
 
Sennheiser HD 228, seem to be good, according to what I've read.  Is the bass quantity better than the Golds?
 
Monster Beats Solo, seem overpriced, but I wouldn't mind overpaying if they fit my criteria.  Just worried about whether they're too much like the Solo HD's that I didn't like at all or if they were faulty.  Are they pushed enough unamped on a portable?  Does the soundstage sound like it's coming through a deep, narrow tube?  Does the bass hit harder than the Golds? 

 

[bigdaddyp16]

Oh, and I almost forgot about the AKG K 450's. 
 
I also just learned that my horrible experience with the Solo HD's was due to a design flaw in their compatibility with non-control talk players.  You need a different cable to use them.  So they're back in the discussion. 
 
Can anyone bring any input to compare any of these 6 'phones? 

 

[casioa5302ca]

I´ve got HD 25C-II (coiled cable), 70 Ohms too, and no problem to drive them with MP3player, but of course, like EVERY ´phones-will sonds better with proper source. But like I said-no problem unamped, I am using them as my portable and home too, and again: NO PROBLEM.
 
Quote:

 
Sennheiser HD-25-1 II, but like I mentioned before, I'm worried about their ability to be pushed enough by an unamped portable, as well as whether they're bass-heavy enough.
 

 

[Napilopez]

 
Quote:

4 have kind of caught my eye:
 
Sennheiser HD-25-1 II, but like I mentioned before, I'm worried about their ability to be pushed enough by an unamped portable, as well as whether they're bass-heavy enough.
 
Sennheiser PX 200-II, but they seem pretty light on bass.
 
Sennheiser HD 228, seem to be good, according to what I've read.  Is the bass quantity better than the Golds?
 
Monster Beats Solo, seem overpriced, but I wouldn't mind overpaying if they fit my criteria.  Just worried about whether they're too much like the Solo HD's that I didn't like at all or if they were faulty.  Are they pushed enough unamped on a portable?  Does the soundstage sound like it's coming through a deep, narrow tube?  Does the bass hit harder than the Golds? 

The Solos are horrible, Imo. They just are. Not hating on the brand either, as i think the Beats studio are quite good, though overpriced. The solos are just muddy mess to me. In any case, you can audition them in a lot of stores.

Question, is it being on-ear so important? There are plenty of around/ear options that aren't too huge and will come closer to achieving your criteria. The ATH M50 and Denon D1001 come to mind.
 

 

[Vash-GR]

M-Audio Studiophile Q40
 
from joker's review:
 
The most striking aspect of the Q40s’ sound is the bass - specifically the depth, power, and texture of the low end, which are all superb. The Q40s can really go deep when the track calls for it and the sub-bass is felt as much as it is heard. For my tastes the boosted mid- and upper bass on the Q40s is excessive but the rest of the sound signature is rather neutral and monitor-like. They remind me of a far more refined JVC HA-M750 on both counts. The midrange is lush and full but seems to have a slight dip at the lower end. The treble is never harsh or sibilant and is rolled off slightly off at the very top. The soundstage is slightly below average in width and lacks depth, resulting in a rather intimate sound. Instrumental separation is good and the Q40s do a good job of relating detail. They are not very forgiving of poor source material and the 64-ohm impedance means that while the Q40s are perfectly capable performers when driven by a portable source, they do benefit from some additional juice, which opens them up and gives them some more speed and control in the lower and middle registers.
 
The M-Audio Studophile Q40 is a very solid headphone designed for studio use but also quite functional as a portable set. This full-size, collapsible headphone features a rock-solid build, decent isolation and comfort, and a bass-heavy sound signature with subdued treble. The rest of the signature is balanced and accurate, making the Q40 sound somewhat like a less aggressive and much more refined JVC HA-M750. For the bass lover looking for headphones in this price range these should be at the top of the list.
 
 
PS: What is your portable source? A clip+ is quite different from a sflo:2 in terms of output power. And does your portable have a decent EQ?

 

[iamkroll]

hi!

 

[Deep Funk]

The PX200 II sounds rather balanced if you ask me and when you need good bass and low end notes it is more than adequate in my experience. Bass is not emphasized but it is there when you need it. 

 

[bigdaddyp16]

I usually listen at a decent volume.....not too low, not blasting, and I usually have the volume set at about 18 out of 30, so just a bit over 50%.  Do you have to raise the volume higher for these compared to another pair of low-ohms phones?
 
Also, The frequency graph says that they lack in bass.  Maybe not for an audiophile, but I've learned that I'm a pretty big basshead.  Not in a crappy, distorted way, but the more the better, as long as there isn't distortion and I can still enjoy the rest of the music, too.  So is it safe to say that these wouldn't fit that description, even with eq/bass boosting?
 
Quote:

I´ve got HD 25C-II (coiled cable), 70 Ohms too, and no problem to drive them with MP3player, but of course, like EVERY ´phones-will sonds better with proper source. But like I said-no problem unamped, I am using them as my portable and home too, and again: NO PROBLEM.
 

 

[bigdaddyp16]

Yeah, I tried the Solo HD's and they were a joke.  But I later learned that since my player wasn't controltalk compatible, there's a flaw where the sound isn't output correctly unless you hold in the button or use a different cable/reverse the cable.  Really weird.  But I LOVED everything about them, other than the most important aspect:  sound.  So I'll probably have to try them out again....both the regular and the HD's.  I'm guessing they won't sound good enough for the price, though. 
 
As for on-ear, I would just prefer to avoid IEM's going inside my ear if I could, and I think on-ears have advantages over over-ears.  They're smaller/lighter/more portable.  They "bother" a smaller area of your head, meaning instead of heating up and causing discomfort to ears and head, it's just the ears themselves.  I also wear glasses, so they seem to sometimes affect the seal of over-ears and can also cause more discomfort.  Also, generally, I'm guessing that smaller on-ears are easier to push than over-ears, which is important since I'm trying to get alot of bass and good sound from an unamped portable.  The only advantage I can think of for over-ears is simply a bigger selection.  So I'm temporarily content with my Golds, but eventually I'd like to find the perfect set of on-ears for me.  I'm confident that it will eventually happen thanks to this forum. 
 
I was super-close to pulling the trigger on the M50's, but I heard the Ultrasone 580's had more bass, so I tried them instead.  This was when I realized that full-size phones just weren't for me, so I returned them.  On a scale of 1-10, what would you rate the bass quantity/impact of the M50's vs the Solo's? 
 
I think that a rating of the level of the hard-hitting bass is probably the best place to start in narrowing down the options.  I'd greatly appreciate any help from anyone. 
Quote:

 
The Solos are horrible, Imo. They just are. Not hating on the brand either, as i think the Beats studio are quite good, though overpriced. The solos are just muddy mess to me. In any case, you can audition them in a lot of stores.

Question, is it being on-ear so important? There are plenty of around/ear options that aren't too huge and will come closer to achieving your criteria. The ATH M50 and Denon D1001 come to mind.
 

 

[bigdaddyp16]

Those look great except that they're full-size. 
 
My source is a Sony Walkman X.  It has a 5-band EQ and a Clear Bass booster.  I know they're capable of giving me the bass I want, because I had a pair of JBL Reference 410's which I loved, bass-wise.  The included 'phones also had a decent amount of bass quantity.  The Golds have less impact, but their sound and bass quality blows both of them out of the water, especially the 410's.  So basically I'm looking for common ground.  Sound quality/clarity somewhere between the Golds and the included MDR-NC020's, which are apparently great for being inclusions, and bass impact being as good as the 410's.  And I prefer on-ears, single-sided cable, right-angle adapter, and good isolation/low leakage.  On paper, the Solo's/Solo HD's look perfect for my specs.  But I'd still love to hear more options. 
Quote:

M-Audio Studiophile Q40
 
from joker's review:
 
The most striking aspect of the Q40s’ sound is the bass - specifically the depth, power, and texture of the low end, which are all superb. The Q40s can really go deep when the track calls for it and the sub-bass is felt as much as it is heard. For my tastes the boosted mid- and upper bass on the Q40s is excessive but the rest of the sound signature is rather neutral and monitor-like. They remind me of a far more refined JVC HA-M750 on both counts. The midrange is lush and full but seems to have a slight dip at the lower end. The treble is never harsh or sibilant and is rolled off slightly off at the very top. The soundstage is slightly below average in width and lacks depth, resulting in a rather intimate sound. Instrumental separation is good and the Q40s do a good job of relating detail. They are not very forgiving of poor source material and the 64-ohm impedance means that while the Q40s are perfectly capable performers when driven by a portable source, they do benefit from some additional juice, which opens them up and gives them some more speed and control in the lower and middle registers.
 
The M-Audio Studophile Q40 is a very solid headphone designed for studio use but also quite functional as a portable set. This full-size, collapsible headphone features a rock-solid build, decent isolation and comfort, and a bass-heavy sound signature with subdued treble. The rest of the signature is balanced and accurate, making the Q40 sound somewhat like a less aggressive and much more refined JVC HA-M750. For the bass lover looking for headphones in this price range these should be at the top of the list.
 
 
PS: What is your portable source? A clip+ is quite different from a sflo:2 in terms of output power. And does your portable have a decent EQ?

 

[bigdaddyp16]

hello!
Quote:

hi!

 

[bigdaddyp16]

I love everything I've heard about them, except the bass impact, which is one of the most important things I'm looking for. 
 
Quote:

The PX200 II sounds rather balanced if you ask me and when you need good bass and low end notes it is more than adequate in my experience. Bass is not emphasized but it is there when you need it. 

 

[8xOverMsOctober]

The AKG K450 might work for you. They are comfortable, have good sound stage for being closed, doesn't have harsh highs, have a single entry cable, and are easily driven by my Sansa c250 and Fuze (usually around 55-60% volume). They have more bass quantity/punch than my M50s.
 
They do sound veiled though. I ultimately don't consider it a bad thing because that's probably keeps them from being fatiguing during long sessions. And the cable leaves a little to be desired: it's thin (about the same thickness of any regular earbud/IEM) and seems a little wiry, and a little more like plastic than rubber.
 
They don't, however, have an L plug on them. The 2 cables that come with them and the 3.5mm to 2.5mm adapter are all straight plugs.
 
For what it's worth I do like how they sound. They can definitely be considered "fun" phones. The only downside with these - for me - is that it's hard for me to get a good fit (seal) with them about half of the time. But that could be because of the anatomy of my ears. The pads are really super comfy though!

 

[Sambones]

Sennheiser quotes a 120 db response for the HD 25 1-II, and that's plenty sensitive. The only set that I know of with a higher sensitivty would be the AKG K27i (which is strikingly similar to your JBL 410's)
 
And, as far as full-size headphones go, if they completely surround your ear, instead of sit on it, you'd be surprised at how comfortabel they can be. The Denon D1001/Creative Aurvana Live's are like that; they surround your ear, and can be worn for hours without fatigue. Unfortunately, they have a girly punch to the bass, though there is plenty of it.
 
Quote:

I´ve got HD 25C-II (coiled cable), 70 Ohms too, and no problem to drive them with MP3player, but of course, like EVERY ´phones-will sonds better with proper source. But like I said-no problem unamped, I am using them as my portable and home too, and again: NO PROBLEM.
 

 

[Deep Funk]

Quote:

I love everything I've heard about them, except the bass impact, which is one of the most important things I'm looking for. 

True, for the real 'bass slam' the PX200 II is not the best.