Help a noob? AD700 Upgrade?

[HeadphoneNoob1]

Hey guys a few years ago I bought into the hype around the Beats and bought a pair of studios. I used them for about a year until a friend was like listen to my way cheaper ATM50s and I realized what I had done LOL!
 
Anyways I purchased some AD700s as my first entry level cans and have loved them to death! That being said I just cant get past wanting some more bass response out of them. I listen to Rock, Pop, 80s , Trance. From ELO to Chromeo to Boston. The AD700s blow me away when playing some Sade but stuff that needs more bottom end kinda leaves me wanting. 
 
I usually use my Titanium HD sound card to listen to music but I will use my Ipod sometimes to drive them. FLAC or 320KBs MP3s.
 
I guess I just need to know if I am better off getting an Amp? Or a new set of cans to get more bottom end drive. I would probably want to stay around $350 USD
 
I keep reading rave reviews on the M50s and have always like ATs products but am not opposed to some other brands.
 
Any help would be great!

 

[PurpleAngel]

Quote:

Hey guys a few years ago I bought into the hype around the Beats and bought a pair of studios. I used them for about a year until a friend was like listen to my way cheaper ATM50s and I realized what I had done LOL!
Anyways I purchased some AD700s as my first entry level cans and have loved them to death! That being said I just cant get past wanting some more bass response out of them. I listen to Rock, Pop, 80s , Trance. From ELO to Chromeo to Boston. The AD700s blow me away when playing some Sade but stuff that needs more bottom end kinda leaves me wanting. 
I usually use my Titanium HD sound card to listen to music but I will use my IPod sometimes to drive them. FLAC or 320KBs MP3s.
I guess I just need to know if I am better off getting an Amp? Or a new set of cans to get more bottom end drive. I would probably want to stay around $350 USD
I keep reading rave reviews on the M50s and have always like ATs products but am not opposed to some other brands.

Apple products come with decent audio support.
Technical the TiHD (Titanium HD) is fairly decent at driving headphones.
but the TiHD's headphone jack has a high impedance, 35-Ohm,
High impedance is a minor negative for low Ohm headphones.
But otherwise the TiHD comes with a good DAC and audio quality in general.
 
A low cost option is getting something like the Fiio E11 ($65) portable headphone amplifier.
Which can work with both the iPod and the Titanium HD's RCA jack.
For around $15, you can get two spare batteries (BL-5B) and a simple AC battery charger, so you can recharge one of the spare batteries while using the E11.
The E11 comes with a very low impedance, like under 1-Ohm.
 
The O2 (Objective 2, $155)) is a portable headphone amplifier that also functions well as a desktop amplifier.
Which also comes with a very low impedance.
 
Headphone wise you can get a used Sennheiser HD558 for around $100 off Amazon.
The Senn HD558 should work decently well with the IPod & TiHD even without the add-on headphone amplifier.

 

[HeadphoneNoob1]

So if I go for a nice amp I should get more out of the AD700s? Or should I just dump them? I just really want a good setup I guess. I dont want to come back in a year and be like something is lacking.

 

[PurpleAngel]

Quote:

So if I go for a nice amp I should get more out of the AD700s? Or should I just dump them? I just really want a good setup I guess. I don't want to come back in a year and be like something is lacking.

The ATH-AD700 has some great positives, bass is not one of them, and an amplifier will not change that.
Technically the iPod provides more then enough voltage to drive the 32-Ohm ATH-AD700.
The Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro 80-ohm will give you "full" bass.
Should work decently plugged straight into the iPod and TiHD.
Might sound even better with an add-on headphone amplifier.

 

[Katun]

First, I just thought I'd point out. You'll be back soon enough, whether you get your dream setup or not. Once the curse is upon you...
 
Anyway, I absolutely DO NOT recommend wasting money on an amp for the AD700. In my personal opinion, from where you're standing, I would bag the idea of an amp all together. I think you'd be better off putting that money toward a more expensive headphone, or simply saving it. Unless you do lots of computer listening and need some sort of amp/dac combo, I wouldn't suggest getting one. Even then, you could get by with something as simple as an E10.
 
Why not just get the M50 if you liked them so much? AD700 won't ever equal that amount. Assuming you EQ'ed every ounce of life out of it, you'd just end up with a nice jumble of distorted flabbiness.

 

[HeadphoneNoob1]

Alright. I just don't want to lose the crispness the AD700s have would love a set of cans that have the clarity they have just with some bottom end if that makes sense. Unfortunately there is really no good place around me to go test headphones out so I kinda have to buy sight unseen. Is there any thing in ATs line that is decent for my needs or am I better of going like Ultrasone Beyer etc?
 
I listened to the M50s awhile back and my friend doesn't have them anymore. I just kinda look at it like going from $100 AD700s to $130 M50s doesn't seem like I will be getting that big of a jump in quality.
 
To be frank I have never had a $300+ set of cans on my head (other than my beats

) to realize what I am missing if anything. That is why I am here asking you guys.
 
Thanks for all the help so far!

 

[Katun]

If you really liked the sound of the AD700, the AD900 is always an upgrade option. Unfortunately, the bass in that model isn't improved too substantially.
 
I think Beyer might actually be your best bet. Regarding the DT880, it definitely has the AD700 beat in crispness, clarity, and detail, while actually having a low end body.
 
BUT, if you really need the bass to be there, the DT880 probably won't do it for you. Perhaps the D2000 or a model from Ultrasone (I've only heard the Pro 900).

 

[MomijiTMO]

Hmm I'd just get a new pair of easy to drive headphones. The AD900 vs AD700 is different to what you might expect. I did not hear more bass, in fact the quantity of bass decreased to me. It was tighter and more accurate on the AD900 though. The same thing happens with the AD1000 except I prefer the AD900 over it (if taking about bass notes). YMMV

Maybe try some closed phones that have more a bass tilted frequency response? It's very hard to beat the AD700 unless you want to fork out a lot of money for a dedicated rig. Maybe try something like the Denon D2000 and the likes. It would sound very different to the AD700. There are a lot of other options out there, the D2000 is merely one suggestion.

 

[PurpleAngel]

Quote:

Alright. I just don't want to lose the crispness the AD700s have would love a set of cans that have the clarity they have just with some bottom end if that makes sense. Unfortunately there is really no good place around me to go test headphones out so I kinda have to buy sight unseen. Is there any thing in ATs line that is decent for my needs or am I better of going like Ultrasone Beyer etc?
 
I listened to the M50s awhile back and my friend doesn't have them anymore. I just kinda look at it like going from $100 AD700s to $130 M50s doesn't seem like I will be getting that big of a jump in quality.
 
Thanks for all the help so far!

Audio Technica ATH-A900 (35-Ohm) or ATH-A900X (42-Ohm).
 
The TiHD's headphone jack has an impedance of 35-Ohms
It's preferred to have a headphone jack with an impedance (Ohm rating) that is at least 8 times less then the headphone Ohms.
So for 42-Ohm headphones, you would prefer to have a device with a headphone jack with an impedance of 5.25-Ohms or less.

 

[HeadphoneNoob1]

Alrighty will look into the DT880 and D2000. I am one of those terrible people that has to research all my purchases haha. Are open backed my best bet? I only got these AD700s because I wanted the wide sound stage for gaming etc. In music it rocks aswell but I am not really a partial to closed or open backed phones. I dont have enough experience to be that good haha.

 

[MomijiTMO]

I prefer to research rather than to rage later at my crappy purchase .

In relation to the DT880, you will need an amp without question. So maybe hold off on it for now? You can always go for the full blown desktop rig (something from Schiit? Bifrost + Asgard @ ~500USD) later on.

The D2000 isn't really closed. They are a loose fit and leak sound. I actually bought them again because they make great gaming headphones. The sound stage is quite wide but not at AD700 levels. You have been slightly spoilt by the AD700 as it sounds unnaturally wide to me now.

I don't think you can make a super bad choice. Keep researching. If in doubt, get the AD900. It is an improvement over the AD700 to me. Much flatter response BUT it doesn't have as much resonance so those boomy dubstep tracks sound... not very good.

 

[Katun]

Quote:

Alrighty will look into the DT880 and D2000. I am one of those terrible people that has to research all my purchases haha. Are open backed my best bet? I only got these AD700s because I wanted the wide sound stage for gaming etc. In music it rocks aswell but I am not really a partial to closed or open backed phones. I dont have enough experience to be that good haha.

 
Don't worry, we've all researched to a point. That's what Head-Fi is for. Unless you have one of those rare money trees I can never seem to get growing...
 
I'll answer your question in the post below.
 
Quote:

Maybe try some closed phones that have more a bass tilted frequency response? It's very hard to beat the AD700 unless you want to fork out a lot of money for a dedicated rig. Maybe try something like the Denon D2000 and the likes. It would sound very different to the AD700. There are a lot of other options out there, the D2000 is merely one suggestion.

 
I agree. Closed headphones are much harder to like, IMO. You'll get better sound and more bang for your buck in an open headphone. But if you want bass, closed is the best route to take.
 
I don't find the AD700 to hard too beat though. Love the AD900, but not the AD700. I find it too colored and has many frequency holes. So perhaps something as simple as the M50 would be a good choice for now.

 

[MomijiTMO]

Don't worry, we've all researched to a point. That's what Head-Fi is for. Unless you have one of those rare money trees I can never seem to get growing...

Or you can find a 009 for $10 at an estate auction...

Assuming that actually happened.

 

[HeadphoneNoob1]

So with the impedance the Ti HD is pretty high. So any high impedance headphone with it will have to be driven. I used to install Subs for car audio Focal etc. Had no idea headphones were that high haha.
 
The thing with the AD700s is some bass on songs is tight and controlled and plenty then other songs its like gone. So weird. Maybe its the Freq holes you mentioned.

 

[PurpleAngel]

Quote:

So with the impedance the Ti HD is pretty high. So any high impedance headphone with it will have to be driven. I used to install Subs for car audio Focal etc. Had no idea headphones were that high haha.
 
The thing with the AD700s is some bass on songs is tight and controlled and plenty then other songs its like gone. So weird. Maybe its the Freq holes you mentioned.

I stopped using my ATH-AD700 a year ago because of the light bass, but you can always just have two headphones.
Audio Technica ATH-M50's seem to be like for music, but mid range and sound stage seem to be their weakness.
 
People use 250-Ohm headphones on the TiHD just fine, but the iPod might(?) have problem driving 250-Ohm headphones.
Beyerdynamic DT990 Pro 250-Ohm headphones are full bass & full treble, nice sound stage, $160-$180.