[macaroo]

First of all, I am not an audophile I barely know anything about headphones. Consider me a complete noob.
 
I recently bought a pair of DT770s 80ohm version through eBay because it was recommended for bassheads. It's was used but was said to have been lightly used. It looked fine to me and when I plugged it into my iPod nano I wasn't very impressed by the bass. My cheap Sony in-ear earphones seemed to have a better bass response. After doing some research I decided to buy an amp and went with the Cmoy BB amp. This definitely helped but I still wasn't impressed by the bass. My Sony earphones still fared better. Is the DT770 supposed to not be so boomy? Was I expecting too much because I compared them to Beats? I realize Beats use batteries for the bass response so I wasn't expecting anything close to that but not a bass response so low as this. Should I buy new ones instead?

 

[MalVeauX]

Heya,
 
I think you're just not accustomed to hearing tight controlled bass. You're used to boomy bass that is primarily in the mid frequencies that drowns out all other sound.
 
What music were you using to test this bass?
 
Very best,

 

[macaroo]

I used some dubstep and a little hip-hop. My in-ears shouldn't outdo the DT770's in bass though should they? I want boomy bass

 

[MalVeauX]

Quote:

I used some dubstep and a little hip-hop. My in-ears shouldn't outdo the DT770's in bass though should they?

Heya,
 
Can't say without knowing what they are. Typically no, some junk IEM's that come with players shouldn't come close to the quality. But I've had some $20 IEM's that did bass very well and made full size expensive headphones seem like they were unable to keep up. But after really comparing, I always found it was because it was the mid-low bass that was so boomy and loud that made it seem bassier. It wasn't until I did some tests on frequencies lower in the spectrum that I realized real quick what quality bass is and how a good headphone can do it, and a bad IEM can't. But it's easier for a junk IEM to produce bass since it's so isolated.
 
End of the day, if something doesn't sound good to you, that's just how it is. I'm confused that you think your junk IEM's do bass better than a full size closed headphone like the DT770. But if that's what you hear, then that's what you hear.
 
Very best,

 

[Graphicism]

Some in-ears are very bassy so it's impossible to say. If you're expecting the sort of ridiculous bass monotone bass the beats give out you should of bought a Sony XB or something more along those lines. The Beyer series are detail oriented so even the DT770s won't flood everything with bass. 80Ohm headphones aren't really meant to be used with portable players, and a cmoy is neither here nor there when it comes to amping. While I think they will improve with a better amp, untimely I think you have the wrong headphones for your taste.

 

[macaroo]

Yeah, appreciate the input. I just didn't know what to expect. Like I said, I really have no experience with headphones. Just wanted to stray away from the mainstream of Beats. I'll look into the XBs.

 

[Graphicism]

Here you go.

 

[Eric_C]

Just want to echo the sentiments by Malveaux and Graphicism: if the 770 aren't doing it for you, there isn't much reason to hold onto them. Also bear in mind that amps, by and large, do not "fix" headphones--they just offer a way to tap the potential already present in headphones.
 
Point to note: the battery inside the Beats is not for the bass, it's for noise cancellation.

 

[Gondee]

From what I have read, the Nano can't fully supply a 80Ohm headphone.
 
BTW, the batteries for the beats, as far as I know, are only used for the noise canceling. There is no built in amp.

 

[philcheon]

Just a couple quick comments.
 
I saw those particular Sony headphones at a Sony outlet not too long ago. They were selling a whole bunch of refurbs and the bass was pretty insane. The seal with those massive headphones delivered a great isolation, and the environment was pretty quiet without music. They seem to maintain a relatively high level of audio fidelity and aren't particularly bad at all (although the trebles are still rolled off a bit). I only wore them for a few minutes, and it was rather warm in the store (94 degrees F outside at 75% humidity, the store was obviously better but an A/C system just can't keep up) and I found my ears a bit dampened after I took them off. It's definitely not a summer headphone but I'm sure a climate controlled room or a light breeze will keep your ears dry.
 
Ever since I moved up from 20 dollar headphones to my current pair of AKG K240's, I've found the bass to be much cleaner. I don't get that boomy bass but it's still very much there, and the amount of detail rendered is very pleasing. I do like the bass of Beats but ultimately, they failed badly when I used them for electronic music since I could barely hear the highs.
 
There are plenty of other basshead headphones out there, and I'm sure you could find a pair that produce head-shattering bass that still doesn't turn your music into a buzzy mush. I think you may want to try out those Sony XB's. If you're still into the market of IEM's, you could try looking for different pairs, perhaps some Shure-brand models.
 
Also, to reinforce a previous statement, a good amp will enhance almost any headphone, and the DT770 probably can't reach anywhere near its full potential without a good handheld amp. I'm not sure a Cmoy BB can really deliver the kind of power for that.
 
Good luck.

 

[TMRaven]

iTunes Preview Fantasy by The XX or Limit to your Love by James Blake.  See how the DT770s fare in the area of 40-60hz compared to whatever else.

 

[MusicTurtle]

The 770's 80 ohm straight out of an ipod sound at about 60%. I've owned them for quite awhile and you get more bass impact with an amp it doesn't have to be pricey a Fiio E11 or a PA2v2 or a JDS labs cmoyBB will go quite a long way.  On top of that make sure to buy an Ipod LOD cable to get the most out of your current set up.  A Beyer straight out of an ipod is underpowered resulting in less than optimal performance.
 
 

 

[macaroo]

Quote:

iTunes Preview Fantasy by The XX or Limit to your Love by James Blake.  See how the DT770s fare in the area of 40-60hz compared to whatever else.

Listened to Fantasy by The XX. I hear little crackles in my headphones when my volume on my laptop is at about 80% and the Cmoy is set at about 70%-80%. This can't be good? Otherwise it does definitely sound better.

 

[TMRaven]

Sounds like you either have an improperly set EQ, or either of those amps/dacs are struggling to play the lowest frequencies.  That can definitely impact bass performance.  70-80% is usually the percentage when cheaper amps start clipping.

 

[yashu]

Beyers, well used Beyers, this is a bit gross, but there is a very good chance, if they were used a moderate amount, even if they appear well taken care of, that there is hair all over... and poking into/at the driver inside the headphone's earcups. The hair pokes through the black foam into the cups, and it gets stuck in there. It doesn't help that the surface of a Beyer driver is kindof sticky.
 
I had a used set of DT990 pros (same construction as far as hair would be concerned) have this, they looked fine, but there was so much hair on the drivers, they were a write off. I tried to use tweezers to get it out, but there was so much hair, and so much was embedded in the driver membrane, that the drivers were destroyed. They made a crackling sound with higher levels of bass. It certainly wan't a lack of amp power. (I was using a Grace 901 ref. amp)
 
I could be wrong, in fact, I want to be wrong. It's gross... but also likely depending on how used they are, and the owner's hair type/length.
 
On another note, the Sony XB series has two very decent headphones: the XB700 and XB1000. These are basshead cans with the finesse to handle the rest of the audio band with proper respect. I *really* like the XB700, and I would place it as a better sounding headpone than the DT770pro/80 in many ways. It is a bit warmer, which can be good or bad, but it doesn't have the resonance and damping issues the 770pros have. The XB series does sound better on lower power systems than the Beyers. Some say the XB1000 is an improvement on the 700 all the way around, but the 700, to me, is where it's at. It's also at a good price point.
 
The XB500 is popular too, and some will say they like it more. Generally, it is more difficult to get more than just massive bass out of the XB500. It seems to take a knowledge of EQ to bring out some of the qualities the 700 and 1000 already have, and since EQ can degrade the signal quality, the best that can be done is still at a loss. Unless the 700 is too expensive, there is very little reason to consider the xb500 IMO.
 
Just be wary of how "lightly used" those DT770s are. People on ebay lie... constantly...
 
I mean, the 770pro is no slouch when it comes to bass, it is just a bit boomy, and doesn't have the control that other headphones can have when it comes to the low notes. I agree that you would see an improvement with a better amp, but honestly, I think the Cmoy could drive the 770pros well enough. I use them sometimes with an extremely low powered tube amp (it might even have less output than a cmoy), and unlike the DT880pros which sound like crap with such low power, the 770pro/80s have a decent full sound, and while I can't crank it up terribly loud, it doesn't sound bad. I get more than "one note bass" anyhow. It does take better associated equipment to get a wide "headstage" with the 770pros. The XB700s seem to be able to project sounds outward around the head a bit farther on less money, if this makes sense. Ultimately, the 770pro is going to be able to do this better, but it takes more expensive gear to do it. I was impressed with how open the XB headphones could be. You really don't expect them to sound all that good when you put eyes on their blister packaging with EXTRA BASS written all over it in the store.
 
Straight out of my Sansa, the XB700s win easily enough. Something to keep in mind if you just want to take a portable and a headphone and nothing else. XB series is really a good deal for budget minded bassheads, plus they have them at stores you can walk into, which can't be said of some of the other bass recommendations. The nature of the modern basshead leaves little room for the DT770pro/80, but it used to be a top recommendation in this regard.