[HiCZoK]

Hey everyone,
I just sold my Brainwavz HM5 because I almost never used it since I got porta pro few months back. HM5 was was clamping too much, was making my head hurt and was just very hot and sweaty. The sound was nicely detailed but it lacked bass or almost any reasonable musicality and oomph to it. No enjoyment from games and movies.
 
Then I got porta pro and wow! For less than half the price of hm5, I got something thats super comfortable, sounds fantastic with bassy sound which surprised me for it's size. The only gripe with it, is medicore build quality and cheap foam but I don't have problem with it. At least it feels like something to daily use and not to praise on the stand.
 
Now, I had many headphones before hm5 and portapro. Like CAL!, superluxes and few others but now I think I don't ever want to use around ear heavy design ever anymore. Those little on ear headphones are super light and You forget about them on Your head. I always disgarded them at first look because I thought they sound like they look but they can pack a punch!
 
 
So, should I just stay with my porta pro or look at something else (below 100$)?
I like punchy bassy sound which grants enjoyment with electronic music(both chiptune and some dubstep), games and movies?
What is the improvement over koss porta pro? All I could think of, is that I would like a bit more isolation from outside but thats not a priority.
 
share Your opinions!

 

[audiojun]

The koss ksc75 and portapros for headphones under the $200 price bracket it sure makes those headphones a run for the money.

 

[HiCZoK]

Thats what I've heard too and kinda can confirm by selling hm5 and keeping portapro.
 
KSC75 is very well regarded too as more balanced than portapro. But I like the bass, so portapro it is for me

 

[Darien]

Damn dude I am sad to see you say the hm5s were so uncomfortable i always heard that they were super comfortable and awesome
 
have you tried the NVX XPT100? they are also a fischer clone like the hm5s but I hear the nvx version is like the most comfortable headphone ever and sounds good too. 

 

[HiCZoK]

You are probably right. I've heard that NVX's have less clamp force.
 
I love HM5 at first with hope that they will loosen after some time but nope. They were super tight and heavy that after couple of minutes I started to feel blood pressure and started to sweat. And forget about using them during summer at all.
 
The sound detail and opennes are fantastic but for me they just had not enough bass.
And the quality of hm5 is uncompromised. Fanastic plastics and best cables I've ever used but still... I couldn't wear it or liked too neutral sound so they had to go.

 

[Darien]

  You are probably right. I've heard that NVX's have less clamp force.
 
I love HM5 at first with hope that they will loosen after some time but nope. They were super tight and heavy that after couple of minutes I started to feel blood pressure and started to sweat. And forget about using them during summer at all.
 
The sound detail and opennes are fantastic but for me they just had not enough bass.
And the quality of hm5 is uncompromised. Fanastic plastics and best cables I've ever used but still... I couldn't wear it or liked too neutral sound so they had to go.

oh right on, maybe you should see if u can test a pair of nvx, cus the nvx is light as a cloud in comparison cus less metal, and less clamp force - should be a lot better! and they also have that neutral with a slight bit of warmth that fills your ears with honey. 

 

[Darien]

here is Z's review of the nvx  
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2G9qk7IOEA

 

[serman005]

You might check out SoundMAGIC P21. It's a portable that's very sensibly priced and has very good sound quality. Something to consider as an adjunct to the PortaPro.

 

[HiCZoK]

  You might check out SoundMAGIC P21. It's a portable that's very sensibly priced and has very good sound quality. Something to consider as an adjunct to the PortaPro.

It looks interesting for sure!
But I dont dig red accents (not that it matters at all)

 

[HiCZoK]

  oh right on, maybe you should see if u can test a pair of nvx, cus the nvx is light as a cloud in comparison cus less metal, and less clamp force - should be a lot better! and they also have that neutral with a slight bit of warmth that fills your ears with honey. 

Nope. That Boat has sailed away. No more Brainwavz and it's lookalikes for me

 

[Darien]

  Nope. That Boat has sailed away. No more Brainwavz and it's lookalikes for me

right on i feel ya - tbh i do feel like the xpt100 is a little on the sharp side, and im very sensitive to sharpness which is why tbh atm the takstar pro 80s/hyperx cloud are my favorite closed cans under 200$ which is the most i'm willing to spend for closed cans. i know there may be "better" options like the AT msr7 for a little over 200, but its too sharp imo and i can't enjoy it at all. 
 
i would highly recommend takstar pro 80 which has been rebranded as gemini hsr-1000 but imo the best and cheapest atm is the hyper x cloud (all same headphones but the hyperx cloud has a removable mic if you want it and has a pretty cool paint job! they got a nice sound to them and are EXTREMELY comfortable. atm the takstar pro 80 is 95 on amazon, the gemini is 110 but the hyperx cloud is onyl 77$.  
 
 
 
also, 53mm neodymium drivers 
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msQPHxTUgzI

 

[HiCZoK]

Yep. Hyperx cloud is on my radar to try for sure!
I even kept one pair of brainwavz cushions for a case i get back to big headphones one day.
 
But now I am interested in both closed and open light on ear design.
For example, Koss sp330 is great as I've tried it in the shop. But it's price leaves something to be desired for how dangerously the headband bends.
I've tried skullcandy navigator but headband was too small for me.
I've also tried PX100 II. no, these were super nice and bassy but the fit wasn't the best and I just don't like something about sennheiser.
 
 
Next on the list is skullcandy grind. They look super comfortable. Memory foam on the ear. And they probably deliver with bass.
Sound Blaster JAM also got good review by mad lust but I am yet to try it. But I think it would be better to get something with form factor of sp330 or Grind so it isolates some of outside noise. not sure. I just love memory foam

 

[amigomatt]

I love the KSC75 and PortPros, but I found the perfect match by swapping the drivers out inot each other's frames.  The clamp of the PortaPro frame gives the extra bass the KSC75 drivers need and the somewhat bloated bass is tamed and the whole sound becomes more neutral and open when the PortaPro drivers are worn in the KSC75 clips!  To my ears, they are definitely better that way round.  Have a go and see what you think...

 

[Darien]

  Yep. Hyperx cloud is on my radar to try for sure!
I even kept one pair of brainwavz cushions for a case i get back to big headphones one day.
 
But now I am interested in both closed and open light on ear design.
For example, Koss sp330 is great as I've tried it in the shop. But it's price leaves something to be desired for how dangerously the headband bends.
I've tried skullcandy navigator but headband was too small for me.
I've also tried PX100 II. no, these were super nice and bassy but the fit wasn't the best and I just don't like something about sennheiser.
 
 
Next on the list is skullcandy grind. They look super comfortable. Memory foam on the ear. And they probably deliver with bass.
Sound Blaster JAM also got good review by mad lust but I am yet to try it. But I think it would be better to get something with form factor of sp330 or Grind so it isolates some of outside noise. not sure. I just love memory foam

cool, honestly i have had pretty bad luck with skull candy but it sounds to me like you want a comfortable set of closed cans that have good bass - that is 100% what the tascam pro 80s are - they have a nice bit of bass and the mids and highs are good too. they are basically what you would expect 300$ beats to sound like but infintely better with better build quality and astronomical comfort. like seriously i think the tascam pro 80 is one of the most comfortable headphones of all time, even my open back sennheisers feel too clampy sometimes, but with takstar pro 80 its like everything is perfect. 
 
also might be worth looking on ebay for the geminis, because i do feel like they have a more "professional/audiophile" look to them rather than just HYPERX CLOUD GAMING YAAA!!
 
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.Xgemini+hsr+1000.TRS0&_nkw=gemini+hsr+1000&_sacat=0

 

[Darien]

though i think the hyperx cloud are the best value since they have a mic and the price is close to what they normally where, where as the gemini used to be like 50 bucks and now its like 100 everywhere....though i guess it depends on looks cus i feel the gemini looks nicer, but i do not like its coiled cable....THERES ALWAYS A CATCH!!!