[Damok]

Towards the end of last year I made my jump into starter gear, I purchased the Modi Multibit, Magni 3 and HD6XX. I absolutely love the setup for most music I listen too. However I dont get the bass punch that I would like from hip-hop/rap/techno music. I am looking for something over the ear in the $150-200ish range that would deliver some real bass when I want it.

I have a convenient little setup so that changing out headphones is simple and fast, I would still use the 6XX's as my daily drivers. Something to compliment them with a lot more bass, any help would be greatly appreciated.


EDIT: I bought the V-Moda M100's and the XL Pads, I am very happy with them and the XL Pads make a huge difference with comfort. Thank you to everyone for the various recommendations.

 

[BrokenTangent]

Vmoda makes very good Bass-Forward cans. M100's are known for that in particular, but they also have Wireless versions that have the option of being wired as well.

 

[pr0ggy]

I have a pair of Beyerdynamic DT770's (Pro 80ohm version) and can vouch for their low-end abilities. Very spacious-sounding for a closed can as well, definitely does not sound congested even with the solid bass response. Would highly recommend for anyone looking in the $100-200 range.

 

[Damok]

Vmoda makes very good Bass-Forward cans. M100's are known for that in particular, but they also have Wireless versions that have the option of being wired as well.

I have looked into the M100's and while I hear they have great bass, people have talked about how they seem to become very uncomfortable after an hour or so of use.

I have a pair of Beyerdynamic DT770's (Pro 80ohm version) and can vouch for their low-end abilities. Very spacious-sounding for a closed can as well, definitely does not sound congested even with the solid bass response. Would highly recommend for anyone looking in the $100-200 range.

I have been looking at these for a long time now, I tried on a demo pair at a local guitar center... I dont know what source they had them hooked into but they had almost no bass which was very surprising from everything I have read here. It could have just been whatever they had them plugged into and the not so great music choice.

 

[pr0ggy]

I dont know what source they had them hooked into but they had almost no bass which was very surprising from everything I have read here.

I can assure you, there was an issue with their source/cables...

 

[PurpleAngel]

Towards the end of last year I made my jump into starter gear, I purchased the Modi Multibit, Magni 3 and HD6XX. I absolutely love the setup for most music I listen too. However I dont get the bass punch that I would like from hip-hop/rap/techno music. I am looking for something over the ear in the $150-200ish range that would deliver some real bass when I want it.

I have a convenient little setup so that changing out headphones is simple and fast, I would still use the 6XX's as my daily drivers. Something to compliment them with a lot more bass, any help would be greatly appreciated.

I wonder if an OTL tube headphone amplifier, would improve the HD6XX?

 

[Nintendam]

I have looked into the M100's and while I hear they have great bass, people have talked about how they seem to become very uncomfortable after an hour or so of use.

Look into the XL pads! The m100s are super comfortable, some of the most comfortable over the ears I've owned.

I mean the 6xx comfort wise is heaven, but the m100 with the XL pads are brilliant, I listen to them all day at work with no fatigue.

 

[Cruelhand Luke]

I'm going to throw out a surprising option here: the Monoprice Monolith M565. My go to recommendation for a fun bassy headphone for hip hop/edm is usually the Modhouse Argon, but I recently picked up a set of M565 and with some simple mods they are really good sounding, with bass that is as deep as the Argon, but more detailed and accurate. They can be had open box for $150...and if you time it right they go on sale for even less sometimes.

 

[PurpleAngel]

Soundmagic HP151 closed headphones.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Towards the end of last year I made my jump into starter gear, I purchased the Modi Multibit, Magni 3 and HD6XX. I absolutely love the setup for most music I listen too. However I dont get the bass punch that I would like from hip-hop/rap/techno music. I am looking for something over the ear in the $150-200ish range that would deliver some real bass when I want it.

I have a convenient little setup so that changing out headphones is simple and fast, I would still use the 6XX's as my daily drivers. Something to compliment them with a lot more bass, any help would be greatly appreciated.

Free solution for Windows source:
1. Download Equalizer APO
2. Input this:
20hz = +4dB
35hz = +4dB
45hz = +4dB
60hz = +3dB
75hz = +3dB
90hz = +2dB
120hz = +2dB
150hz = +2dB

2. Cheap solution: Superlux HD660 plus leather pads designed for Beyerdynamic DT770. Implementing +#1 optional.

 

[Damok]

I wonder if an OTL tube headphone amplifier, would improve the HD6XX?

I was looking at the Darkvoice 336se, I have been interested in trying out a tube amp. Would that really give the bass a decent boost?

Look into the XL pads! The m100s are super comfortable, some of the most comfortable over the ears I've owned.

I mean the 6xx comfort wise is heaven, but the m100 with the XL pads are brilliant, I listen to them all day at work with no fatigue.

I will defiantly be looking into those when I get home today.

I'm going to throw out a surprising option here: the Monoprice Monolith M565. My go to recommendation for a fun bassy headphone for hip hop/edm is usually the Modhouse Argon, but I recently picked up a set of M565 and with some simple mods they are really good sounding, with bass that is as deep as the Argon, but more detailed and accurate. They can be had open box for $150...and if you time it right they go on sale for even less sometimes.

I did look at the Argon's but my understanding is that I cant just buy them, I would need to get a pair of Massdrop TX0-RP and then mail them in to have them modded? As far as the Monolith M565 with simple mods, how simple are we talking? I am still very new to good audio and not sure I would take a risk modding headphones if it involved soldering.

Soundmagic HP151 closed headphones.

I will have to look into these, thank you for the recommendation.

Free solution for Windows source:
1. Download Equalizer APO
2. Input this:
20hz = +4dB
35hz = +4dB
45hz = +4dB
60hz = +3dB
75hz = +3dB
90hz = +2dB
120hz = +2dB
150hz = +2dB

2. Cheap solution: Superlux HD660 plus leather pads designed for Beyerdynamic DT770. Implementing +#1 optional.

I have tried EQ'ing them from an older Reddit post and it sounded really weird, I will give your setup a try though. Again I am still very new to all of this but will changing the ear pads to leather make that much of a difference? The pads are $9... I dont understand how those would make a significant difference, I understand the concept of a better seal around the ear. I do like the bass in the HD6XX's it's not like they are totally lacking, I am just looking for something a heavier on the bass for specific types of music.

 

[Cruelhand Luke]

I just checked the website and it looks like you can just order an Argon (for a while there the only option was mailing them a set of Fostex cans) so that is an option
https://www.modhouseaudio.com/argon-mk3/zimu3wz0oyxlavnprki2jovso6c31v
As far as the M565 the mods are beginner friendly. You peel back some velcro tape and unscrew 4 screws, that's all the technical skills it takes.
It's actually a good headphone to start modding because it's easy to do, and as long as you just go slow and be careful you can't really mess things up and you get noticeable results. (nothing worse than doing a mod and then listenign to the headphones and going "I think it sounds better")
here's the M565 mods thread:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/monolith-m565-mods.899477/

 

[Cruelhand Luke]

"Again I am still very new to all of this but will changing the ear pads to leather make that much of a difference?"
I forgot to address this in my last comment. I don't have the HD6xx so I can't speak to that headphone specifically, but I can say from my experience, that changing pads can often make the most dramatic change to a headphones sound. Aside from radical changes like swapping drivers or changing the cups from open to closed and vice versa, the single mod you can do that changes the sound the most on your headphones is changing the pads.
It seems counter intuitive, I mean, it's just the pads, right? But the depth of the pad, the material and the shape all have major effects on the sound.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

I was looking at the Darkvoice 336se, I have been interested in trying out a tube amp. Would that really give the bass a decent boost?

There's a review somewhere online that confirms that on high impedance headphones it rolls off the top end (by my ear though not as badly as the Little Dot MkII) and has a more solid "thump" to the bass without the lingering tail end on the notes (that the LD MkII had). So it does a little bit at both ends, ie, it boosts a little bit down low then rolls off the top so you get less (if not the exact opposite of) auditory masking.

I have tried EQ'ing them from an older Reddit post and it sounded really weird, I will give your setup a try though.

What app and what settings (center freq, gain, curve type, etc) did you use?

If you have an Android that can output via USB OTG to your DAC try this on Neutron Music Player:

Band 1
Curve Type : Low Shelf
Center Freq : 45hz
Q Factor : 1.0
Gain : +4dB

Band 2
Curve Type : Peak
Center Freq : 3500hz
Q Factor : 1.4
Gain : -2dB

Band 3
Curve Type : Peak
Center Freq : 8500hz
Q Factor : 1.4
Gain : -2dB

Again I am still very new to all of this but will changing the ear pads to leather make that much of a difference? The pads are $9... I dont understand how those would make a significant difference, I understand the concept of a better seal around the ear.

Denser pads and preferably wrapped in leather reduces how the soundwaves will dissipate as they emanate from the driver, so you get more of what's coming from it, and usually affects the bass frequencies more than the rest of the range. It's kind of like how some acoustic treatments to a room just absorbs certain frequencies depending on what problem you're having.

Wearing the headphones tighter also helps. I'm using the Brainwavz HM5 angled velour and it distances the drivers from the ears, so while the density helps the very low end, it doesn't do as much as the regular pads wrapped in leather.

You can simulate the regular size pads with leather by pushing the earcups against your face, just don't use your palm to block the rear of the driver and use fingers around the grill.

I do like the bass in the HD6XX's it's not like they are totally lacking, I am just looking for something a heavier on the bass for specific types of music.

You can try the EQ first and just activate the profile when you listen to that music.

That said those EQ profiles won't even reach half of what the Superlux HD660 will deliver; with that one though you just have to cut treble peaks.

 

[gazzington]

Look into the XL pads! The m100s are super comfortable, some of the most comfortable over the ears I've owned.

I mean the 6xx comfort wise is heaven, but the m100 with the XL pads are brilliant, I listen to them all day at work with no fatigue.

I use xl pads with them and they are comfortable now. Great bass too