[gone730]

Hello,
 
In my search for EarPod upgrades, I bought Sony MDRXB50AP Extra bass and Brainwavz S5. Both have been incredibly disappointing and I plan to return them. I use headphones on my iPhone 5s and Macbook. I thought they would have substantial bass but both pairs of headphones sounded tinny and underwhelming. The bass and overall sound on my EarPods was noticeably far better. So, what are some good upgrades from the EarPods? I plan on using the headphones in the gym, but not for running. I would like them to have powerful bass.
 
Thanks

 

[kjk1281]

Welcome to Head-Fi!

I find it curious that you thought the S5 lacked bass. Did you have any issues with the fit and did you try all the eartips? I actually found the Brainwavz to have a bit too much bass. Similarly, though I haven't tried that particular model, Sony's lower-end in-ears also should have ample bass, especially the XB range.

 

[billybob_jcv]

Lack of a good seal is the most common cause of poor bass in an IEM. Does the bass increases when you push and hold the IEMs in your ears?

 

[gone730]

Welcome to Head-Fi!

I find it curious that you thought the S5 lacked bass. Did you have any issues with the fit and did you try all the eartips? I actually found the Brainwavz to have a bit too much bass. Similarly, though I haven't tried that particular model, Sony's lower-end in-ears also should have ample bass, especially the XB range.

Thanks! No they fit fine. I did not try all the tips because they are sealed in their own packaging. Maybe I'm just underwhelmed because I expected crazy bass, but instead it sounds slightly less than the EarPods bass level. So no the S5's aren't terrible, I just wouldn't justify spending $100 on them because they provide no noticeable upgrade. 

 

[gone730]

The bass does sound better when I push the S5's further in, but the Sonys sound bassier

 

[40lb]

If you are looking for headphones with crazy bass, I would look at the JVC XX series. The In-Ear monitors can be a little big for some but they might have the bass you are looking for. I used them when I want powerful bass and I primarily used them when I went to the gym or long walks. The best part is the run pretty cheap, most expensive IEM being $40USD if I'm correct.

 

[gone730]

  If you are looking for headphones with crazy bass, I would look at the JVC XX series. The In-Ear monitors can be a little big for some but they might have the bass you are looking for. I used them when I want powerful bass and I primarily used them when I went to the gym or long walks. The best part is the run pretty cheap, most expensive IEM being $40USD if I'm correct.

Cool. I feel like the HA-FR301 will sound the same as the Sonys I have though and it looks like the Sonys have a 12mm driver while the JVCs have a 10mm. However, I don't know if that really matters does it?
 
How do these new Yamaha EPH-M100 look? They have a 15mm driver but I can't really find many reviews on them aside from a few amazon ones

 

[40lb]

Being somewhat new to these myself I just don't know. The best thing to do would be to try them, the HA-Fr301 is only $40 so your wallet won't hurt if you don't like them. I paid for the JVC ha-fx1x some years ago about $25 and they too have 10mm drivers. I find the bass to be very powerful on them and I haven't used the Sony MDRXB50AP to do a comparison.
 
Here is a thread on the Yamaha EPH-M100
http://www.head-fi.org/t/740456/yamaha-eph-m200-and-eph-m100-eph-100-successor

 

[billybob_jcv]

FYI: The size of the driver in an IEM is not really a good indication of bass response. There's much more to it than that. An IEM is not a subwoofer.

 

[gone730]

Good to know billybob_jcv. I received my JVC HA-FR301 headphones today and at $33 they have the best price-performance ratio of the three I have tried. They also are the most comfortable, create the best seal, and are the lightest. Although they sound great overall, the bass still isn't as strong as I'd like. The last headphone I will try is the HiSoundAudio Wooduo2 because they are supposed to have amazing bass.