Looking to upgrade from the AT M50's. Did not like the V Moda M100 Crossfade, but want something that can use the BoomPro Mic.
Oct 17, 2016 at 9:50 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 2

shadax

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I really like the AudioTechnica ATH-M50's..  I've only ever had headphones under 40 bucks, so when I made the jump to the M50s (some years ago now) I was amazed at the details in even my favorite songs I had never heard before.
 
What has changed is that I got back into gaming.  It appears gaming headsets are overpriced and that a better bang from my buck will be achieved by buying a high-end set of headphones that have an attachable mic.
 
After some research, I decided on the V-Moda Crossfade M100 set.  Strangely, I am highly disappointed in the sound.  It seems the bass is overkill, or for whatever reason it just doesn't sound as clear as I had hope and left me unfulfilled.  I even got the XL pads and Fiio E10K amp but I am still dissatisfied.
 
I am going to return the headphones and pads and replace them with something that can hopefully use the mic.
 
After more research, it seems the M50x's offer similar sound (as the M50) with the detachable cable, but I don't think are compatible with the V Moda BoomPro Mic.  During this additional research, I've discovered the M40x's, though cheaper in price, are actually better in that they achieve producing a more natural sound.  The hard part for me is that I'm now discovering just how subjective sound quality is.
 
If it helps, I like to listen to melodic metal, psychedelic/electronic and hip hop.  I want to have *some* accentuated bass, but I need it to not drown out the little details and crisp harmonics that bring me the most joy when I listen to music. I need it to be clear and what I may be looking for is a bigger soundstage?  Still trying to understand these terms, it's just difficult when I can only read about them and not actually hear it from the hardware.
 
In short:
 
Budget ~$200
Needs compatibility with a good, clear mic (preferably don't want a clip on, anything to reduce cables)
I like clear, natural sound but also offer some good bass/treble.  Something similar to what the M50s offer.
 
Some other considerations, I come across these often with my search terms:
 
Sennheiser HD 598
Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO
 
Though I am unsure if these will sound the way I want them to.  The V Moda Crossfade M100s also came up with these two though.  
 
Bottomline, I need sound over convenience. So If I'm limited to some sort of mic that won't plug directly into the headset, so be it.  I think Antlion Audio ModMic is an alternative to the V Moda BoomPro Mic, but it's going to have it's own cable and attaches like a magnet.
 
Any help is greatly, greatly appreciated.
 
Oct 18, 2016 at 12:13 AM Post #2 of 2
I got to try the hd598 for a few days and I have to say I was impressed with the sense of immersion I was getting when I played games. Sound stage was something new to me as i had never gotten the chance to try open back headphones before, but overall for games they were great. I didn't test them for music as well as I would have liked to, but what I did hear was good. It lacked a bit of sub-bass extension, but I expected that, and it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be. Overall I can say I would definitely recommend them.
 

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