[JeremyR]

  Which one has a higher value (performance/price) Alpha Dog or Mad Dog?

So subjective... the AD's are twice as expensive. Are they twice as good? What does "twice as good" mean in the terms of headphones?
 
If you want the best price/performance on the market, that would be the Monoprice 8323 for $20. They are outstanding at that price.
 
So now that we have established that anyone with headphones that cost more then $20, starts to care more about pure performance over value, it becomes up to you to decide when to stop.

 

[brother love]

To Michael Mercer- Positive Feedback:

Very concise, well written review of the Alpha Dogs. Kudos!

PS, I loved this description you gave for what Dan has accomplished with the Alpha Dogs:

"Somehow he's managed to pull the outside in, and the inside out of a closed-back headphone!"

Good stuff ... Mr. Speakers is a magic man.

 

[K-Otar]

  So subjective... the AD's are twice as expensive. Are they twice as good? What does "twice as good" mean in the terms of headphones?
 
If you want the best price/performance on the market, that would be the Monoprice 8323 for $20. They are outstanding at that price.
 
So now that we have established that anyone with headphones that cost more then $20, starts to care more about pure performance over value, it becomes up to you to decide when to stop.

 
For example to me the HE-500 is twice as good as HE-400 or the HD600 has a higher value than the HD650.

 

[JeremyR]

   
For example to me the HE-500 is twice as good as HE-400 or the HD600 has a higher value than the HD650.

 
And to others, that won't be the case. So no one is going to be able to know what "performance" means to you, so the value equation can not be calculated.
 
For example, if the number 1 most important performance metric to me was comfort, something with slightly more comfort might be worth 3x or 4x "performance" in that equation. The AD's might be a better value to me because they are more comfortable, and I weight that so high, that it makes the 2x cost still be a better value.
 
However to someone who could care less about comfort (or find the MD's as comfortable as anything needs to be), then there value equation would yield different results.
 
Are the AD's better then the MD's? Just about everyone seems to think so. There value however, only you can answer.

 

[K-Otar]

OK, are the AD's really better then the MD's?

 

[JeremyR]

  OK, are the AD's really better then the MD's?

 
I have not listened to either, and have ordered the AD, all I can do is be an arrogate for the tremendous amount of research I have done (if someone wrote something searchable about the AD's on the internet, I have read it).
 
The short of it is the AD's are more comfortable, better looking, and more accurate, at the expense of some base response. I know of two people who have stated they would take the MD's over the AD's (kstuart being one of them), and everyone else I have seen talk about them seem to find the AD's to be a better headphone. Many say they are one of the best closed back headphones made.

 

[kstuart]

  The short of it is the AD's are more comfortable,

The Alpha Dogs are definitely not more comfortable than the Mad Dogs.  They both use the same pads (which are generally considered amongst the most comfortable pads), and the Mad Dogs are noticeably lighter.
 
It's probably similar to HE-400 vs HE-500 in many respects, with the former being lighter, more bass, and less expensive than the latter.

 I know of two people who have stated they would take the MD's over the AD's (kstuart being one of them),

I said "if I could only have one headphone".

 

[K-Otar]

  The Alpha Dogs are definitely not more comfortable than the Mad Dogs.  They both use the same pads (which are generally considered amongst the most comfortable pads), and the Mad Dogs are noticeably lighter.
 
It's probably similar to HE-400 vs HE-500 in many respects, with the former being lighter, more bass, and less expensive than the latter.
 
I said "if I could only have one headphone".
 

 
So if you have to choose one, you will choose the MD over the AD, correct?

 

[JeremyR]

 
I said "if I could only have one headphone".
 

 
If you could only have one pair of headphone, and you pick headphone X over Y, does that not imply you feel X is a better overall headphone for you?
 
Not sure where the debate even exists this time.

 

[JeremyR]

   
So if you have to choose one, you will choose the MD over the AD, correct?

 
That is what he has said, yes:
 

Originally Posted by kstuart 
 
Actually, I don't have any doubt that - if I could keep only one pair of headphones period, full stop, it would be the Mad Dogs.  It has "more genre bandwidth" or I think Mike Ting would say "more of an all-rounder".
 

 

[kstuart]

   
So if you have to choose one, you will choose the MD over the AD, correct?

You have "   HiFiMan HE-500 | Sennheiser HD580 " in your sig.   If those are your preferred sound, then you would prefer the AD over the MD.

 

[kstuart]

 

 
I said "if I could only have one headphone".
 

 
If you could only have one pair of headphone, and you pick headphone X over Y, does that not imply you feel X is a better overall headphone for you?
 
Not sure where the debate even exists this time.

I said "if I could only have one headphone".  But that's not a good idea:
 

Originally Posted by Mike Ting
 
Rule #1: There Is No Best Headphone
The number one rule to understand when embarking on your headphone-search journey is to understand that there is no one headphone to rule them all. Like automobiles, headphones are made for different purposes. You have the supercars, roadsters, SUVs, 4x4s, sedans, to the compacts, and you chose what’s best for your day to day needs. There is no one car that can tackle snow and win races on the drag strip. The sooner you understand this fact, the more money you will save.
The key is to get the right headphone for your music, not the most expensive headphone your budget allows.

 

[Binge]

   
For example to me the HE-500 is twice as good as HE-400 or the HD600 has a higher value than the HD650.

 
 

  OK, are the AD's really better then the MD's?

 
I think when you said "to me..." sums up what you want out of this.  You really want to find out for yourself.  I can tell you the HE-500 does not carry the same weight to my ears, and comparing the HE models to the Sennheisers feels like apples vs oranges.  Yes they are open, but orthos are a different beast.
 
AD are a fostex T50RP mod just like the MD.  If you know about the modding process you will know that the character of these drivers change greatly depending on the mod.  I would not say the AD are inherently better, but instead different.  I love my Mad Dog sound, and if I get the money I will get an Alpha Dog as well.

 

[pdrm360]

  OK, are the AD's really better then the MD's?

 
Mad Dog vs. Alpha Dog (Quotation from www.mrspeakers.com)
 
We love the Mad Dog for its rich and detailed mids, slightly darker sound and really fun bass presence. The Alpha Dog takes builds upon this heritage and adds a more open and transparent sound, with faster, more linear bass and a smoother, more nuanced top end with more “air.” 
 
If you want a headphone that is affordable, fun, e.g. a touch of emphasis on the bass, with a very balanced sound, a neutral/dark signature, and ridiculous comfort at a great price point the Mad Dog is the call.  If you are interested in reference-quality headphones with state of the art soundstage, detail retrieval, ambience, and linearity it's all about the Alpha Dog.  Of course, if you go Mad Dog today, you can always upgrade to a set of Alpha Dogs later.

 

[mrspeakers]

Yipes, a typo!  I am truly the world's worst copy-editor.