[catcherfly]

Hi all,

I've been reading this forum for a couple weeks now as I'm considering the balanced Mad Dogs. I, too, am curious about whether the Mad Dogs have enough bass as I listen mostly to electronic music. That said, the highs and mids are just as important for computer generated music. Presently I have a pair of Grado SR225i and I'm looking for a less fatiguing pair of headphones that has more bass, the warmth of ortho dynamic headphones, but with great detail. The HE-500s or HE-400s are also an option but I will use when working in my art studio so I sometimes move around and work with my head down so I worry the HiFi Man headphones will be too big and heavy.
Any thoughts?

 

[MattTCG]

I think the MD would be a good option for you. Coming from the grado, I'd think you'll find the MD to have exceptional bass. I love them with EDM and Trance. Daft Punk sounds supreme on the MD.
 
Here's my take on the bass, since it's seems to be the topic of the moment. I'd much rather have the MD for bassier music than say the d5k. When I owned the d5k it added bass to material that really didn't have much sub bass. So when I listened to something like Daft Punk, the d5k bass was overwhelming and loose...out of control....not enjoyable. 
 
But the MD with linear bass can really handle bassier music well. 

 

[hans030390]

Quote:

Yes good job, I found that the HD650 (with EQ) had just about enough bass quantity / impact (except for sub bass) they were a bit light on the impact being open etc. but they were not too bad, I could live with HD650 level of bass impact (ideally a bit more) but I would want more sub bass than the HD650 (below 40hz). So if the mad dogs have as much or more impact and volume as the HD650 (with ~8db EQ below about 70hz) as well as more sub bass, maybe they would be OK. I do not need to have EARTH SHATTERING amounts of bass, just a decent, strong bass response that does not sound feeble or thin.

 
Based on most measurements I've seen, the MD 3.2 should extend better below 40Hz than the average HD650. This was certainly true compared to my HD598, even just based on memory. The MD certainly doesn't have feeble or thin bass. The MD responds well to EQ as well, though it doesn't really do much to add bass impact, IMO. You might disagree with me on the EQ if you try it out, however.
 
Quote:

Hmm well the amplification I would use for them is probably better than the fiio, so if you are a basshead and you are happy with them on the fiio, then I expect my Xonar STX or NAD 326Bee + EQ on foobar, would be as good or better. Keep changing my mind about whether to get these or the Fidelio X1 !

 
I haven't heard the X1, but any measurements or reviews I've seen of it make me think the MD is more of an all-rounder headphone than the X1. Based on Innerfidelity's measurements of the Fidelio X1, it would seem as though they start dropping off after a hump at 60Hz (even sharper drop off below 40Hz). They also have fairly high harmonic distortion below 100Hz, which will likely give the impression of more (albeit muddier/more bloated) bass.

 

[hans030390]

Quote:

Hi all,

I've been reading this forum for a couple weeks now as I'm considering the balanced Mad Dogs. I, too, am curious about whether the Mad Dogs have enough bass as I listen mostly to electronic music. That said, the highs and mids are just as important for computer generated music. Presently I have a pair of Grado SR225i and I'm looking for a less fatiguing pair of headphones that has more bass, the warmth of ortho dynamic headphones, but with great detail. The HE-500s or HE-400s are also an option but I will use when working in my art studio so I sometimes move around and work with my head down so I worry the HiFi Man headphones will be too big and heavy.
Any thoughts?

 
More bass? Almost definitely. Based on the SR60 I owned long ago and measurements I've looked at for Grado products over the years, most Grado headphones have a hump around 100Hz and drop off after that fairly quickly. They also have relatively high harmonic distortion in the bass, which can give the impression of more bass than there actually is. The Mad Dog will extend deeper at the very least, which will be good for electronic music.
 
Less fatiguing? I hear you there. I'm finding that I'm fairly sensitive to elevated upper mids and treble, and it's even worse when the response isn't smooth or if it contains ringing/resonance in the upper registers. As I mentioned earlier, the MD 3.2 trends towards being neutral-ish with a tilt towards a darker, more laid-back presentation while still being smooth and not lacking in any detail. Also, I'm not sure orthodynamic headphones are known for their warmth but more for their general capability of clean and quick decay times. Maybe it's both!
 
The MD should definitely be lighter than the HE-400/500, and its closed nature prevents them from annoying others (if you'll be around others). 
 
I do want to stress that any of the T50RP variants really benefit from a good DAC and amp. They take a surprisingly amount of power to reach loud volumes, and they'll easily take more power than your ears can handle if you have a strong enough amp...

 

[catcherfly]

Thanks so much for the responses to my questions. Now I'm not sure where I got the idea that ortho dynamic headphones are warm. Maybe smooth is the description I should be using, especially compared to Grados.

 

[olegausany]

I never heard NAD amp but used Xonar STX with upgraded OPAMPs for over a year to drive my headphones thinking that it's enough and no upgrade is necessary but after trying E17, D1 and DragonFly I quickly learned I was wrong so I was using DragonFly alone first, than added Asgard and finally upgrade upgraded to fulfill my dream.

 

[nicholars]

Quote:

I never heard NAD amp but used Xonar STX with upgraded OPAMPs for over a year to drive my headphones thinking that it's enough and no upgrade is necessary but after trying E17, D1 and DragonFly I quickly learned I was wrong so I was using DragonFly alone first, than added Asgard and finally upgrade upgraded to fulfill my dream.

 
I am not exactly an expert on high end amps but the Xonar STX in my opinion is an awesome piece of kit, you get a really good dac with RCA out and also a good headphone amp powered by an expensive PSU. Sold my external dacs and just use the STX, also never use the NAD anymore because the STX headphone amp is better, I am sure you can get better amps but for the money the STX is very good. I got one for £80 on ebay. If he says the fiio works OK then a STX should work as well or better because it has a slightly better amp chip and a better power supply.

 

[olegausany]

Quote:

 
I am not exactly an expert on high end amps but the Xonar STX in my opinion is an awesome piece of kit, you get a really good dac with RCA out and also a good headphone amp powered by an expensive PSU. Sold my external dacs and just use the STX, also never use the NAD anymore because the STX headphone amp is better, I am sure you can get better amps but for the money the STX is very good. I got one for £80 on ebay. If he says the fiio works OK then a STX should work as well or better because it has a slightly better amp chip and a better power supply.

I completely agree that Xonar STX is really great combo for your PC but I still prefered DragonFly alone over it, it's just my opinion while I had same opinion as you for couple of years befor

 

[Luv My BASS 1]

I'm going to be honest here. The fist thing that caught my eye about the Mad Dog was the comfort. I want to LIVE inside the Alpha Pads. The second thing was the indie-DIY aspect. And now I want to know how they sound. I'm coming from a V-Moda M80, who's sound I loved so much, but I can't stand the comfort. I listen to hip hop, electronic, acoustic, jazz and some classical. I should also note that most of my listening is done on the go, on my 64GB iPhone 5 in 320Kbs MP3 with a FiiO E6 (I plan to upgrade to the NuForce MMP).

Are the Mad Dog a good fit for me?

EDIT: I also own the Grado SR80i, which I mainly use for watching movies. They have the minimum amount of bass that I would have in a headphone, and I hope the Mad Dog have more bass than they do. I'm now much less of a bass head than when I joined Head-Fi, but I still Luv My Bass .

 

[MattTCG]

^^ You should read the last several pages of this thread for your answer. There have been many to ask the same question and there are some very good answers posted in those pages.
 
I'm thinking of writing up an FAQ section at the beginning of the thread to make it easier to get information about the MD. I'll ask that those who frequent here to send me a list to help compile the FAQ.
 
Matt

 

[Glow Fish]

I'm going to be honest here. The fist thing that caught my eye about the Mad Dog was the comfort. I want to LIVE inside the Alpha Pads. The second thing was the indie-DIY aspect. And now I want to know how they sound. I'm coming from a V-Moda M80, who's sound I loved so much, but I can't stand the comfort. I listen to hip hop, electronic, acoustic, jazz and some classical. I should also note that most of my listening is done on the go, on my 64GB iPhone 5 in 320Kbs MP3 with a FiiO E6 (I plan to upgrade to the NuForce MMP).

Are the Mad Dog a good fit for me?

EDIT: I also own the Grado SR80i, which I mainly use for watching movies. They have the minimum amount of bass that I would have in a headphone, and I hope the Mad Dog have more bass than they do. I'm now much less of a bass head than when I joined Head-Fi, but I still Luv My Bass .

Mad Dogs really need to be amped so not ideal for on the go listening directly from an iPhone.

 

[Luv My BASS 1]

Quote:

Mad Dogs really need to be amped so not ideal for on the go listening directly from an iPhone.

If i get the Mad Dog, i'll probably get a half decent portable amp as well (NuForce MMP, Digiziod ZO2).
 
I'm still kinda on the fence about the Mad Dog. I see some people talking about how they love how low the bass goes, and that it has just the right amount of punch and weight, but other people say how they are defenitely not for bassheads. 
 
I wouldnt really call myself that much of a basshead (but then again, my idea of a basshead is someone with 4 subs in the trunk, and XB500s around their neck)
 
Do you guys think that the Mad Dog will statisfy on stuff like this?
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWNteSeRHec

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xk6ecO5ijnQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGssAAItomU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpD-yf_vHYA

 

[Glow Fish]

I personally think the MDs with Alpha Pads have the right amount of bass, and I have sold off phones in the past that I did not think had enough. That said, a related consideration is how you like your mids and highs, and whether you want a V shaped sound signature or not. I think MDs have great bass and mids, with roll off in the treble. If you like V shape, you may not find the MDs to have enough zing, even if the bass is sufficient.

For example, yesterday I was listening to the 25th Anniversary compilation of the Bridge School Benefit acoustic live recordings. I almost always prefer my MDs over my DT770s, but for this particular recording, the MDs were less engaging than the DT770s. The difference was the treble, which is sharper and crisper on the DT770. Bass on both felt comparable.

 

[hans030390]

Quote:

If i get the Mad Dog, i'll probably get a half decent portable amp as well (NuForce MMP, Digiziod ZO2).
 
I'm still kinda on the fence about the Mad Dog. I see some people talking about how they love how low the bass goes, and that it has just the right amount of punch and weight, but other people say how they are defenitely not for bassheads. 
 
I wouldnt really call myself that much of a basshead (but then again, my idea of a basshead is someone with 4 subs in the trunk, and XB500s around their neck)

 
The Mad Dogs have a 15-day return policy, IIRC. Why not try them out and return them if they don't satisfy you? Not having gear to power them properly at the moment could be an issue, but it's worth trying them anyway.
 
The MD 3.2 is pretty decently balanced overall, with a trend towards a more dark/laid-back sound (which I've mentioned a few times in my recent posts ). They aren't basshead cans, but they certainly aren't lacking in bass either. I'm sure you've heard a lot of headphones described that way, such as, "They have bass when the music calls for it." I know a lot of headphones described as such are actually lacking in bass from a neutrality standpoint...the Mad Dogs are not. They won't butter your music with additional bass, but they won't be shy about bass if your music calls for it.
 
If I had to guess, the MD 3.2 will have less bass overall than your M80. It should have more bass than your Grado, which I actually just elaborated on just before you posted.
 
Edit: I wanted to elaborate on them being "laid-back." The treble is not what I would call rolled off, as it extends quite nicely up top. It's just not over emphasized and might actually be considered slightly shelved from neutral. For me, it's a plus. No detail is really lost, and the treble sounds fairly smooth. But not having treble glaring at me really helps my ears with loud and long listening sessions. Not sure how the M80 compares, but it should be noticeably more relaxed (and arguably more accurate) in the upper regions than Grado headphones.

 

[eron]

Quote:

 
I'm still kinda on the fence about the Mad Dog. I see some people talking about how they love how low the bass goes, and that it has just the right amount of punch and weight, but other people say how they are defenitely not for bassheads. 
 

Get the CEntrance HiFi M8 that allows you to tune the bass level etc.
Centrance Hifi-M8 and Hifi-M8 LX (8 versions!) incoming impressions and appreciation thread.
http://www.head-fi.org/t/622939/the-centrance-hifi-m8-thread/2355#post_9577383