[jeffbear7]

I'm somewhat new to headphones, so I'm trying to better understand what audiophiles listen for. I've read that some people think the Mad Dogs are much much better than the ath m50s. Since I technically have both and can listen back and forth between them, what differences between them do audiophiles consider make the Mad Dogs better? My ATH m50s are double padded with shure 940 pads over the stock ones which might have changed the original bass signature. So far, to my untrained ear, it just sounds like the vocals on the mad dogs are clearer while the background sound is less prominent than in the M50s. This way, I can raise the volume louder to hear the voices better on the MD whereas for the M50s, the background and bass sounds are louder compared to the vocals and feel livelier, but a bit congested. After going from M50s to MD, the MDs feel very weak and far. I think having both gives me a good reference to compare with, but I just don't quite know what to listen for and what differences make the Mad Dogs more preferable over ATH m50s

 

[vaed]

My personal advice: don't "try" and listen for things. Whatever you like to hear is what you like to hear. You seem to have a solid grasp on the things that are going on, and you might just prefer the "V-shaped" sound signature compared to a flat one. 
 
However, give it a little bit of time. You're probably adjusting from the bumped up response of the M50's. It's no surprise you'll need some getting used to a more "audiophile", flatter sound. Listen to the Mad Dogs on their own for a while and see if you end up liking it, but if you don't, there are many others on this forum that unapologetically prefer a funner, less accurate signature.
 
However, if you were just curious as to people's reasoning, what you described is what one tends to look for like in a more neutral signature; ability to hear all parts of the music as they were intended to be heard which might be otherwise be obscured by an inaccurate response. Equal representation allowing detail to come through more easily and accurately.
 
Some people can explain it better than me, though.

 

[Bluebirdy]

I just ordered a mad dog! Hopefully I'll like the sound. It's my first audiophile headphone!

Coming from a heir audio 5.0 iem

 

[jeffbear7]

Has anyone tested a digizoid Zo2.3 amp with the Mad Dog to get that extra thumping bass? Does that change it's signature?

 

[kstuart]

  I'm somewhat new to headphones, so I'm trying to better understand what audiophiles listen for.

First - welcome ! 
 
Second - just out of honest curiosity ... why?  Why are you trying to better understand what audiophiles listen for ?
 
Third  - Are you "new to headphones" but not to speakers ?  Or are you "new to audio" ?
 
Fourth - what sort of music do you like ?

 

[kupleh]

Has anyone tested a digizoid Zo2.3 amp with the Mad Dog to get that extra thumping bass? Does that change it's signature?

hhmmm.. from my memory the mad dog has more weight to the sound than ath m50.. m50 is great but the sounds is lighter. but hey, i'm beginner too so maybe i don't know what i'm talking about. but i appreciate the mid more and thats why i like mad dog.

with the zo2.3 it does bring the subwoofer effect and the bass is more noticeable on the mad dog as zo2.3 should do.

Btw I also don't know how do we know that we drive the mad dog to the optimal potential? maybe going to the meet up or audio show is one of the best way to find out.

 

[Makiah S]

Good new guys, I'm back . I actually wound up with a HM 801 and PB1 atm... ad I'm totally considering buying a Balanced MD in Juanary. I loved the MD for EDM, and I really like the sound of my HE 400 for at home edm use, and I think the MD would be a great closed portable EDM can for me I might be back on this thread before long ^^
 
And heck they might even get some home use out of my Lean/Cold [my kind of at home amo] NFB 10ES2 
 
Although, while I will make a classified for it, any one intersted in loaning me a balanced MD 3.2? I'd love to get a HE 400 vs MD listen. I'd be willing to loan my HE 400 out as well. 

 

[jeffbear7]

  First - welcome ! 
 
Second - just out of honest curiosity ... why?  Why are you trying to better understand what audiophiles listen for ?
 
Third  - Are you "new to headphones" but not to speakers ?  Or are you "new to audio" ?
 
Fourth - what sort of music do you like ?

1) Thank you!
 
2) I like listening to music, but since there are so many headphones and opinions on them, I got curious as to what is considered good sound. Long time ago I had skullcandy skull crushers which I thought was the best because of the built in subwoofer. Now that I have listened to more headphones, I can't stand that skull crusher since all it has is exaggerated bass and its vocals weren't so good.
 
3) you can say that I'm beginning to pay more interest in understanding how do distinguish which headphones are favorable. Technically yes, probably "new to audio" since I don't quite know what kind of reproduction of sound is highly preferred. Idk what is looked for in speakers too. I normally don't blast music in my house, so my main interest is in headphones. 
 
4) I like a mix of korean ballads/pop/rap and some english country and acoustic versions of some of the newer trendy songs. Also some rock, dub step, and rap

 

[jeffbear7]

hhmmm.. from my memory the mad dog has more weight to the sound than ath m50.. m50 is great but the sounds is lighter. but hey, i'm beginner too so maybe i don't know what i'm talking about. but i appreciate the mid more and thats why i like mad dog.

with the zo2.3 it does bring the subwoofer effect and the bass is more noticeable on the mad dog as zo2.3 should do.

Btw I also don't know how do we know that we drive the mad dog to the optimal potential? maybe going to the meet up or audio show is one of the best way to find out.

 
Actually that is a very good question that I also wonder too. I hear that using an amp improves the sound quality of the MDs, but I think my understanding of amps isn't so clear to know if Im driving it correctly. I have the Fiio E17, and it seems to just bring up the volume higher whether it's through the volume setting or gain. There is an eq setting, but I didn't really touch that since I wanted to have it on default when going back and forth between the M50s and MDs.
 
I also have the Zo2.3s, and while it did add some thump to the MD, it felt like the vocals/mids were pushed farther. It could be that I have the volume set lower than if I didn't have the Zo2.3s since the bass is louder than vocals. I think it felt like the crispness of the vocals were rounded off. I'm not sure if I'm listening correctly though, so I was hoping to hear from others on what they experienced.
 
When they say to drive the MD with more power, does that just mean to make it louder? Or does it actually improve the sound quality while keeping the volume around the same level? I think I've read that amps raise the base(not bass) volume or something.
 
I don't quite like listening to music too loudly, so I'd rather keep the volumes lower. In this sense, the MDs sound very far compared to bassy headphones that have that extra resonating bass sound even at low volumes that make them sound fuller.

 

[quisxx]

I just got my alpha pads and I have one question, is one side supposed to be bigger than the other? Holding the pads vertically,  one horizontal side is much flatter than the other. The stitched side is the flatter side. 

 

[shadow419]

Yes the pads are angled. The thicker side belongs on the rear of the headphone cup

 

[martybm5]

  I just got my alpha pads and I have one question, is one side supposed to be bigger than the other? Holding the pads vertically,  one horizontal side is much flatter than the other. The stitched side is the flatter side. 

yes, this is true. The stitched side is the flatter side and should be in the front (center) of the headphones. This makes a difference in getting a good seal

 

[kstuart]

   I like listening to music, but since there are so many headphones and opinions on them, I got curious as to what is considered good sound. Long time ago I had skullcandy skull crushers which I thought was the best because of the built in subwoofer. Now that I have listened to more headphones, I can't stand that skull crusher since all it has is exaggerated bass and its vocals weren't so good.

Okay, then I think the word "audiophile" is more specific than what you are describing.  Generally that word refers to someone who is strongly focusing on sound quality - probably spending too much time on it.   Like the guys who spend the entire weekend taking apart the engine of their car, in order to make a tiny change that increases the horsepower by 0.02%.
 
One does not have to be an "audiophile" to be aware of better and worse sound quality, just as you can be aware of what makes better and worse performing cars, without being a car nut.

 

[quisxx]

Thanks for the clarification on the pads. I thought they were faulty and needed to go back.
Don't worry, nobody on head-fi uses the word audiophile correctly.

 

[kstuart]

So, getting back to the Mad Dogs, their strong point is clarity of instruments.  Each instrument is presented with a minimum of distortion or "coloring".  The changes in the more recent versions (especially the very last version "3.2"), did improve the bass and treble response.
 
Other top qualities of the Mad Dogs are "isolation" - keeping you from hearing outside noise, and keeping other people from hearing your music playing - and comfort - the "Alpha Pads" are custom made from a high quality leather, and are thick and plush.
 
FYI - the disadvantages of this style of headphone comes in the fact that the thick comfortable pads are sweaty in hot summer weather  And the closed headphone design that provides isolation does not have the open and airy sound, that you would find in an open headphone (but an open headphone has no isolation).