[loki993]

ok so I got my first pair of nice headphones, a pair of AT AD700s. well the sound great and are good for gaming, but are pretty weaksauce in the bass department. I know this going in, but I want more now. there great for lots of different music, but when I listen to the occasional rap or hip hot song the lack of bass is really noticeable. so here comes christmas and im being asked what I want, so I think hey maybe a new set of headphones. so can you throw me some under $200 suggestions with good bass?? they dont have to sound similar to the ad700s, different is good, gaming is not really a concern, since I really dont game on the pc all that much anymore and the ad700s do fine for that anyway. used is fine, so keep used prices in mind also. thanks.

 

[csm]

beyer dt770 2005 edition

 

[thoughtcriminal]

Quote:

Originally Posted by csm /img/forum/go_quote.gif beyer dt770 2005 edition

The consumer version needs an amp, the main reason I didn't go for them.
DT770 pro80 are easier to drive and offer more bass

 

[loki993]

yeah, these will unamped, not counting the menial amping you get from the computer or reciever jacks, but you get the drift. eventually down the road I may build a pimeta, but probally not for a while.

 

[loki993]

also there is the dt770 pro and the dt 770 80 that people like to darth, are these different??

 

[Pianist]

There are a few great closed cans with excellent bass, besides DT770 that you can get from $100-$200. Around the $100 mark, I recommend checking out M-Audio Q40, which have excellent deep and tight bass, but also sweet, detailed mids and pretty smooth, although slightly harsh treble response. Another great 'phone that you can get for around $100, albeit slightly more expensive than the Q40, is Audio-Technica ATH-M50, which definitely sounds better overall than the Q40 IMO, with the main improvements being better imaging and more relaxed, not so in-your-face sound. Also the M50s possess more accurate treble than the Q40 with zero harshness. However, unlike the Q40, ATH-M50's mid-bass may get a bit out of control when unamped (the same can definitely be said about Beyer DT770 though).

Now, right at the $150 mark, there is AKG K181DJ - the big brother of K81 and not just in terms of sound quality, but also physically (still fine for portable use though IMO). I auditioned it briefly at a local audio store, and was impressed right away with it's performance unamped. K181 is a definite step up in SQ from M-Audio Q40 IMO with better dynamics and impressively deep soundstage for a closed headphone. The clarity is also superb. Around $150 you can also pick up AKG K271 which is apparently awesome when amped and is also really comfy, but it sounds lifeless unamped.

Finally, I also recommend checking out Sennheiser HD25-1 II, which is right around the $200 mark, but you can find it for less. It has really great bass and the overall sound is very punchy and dynamic. However, it is not the most comfortable and also I think the AKG K181DJ offers similar if not better SQ for less money.

Overall, out of all of the ones I recommended, I think ATH-M50 offers the most accurate sound, followed by AKG K271 and M-Audio Q40, while K181 and HD25 have more of a punchy and fun sound to them.

Hope this helps somewhat.

 

[jonathanjong]

I'm going to be contrary now:

I managed to try on a slew of closed headphones on a recent trip to Christchurch and I found the HD25 1 IIs to be more comfy than both the Q40s and the K181s. However, the 25s looked a lot cheaper than I thought they would. Made me sad.

 

[Dr Evil Dan]

I have a pair of Grado SR-80s, and boy do they sound great listening to rap/hip-hip/anything bass-y. I could listen to Massive Attack all day on these things, the trick is setting up your equalizer correctly.

 

[loki993]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pianist /img/forum/go_quote.gif There are a few great closed cans with excellent bass, besides DT770 that you can get from $100-$200...

lots of great info there, just one thing though, are you recommending me look at those in addition to the beyers or instead of?? thanks

 

[olblueyez]

DT770 pro (80 ohms)

 

[loki993]

so are the dt 770/80s the same as the dt 770 pros??

 

[loki993]

one other thing also, how do the dt 770s compare to the AT AD700s?? becasue if there similar, I could just dump the ad700s and go with the beyers for everything.

 

[TMM]

Quote:

Originally Posted by loki993 /img/forum/go_quote.gif one other thing also, how do the dt 770s compare to the AT AD700s?? becasue if there similar, I could just dump the ad700s and go with the beyers for everything.

Completely different animal. The last time i heard a DT770 (250ohm, amped) i was completely unimpressed. No where near as much bass as i expected (AD900 with +6db to <80hz would rival it), mids were woeful and treble was harsh.

Have you tryed EQ'ing your AD700? I find my AD900 respond well to a bass boost. You could also try some leather/vinyl pads. I found the AD900 with leather pads made more bass then the A900 lol - but it messed with the mids so i prefer to use velour pads + EQ.

 

[Pianist]

Quote:

Originally Posted by loki993 /img/forum/go_quote.gif lots of great info there, just one thing though, are you recommending me look at those in addition to the beyers or instead of?? thanks

Well, from what I read, Beyers really need an amp to shine, even the 80 Ohm version. In this respect, I think that they are very much lke AKG K271s, but while the AKGs are a bit lean sounding, the Beyers are very bass heavy and so will probably sound muddy without a dedicated amp. If you plan on running your 'phones unamped, then I think you will be much better off getting an ATH-M50, Senn HD25, or AKG K181DJ. All three will simply sound cleaner and more controlled unamped than the Beyers. Or at least that's what I believe. Take this opinion with a grain of salt though as I have never actually heard DT770s myself.

 

[loki993]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TMM /img/forum/go_quote.gif Have you tryed EQ'ing your AD700? I find my AD900 respond well to a bass boost. You could also try some leather/vinyl pads. I found the AD900 with leather pads made more bass then the A900 lol - but it messed with the mids so i prefer to use velour pads + EQ.

yeah I did, didnt relly help all that much, got the bass a little better, but I couldnt get the amount I wanted and I started to get distortion when I pushed the bass high.