[Bovice]

Quote:

Originally Posted by donunus /img/forum/go_quote.gif ooooohhhh wait. something changed a little in the first ten minutes of use. I'll keep quiet til this thing is cooked.

Your post prior to this describes my experience w/ them and the post I quoted hasn't applied for me yet, and I've been using them for a week.

 

[donunus]

something changed a little but thats about it... I'm selling them because I know the bass wont ever go down. I might just pick up a sony v6 for my occasional closed headphone useage.

 

[Primetime1337]

Two weeks in and I am loving mine, they have just been getting better and better sounding each day. I don't know if I have hit a 100 hrs yet. My mix has consisted of classical, electronic, rock, punk, and rap during the last week and no complaints.

I can say that I cannot listen to podcasts through these, they just pick up to much of the lack of quality used in the podcast. I have tried twice now and am going to need to pick up some cheap IEMs to listen to my podcasts.

I am currently running Pandora through them and am honestly wondering if Pandora One would give me a noticeable quality difference, just a thought.

 

[Bovice]

Quote:

Originally Posted by donunus /img/forum/go_quote.gif I know the bass wont ever go down.

Mine is close to non-existent.

 

[donunus]

the bass is non-existent???? Holy Bassheads Batman

 

[nonsupremous]

Quote:

Originally Posted by donunus /img/forum/go_quote.gif the bass is non-existent???? Holy Bassheads Batman

I don't agree that the bass is non existent. But I can't believe the bass is overwhelming either. I would say it's slightly more prominent than the mids and highs but that's it. It's not like listening to the Sony XB series or anything.

Before you sell them, you should try backing off your bass in EQ by 1 or 2 notches and see if that evens out the sound for you a bit. It would be a shame to get rid of a very nicely detailed can because the bass is a tad too prominent.

Hard for me to say though, because I like the extra thump with mine. As long as it doesn't drown out the mids, I'm fine.

Let us know what you think if you back off the bass in your EQ....OR if you have already tried it.

 

[downsize]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nonsupremous /img/forum/go_quote.gif I don't agree that the bass is non existent. But I can't believe the bass is overwhelming either. I would say it's slightly more prominent than the mids and highs but that's it. It's not like listening to the Sony XB series or anything. Before you sell them, you should try backing off your bass in EQ by 1 or 2 notches and see if that evens out the sound for you a bit. It would be a shame to get rid of a very nicely detailed can because the bass is a tad too prominent. Hard for me to say though, because I like the extra thump with mine. As long as it doesn't drown out the mids, I'm fine. Let us know what you think if you back off the bass in your EQ....OR if you have already tried it.

I've read some of you different poster's signatures, and can tell you this from experience; Regardless of what the specs are, these DO NOT sound right out of an Ipod. You need amplification. Mine with almost 500 hrs on them still has more bass than is needed, and I AM a basshead to an extent. It's not that the bess is too much in general, it's that it definitely makes the mids and highs sound recessed. Backing everything down from about 150hz and down by about 3db would most likely makes these phones GIANT killers.

 

[nonsupremous]

Quote:

Originally Posted by downsize /img/forum/go_quote.gif Backing everything down from about 150hz and down by about 3db would most likely makes these phones GIANT killers.

I'm not sure if I am understanding what you're saying. Are you saying that backing down the bass in your EQ is what is going to make these sound great? I think that's what you are saying, just not totally sure.

However, if you're using an ipod without an external amp, you don't actually have a way to back the bass off 3db correct?

Adding an amp will definitely make the M50 sound better. I have not found it to be beneficial enough to keep using it. They sound really great straight from my Walkman. But I wouldn't say that you can't notice any difference amped or unamped because that wouldn't be true at all. But for a lot of people who are like me and can't stand being bogged down with amps and cables, these headphones do a remarkable job straight from the source.

 

[downsize]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nonsupremous /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm not sure if I am understanding what you're saying. Are you saying that backing down the bass in your EQ is what is going to make these sound great? I think that's what you are saying, just not totally sure. However, if you're using an ipod without an external amp, you don't actually have a way to back the bass off 3db correct? Adding an amp will definitely make the M50 sound better. I have not found it to be beneficial enough to keep using it. They sound really great straight from my Walkman. But I wouldn't say that you can't notice any difference amped or unamped because that wouldn't be true at all. But for a lot of people who are like me and can't stand being bogged down with amps and cables, these headphones do a remarkable job straight from the source.

Don't get me wrong. These cans do sound VERY good straight from my Ipod, but when I hooked them up to my portable amp, there was a nigh and day difference .... Then again, my portable is a P51Mustang, which is VERY, VERY good, so the difference being drastic makes sense.
At this point, NO, I do not have a way to EQ these, since the Ipod EQ is absolutely terrible, but YES ..... if I did have a way to back down 150hz and down by about 3db, they would be perfect.
How do I "know" this ???? I have been a recording engineer and musician for over 25 years

Hey man ... I'm NOT knocking these cans, and believe they are THE BEST available at $100 .... BUT the bass simply IS several DBs to hot for the correct balance, and yes, I do LOVE bass, but these unfortunately impose on the mids some, and make the mids sound recessed due to it.

 

[nonsupremous]

Quote:

Originally Posted by downsize /img/forum/go_quote.gif Don't get me wrong. These cans do sound VERY good straight from my Ipod, but when I hooked them up to my portable amp, there was a nigh and day difference .... Then again, my portable is a P51Mustang, which is VERY, VERY good, so the difference being drastic makes sense. At this point, NO, I do not have a way to EQ these, since the Ipod EQ is absolutely terrible, but YES ..... if I did have a way to back down 150hz and down by about 3db, they would be perfect. How do I "know" this ???? I have been a recording engineer and musician for over 25 years Hey man ... I'm NOT knocking these cans, and believe they are THE BEST available at $100 .... BUT the bass simply IS several DBs to hot for the correct balance, and yes, I do LOVE bass, but these unfortunately impose on the mids some, and make the mids sound recessed due to it.

I gotcha. That's what I was thinking about the bass issue. That's what I was thinking...backing off the bass if you are able would really give non "bassheads" a fair shot at listening to a really good headphone.

 

[andy43]

Quote:

Originally Posted by robjrock /img/forum/go_quote.gif sorry to hear you aren't loving you're M50s - they do have a slightly distant, warmish sound which may sound a little unnatural, particularly if you're into that super dry Grado sound.

I'm slowly starting to notice what you described. What could be causing this distant sound? The soundstage? Maybe lack of mids? I find myself cranking them to get them more involving, which is not good for the ears. Is it possible for a headphone to be involving with a large soundstage?

 

[blackzarg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nonsupremous /img/forum/go_quote.gif I don't agree that the bass is non existent. But I can't believe the bass is overwhelming either. I would say it's slightly more prominent than the mids and highs but that's it. It's not like listening to the Sony XB series or anything. Before you sell them, you should try backing off your bass in EQ by 1 or 2 notches and see if that evens out the sound for you a bit. It would be a shame to get rid of a very nicely detailed can because the bass is a tad too prominent. Hard for me to say though, because I like the extra thump with mine. As long as it doesn't drown out the mids, I'm fine. Let us know what you think if you back off the bass in your EQ....OR if you have already tried it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by donunus /img/forum/go_quote.gif the bass is non-existent???? Holy Bassheads Batman

Depends what headphones you're comparing them to. I bought the M50's after I got my ATH-AD700s, which are very lacking in bass, but what I would describe as neutral. I listen to mostly classical music, and the AD700 was PERFECT. I had heard the M50s described as neutral and not bass heavy, so I went for them, but found that they have significant more low end than the AD700s. It's big enough that it might as well be made from a different manufacturer, but I didn't find the M50 bass to be bloated or over-exaggerated either. They just aren't very good for most classical music, but my rock albums sound great on them (the M50s are REALLY good at reproducing drums).

Understandable that you don't like them though - I had debated on whether keeping or selling mine, but in the end, because I enjoyed them for rock and pop, I have decided to keep them.

 

[downsize]

Quote:

Originally Posted by blackzarg /img/forum/go_quote.gif Depends what headphones you're comparing them to. I bought the M50's after I got my ATH-AD700s, which are very lacking in bass, but what I would describe as neutral. I listen to mostly classical music, and the AD700 was PERFECT. I had heard the M50s described as neutral and not bass heavy, so I went for them, but found that they have significant more low end than the AD700s. It's big enough that it might as well be made from a different manufacturer, but I didn't find the M50 bass to be bloated or over-exaggerated either. They just aren't very good for most classical music, but my rock albums sound great on them (the M50s are REALLY good at reproducing drums). Understandable that you don't like them though - I had debated on whether keeping or selling mine, but in the end, because I enjoyed them for rock and pop, I have decided to keep them.

Is this to me mate ? I never said i don't like them, and yes .... They are scary good on drums and bass guitar !! But that's also because the midbass down to about 45hz is elevated. While it does indeed make for hard driving rock music nirvana, it still hides some of the midrange and highs by intruding on them. I wouldn't DARE want to get the bass down to bass shy levels, only mixed a little better with the mids. That's whay I say they only need a SLIGHT reduction in the bass dept. They would still drive hard and low, but not over exxagerate into the lower mids.

To me the M50s are THE BEST thing available for a lowly $100, but in all fairness they are PERFECTLY neutral, like a good studio monitor, which makes them somewhat emotionally uninvolving with music playback for sheer enjoyment .... they are slightly dry to my ears.

 

[donunus]

PERFECTLY NEUTRAL??? NOT!. I'm such a sucker for that phrase. I'm always buying cans that are called perfectly neutral yet they all sound different... (k701, m50, etc)... The irony

 

[robjrock]

Quote:

Originally Posted by andy43 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm slowly starting to notice what you described. What could be causing this distant sound? The soundstage? Maybe lack of mids? I find myself cranking them to get them more involving, which is not good for the ears. Is it possible for a headphone to be involving with a large soundstage?

I think nearly all closed back headphones have that slightly unnatural tone - plus the slightly scooped midrange doesn't help - its not a big thing, but compared to my MS1i's, the M50s can sound a tad synthetic. That said, when putting on my MS1i's after a thorough M50 listening session, the MS1i's can sound overly forward and aggressive... just give your ears a few minutes to adjust and it starts sounding great again!

I think its important to remember these are (M50s) studio monitors, so they are (presumably) designed to be non-fatiguing on long listening session. They are accurate and detailed, but not necessarily super balanced or ultra natural sounding... Natural and balanced enough, but not quite as much as some popular choices out there...