[zammykoo]

Hey all, I'm new to the audiophile scene. I've been lurking around this forum for a while doing research on what headphones to buy (which is an awesome place with plenty of great information/insight).
 
I ended up picking up a pair of Koss Pro DJ100's the other day. I know there's been a heated debates between the DJ100 and the M50, but the reason I went with the DJ100 was because it was within my budget and I'm a previous Koss headphone owner. I've had a pair of Porta Pro's for about a year and half and I thought the sound quality was amazing for its value.
 
I have about 15 hours of burn-in time so far, so I'll be expecting to wait another 25 hours or so before they can perform at best. So far I can say I love the voice clarity and soundstage. The highs and mids sound pretty nice, but the bass isn't as present as the Porta Pro. It's probably due to its closed-back design, I could be wrong.
 
So after I get comfy with these, I am interested in getting a portable amp since I'll be using these on my iPhone sometimes. Any suggestions on a sub-$100 model?
 
I look forward to seeing feedback!

 

[Digital-Pride]

Two very credible options come to mind:
 
Electric-Avenues PA2v2
 
Fiio E11
 
Both options can be had for around 60 USD.

 

[zammykoo]

Thanks for the heads up, Digital-Pride. I just saw a youtube review of the PA2v2 and I'm diggin' it because it's hand made. I like to build and sell electronic/computer components myself so I can relate to this amp builder. I may build my own somewhere down the line
 
Something else I forgot to mention in my first post is that my dj100's earpads makes my ears sweat after a not-so-long period of use. It is made of that popular thin synthetic leather stuff and does not breathe at all. This is probably good for isolation, but I value comfort over isolation.
 
Anyone know of good cloth replacement pads? I've seen others say the m30 velour pads fit.... and that would be a simple solution, but I'd prefer a circular pair. I've been using an old pair of Sony MDR-CD180 (circle cloth pads) for pc gaming and I LOVE that I can wear those for an extended period without sweating. I actually did a pad test-fitting on my dj100 and they fit great. The only downside is that there is no mesh screen on the pads to protect the drivers from dust.
 
Any suggestions?

 

[tdockweiler]

The PA2V2 I've heard is a good match for the DJ100. I want to try it sometime. I often use an Ipod Touch + E5 for a few minutes and it's not too bad. My favorite portable amp for them is the Total Airhead for $99, but it's a bit bulky for portable use..like in a pocket etc.
 
The only round shaped pads that fit are the JVC RX300 pads. They're angled though (for soundstage) and not as comfortable as the MDR-V6 pads. I always preferred the V6 pads due to comfort. The Shure SRH-240 pads also fit I believe. You can actually put those into the washer and dry them with fabric softener and they magically turn into something like memory foam pads! That's what I'm using now, but I put the guts of my DJ100 into the HD-497. It's now the most comfortable portable headphone there is.
 
The SRH-840 pads also might fit.

 

[zammykoo]

Here's a game changing update:
 
I wasn't completely sold on the DJ100's so I returned it and got the Sony MDRV6, and MAN I am glad I did this. I think this is the start of an audiophilia, wanting to try different headphones

. So for anyone who are interested in either of these phones, here's a comparison breakdown of my first experiences with the two.
 
Look-and-Feel:
This part is purely subjective. The V6's are retro style while the DJ100 is more contemporary. I would prefer something newer/fresh looking so I dig the DJ100's look more, although I don't really care much for the DJ style. I just like something more visually refined.
 
Design/Construction:
Both phones feel pretty solid. The DJ100's feel a bit heavier and that's probably because its aluminum cups are bigger and are overall larger in comparison.
 
This part is personal preference. I didn't really care for the 180 degree swivel on the DJ100's, and I like the V6's very limited swivel more. The V6 also collapses into a smaller, more portable form.
 
Comfort:
The V6's are definitely more comfortable. The clamp pressure feels more "normal" than the tightness of the DJ100. I wear a size large hat so maybe that's why I feel that way. Some may say the DJ100's are normal.
 
The Sony's ear pads feel softer than Koss, but still made of the same cheapish vinyl/leatherette material, and still make my ears sweat. But now it is easier to buy the velour pads . I also like the V6's oval shape as opposed to the DJ100 circular design. Aren't ears shaped like ovals? I don't really understand why some circumaural are designed circular. Do some people have circular ears? The oval shape seems to hold my ears in better, no unnecessary space in front or behind the ears.
 
Sound:
I felt that the DJ100's were very clear when it comes to vocals. It's very bright sounding where the highs and mids are pretty good, but is lacking bass (and possibly lower mids). I am sometimes a basshead when I listen to dubstep or dance music so that's the main reason I brought them back. The V6's totally fills that void. The balance feels much better when I'm listening to  both vocals AND dubstep.
 
As far as soundstage, I don't think there as much of a difference. If anything, the DJ100's is slightly better but I'm not sure if that's because it's had some burn-in time (whereas I just got home from the store to write this with my V6's). I'll do a follow-up once I these break in a bit more.
 
The sound separation is also very close, and can be the same case as above. I'll follow up on this too.
 
Sound isolation is better on the V6's, although it wasn't too bad on the DJ100's.
 
Price:
They both retail at $79.99. It was an easy exchange
 
Misc Comments:
I liked the cord on the DJ100's more because it felt like the coil is more rigid and held together better. The V6's coil is softer and stretches easier. Maybe that's because I prefer shorter cords. My old headphones are not coiled and are always fully extended at 6.5ft, but I ended up using it as my desktop headphones so it wasn't too bad. Since I will be using the V6 for portable use, the shorter the better.
 
The V6 comes with a carrying bag and the DJ100 does not. That's a plus for portability.
 
The V6 has a screw-on 1/4" adapter. I don't think I've ever been in a situation where I've yanked the plug out of the socket.... but it still is an added incentive.
 
The V6’s packaging is prettier, but that's the least of my concern, hence being last. Although I am a graphic designer so I do understand the value in packaging design for consumer decision-making.

 

[zammykoo]

Hey tdockweiler,
 
Wow my last post took so long to write that I just missed your comment.
 
I had a feeling you would post on this thread eventually. I've ready many of your posts about loving the DJ100, which is why I got them in the first place. After trying them out I really wanted to like them, I really did. I just felt like something was off about them, and it's probably my personal preference of a warmer tone.
 
I am glad I tried them out though, it gives some insight on what Koss is doing on their higher end phones since I loved the Porta Pro.
 
But now that I am using the V6, will that amp work with these too?
 
Quote:

The PA2V2 I've heard is a good match for the DJ100. I want to try it sometime. I often use an Ipod Touch + E5 for a few minutes and it's not too bad. My favorite portable amp for them is the Total Airhead for $99, but it's a bit bulky for portable use..like in a pocket etc.
 
The only round shaped pads that fit are the JVC RX300 pads. They're angled though (for soundstage) and not as comfortable as the MDR-V6 pads. I always preferred the V6 pads due to comfort. The Shure SRH-240 pads also fit I believe. You can actually put those into the washer and dry them with fabric softener and they magically turn into something like memory foam pads! That's what I'm using now, but I put the guts of my DJ100 into the HD-497. It's now the most comfortable portable headphone there is.
 
The SRH-840 pads also might fit.

 

 

[zammykoo]

I'm still breaking my V6's in, but something I've noticed that is concerning me a bit. I have about 10 hours of burn-in time so they are still pretty new. I am noticing some crackling noises while listening to music, which comes up about the lower mid range.
 
Is this normal? Hopefully it'll go away after a while... or I may have to exchange this pair.

 

[zammykoo]

 
It looks like I already have the upgrade bug. So here's an addition to the chronicling of my audiophilia.
 
I ended up returning my V6 because there was some crackling in the lower mids. Initially I thought it would go away after burning them in, but it did not. I may have gotten a defective pair, so those of you interested, you may have better luck. I bought those from a local Frys Electronics so I know they were not fakes.
 
Anywho, I bought an M50 (from B&H Photo) because of its popularity and despite what most would say is "over-hyped," I had to try them out myself to get a sense of what it was all about. It arrived today so after doing some quick sound testing I wanted to post my initial thoughts. 
 
Look-and-Feel:
Definitely has a contemporary design. I love how it has that V6 look, but updated. Not too DJ-esque like the DJ100, but just personal preference. 
 
Design/Construction:
These are a very solid pair of headphones, something you can expect at this price point. The cups swivel 180 degrees, which is something I don't particularly care for. They fold up nicely, but the collapsed form factor is a bit bigger than the V6. 
 
I bought the coiled cable version because I like shorter cables, as previously stated. The coils are tighter like the DJ100 so it does not extend as loosely without some stretching. I also love the plug design with the metal spring that protects the wire sleeve to come apart.
 
Comfort:
The first thing that came to mind when I first put them on my head was that it was tight! Maybe I'm not used to headphones like these, but compared to the V6 there is a substantial amount of pressure. Hopefully it will loosen up over time, or may require some stretching.
 
Even though I like this hp's earpad material much more than the V6, they are still make my ears sweat after about 15 mins of use. I kept the Pearstone velour pads after getting rid of the V6/7506, to try to see if it fits… and YES IT DOES! It fits very well as if they were made for the M50. See pic below. There seems to be no loss in bass or sound quality between the velour and stock pads.
 
Sound:
These sound very good. I tried a variety of genres (deadmau5, ke$ha, jem, chopin, white stripes, rick ross, rhcp) to make sure I cover my bases. Voice clarity is excellent, as well as instrument separation. Sound stage sounds similar, if not better than the V6.
 
(((BASS))) I know this is what everyone is waiting to read about. I can tell you at the current point in time that the bass is present, but not overwhelming. These are definitely NOT a basshead's headphone. It seems as though the songs that are meant to have heavy bass in the song's production has a definite presence. Other songs seem to be moderate or less in the low end. It needs an extra OOMPH boost for rhcp and white stripes.
 
Price:
I paid a bit more than the average seen on this forum because I didn't want to deal with fakes or low quality customer service. B&H has served me well in the past so I wanted to continue using them. I paid $159.99 with free shipping (4 business days from new york to houston). Also at this time amazon has them for $149.99 lowest for new. There is an ongoing price fluctuation for these phones so if you are willing to wait it out it may become much cheaper.
 
Misc Comments:
I will definitely not stop here. It is just a matter of time before I will want to try other phones out. I really wish I can go to a store and try them out but there aren't many places in houston that allows that, I don't think. Looks like I'll just have to keep swapping up. If anyone is interested in this pair I will keep posted when I decide to sell.
 
Thanks for reading, hope I have helped someone make a decision.
 

 

[zammykoo]

Ok, so after a couple days of using the M50, I really didn't think it was for me. I will be returning it and get something else.
 
Here's the dilemma. I really enjoyed the V6 when I had it, so I am trying to decide if I want to get that again OR take a chance on another phone. If I do try something else out It will have to be around the same price range as the M50 or less. For the purpose of my next pair, I want it to be portable so I can bring to work and back. They also must be isolated so I don't disturb my coworkers, and also need to be unamped (iMac).
 
What really disapointed me about the M50 was the recessed mid range. I thought the bass was just okay too, for some reason I liked the V6's mids/bass more. Also the clamp was very tight on my head.
 
If I go back to the V6, it will give me the extra money to maybe buy a second pair for home use. I'm thinking of the Beyer DT770/80.
 
Any thoughts? 

 

[Koolpep]

Maybe you check the "other" german headphone company... Ultrasone. Their Hifi range is quite nice.

 

[Uncle Erik]

The "crackling" you heard in the midbass was not a problem with the V6. What you did was drive your amp into clipping.

When a headphone is defective, it either doesn't work at all or you get serious distortion across all frequencies. When noise shows up (almost always in the bass) you have clipping.

Plug a V6 into a decent amp and you won't hear the crackling. The V6 is a very good headphone - I prefer it to the M50. If you want an upgrade, consider the MDR-7509HD. I love my pair.

 

[zammykoo]

Quote:

Maybe you check the "other" german headphone company... Ultrasone. Their Hifi range is quite nice.

I was looking into those but I have seen mixed reviews about them. Not sure which model to start with, any suggestions?
 


Quote:

The "crackling" you heard in the midbass was not a problem with the V6. What you did was drive your amp into clipping.

When a headphone is defective, it either doesn't work at all or you get serious distortion across all frequencies. When noise shows up (almost always in the bass) you have clipping.

Plug a V6 into a decent amp and you won't hear the crackling. The V6 is a very good headphone - I prefer it to the M50. If you want an upgrade, consider the MDR-7509HD. I love my pair.

Thanks for the feedback. I understand the clipping noise that speakers make when they are amped up, but I didn't think I turned it that loud before hearing it. Didn't seem like the clipping tolerance was very high. It was not hooked up to an amp either, I tried it on my desktop pc and also my macbook pro. Do you think after much more burning in the clipping would go away?
 
I have been very tempted to get the 7509HD, funny you bring that up. I just can't see myself paying that much for a pair of Sony's. I mean they are more than twice the price of the V6.
 
Can you give me some insight on what you think between the V6 vs 7509?

 

[Koolpep]

As always:
 
I own the Pro750 and can vouch for them. They need burn in time though. I test heard the Pro900 and finally chose the Pro750 as I didn't see much improvement to the 900s but that was only after a test in an audio store who had them not-burned-in on display for testing (stupid thing especially with Ultrasone).
 
I purchased them after I already had my Sennheiser HD598 and I must say I was underwhelmed at first but after their burn-in time (or my brains burn -in, whatever) they sound awesome. Love them, definitively a keeper for me.
Quote:

I was looking into those but I have seen mixed reviews about them. Not sure which model to start with, any suggestions?
 

 

 

[zammykoo]

Thanks for the recommendation Koolpep, I would love to have that but it is out of my budget. I'll definately keep this in mind for my next purchase.
 
I think I will have to stick with going back to the V6 for now for use at work, and save up some more money for a better home pair.
 
I'm still open for suggestions for home use, which I'll probably be getting a usb dac to use. I'm looking for warm sound, good bass/mids. Doesn't matter if they are closed, since there is no one to disturb.