[bassgrrl]

Hi,

Would appreciate recommendations for headphones that would be good for picking out basslines on CD's. I am a bass player but always have a hard time hearing the basslines on songs -mostly rock. Thank you.

 

[Nezer]

Grados if you got money... Those 60 Ohm Koss if you don't.

A good amp always helps pull the bass out...

 

[jms007bnd007]

I agree, the Grados would work really well for what you want to hear. And the wide range of price categories should match just about any budget.

 

[MusicJunkie]

If you want to hear clear detailed bass like you've never heard before get the Ety ER4P's and a Cosmic amp. Guaranteed winner.

 

[BenG]

Well, if you want the most balanced bass, I would go for the Etys. Grados are more thumping upper bass. An amp helps the bass alot too.

 

[zbuddah]

Quote:

Originally posted by MusicJunkie If you want to hear clear detailed bass like you've never heard before get the Ety ER4P's and a Cosmic amp. Guaranteed winner.

sure looks like it, from what I gather:

er4's = unheard of detail "."

 

[Nezer]

Bassgrrl, it would help to know how much your willing to spend.

The optins listed here are from $15 up to about $270 for the Etys and could even go as high as $450 for Grado RS-1s. Plus an amp really does help. You can build an amp for under $100 including the needed tools (about $30 in parts) or can get an affordable option from JMT or Tangent.

Amps can go wild... You can spend $50 on the short end and several thousand on the high-end. My current favorite is the Ear HP4 that goes for about $3600. I own a Meier HA-1 that cost around $300ish (don't remember the exact price).

If you have been using the included crappy headphones that ship with most PCDPs then I would recommend the Koss KSC-35s or Portapros. They are easily driven, incredibly detailed for the price (around $30), and have adequate bass. When your ready to take it to the next level, get an amp (Tangent Meta42 for example) *then* add in the Etys or Grados if you like what your hearing.

 

[dougli]

Beyerdynamic DT770's can furnish the Daily Recommended Allowance of bass.

 

[bassgrrl]

Whao! Thanks for all the incredible replies. I'm sorry that I didn't specify a price range, that woukld have helped you help me more. But you all seem to have suggested from within a wide price range. Yes, budget is an issue. One more follow-up question or clarification. When most of you mention "amp,"
i.e. Cosmic, JMT, Tangent, do you mean amp for the headphones or for the stereo? I know that a good amp for the stereo is important - I have an older NAD 7020.

Thanks again, those replies are awesome -it still amazes me how the internet can bring out the best in people.

 

[Toe]

I'll second dougli's suggestion of the DT770s. Mucho bass response and from what I understand probably a lot deeper than Grados. $130 shipped from http://www.meier-audio.com

Moving down the price scale a ways, there's also the Sony V6. Not as smooth as the Beyers, but still deep and tight bass. Search Yahoo Shopping for "sony v6" to find the best price, it'll be around $60.

When we're talking about amps around here, we're talking about dedicated amps for headphones. I built my first cmoy amp for under $30, and it sounds MUCH better than any "plain" headphone jack I've heard.

 

[acidtripwow]

I recommend the Beyer DT 770 headphone if you want to hear bass. These headphones have the most bass of any headphone I have tried and are especially good headphones for Rock music.

 

[Calanctus]

I've gotta chime in on the Beyer DT770s...they're great! The bass level actually startled me the first few times I heard them. Furthermore I find them to be a very musical headphone. I bought them primarily for more bass impact during late-night movie/gaming sessions, but I've ended up using them for music listening more than any other cans I own (and I own 2 more expensive pairs).

 

[Nezer]

Quote:

Originally posted by bassgrrl Whao! Thanks for all the incredible replies. I'm sorry that I didn't specify a price range, that woukld have helped you help me more. But you all seem to have suggested from within a wide price range. Yes, budget is an issue. One more follow-up question or clarification. When most of you mention "amp," i.e. Cosmic, JMT, Tangent, do you mean amp for the headphones or for the stereo? I know that a good amp for the stereo is important - I have an older NAD 7020. Thanks again, those replies are awesome -it still amazes me how the internet can bring out the best in people.

A good headphone amp is equally importantfor headphone listening as a power amp is to speaker listening.

If I were you I would steer middle-ground and get a small headamp with some moderate headphones. You can (and probably will) always upgrade later.

If you just want to get your feet wet, go to Circuit City and pick-up a pair of Koss KSC-50s for $15. If you like what you hear go up from there... The KSC-50s are really impressive with bass and bass impact especially considering thier price. You just need to really burn them before they start to shine (a few days of running music through them increasing the volume periodically). I'm actually listening to them now over the K501s sitting right next to me (they have no bass impact at all).

BTW, the internet can also bring out the worst too... Post a picture of yourself here and call yourself TracyLynn and you'll see what I mean.

 

[kelly]

bassgrrl

The best dynamic headphone for seperation and resolution in my opinion is the Etymotic ER-4S. Read about it here: Etymotic Web Site. You can purchase it here: .HeadRoom Store Site. This headphone is on the expensive side at $269 but it's a fair price for its accuracy. If you like the idea of this headphone but have less budget, also consider the Etymotic ER-6 which is $119--less accurate but very good for its price.

Note that these are closed isolating headphones so you won't be able to/have to hear anything but the music playing. If you're looking for something to listen to WHILE playing the bass this may not be the best solution. If, on the other hand, you're looking to exclusively hear either yourself playing or the music playing, this is an ideal solution. Many musicians use these because they're in noisy environments and this prevents them from having to turn the volume louder and go deaf.

Your NAD will probably power the headphone fine without clipping but you may consider a dedicated headphone amplifier which is what people are referring to when they say "amp" here. If you're interested in a dedicated headphone amplifier that is also very quick and tight with a flat response, I recommend this one: Corda HA-1 amplifier . This amplifier is a great value at $325 shipped. There is also a kit version available there for a bit less if you're handy with a soldering iron.

 

[Snufkin]

I'll throw another vote for the Beyer 770pros in, comfy, great sounding, excellent isolation, durable enough to withstand pretty much everything and possibly the best bass response out of any headphone I've heard and great for music listening as well.