[bgentry]

A while back I played my headphone rig for a friend of mine in another city. He listened to it for a long time, mostly at ear bleeding volumes and really, really liked it. He's now gotten to the point where he wants to build his own setup and has asked for my help.

My setup is:

NAD HP50
Schiit Modi 2
Schiit Magni 2

His comments about my system were: It sounds really good. I want more bass. I need a bigger amp; yours doesn't get loud enough. After that last comment, I changed the gain on the Magni from low to high and let him try again. Then he was happy with the sound level. But even then, he said he was able to get the headphones to distort on the very loudest things he was playing. I know, I know. He likes it loud and has done a lot of construction and other work around loud sounds.

So I'm sort of looking for an NAD HP50 with something like 12 dB of bass boost, and the ability to play very very loudly.

At the moment I'm considering recommending the V-Moda M100s. Also looking at the JVC HA SZ2000, but I'm reluctant because of the "recessed mids" and the need to replace the stock pads. I've also looked at the Taction Kannons, but they don't seem to be in production yet.

Budget is around $400, but of course less expensive headphones that fit the bill are totally fine.

Thanks for any help.

Brian.

 

[serman005]

It certainly sounds like you are looking at all the usual suspects. One more you might consider is the B&W P7, which has a nice bass emphasis without much in the way of recessed mids (IMHO, YMMV, of course). Something to consider possibly.

 

[bgentry]

I talked to my friend some more about his preferences. He seems to want a very V shaped headphone actually. So maybe the JVCs would be OK.

Any other suggestions for V shaped closed back headphones that play very loudly and have great bass?

Thanks,

Brian.

 

[HipHopScribe]

The NAD's didn't get loud enough for him on a Magni 2? Did you warn him that he's gonna be deaf in a few years? 

 

[bgentry]

^ The NADs got loud enough. He was able to make them distort, or perhaps able to make the Magni run out of power. I'm guessing it was probably the drivers in the NAD, but I'm not sure, as I'm unwilling to try to find out with my ears. Either way, because he could make them distort, we thought this might indicate that he wants headphones with more overall volume capability, particularly in the bass region.

I definitely told him his listening level was off the charts, extremely high. As I said, he's been around a lot of very loud machinery in his various jobs, so his hearing isn't the same as other people's. You make a good point though: He might do further damage using headphones at those levels.

Brian.

 

[HipHopScribe]

^ The NADs got loud enough. He was able to make them distort, or perhaps able to make the Magni run out of power. I'm guessing it was probably the drivers in the NAD, but I'm not sure, as I'm unwilling to try to find out with my ears.

Either way, because he could make them distort, we thought this might indicate that he wants headphones with more overall volume capability, particularly in the bass region.

I definitely told him his listening level was off the charts, extremely high. As I said, he's been around a lot of very loud machinery in his various jobs, so his hearing isn't the same as other people's. You make a good point though: He might do further damage using headphones at those levels.

Brian.

 
They are his ears I guess, so in the end it's his choice. I would say the V-Moda's you mentioned might fit the bill, I've demoed a friend's pair and they do have a v-shaped sound with good bass emphasis. I can't say how they handle volume levels this high though. I've never listened to any headphones at the levels your friend does, so it's hard to make a recommendation on that count

 

[bgentry]

I've tentatively recommended the following headphones for him to consider. In no particular order:

JVC HA SZ2000
Taction Kannon
V-Moda M100
Oppo PM-3
Beyer Dynamic DT770 80 Ohm

I think I would actually recommend the SoundMagic HP150 as well... but mine broke at the left ear cup yoke and I've seen numerous reports of that, so I don't feel comfortable making the recommendation.

I'm tempted to recommend the Massdrop/Fostex TH-0XX, but it doesn't seem to have the pronounced bass response of the 900 or 600.

Brian.