[Gilly87]

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this is probably  stupid question but is it possible for a headphone to have REALLLLLLLYYY STRONGGG bass but not too much, kinda like in a car, it has powerfull bass but not way too overpowering, at least if u dont use car eq.

I would second what Armaegis said and add that extra subbass helps the cause too

 

[Armaegis]

 


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Very helpful review! I was looking at the HDJ2000(with your mod), the Ultrasone Pro900 and maybe a D2000 to replace my HD25, I'm also open to other suggestions. Which of these would best match the treble energy, bass impact and overall detail of the HD25? I trust any of these would give me the sub-bass response I'm looking for, a better soundstage and midrange wouldn't hurt .

The Pro900 is probably closest. The D2000 and HDJ-2000 are more laid back and won't give that same level of treble energy. 
 
 

 

[brrgrr]

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The Pro900 is probably closest. The D2000 and HDJ-2000 are more laid back and won't give that same level of treble energy. 
 
 

 
So does the Pro900 produce less treble than the HD25? Which would be a better match after the Pro900? A small reduction in treble won't necessarily be a bad thing, just trying to quantify an differences. Thanks for your input.

 

[Armaegis]

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So does the Pro900 produce less treble than the HD25? Which would be a better match after the Pro900? A small reduction in treble won't necessarily be a bad thing, just trying to quantify an differences. Thanks for your input.

For what it's worth... (graph from Headroom)

 
It's very difficult to quantify/quality treble... A lot of the characteristic HD25-1-ii energy comes from that big spike at 10kHz. The Pro900 doesn't really spike but rather keeps a higher energy level through 2-8kHz. 
 
The HDJ-2000 has a similar peak, but not quite as high, and overall treble presence is lower. The D2000 is a smoother but lower than the Pro900. Throwing another loop into things is that all these other options are circumaural, which natural makes things sound different compared to the HD25-1-ii resting on-ear. 
 
So really there's no straight forward answer that I can give you. I would hazily rank treble as HD25 = Pro900 > D2000 > HDJ-2000

 

[NeoVibe]

 
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Hi all,
 
I bought HDJ-2000 a week ago and I would like to share a couple thoughs, maybe a review later on:
 
context:
- these are DJ headphones, the flagship product of a line of DJ gear where Pioneer very very very VERY BIG
- ... this means they did not really care how this would sound with classical music (duh!)
- .... but we should take them for what they are but not by their 'DJ' credentials, they are much more than boom boxes.
 
- bass is there but a bit 'hollow': doesn't "booom", more like "ummmm" (hope you get what I mean)
- no matter what you throw at them they will never hurt your ears (sound-wise) no matter how loud you play them with 'hot' or sibilant recordings, even from an ipod, I definitely get the feeling they are protecting my ears (regarding the bass I also never get the feeling they are trying to bomb my eardrums like some other headphones, remember, "ummm" not "booom").
- they were made to be played LOUD, so at low volumes they sound a little 'murky' like Tyll said on inner-fidelity
- overall sound is "smoothed" and not revealling, great for bad quality music or poor/portable sources on noisy environments, bad for critical listening or studio monitoring.
- build-wise I think they will last a lifetime!! top!
- huge benefit from amping (bass is deeper and more controled, mids come out a little more)
- they have 'groove' but feel laid-back, almost sennheiser-like (for which the the energy is in the high-mids, not in the bass like the Pioneers)
- what they don't have is 'zing' and bite for guitars for instance or delicacy for classical.
 
overall: if you are looking for sennheiser-like revealing mids, forget it - use TMA-1 from AIAIAI (mids are more revealing but is more like a tool, not pleasurable to listen to me at least). Use the Pioneers for what they are and you will be very happy - portable, top build quality, good isolation, protects your hearing at high volumes and sound good with no fatal flaw.
 
They don't anything exceptionally well.... except the fact that they don't do anything wrong! whitch is quite an achievement! For a portable alternative they're a fine choice, as a reference for home not really. However they are far far far better overall than their 'DJ' credentials would lead you to believe: although murky/laid-back sounding they are pretty balanced.
 
hope this helps, will make a more coherent text when I get the time
 
PS: I need to add that mine have little use yet, some of this may change over burn-in.

Hi all, sent the hdj2000 back after trying the akg k518LE, these are really really good for under half the price. If you are into any of these headphones try the akgs first. The pioneers just sounded wrong by comparison. They sounded 'hifi' but wrong! Will elaborate when I get some time. But please try the akgs....
 
 

 

[Armaegis]

The 518 is almost a third the price, maybe a quarter on sale. There's also the big brother K181. Isolation is stronger, punch is heavier, but clamp is also much higher and to me not comfortable.

 

[WakiDabeast]

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Hi all, sent the hdj2000 back after trying the akg k518LE, these are really really good for under half the price. If you are into any of these headphones try the akgs first. The pioneers just sounded wrong by comparison. They sounded 'hifi' but wrong! Will elaborate when I get some time. But please try the akgs....
 
 

how do u compare 518 and hdj 2000 soundsignature, i loved teh akg518 sound signature, needed more clarity, detail, and the head band was about to slice my head open its way too small

 

[WakiDabeast]

oh wait so is the bass tight, and is there any boom at all ? for the pionners 

 

[icedcoffee10702]

Hello, I was thinking of buying the tma-1's. You say in your review they don't have much mids and high's(I'm guessing that's what people mean by dark) . I've actually have heard of this before in other reviews, but I've also heard you are easily able to correct it with treble booster (EQ) Is this true? thanks

 

[Armaegis]

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oh wait so is the bass tight, and is there any boom at all ? for the pionners 

Personally, I felt the K81/518/181 bass was too much thump; like a solid pressure wave punching my ear. I'm sure there's some decent definition there, but I just don't like that forceful feeling of pressure. The HD25-1-ii is about the right amount of punch for me, with a tad too much in the highs which is why I prefer the 25-13-ii.
 


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Hello, I was thinking of buying the tma-1's. You say in your review they don't have much mids and high's(I'm guessing that's what people mean by dark) . I've actually have heard of this before in other reviews, but I've also heard you are easily able to correct it with treble booster (EQ) Is this true? thanks

In the case of the TMA-1, I would rather turn down the bass to achieve a more balanced sound. A treble boost might just wind up giving you a V shaped sound and leave out the mids. 
 

 

[NeoVibe]

Hi all,
 
One word of warning, I found the K518 DJ much boomier than K518LE. The LE's are just right for me, bass has impact (unlike the Pioneers) a certain 'kick' but does not 'boooom' or make mids blurry. 2 other advices: strech them before using (ball, speakers or by hand but GENTLY!) and they wont hurt anymore (but the seal will be worse) and more important, remove the foam covering the driver for more top end.
 
The pioneers by comparison sound much more 'hifi', a lot more highs, more refined, much better soundstage.... but there was something wrong, like a coloration in the mids - music just sounded wierd with them, in terms of timbre, guitars specially. K518 sounds 'right', bass kicks just enough, mids are concise, top end is there (but not airy).
 
I really dont want to say 'go and buy K518', all I want to say is 'try them'. You might be surprised.
And remember, don't buy stuff based on other people's ears, use yours and try it (and of course, buy from resellers with money back guarantee - the greatest blessing on earth for hifi geeks )

 

[putente]

Just to say I'm really enjoying the HD25, right out of the box! I bought the Adidas Originals version (got a great deal at the same price of the Basic Edition) and swapped the original cable for an HD600 cable I had laying around. Of course, they still need to proper burn-in, but I like them already... 

 
 
The only thing I'm not enjoying so much is the headband. I know it's brand new, but it just clamps very very hard. Do you know if the HD25 SP headband is compatible with the cups, and if the clamping force is reduced? At least in pictures, the cups seem the same shape as on the SP version and so the headband change should be an easy straight swap. My biggest doubt is just that the part of the headband where the cups fit seems a lot thinner on the SP headband than on the HD25-1 split headband... 

 

[Armaegis]

I've heard that the SP headband fits, but I've never tried it myself. 

 

[WakiDabeast]

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Personally, I felt the K81/518/181 bass was too much thump; like a solid pressure wave punching my ear. I'm sure there's some decent definition there, but I just don't like that forceful feeling of pressure. The HD25-1-ii is about the right amount of punch for me, with a tad too much in the highs which is why I prefer the 25-13-ii.
 

 
 

I thought the hd25 had a lot of punch, maybe too little decay, i don't like too much pressure either, but if that means it will have more pleasing force, then im ok with that, the hd25 is my perfect sound signature with bass boost on the iphone, so the iphone brings out a little bit of the mids and the bass boost brings out the sub bass nicely

 

[daturi]

Great, I mean great review. Really helpful. Thank you very much for your effort