First and foremost they are dark. They share a similar sound to my TMA-1s in that respect. Though even darker than that. I'd say they were boarder-line veiled. The mids are decent, slightly forward, but not as strong as the TMA-1s. Highs are attenuated, but still have a bit of spark to them.
To go in depth a bit for each... (mind you I don't have them in front of me, and did NOT use my TMA-1s for reference when demoing, but will use them for reference because in many ways they are similar cans). So all this is from general memory... But I'll to my best to give an accurate description of what I thought. If I get a chance I'll bring my TMA-1s next time and do a side by side comparison and take better notes.
Bass: I'll say it right now, these are not for classical or jazz. The bass and mids don't work, and though I didn't try to EQ them, the overall darkness doesn't seem like it could be easily tamed. They worked best for electronica, which didn't surprise me in the least. Metal they were mediocre. It was strong, but not punchy or fast enough. (The bass WAS punchy but only decently so, but it was pretty slow overall) Some notes didn't seem to separate well either, but that could have been my imagination or because I'm used to a specific EQ setting. As much as I want to, for when I use my J3 to test, I can't seem to avoid listener's bias. Then there are the bass frequencies represented... There is more midbass than subbass, but that is not to say there isn't some. It adds enough to give volume to the music, but I still feel that the midbass takes too much precedence over subbass. I prefer the two to be nearly equal, with a bit less midbass if anything.
The mids did not impress me to be honest. Perhaps it was the music that I chose. The mids did not leave a strong impression on me. They seemed to trail off a bit going into the highs as well, which was a disappointment. I though I was used to it from the TMA-1s, but I think my EQ settings on those keep me from taking note too much. It isn't bad, and is certainly bearable. But if you are going to go for warm headphones might as well make the mids a bit more forward, and try to squeeze out a better transition into the highs.
The highs, like on the TMA-1s are the worst part. The biggest issue is the lack of sparkle, for lack of a better word. The attenuation is too much, and that became very prevalent in Jazz. The trumpets and high guitar notes just didn't seem all there. There really isn't much to say about the highs, except that they are attenuated, I'd even say a bit too much for this price range and sound type. With the right music, it is probably not as noticeable.
I should mention that they are also OVERALL pretty clear for the price. The bass is the only thing that lacked clarity at times, but it was far from being muddy.
Overall, for popular music, they work well, and they are decent in sound (dare I say good if you have the right music?). If you like a warm sound signature, you'll like these. For me they are a BIT much in that department. They helped me realize that the TMA-1s are as dark as I want to go in terms of warmth. However, for what its worth they have a solid build, and decent SQ for the price. There are better out there, but if you are looking for a solid midrange can that's nearly indestructible for popular music, look no further. Eventually I want to test with EQ and see if I can't offset the darkness and see if I can get a better mid to high transition and get a bit more spark out of the highs. The strong, decently punchy (albeit slow) bass and good (not great) midrange work well for pop and electronica. I think at 90-100 they are a solid buy, especially if you are looking for such a sound. You just have to be aware of the comfort issues. I couldn't wear them for more than 30 minutes without adjusting or being annoyed at the pressure on the back of my ear. And I was able to notice this design flaw within minutes.
It is a good contender in its price range. If they fix the cup issue, I would even recommend them to people looking for a fun warm sounding headphone in the price range of $100. Going into the $130 range, they are competative, but not a sure buy as they would be at $100. They are actually well priced which is probably what impressed me the most. For right now, I have a problem recommending them based on the comfort issue. If comfort is not an issue, I'd say give them a shot if warmth is what you are looking for. Too much for some, but I'm sure its just right for others. Personally they are too much for me, but I also use EQ like a madman. So take that for what it is.
