[rovopio]

by distortion you mean something like this?
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rJ7a-x_rxI
 
because mine doesn't distort like that.
(or maybe i just don't know what distortion on a headphone sounds like...)

 

[Viber]

more like the bass distortion on cheap earbuds (mainly on busy parts), but i feel like it's improving (or maybe i'm just losing my mind

)

 

[RiGLEY]

How is the volume? Can it go loud? 

 

[Viber]

it can go really loud.
Now when i think about it it's the same flavor of distortion like when you push the gain on your EQ to the red area or like when you push the volume on VLC player over 100%, but it's mainly in the bass-midbass area.
 
These are pretty nice on non bass-driven music tho...

 

[Viber]

OMG just listen to Klaus Badelt - He's A Pirate (flac or 320) and you'll understand what i'm talking about.

 

[Viber]

Using HRT Headstreamer btw...

 

[rovopio]

  OMG just listen to Klaus Badelt - He's A Pirate (flac or 320) and you'll understand what i'm talking about.

 
I don't have PoTC soundtrack, i just checked youtube.
 
If by distortion you meant like the video i posted above, there is ZERO distortion with the youtube version of that PoTC track. From around 3 months ago, i use this as a sub-bass rumbles and mid-bass punch test track (thanks to another head-fier that introduced me to this band).
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=FxaWrCK1jQ4
 
Or by distortion you mean it's lacking sub-bass rumbles?
Well considering how long you've been on this thread, i thought you already did research going in, and already knew that the ma-900 is lacking sub-bass rumbles (and slight mid-bass hump). If you don't, well... now you know.
 
I think what you've heard is not distortion but sub-bass roll-off. If you're looking for sub-bass rumbles, you might be better served with Fidelio x2, hd650, or this other one i just bought, he-400i.

 

[Viber]

No, it's not anything lacking, didn't expect sub bass monsters here.
It's on certain parts of certain tracks, can't really understand why.

 

[Viber]

These with movies and games tho

 

[rovopio]

  No, it's not anything lacking, didn't expect sub bass monsters here.
It's on certain parts of certain tracks, can't really understand why.

 
Did you check the first youtube video i posted? if i experienced distorted sound like that, i would return the headphone immediately, after making sure that it's not the source's fault.
 
A lot of people use the word distortion a lot to describe sound though, sometimes i really don't know what people meant by that though to be honest. Because what i consider distortion is crackling or rattling sounds either from the source (recordings or badly recorded videos), or drivers not working properly.
 
I never really experienced distortions from any working headphones i owned (and auditioned at length), so, i'm sorry i can't offer more help

 

[Viber]

That video you posted sounded fine, i felt like the biggest challenges were the busy moments in electronic dance tracks (Trance mainly).

 

[rovopio]

  That video you posted sounded fine, i felt like the biggest challenges were the busy moments in electronic dance tracks (Trance mainly).

 
this video sounded fine?  are you sure? That 10 seconds video is all distorted sound.
 

 
 
Well..., i don't know, if it's the headphone driver's fault, you would hear it in every song, including this video below. The first minute alone has enough distinctive sub-bass and mid-bass for checking. I check for rattles, but it works for checking for distortion too i guess... Well, the good news is your headphone driver is probably working fine if the video below sounds fine.
 

 

[Viber]

haha no lol i meant the album you posted, the distortion video is obviously distorted

 
It might be that  what i'm complaining about is what other people described as 'grain'.
 
It's like: 
Track starts with a kick - fine.
Kick + Bass-line + percussion - still ok
Kick + Bass-line + percussion + pads + synths = baseline and some of the kick are not so smooth anymore, like someone connected it to a guitar amp and turned up the overdrive knob.
 
 
Now i'm debating if to post them up for sale or continue to burn them in...

 

[rovopio]

  haha no lol i meant the album you posted, the distortion video is obviously distorted

 
It might be that  what i'm complaining about is what other people described as 'grain'.
 
It's like: 
Track starts with a kick - fine.
Kick + Bass-line + percussion - still ok
Kick + Bass-line + percussion + pads + synths = baseline and some of the kick are not so smooth anymore, like someone connected it to a guitar amp and turned up the overdrive knob.
 
 
Now i'm debating if to post them up for sale or continue to burn them in...

 
i think what you're describing is resolution. Or probably decay and / or speed.
It's a $200 headphone, it's as much resolution as you can get,
 
If you don't like them, don't hesitate on selling them. Or keep them in your drawers if your budget aren't tight. Some people don't want to deal with the hassle of selling stuffs, and i get that POV too. he400i is a good complement to the ma900. But i like the ma900 female vocals portrayals way better than he400i.
 
On female vocals It goes ma900 >>> dt880 > he400i. If only the dt880 midrange is a little bit more forward, i would have no need for he400i. But as far as sound signature goes, he400i is non-fatiguing and have unrecessed midrange, and that's the primary reason i put them above the dt880.

 

[Fadem]

   
I don't have PoTC soundtrack, i just checked youtube.
 
If by distortion you meant like the video i posted above, there is ZERO distortion with the youtube version of that PoTC track. From around 3 months ago, i use this as a sub-bass rumbles and mid-bass punch test track (thanks to another head-fier that introduced me to this band).
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=FxaWrCK1jQ4
 
Or by distortion you mean it's lacking sub-bass rumbles?
Well considering how long you've been on this thread, i thought you already did research going in, and already knew that the ma-900 is lacking sub-bass rumbles (and slight mid-bass hump). If you don't, well... now you know.
 
I think what you've heard is not distortion but sub-bass roll-off. If you're looking for sub-bass rumbles, you might be better served with Fidelio x2, hd650, or this other one i just bought, he-400i.

Off topic: I like Wildlight (mostly because of The Polish Ambassador, but still). I listen to them a lot with my MA900s. Uh, I have nothing else to add