[cj42]

I used mine for 5 months before the driver went out, but i didn't buy them new - i bought them used from another Head-fi'er and i don't know how much time they were used before i bought them. These were my only headphones, until 2 months ago, i bought the SR60is which stayed sitting aside collecting dust although i listen mainly to Rock and Metal music (thanks to the HP100). I used them everywhere and i even slept with them on a few times, and i carried them a lot while in their bag, in my backpack. Never had any build quality issues. So yeah, as long as you don't take them with you into a mosh pit, you shouldn't have any issue. Regarding the driver that went out - it just went out, i have no idea why or how, but i know for a fact its not a loose connection because i tested the connections from the cable's connector to the solder point on the driver.
 
Regarding amping, getting a portable amp isn't really being tied to an amp . I don't know what cellphone you have, but i have a LG G2 which is quite large, and every time i connected my HP100 directly to my cellphone, and then put my cellphone in my pocket, i got worried the 3.5mm connector will break inside my cellphone. Having a (small) portable amp solves this issue, and improves the sound as well. BTW, i haven't tried any amp other than S.M.S.L sAp-5 (a relatively cheap portable amp), and i could feel the difference. I'd totally recommend an amp, even a cheap one.

 

[KewlMunky]

I've had my replacement pair for a few weeks now. So far they are working perfectly fine. I think they have a slightly noticeable imbalance on some frequencies, but nothing major. I'm not willing to test it, as then it will just make it worse to confirm it.
 
I really think this is a very good headphone for the price. The more I listen to them, the more I like them. I mostly listen to rock and metal, and they seem to keep up well and have good separation. I mainly run them off my Fiio X5, which powers them well. However, they are slightly better off of my Magni 2 Uber.
 
Fingers crossed that I get to use these ones for years to come. 

 

[Stillhart]

Yea. Honestly that kind of kills these headphones for me. If I'm tied to an amp I'll just use my open cans. At least that's my situation. A closed set would be my portable set and I really don't want to carry an amp with me.

 
I disagree with Levi.  I think that they scale very well with an amp, but I don't think an amp is mandatory.  I use these as my portable and I think they're great as is.  There's a difference between "sounds better with an amp" and "sounds bad without an amp".
 

  Guise I need some real help. I have found the HP100s for about $130 but I am a little worried about the earpad depth as well as the possibility of one driver going out or being unbalanced as people have mentioned. Is the difference in sound, build quality and reliability really worth the extra $50???

 
IMO, get the $130 one and spend $35 on some Shure 1540 pads for more depth and comfort.  I think the driver issue is blown out of proportion, but everyone has their own level of risk tolerance.  $50 for peace of mind isn't that much to spend.

 

[cel4145]

I 2nd what stillhart said. I think they work well out of portable device.

 

[bangdomarkin]

Hello guys, after much testing the HP 100 and 150 with many amps, including directly to upowered source, I have discovered that a decent amp is VITAL for these headphones to sound good. Directly to a laptop, phone, etc. the bass was very uncontrolled, almost endlessly boomy. Without an amp the sound signature IMO was so appalling that I would have thrown these in the garbage / sold them.


Connected to an amp, the bass was controlled/tight/punchy in terms of dynamics, but still not quite perfect in terms of still being too much quantity for most genres. This thing is definitely my go-to headphone for movies

Thanks for feedback and tips. Using FiiO E17 as source.

 

[Sekka]

Hello guys, after much testing the HP 100 and 150 with many amps, including directly to upowered source, I have discovered that a decent amp is VITAL for these headphones to sound good. Directly to a laptop, phone, etc. the bass was very uncontrolled, almost endlessly boomy. Without an amp the sound signature IMO was so appalling that I would have thrown these in the garbage / sold them.

Connected to an amp, the bass was controlled/tight/punchy in terms of dynamics, but still not quite perfect in terms of still being too much quantity for most genres. This thing is definitely my go-to headphone for movies & TV shows also - but with an amp still. A lower amp is all you need to sound better like a Vali or Magni 2, but this thing scales well with amps: The more advanced/powerful your AMP/DAC setup the better - not only the bass but as you go up the chain for the more expensive setups you actually start to gain some holographic sound imaging as well! see my posting on page 77 about amp recommendations!

Without an amp, I don't really have a problem with the bass control or quantity, but I do find the treble to be pretty fatiguing especially with metal.  Through my M/M stack, the sound improves a bit overall, but the treble improves drastically because the small amount of harshness present unamped is removed.  Another thing I noticed with amped vs unamped is that the sub bass is far more powerful through an amp, which makes sense as these frequencies call for the highest amount of power for proper execution.
 
I wouldn't consider them "appalling" without an amp, that's a bit of an exaggeration.  They do benefit from amping a lot more than most of the other headphones I have tried, though, which I would attribute to the 95 Db sensitivity.

 

[Jmop]

The HP100 was recommended to me as being a good can for downtempo electronic music due to it's neutral signature with slight subbass emphasis. From what I've been reading these seem like a good choice especially when combined with a bass boosting amp. My concern, however, is comfort. I read that the pads are interchangeable but I'm still a little skeptical. A friend of mine owns a pair M50s and I don't think they're all that comfortable. I'd appreciate any comparisons or feedback

 

[KewlMunky]

The HP100 was recommended to me as being a good can for downtempo electronic music due to it's neutral signature with slight subbass emphasis. From what I've been reading these seem like a good choice especially when combined with a bass boosting amp. My concern, however, is comfort. I read that the pads are interchangeable but I'm still a little skeptical. A friend of mine owns a pair M50s and I don't think they're all that comfortable. I'd appreciate any comparisons or feedback

 
The pads are a bit shallow, so your ears may bottom out. However, these headphones have a layer of felt under the pads that will cushion your ears from actually touching the metal grill of the headphones, so it's not as bad as on some headphones with shallow pads.
 
If you search through the thread, there are a number of other pads that will fit on the HP100/150. I bought the Shure 1540 Alcantara pads for my HP100. They are deeper, and much more comfy. Sonically, I don't believe they changed a whole lot. Maybe a slight bass boost, but nothing significant in my opinion.

 

[Jmop]

Those seem like the go to pads for this headphone based on what I've been reading. It's too bad this headphone seems perfect for me otherwise. Analytical but still enjoyable and deep tight bass. Thanks for the reply, still looking at different headphones. HD600 sounds like it would be pretty descent as well but I auditioned the 650 and didn't care much for the clamp force.

 

[Stillhart]

Those seem like the go to pads for this headphone based on what I've been reading. It's too bad this headphone seems perfect for me otherwise. Analytical but still enjoyable and deep tight bass. Thanks for the reply, still looking at different headphones. HD600 sounds like it would be pretty descent as well but I auditioned the 650 and didn't care much for the clamp force.

 
These are great for downtemp electronic, yes.  But it looks like you're comparing open headphones to closed, which means you may not be 100% certain what you're looking for.  You've also got a wide budget there, it seems.  These are closed headphones, with all that entails.  In general, unless you need it to be closed, open is better.  You might look into the AKG K612 for an equivalently priced open.
 
Honestly, if you're in the HD600/650 price range though, I'd say get the Philips Fidelio X2 and call it a day.  That headphone is fantastic and pretty much the headphone to beat in the $300 and under range IMO.  

 

[Jmop]

Yea I've been looking at all kinds of cans but I'll admit I'm unsure about the bass reponse of open backs but I do like their soundstage and resolution. Isolation doesn't concern me as I'll be doing listening in my room. I was so close to getting the K612 but I didn't want a massive treble spike and overemphasized sibilance. I don't mind a brighter headphone, however, as long as it sounds refined and not harsh.

I auditioned the k7xx and loved the comfort but didn't have enough time with it to make a definite decision.

 

[Jmop]

Phidelio x2 is also on my maybe list but I hate grainy sounding headphones. I love the balance on my Steelseries Flux but didn't like the slight gritty treble. Granted that's an IEM but it's just an example.

 

[cel4145]

Yea I've been looking at all kinds of cans but I'll admit I'm unsure about the bass reponse of open backs but I do like their soundstage and resolution. Isolation doesn't concern me as I'll be doing listening in my room. I was so close to getting the K612 but I didn't want a massive treble spike and overemphasized sibilance. I don't mind a brighter headphone, however, as long as it sounds refined and not harsh.

I auditioned the k7xx and loved the comfort but didn't have enough time with it to make a definite decision.

I've never thought of the K612 Pros as having a "massive treble spike and overemphasized sibilance."

I did prefer the K7XX to the K612 Pros, though.

Seems like you are probably near the stage of needing to order a couple of pairs and keep the ones you like best

 

[Jmop]

I suppose the only way to decide for sure is to just go for it and hope for the best lol

Hifiman He-400i is another maybe but that's about the limit as to how much I'm willing yo spend.

 

[Jmop]

Basically what I want is the low end of a closed back and the high end of an open back. A less expensive version of the HE-560 perhaps if there is such a thing.