[Mav451]

I realize that there are lists out there for the "top headphones" under 100.

But i'm needing a little bit of advice for my situation.

My current headphones are <20 bucks...and the bass in them is extremely bad.

I'm basically looking for

1) Headphones from 65-100bucks (may go to 110-120 if it's crucial)

2) Have heavy bass for techno/hip hop; but also well rounded enough to do "acoustic" songs as well.

3) 50/50 MP3's and Gaming.

thanks in advance.

 

[ProFingerSk8er]

there are lots of bass monsters under $100, would you mind telling what is your source?

welcome to head-fi

 

[TheMuffinMan_01]

sounds like v6's... but then again i say that alot. they seem like a good fit for what you are looking for

the Sony MDRV6's can be found here for 70 bux http://www.etronics.com/product.asp?stk_code=sonmdrv6

 

[nanahachi]

Just based mostly on my experience reading threads, but NOT with the headphones themselves (I've only tried them twice), I would second the recommendation for the Sony v6 (aka 7506). They have plenty of bass (although there is plenty of bass, I found it muddier than on other phones), I've seen them recommended for gaming, and they fit in your price range.

If you dont mind having "open" headphones (ones that dont isolate you from outside noises or prevent the music you're listening to from leaking out), take a look at the Grado SR-60 or SR-80. The SR-80 have better bass, and really come alive if you are going to get an amp later (eg a CMOY, Meta42, etc).

Try a search for "gaming" and you'll probably find some additional recommendations. good luck

 

[Mav451]

haha source is my SBLive! right now.

As you can tell, no amp, no special equipment...

I'm thinking of changing to an SB Audigy 2 PCI in case i need it.

I'm more of a comp techie than an audiophile (but i'm willing to learn

)

 

[ch1nkster]

go get v6's. get can that sound tons better than the usual crap stock headphones you've probably been using. they have great BOOM BOOM (well not that boom boom) bass that sounds great when i'm listening to rap/ techno. the problem is that they dun have the soundstage like the eggo's D-66 nor have any midrange, but they make up for that when you listen to them. they were my first non-stock and favorite headphones. my v6's sound great coming out of my nForce2 integrated audio (which they say is comparable to an Audigy2) so they will prolly sound good too coimg out of your SBlive! they are also good for games like cs because i can hear much more detail than my comp speakers, which is an advantage.

ps: sorry for the rambling

 

[Geek]

The V6 is ideal, although I have no experience with them. I prefer HD497s, SR-60s, and PX100s in the sub $100 range; all are relatively inexpensive and have some variation of bass (PX100s have thick deep bass, SR-60s have emphasized punchy midbass, and the HD497s have a neutral sound with boosted mid/upper bass).

Any of these headphones are ideal, working well without dedicated amps, straight from your card.

Cheers,
Geek

 

[Mav451]

hey thanks fer the great reply Geek.

I'm just wondering if you could clarify what "thick deep bass", "emphasized punch" midbass, and "boosted mid/upper bass" mean in relation to >>

Games? (deep bass is good or bad?)
Music?
(like comparison of those properties in relation to):

a) techno
b) hip hop
c) acoustic music.

 

[Xplo]

"Thick deep bass" - Difficult to define for somone without a good frame of reference. Best I can say is that it is what it reads like; low-frequency bass with a noticibly "weighty", "thick" sound and feeling, as opposed to a "thin" one.

"Emphasized punch" - A particularly strong "thud" sensation generated by the sound wave. The same sort of pounding-in-your-chest feeling one tends to expect from a subwoofer (especially one that's cranked up too much, as most are), only of course with a headphone you mainly feel it in your ears.

"Boosted mid/upper bass" - Mid-bass and upper bass frequencies (what, 60-200 Hz or thereabouts?) are reproduced with more volume and/or punch than other frequencies. To put it another way, the headphones exaggerate the amount of bass present in the recording, as though you'd turned on bass boost or cranked up the bass frequencies on an equalizer.

Bass is usually good for games, because it makes gunshots, thuds, and explosions sound better. For instance, a gunshot on headphones with weak bass would sound more like "crack!", whereas a headphone with strong bass would emphasize the lower frequencies and produce more of a "BLAM!"

The V6 should be great for hip-hop; in fact, in your price range, it's probably THE ideal choice. It should also manage techno pretty well; the V6 tends to have overly crisp, harsh-sounding highs, but this might actually be an asset for techno.

For acoustic music, I'd actually recommend the Sennheiser HD280 Pro. However, understand that while acoustic music isn't the strong point of the V6, it is a very good headphone for its price, and I would say that it's the best fit for your requirements.

 

[Duncan]

Yes, another vote here for the MDR-V6...

They really are still one of the cans to beat for under $100

 

[Jasper994]

While I don't own the V6, I've heard that the positioning on them isn't that good so they may not be wonderful for FPS games. I personally use Sennheiser HD280 Pro's and find them to be great all around headphones with great positioning for movies and games and a slightly warm but very articulate sound for music that is great for critical listening. The downside here is that many people find these to be a bit on the unemotional side for listening to music. Bassheads also often find these to be a bit lite in the bass dept but that really depends on what kind of bass you are looking for. The bass on the 280 is very tight and punchy and has incredible low end extension. It does not, however, have the mid bass hump that a lot of people enjoy. The 280's also benefit from very good isolation so you won't have to hear your computer's fans. They are also very easy to drive and your soundcard will have no problems driving them (this is also the case with the V6).

BTW don't get the V6 confused with the V600 which really sucks!

-EDIT-

Something else to consider, once broken in the 280's slightly warm sound and incredible isolation as well as its glove like fit make for a very non-fatiguing listening experience. If you're listening for long periods at a time this really helps.

 

[Mav451]

damn just as it seemed clear that V6's are the way to go, you say that they have

"poor positioning"

Can i get a 2nd opinion on this (in relation to games such as CS, but i also play Warcraft 3 as well).

And warm/articulate -- is this more for classic acoustic, and not as strong for techno/hiphop?

Thanks.

 

[Geek]

Xplo, you basically describe what I hear with those headphones.

Punchy bass is "fast," i.e., the sound is articulate and favors the kickdrum and fundamental bass guitar tone, and is not excessive.

Thick deep bass is just that: the bass is emphasized over the other frequencies, remains fairly neutral, and extends very low. It's "thick" because its to the point of overwhelming the rest of the frequency spectrum, and "deep" because its extended so far down.

Boosted mid/upper bass, well, basically it's as described: there's some "bloat" to the sound which bleeds into the lower midrange but the bass, in spite of being really heavy, doesnt go all that deep (no deep rumbling shaking stuff).

All of these headphones (V6, PX100, HD497, SR60) do not need any special fancy equipment, and all but the V6 are open.

Cheers,
Geek

 

[needgoodphones]

I've used the v6 phones for gaming out of an SB live. While playing CS with stereo speakers chosen in control panel it is really easy to tell where anyone is with most headphones. When I run them through my amp with crossfeed on the soundstage colapses quicker on my v6's then on my Grado SR-125, but I think that this might just be that the bass on the SR-125's isn't as overwhelming. On the SB Live when someone is to directly to your left the sound is 100% out of the left earcup and vice versa. It makes it very easy to tell where anyone is, well for me at least.

 

[etys rule]

I've got an idea. Do what I do and BUY THEM ALL. This way you end up broke, but with a vast knowledge base. Let's see, 6's, 4P's, sr80's, PX200, probably 3's in jan. and high-end senn's when i get my bonus. and i don't even own a home stereo. well, my soon to be ex does. drats.

Just kidding. For what it's worth, if you do decide on the v6's, which imho might suit you fine, buy them refurb on ecost for 45.00 with the handling. this way, you can put the money towards a new card. or something else.

my 2 cents.