[Random Lunatic]

Greetings! I've been pondering for a while if there are any good choices for those who love bass north of neutral, but want absolute resolution and quality at the same time. I'm interested in both IEM's and/or full size headphones.

The only good options I know, are like the Fostex TH-900, which, whilst it has phenomenal bass, will also take your head off with treble if you turn them up. Possibly the Abyss, from a short session, but cant say the waffle-iron-like construction worked well for me. Some planars have amazing extension, but just lack the visceral feel of a dynamic like the fostex.

I've been coming across ever more detailed/resolving/precise products, with great soundstage/imaging, from the Noble Katana IEMs to the Sennheiser HD800, or Monitor Audio's Platinum speakers for that matter, and now I can't go back on detail without missing it - but at the same time, whilst it works wonders with well recorded jazz, acoustic etc, hard electronic music and metal, just doesn't have the weight and hitting-power on these, due to their lean/neutral signatures.

At the other end headphones like the B&W P7 have a very enjoyable punchy and warm-ish sound with powerful bass, but when it comes to technicalities, they fall flat comparatively. Similar with the Audeze LCD-X, it could still do with more low end, but otherwise it was great in pretty much all aspects, except the resolution was that of an LCD-2... i.e. not much better than the P7 if I'm being harsh, in the grand scheme.


So, do you have suggestions for IEMs or Headphones, with impactful/full low end, resolving power of the Katana, but which wont make my ears bleed if I turn them up? I'm interested in all price ranges, though 2000+ is getting a bit eyewatering - but hit me with your thoughts!

 

[Ciggavelli]

I’m a big bass head, given that I grew up with hip-hop.

I currently have these 3 headphones for bass (amongst other reasons).

1) Foster TH900mk2 (absolutely the best at bass)

2) Abyss 1266 Phi TC (second best at bass and by far the best headphones I’ve ever owned)

3) Campfire Cascade (a large quantity of bass, but at a lower quality, compared to the other 2)

I also own Shure Se846 earbuds that give a good amount of bass, but not at levels seen with headphones. I also own Focal Utopias that we’re light on bass until I bought some Danacables Lazuli Reference cables. Those cables brought the headphones to Audeze LCD-2 levels of bass. Speaking of those, I had a pair of LCD-2s, but sold them. They just didn’t give me anything special and were basically superfluous.

Also, I’ve found that amps can really make a difference. I had a Hugo 2 for a while, and while a good amp and dac, it didn’t have the power needed to really let the bass do it’s thing. Then, I bought a LTA Mz2, which brought some additional punch, but less depth. I sold those 2 and bought a Hugo TT2, and wow, I have more punch, more quantity, more depth (gotta be in high gain though). My TH900mk2 were great at bass before, but the TT2s really brought them out big time.

 

[Random Lunatic]

I’m a big bass head, given that I grew up with hip-hop.

I currently have these 3 headphones for bass (amongst other reasons).

1) Foster TH900mk2 (absolutely the best at bass)

2) Abyss 1266 Phi TC (second best at bass and by far the best headphones I’ve ever owned)

3) Campfire Cascade (a large quantity of bass, but at a lower quality, compared to the other 2)

Thank you for the response, the issue is that as far as I'm aware, the sound of the TH900 Mk2 hasn't really changed? An the original hurt my ears too much in the long run due to the rather harsh treble.
And like I said the Abyss headband construction just doesn't work for me, since I rarely just sit in a chair at home listening.
I do intend to try some of campfire's bassy IEMs - I'm just wary after hearing the Andromeda which was rather unimpressive to my ears - don't remember it sounding bad, just uninteresting...

I can agree with you on the Utopia and Audeze though - both were headphone I'd really hoped would fit the bill, but the Utopia seemed too politely tuned, and planars generally just seem to lack the physicality of dynamic drivers...

 

[Amberlamps]

I will avoid this thread as I'm not a basehead, but I do like my bass.

 

[mixman]

LCD4/4Z enuff said

 

[Random Lunatic]

LCD4/4Z enuff said

Most definitely not - made that mistake already... found the bass to be precise but rather lackluster in impact/physicality/quantity, and overall it was just way too bright and fatiguing due to the endless treble spikes/rising treble. Found even my original HD800 more to my liking; hits harder/more dynamic, less fatiguing since it doesn’t have the 7khz+ Peaks/rise... and considering the HD800 is already bright, that’s saying something

I wish though, because I love the design of the audezes.

 

[mixman]

Wow, think you are using the wrong gear if you call the 4/4z bass shy and bright!!! That's like calling the HD800 dull, and bassy. I would stay with the Fostex maybe a ZMF Atticus?

 

[Arniesb]

Not much choice. I think Beyerdynamic Dt1770pro would be great choice. Resolution is only little worse as well as bass impact (Still great though) than Th900 and it dont have piercing highs.

 

[Random Lunatic]

I will avoid this thread as I'm not a basehead, but I do like my bass.

I normally wouldn’t call myself a bass head per se either, but it increasingly seems like anything with bass that isn’t bordering on below neutral is a rarity, never mind something with a bit of added gumption!

Wow, think you are using the wrong gear if you call the 4/4z bass shy and bright!!! That's like calling the HD800 dull, and bassy. I would stay with the Fostex maybe a ZMF Atticus?

I think it’s just differences in hearing, both Tyll Hertsens, Z-reviews and Joshua Valor have all pointed to the issue with the treble of audeze in various ways/to various degrees, and measurements clearly show it too. And as Tyll pointed out the treble is also very uneven and has some general issues on them.
Whether you can hear it / whether it bothers you is a different matter.
I tried the lcd 4 on numerous well regarded amps, from questyle, mytek, ifi and others.

I’m still hoping Audeze will one day make a headphone with a warm/dark sound, a bit of extra bass with proper impact, and good resolution without having peaky treble after the classic audeze valley in the upper mids .


But I digress, getting a bit sidetracked here ^^

 

[Random Lunatic]

Not much choice. I think Beyerdynamic Dt1770pro would be great choice. Resolution is only little worse as well as bass impact (Still great though) than Th900 and it dont have piercing highs.

Would love to give those a listen - I love my T1 and DT1350, but weren’t too impressed with the original DT XX0 series, maybe these revised versions have picked up the slack

 

[AlwaysForward]

While I haven’t heard it, the Legend X seems to be audiophile grade bass on the go.

This thread is very much right up my alley. I love the audeze sound for bass, particularly when the reveal plugins are used. Without DSP, it’s good but much less impactful and lively by comparison.

 

[Random Lunatic]

While I haven’t heard it, the Legend X seems to be audiophile grade bass on the go.

This thread is very much right up my alley. I love the audeze sound for bass, particularly when the reveal plugins are used. Without DSP, it’s good but much less impactful and lively by comparison.

I have been rather curious about the Empire Ears, but have had not chance to hear them - I’ve been burned on high end IEMs too many times to dare buying without trying. The Noble Katana is the only one worth that sort of price I’ve tried, due to its detail, but I’d like a bit more “oomph”.
Would love to see if Empire or one of the now numerous chi-fi iems might pick up the torch.
It seems few can manage to make good bass without also making piercing highs...

Can’t say audeze has impressed me with bass other than in terms of extension and control, but very lacking in physical impact and shy on quantity. Though I haven’t tried their DSPs yet. I love Audeze in theory, less so in practice.

 

[Redcarmoose]

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/sony-mdr-z1r.21971/


Read my above review about the battle of three (bass-head)flagships.


Read below (bass-head)IER-Z1R review by yours truly.

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/sony-ier-z1r.23390/reviews



The thing is the more you upgrade bass, the more detailed it gets. And while some “bass-head” inventions are more sub-bass oriented, they still come off as regular bass-head headphones. With the above said the full experience is just as dependent on amps for the full effect. Meaning it’s a combination of amps AND headphones which makes the perfect bass-head experience. IMO


I have the Denon AHD7000 which is “in a way” the Fostex TH900; though one way to smooth the treble was tube amps? Much of the above Sony house sound is also V shaped which helps the transducer tune work out by having a treble spike as well as a bass boost, like the Fostex tune.

Also you should maybe concentrate more on the Noble Audio Encore and not the Katana. But this is a seriously confusing subject and also incredibly personal on which Noble to focus on. Technically the original K-10 has more bass. That is the IEM that they are really famous for. In 2016 both the Katana and Encore were released. I own the Encore and love it, but it’s in no way a bass-head IEM. I’ve not heard the original K-10; but can give you some pointers regarding the Katana and Encore. Before the 2019 Noble Audio Kahn; the Encore and Katana where released as co-flagships which were re-worked ideas on the original K-10. The Katana has 9 BA drivers the Encore has 10 BA drivers. So in simple terms the Encore took and made the midrange more up-front and harmonically complex, there is more going on, in contrast to the original K-10. Though take this idea with a grain of salt having not heard the original K-10. This is just what I learned. More midrange and treble info with the Encore in comparison to the old K-10. The Katana may be put into this description as well?

The Katana seemed more neutral than the Encore when I demoed the Katana. Though the Katana is regarded as not having the treble boost the Encore has in the community. The Encore was to me, way more clear? The Katana was mostly noted to have less treble which made it seem slightly boring to me. That said it’s the Encore I have spent years and years with. With both the IER-Z1R and the Encore it is all about fit. Meaning without the perfect fit, it does not matter what they sound like, because your not going to hear it anyway. As for fit success, it’s different for everyone. That’s what is much more easy about full-size headphones, no worry about fit. But for a year and a half I never found the best fit with the Encore, though after finding fit it was amazing.

Balanced armature bass is simply different, way less physicality In comparison to DD bass. Though there is no reason why even a bass-head could learn to like something like the Encore. But be warned the Encore bass does have a mild boost but as a whole, the Encore bass is hidden most of the time. The Encore is more sub-bass orientated. But as a difference from what you going to find with the Sony house sound is midrange. The Encore is neutral but has a wide soundstage like the IER-Z1R with airy treble. The IER-Z1R treble is somehow natural sounding but less airy than the Encore. The Encore mids are more involved due to it being relatively flat. But.......due to over-all technicality, it has you hear what seems like detail, only the detail is warm and somehow covered with a slight “buzz” making it work with any recording quality. Where in this regard the Katana seemed like it was more direct “flat” sounding though less fun or forgiving?

 

[jmills8]

Th900 or the 9200

 

[Alarickc]

Sounds like you want an Abyss with a generous wattage behind it. Planar bass detail/extension with DD impact. Addictive stuff, I'd recommend an audition.