[smodtactical]

ETA O2 should be on the list. Hits as hard as my atticus if not harder.

 

[Ghisy]

So I finally caved in and got the Ultrasone Signature Pure for less than 150 euros. They were a little cheaper during the January sales but oh well.

Looking forward to testing the sub-bass on these!

Alright, got them today.

Pros:
- they are quite sturdy and well-built even though they're mostly plastic,
- the sound signature is what I was looking for! Very dark and rumbly.
- they're cheap and the overall quality is good for the price.

Cons:
- the clamping force is quite strong,
- the comfort is not great, probably due to the clamping force (I have a medium size head),
- earpads are a little on the small side and not very comfy,
- I don't know if this is due to the comfort but they feel a little tiring after about 1 hour of listening.

I'm probably gonna keep them for DJing and see if I can get used to them long-term.

 

[goosehifi]

What's your impression of them?

(Re: EMU Teaks) Truly feel as if they're the endgame headphone for me. Deep, resonant bass without compromising in the general fidelity of the other frequencies. Qudelix EQ basically fixes the iOS problem of not having any global software EQ. The Teaks are a bit big - I definitely get a couple stares. I don't find them uncomfortable for long listening sessions.

Some Tracks Tested:
アイル・リメンバー・ユー - Takeshi Inomata (listen for the drum in your right ear)
Burfict! - JPEGMAFIA, Danny Brown
Atari - Hiatus Kaiyote

 

[bassMeUpScotty]

The Crushers achieve their bass rumble by having vibrating motors in the earcups that vibrate when frequencies below about 60hz are present, not by having particularly bass-heavy drivers. I mean, without the vibrators, they're still bassy headphones, but no more so than your typical "gamer" headphone.

It's fun (for a while), but it's no substitute for actual massive headphone drivers moving actual massive amounts of air.

What would you recommend for headphones that sound better and have MORE bass than the crusher anc2/evo? In the $500-600 range and can handle amplification?

 

[dstarr3]

What would you recommend for headphones that sound better and have MORE bass than the crusher anc2/evo? In the $500-600 range and can handle amplification?

Oh jeez, with that kind of budget, you're spoiled for choice. You could probably get both the Sony XB1000 and JVC SZ2000 off the used market for that. New, there's the E-Mu Teak, Denon 5200, Fostex 610, etc. Just to name a few that would wipe the floor with the Crushers.

 

[bassMeUpScotty]

Oh jeez, with that kind of budget, you're spoiled for choice. You could probably get both the Sony XB1000 and JVC SZ2000 off the used market for that. New, there's the E-Mu Teak, Denon 5200, Fostex 610, etc. Just to name a few that would wipe the floor with the Crushers.

I'm a major bass head. I love the boomy head rattling bass and want to be able to damage my hearing with the bass. Not really but you get what I mean. The crushers definitely have LQ highs and mids. Where do you buy your used HPs if you do?
Sorry for the barrage of questions.

 

[dstarr3]

I'm a major bass head. I love the boomy head rattling bass and want to be able to damage my hearing with the bass. Not really but you get what I mean. The crushers definitely have LQ highs and mids. Where do you buy your used HPs if you do?
Sorry for the barrage of questions.

I've bought from the Classifieds here, from eBay, and from reddit (r/AVexchange). Good experiences all around, just make sure the seller you find is legit. I haven't bought from Reverb yet, but am open to trying once an opportunity presents itself.

Also, I forgot the Campfire Cascade. Add that to the list of headphones that'll wipe the floor with the Crushers for your budget.

I don't mean to be overly negative on the Crushers, because they're fun in a gimmicky kind of way. The problem is that its sub-bass isn't real sub-bass, it just has vibrators in each cup that start rumbling with the presence of sounds below a certain frequency. In my experience, it was like, once there was sufficient signal below about 60hz, then the vibrators would start. But also, the vibrators don't really fluctuate in frequency or anything the way real sound does, the vibration is just one frequency, and it's either on or off. It's like strapping an N64 controller with the rumble pak to your head. I suppose it is safer in a way because the rumbling is achieved with vibrators instead of actual air pressure, so there's no (or at least much less) of a chance of damaging your hearing. But if you were to judge the headphone solely on its sound quality, its bass really isn't much better than its mids or highs, which is to say, it's really very poor. Just flabby, woolly, lacking in detail, lacking in extension. It's the vibrators that make it fun, not the actual sound. And even then, once you spend enough time with the Crushers, you realize just how "one-note" the vibrators are how abruptly and unnaturally they start and stop. Once you experience headphones that achieve the deep, eye-rattling sub-bass effect using actual sound, you realize how much more fun the effect is when it's achieved legitimately.

I'm honestly always disappointed when I see it mentioned in this thread, because it really doesn't belong here. For the same or less money, you could get a used Sony XB700 instead and get the real deal. Or you can wait for the Drop Ultrasone Sig X to drop to $200, which it does with some regularity, and get something else new for very similar money and get some actual legitimate bass. I haven't heard the Ultrasone myself yet, but based on my experience briefly owning a Crusher and seeing what people say about the Ultrasone, I already know I'd rather buy the Ultrasone, ten times out of ten.

And especially with your budget, you have so many great options that the Crushers shouldn't be anywhere near your radar.

 

[bassMeUpScotty]

I've bought from the Classifieds here, from eBay, and from reddit (r/AVexchange). Good experiences all around, just make sure the seller you find is legit. I haven't bought from Reverb yet, but am open to trying once an opportunity presents itself.

Also, I forgot the Campfire Cascade. Add that to the list of headphones that'll wipe the floor with the Crushers for your budget.

I don't mean to be overly negative on the Crushers, because they're fun in a gimmicky kind of way. The problem is that its sub-bass isn't real sub-bass, it just has vibrators in each cup that start rumbling with the presence of sounds below a certain frequency. In my experience, it was like, once there was sufficient signal below about 60hz, then the vibrators would start. But also, the vibrators don't really fluctuate in frequency or anything the way real sound does, the vibration is just one frequency, and it's either on or off. It's like strapping an N64 controller with the rumble pak to your head. I suppose it is safer in a way because the rumbling is achieved with vibrators instead of actual air pressure, so there's no (or at least much less) of a chance of damaging your hearing. But if you were to judge the headphone solely on its sound quality, its bass really isn't much better than its mids or highs, which is to say, it's really very poor. Just flabby, woolly, lacking in detail, lacking in extension. It's the vibrators that make it fun, not the actual sound. And even then, once you spend enough time with the Crushers, you realize just how "one-note" the vibrators are how abruptly and unnaturally they start and stop. Once you experience headphones that achieve the deep, eye-rattling sub-bass effect using actual sound, you realize how much more fun the effect is when it's achieved legitimately.

I'm honestly always disappointed when I see it mentioned in this thread, because it really doesn't belong here. For the same or less money, you could get a used Sony XB700 instead and get the real deal. Or you can wait for the Drop Ultrasone Sig X to drop to $200, which it does with some regularity, and get something else new for very similar money and get some actual legitimate bass. I haven't heard the Ultrasone myself yet, but based on my experience briefly owning a Crusher and seeing what people say about the Ultrasone, I already know I'd rather buy the Ultrasone, ten times out of ten.

And especially with your budget, you have so many great options that the Crushers shouldn't be anywhere near your radar.

Awesome. I really appreciate your detailed response. Thank you. I'll be sure to research the ones you mentioned and decide on a set. Are fiio amps any good or would a different brand be better?

 

[dstarr3]

Awesome. I really appreciate your detailed response. Thank you. I'll be sure to research the ones you mentioned and decide on a set. Are fiio amps any good or would a different brand be better?

The FiiO K5 Pro has been my work DAC/amp for a few years now and it's never let me down. Good, clean power. The K7 is the current model and while I haven't heard it myself, reviews seem to be nothing but positive and I believe them based on my K5 experience. I also have a FiiO BTR5 for travel and it's much the same story there. Ample power and quality to justify the price tag, easy recommend.

I eventually upgraded my work stack to a Schiit Modi Multibit 2, Loki Mini, and Magni Piety, and I'll be honest, I do prefer that stack compared to the K5 Pro, by a pretty wide margin. But, that stack is also 3x the price of a K5/K7, so it's kind of apples to oranges.

EDIT - Although, looking at Adorama, if you use the e-mail link here https://www.adorama.com/ifimidsdf.html?emailprice=t, the iFi iDSD Sig Finale can still be had for just $300. If you have FiiO K7 Pro money, I would consider stretching the extra $100 to get this instead. I bought one of these last year and it's a real delightful beast. The K7 Pro I would describe as very good for the money, but the iDSD Sig Finale I would describe as tremendous for the money. I don't like to encourage people to stretch their budgets, but I really do think the step up from the K7 Pro for $200 to the iDSD Sig Finale for $300 is more than worth it.

 

[bassMeUpScotty]

The FiiO K5 Pro has been my work DAC/amp for a few years now and it's never let me down. Good, clean power. The K7 is the current model and while I haven't heard it myself, reviews seem to be nothing but positive and I believe them based on my K5 experience. I also have a FiiO BTR5 for travel and it's much the same story there. Ample power and quality to justify the price tag, easy recommend.

I eventually upgraded my work stack to a Schiit Modi Multibit 2, Loki Mini, and Magni Piety, and I'll be honest, I do prefer that stack compared to the K5 Pro, by a pretty wide margin. But, that stack is also 3x the price of a K5/K7, so it's kind of apples to oranges.

EDIT - Although, looking at Adorama, if you use the e-mail link here https://www.adorama.com/ifimidsdf.html?emailprice=t, the iFi iDSD Sig Finale can still be had for just $300. If you have FiiO K7 Pro money, I would consider stretching the extra $100 to get this instead. I bought one of these last year and it's a real delightful beast. The K7 Pro I would describe as very good for the money, but the iDSD Sig Finale I would describe as tremendous for the money. I don't like to encourage people to stretch their budgets, but I really do think the step up from the K7 Pro for $200 to the iDSD Sig Finale for $300 is more than worth it.

I'm fine with dropping a G if the setup lasts a long time, which I'm sure will be the case so long as it's well taken care of and not over powered. Thanks again. You're very patient and thorough. I'm glad I asked here and not reddit. haha
Edit: I think I will probably get the btr7 because I'll mostly use it at work and need a battery powered one. I'm excited!