[cb3723]

Spoiler

@willyvlyminck
you asked for progressive rock samples with "close to the edge bass guitar," though I'm more into progressive metal, so I sampled the best songs of Liquid Tension Experiment. Not Victor Wooten level virtuosity, but great sounding bass nonetheless. Although in the following samples you can hear why Mike Portnoy is often considered the world's best drummer.


PROGRESSIVE METAL extreme bass boost version

• these are preamped to -24dB, so once you crank up the volume +24dB you'll hear the mid to high ranges at reference normal volume with the bass boosted, so if your reference normal volume is 100dB, the bass gets boosted to 124dB and if you don't own the JVC HA-SZ2000 you are going to cry so hard
• also recommended setting the Fiio E12 bass boost on

[COLOR=EE82EE]Liquid Tension Experiment[/COLOR] (Universal Mind and Paradigm Shift medley):



And their best song, [COLOR=EE82EE]Acid Rain[/COLOR]:




The "elitist" prog metal favorites are Spastic Ink and Blotted Science. In fact you can hear a tribute to Spastic Ink - Mad Data Race in Liquid Tension Experiment - Paradigm Shift. As for SI and BS, personally, as much as I am impressed by the complex time signatures (structured based on Schoenberg's compositional theory), the antimelody is not for me. I love melodic dissonance and cacophony, but only when the basis of this dissonance is part of the composition--meaning, they must create first what they destroy, and one great example of that is Chopin - Tristesse. This is kinda like reading James Joyce's Ulysses--it's the kind of book you'd love to write, but not to read (in music, the kind you want to play/compose, not to listen to). What I love about Liquid Tension Experiment is that they know how to write consonant melodies on top of being gods in their instruments (I'm talking mostly of the Dream Theater guys).

I loved those two tracks - big thanks for introducing me to the awe that is Liquid Tension Experiment - I've been checking out some of their other tracks on YT today listening with my JVC SZ1000 cans driven by Fiio E12 amp with bass boost setting turned on - these guys are seriously accomplished musicians for sure, shown perfectly in the below live in NYC gig

[VIDEO]http://youtu.be/gPya80o-xyA[/VIDEO]​

On a different note - I found a segment in this below documentary exploring the worlds strongest materials which covered the attributes and some current applications of carbon nanotubes, the material used to manufacturer the drivers in the SZ1000 and SZ2000 and also with many other models of headphones manufactured by JVC.

If you fast forward the below video to 26mins 35secs in from the start, a good insight to how carbon nanotubes are constructed and made up at the molecular level is shown, and just how an amazing material it is that JVC have utilised in addition to the Kelton method subwoofer system, into these two pretty special if not unique headphones

[VIDEO]http://youtu.be/Vol63YL23sw[/VIDEO]​

 

[hummel]

@cb3723 how is the fiio e12 compared to the e17? any noticeable difference?  

 

[willyvlyminck]

@cb3723
 how is the fiio e12 compared to the e17? any noticeable difference?  

 

[willyvlyminck]

Yes the E12 is a pure amp and the E17 is a Dac / amp. I don't know if the amp section is the same but i guess not, as it is an older model, possible is that the E18 have the same amp.

 

[cb3723]

@cb3723
 how is the fiio e12 compared to the e17? any noticeable difference?  

I haven't done any A-B comparative listening between the two, but it is a neat little sleek unit and as willyvlymimck has already commented, the E12 is purely a dedicated headphone amp - no DAC like the E17.

I think HBB posted the specs of the E12 and E17 that showed the E12 as the more powerful between the two, which would likely become apparent on harder to drive cans than the SZ1000 I've only used it on as of yet.

This is the third Fiio product I've picked up from the E17 & E09K and I'm equally impressed by its performance and build quality.

I think Fiio is an excellent manufacturer of quality audio products for sure

 

[hummel]

oh you also have the e09k? im on the fence on buying this. does it give something extra to the e17 or nothing worthy?

 

[cb3723]

oh you also have the e09k? im on the fence on buying this. does it give something extra to the e17 or nothing worthy?

Yeah, the mains powered E09K was my first desktop (mini) amp and it has a port on top that the E17 connects to which acts as a charger and when using the E09K connected to music source device via USB, the E17 acts as DAC only, so the E09K and E17 go together, as they were designed, perfectly as a decently powerful desktop amp and excellent DAC, though each can work separately on their own when not connected to each other.

The E09K is more powerful amp than the E17 when comparing them separately, so harder to drive cans will perform better SQ, but if you have both then the E17 can be conveniently charged off the E09K or be utilised for its DAC function

 

[hummel]

does it change anything about the sound? I've read it loses some of its warmth? 

 

[zanderwebb]

Hey does anyone want a pair of ATHpro700mk2's? mint condition and i'll throw in a pair of m50 earpads.. i think im upgrading to the ultrasone pro 900's so i wouldnt need these anymore

 

[hummel]

i went a little nuts on my headphone purchase
i bought 5 headphones and will compare them all and keep the one I like the most
 
ultrasone pro 900
jvc sz2000 + the 55x
beats pro (idd the beats pro)
Denon D600
 
or maybe i will go for a combination of desktop headphone with portable headphones. If the denon d600 or beats pro is good for portable use, i will keep 2 headphones
 
I am gonna sell my V moda m100 so if anyone is interested in these

 

[cb3723]

Hey does anyone want a pair of ATHpro700mk2's? mint condition and i'll throw in a pair of m50 earpads.. i think im upgrading to the ultrasone pro 900's so i wouldnt need these anymore

What difference I'm sound signature appeals to you to upgrade to the Pro 900's?

If I only owned the ATH Pro700mk2's, I'd consider selling them for the JVC SZ1000's an upgrade due to the more vast bass response when EQ'd even though they cost the same or even slightly less, though the Pro700mk2 is by no means a bad headphone at all

 

[zanderwebb]

"What difference I'm sound signature appeals to you to upgrade to the Pro 900's?"
 
From what i read these seem like the perfect multipurpose headphone for me.. Extreme Quality of bass with decent punch.. But also able to perform decently over-all as well
The pro700s are great but while they have great punch, are a bit muddy, especially in the midrange for my tastes.....
I plan on trading my he 400"s for the pro 900's, selling the pro700's, and then later pick up the he400i

 

[cb3723]

"What difference I'm sound signature appeals to you to upgrade to the Pro 900's?"

From what i read these seem like the perfect multipurpose headphone for me.. Extreme Quality of bass with decent punch.. But also able to perform decently over-all as well
The pro700s are great but while they have great punch, are a bit muddy, especially in the midrange for my tastes.....
I plan on trading my he 400"s for the pro 900's, selling the pro700's, and then later pick up the he400i

Haven't you auditioned the Pro 900's as I've heard from owners of that can that it's a love or hate type of headphone due to very strong highs - I'd hold onto your Pro700mk2's until you find whether you like the Ultrasone's in person.

http://www.head-fi.org/t/552034/final-thoughts-sony-mdr-xb1000-vs-ultrasone-pro-900-who-is-the-bass-king-pictures

 

[zanderwebb]

Little to late now, literallly just made the deal.. Well if i dont love them, at least the re-sale is higher than the he400... 
Thanks for trying to help me though!

 

[cb3723]

Little to late now, literallly just made the deal.. Well if i dont love them, at least the re-sale is higher than the he400... 
Thanks for trying to help me though!

I hope they work out for you

If you find the Pro 900 not to your liking I can recommend the Ultrasone Signature DJ - the bass is amazing - tight, punchy and amazingly controlled and is the best headphone I've heard or owned that almost sounds as good without any separate amplification to when plugged directly into source DAP - a truly awesome can that excels particularly with bass quality and a general very refined sound signature

Spoiler

Recommending the JVC SZ2000 or SZ1000 goes without saying - both these cans bass response when EQ'd is biblical