[DiscoProJoe]

Yeah, it's really crazy how none of the brands seem interested in making a headphone with the sub-bass sensitivity of the SZ2000, but also with the sound quality, portability, durability, power handling, and X-max of the M-100. V-Moda disappointed me a year ago with the release of their CF2Ws, which apparently have less sensitivity (overall and in sub-bass) than the M-100. From what I've read, the CF2Ws have better sound quality without using an EQ, compared to the M-100 without an EQ. But with proper EQ'ing, the M-100 is probably a lot better.

The standards that brands should be pursuing at this point in time, in my opinion...are the following:

1. How can we take the sub-bass sensitivity of the SZ2000, and make it sound a million times better in the mids & highs? How can we make it portable with no physical modding required, and also include a detachable cable and small carrying case to go with it?

2. How can we take the M-100, and significantly increase the sensitivity, the power handling, and the X-max -- all while maintaining the overall sound quality?

I don't know what the negligent headphone companies are thinking, here.

Anyway, as for the Kannons, they seem like they also have issues with both portability and ease of use when walking outdoors while carrying an umbrella or a handbag.

I've heard people say that the Kannons don't sound very realistic on a lot of songs. They've said you can feel the vibration, but without the air pressure change that makes the music seem real.

'Sup fellow bassheads. Anything new going on in the basshead headphone world? Or just more of the same ol' brands putting out more of the same ol' boring wireless, planar magnetic, and DAC-amp stuff?

Have you seen V-Moda's recent announcement for the new M-100? At this point, it looks like it may be just a wired-only version of the Crossfade 2 Wireless (or CF2W), which apparently has less sub-bass sensitivity than the original M-100.

So, let me get this straight: JVC has discontinued the SZ1000 / SZ2000 models and never worked to improve them, and now...this...from V-Moda???

What's more is that I walked over to the local headphone hi-fi shop in my city yesterday (for the first time in a year), and they don't sell any basshead-leaning headphones anymore, at all! No more Edition X (from Hifiman), no more Sony MDR-Z1R, and not even any more Beats, either.

Portable headphone amps aren't even sold there anymore, as well.

So...are we bassheads...like...becoming an endangered species, or something??? I don't get it.

Why the heck do most of the headphone brands seem to be ignoring us? Give me a friggin' break.

That's my rant, anyway.

Well, if you find out anything else about the new M-100, then just post a heads-up about it on the new topic thread for it.

And keep on enjoying your awesome old-school basshead equipment, as I sure will.

 

[Tetonpowskier]

Get a TR-X00 Purpleheart. They sound a lot better than M-100s to me. MUCH more bass, much less recessed mids, and more treble presence and sparkle. They just aren't durable or very portable unfortunately.

or

You have Campfire Cascades, which I hear have even more bass, but not quite the treble quality of the X00. If you want an upgrade to JVC bass cannons, these seem like the way to go. They seem way more portable than Fostex stuff too.

 

[DiscoProJoe]

Get a TR-X00 Purpleheart. They sound a lot better than M-100s to me. MUCH more bass, much less recessed mids, and more treble presence and sparkle. They just aren't durable or very portable unfortunately.

When I was at the 2017 New York Spring Meetup, I listened to a pair of Fostex Massdrop TH-X00's, but I think that particular pair was either defective, and/or physically modded in a bad way. It had a nonexistent, wide-open air seal around the earcups, and the drivers easily bottomed out with the beat from my EQ-preset app and portable setup.

I'd love to hear a good pair of Fostex headphones with my system, if I ever see a pair.

Also, my app corrects the problem of recessed mids on the M-100.

 

[qess]

Oh, i've just checked...damn it, you are right...they must hit super hard and extend very low...i guess they might even re-throne jvc..

Do you plan to buy that?

 

[OldDude04]

Do you plan to buy that?

I do believe he was being sarcastic.

 

[qess]

I do believe he was being sarcastic.

What a bummer.

 

[Mad Max]

What's a good bass can with overall sound quality comparable to HD650?

 

[DiscoProJoe]

What's a good bass can with overall sound quality comparable to HD650?

Don't know. Sony MDR-Z1R, perhaps?

 

[overhaze]

What would you say the best bass headphones without EQing under $300 is? Just something you can pop on your head that vibrates your skull.

 

[DiscoProJoe]

What would you say the best bass headphones without EQing under $300 is? Just something you can pop on your head that vibrates your skull.

How about the Skullcandy Crushers? Those use vibrating mechanisms, and are way under $300.

But as for headphones that use the acoustic drivers to do that (which sounds a lot better)...but without requiring any EQ'ing and amping, then you'll be hard-pressed to find one.

 

[bobbypete]

How about the Skullcandy Crushers? Those use vibrating mechanisms, and are way under $300.

But as for headphones that use the acoustic drivers to do that (which sounds a lot better)...but without requiring any EQ'ing and amping, then you'll be hard-pressed to find one.

crushers have bad build quality. i bought one and returned it because the bass driver automatically turned off depending on the music. i can understand the crushers (still dont think you should buy them) if you dont have a mp3 player or something, but if you have a phone or computer you would think its pretty easy to bass boost as long as you have an amp to go.

hawaii bad boys long list of bass headphones should be more visible. i initially couldnt find it and some one sent me a link thank god.

o and i love the eq presets you did thanks! but i get the feeling the boosted treble wicked ones need more bass on the higher end and im not the best at tuning it.

 

[DiscoProJoe]

crushers have bad build quality.

I figured so. I once listened to a pair in a store a long time ago, but that's all. I've never owned a pair, and wasn't too impressed with its overall sound quality.

o and i love the eq presets you did thanks! but i get the feeling the boosted treble wicked ones need more bass on the higher end and im not the best at tuning it.

Glad you like 'em! Feel free to upload any of your personal tweaks and updates to them, if you'd like.

On my Rockboxed iPod Classic, I have the bass-boost feature set at the maximum of +12 dB, and with the "bass cutoff" setting on the iPod Classic set to "1." I know there are other Rockboxable music players that may not contain these same available settings, so this may or may not translate exactly onto your Rockboxed player if it's a different one.

I'm also using the original M-100 headphone with my rig, which has about +8 dB of midbass and sub-bass in its natural sound signature, and has naturally-bright treble as well.

Anyway, with all of these extra bass boosts (that are separate from the EQ), I only use the "Wicked" midbass category in my app for less than 5% of the songs in my music collection. And I only use the boosted-treble subcategories with only about 10-15% of the songs.

I use the "Lite" midbass category about 50% of the time, and normally the "Classic," "Less Treble," and "Reduced Treble" subcategories the most. But there are definitely some songs in my collection that are statistical outliers (with their recording & mastering sound signatures), so that's why all those other EQ-preset settings in my app are there!

Oh well...keep havin' fun with it.

 

[Purplezorz]

Get a TR-X00 Purpleheart. They sound a lot better than M-100s to me. MUCH more bass, much less recessed mids, and more treble presence and sparkle. They just aren't durable or very portable unfortunately.

or

You have Campfire Cascades, which I hear have even more bass, but not quite the treble quality of the X00. If you want an upgrade to JVC bass cannons, these seem like the way to go. They seem way more portable than Fostex stuff too.

When I was at the 2017 New York Spring Meetup, I listened to a pair of Fostex Massdrop TH-X00's, but I think that particular pair was either defective, and/or physically modded in a bad way. It had a nonexistent, wide-open air seal around the earcups, and the drivers easily bottomed out with the beat from my EQ-preset app and portable setup.

I'd love to hear a good pair of Fostex headphones with my system, if I ever see a pair.

Also, my app corrects the problem of recessed mids on the M-100.

I've just come from CanJam London and have owned the Purplehearts for a year and the M-100s + XL pads for 3-4 years.

The M-100s for boosted sub bass quantity probably can't truly be beaten by anything other than the JVCs (Yes, even the Z1R and Fostex lineup) which have still alluded me all these years.
The Purplehearts are very sensitive and are single driver (their weakness). The bass quality is sublime, but the quantity limit can be reached very easily (So no they weren't broken, that's just how they all are). However, it's greater than all the other high-end cans (All ZMFs, both the Focal closed, All the Kennertons, The TH-900s, Most of the Audezes, all of the HiFimans) I've tried them against, except for the LCD-3s, which distort quicker but jesus it's an immense hit. So honestly, I will always recommend them, because the rest of the frequency response is excellent. If Fostex made a dual driver can, it'd be over and that'd probably be my endgame.

I 1v1'd the Cascades and the M100s, in a sub bass battle AND THE CASCADES LOST! (Started distorting quicker) I needed to do it because I remember the mid bass being nuts last year but didn't have my iDSD Micro BL then. Honestly, they're just not worth the money when other things exist, but if mid bass REALLY REALLY is your thing, then go right ahead. The Cascades beat out the Purplehearts in quantity, but not in quality - and the Fostex (plus the Dekoni pads) are still cheaper than the Cascades so....no brainer really.

I need to re-test the Z1R, especially against the Purplehearts, because I'm pretty sure it's the only high end headphone that could take a silly bass boost and keep the rest of the frequency response ultra clean (still no where near the Moda's boost potential, but the most coherent I'd heard). But honestly, keep your Modas, or heck, get a new pair - from what I've heard so far when I posted in another forum, the M-100 Master is weak-sauce, so don't bother.

 

[DiscoProJoe]

I've just come from CanJam London and have owned the Purplehearts for a year and the M-100s + XL pads for 3-4 years.

Wow, that's very interesting to hear! Yeah, most other headphones can't handle my portable rig and app, and the drivers tend to "bottom out with the beat" (i.e., they can't handle the excursion, and tend to slam into the backplate and go, "Snap! Crackle! Pop!" like Rice Krispies). Either that, or those other headphones lack the sub-bass sensitivity of the original M-100, and I get amp clipping from my Cayin C5 fairly easily without it hitting very hard.

Anyway, when I was at the 2017 New York Spring Meetup, one of the attendees brought his pair of M-100s with XL pads. But when I heard them with my setup, they also had less sub-bass sensitivity than mine (with the standard stock pads), and his didn't hit as hard.

I think it's due to the larger interior enclosure space around the earcups (created by the larger pads, which needs more "amps and subwoofers" to fill up in order to achieve the same SPL). It's kind-of like taking a big car stereo out of a small car, installing it into a big SUV, and then wondering why it doesn't hit as hard in the larger interior space of the SUV.

So if you're comparing the sub-bass sensitivity and SPL capability of M-100s with XL pads...to those other headphones, then my M-100s with the standard pads really ought to blow those other ones out of the water!

But honestly, keep your Modas, or heck, get a new pair - from what I've heard so far when I posted in another forum, the M-100 Master is weak-sauce, so don't bother.

Yep! This is what I've been thinking. The new M-100 Master has larger earpads, and its drivers probably don't have any additional X-max (i.e. maximum excursion capability) than the original M-100 drivers to fill up that larger interior earcup space. And the new M-100s probably don't have as much sub-bass sensitivity as the old M-100s, either.

I'm still waiting for more reviews to be posted on the new topic thread for the M-100 Master, but I might not wait for the new model to become available in China where I live. Instead, when getting my next paycheck in mid-August, I may just go ahead and add two more original M-100 pairs to my stash so I'm all stocked up for the coming years.

(V-Moda told me in an email that they've already stopped production of the original M-100.)

 

[snellemin]

What would you say the best bass headphones without EQing under $300 is? Just something you can pop on your head that vibrates your skull.

Even without EQ, you still need an amp for proper bass. That is unless you go with IEM's.