[Hawaiibadboy]

  HBB, I have another question. For the current Top 10 list, the 77x is listed as number 6. However, I am assuming that this for the stock model. With the mod installed, would you rank it any higher than its current position?

 No
It suffers from a odd characteristic of all 57mm cans that I have worn. Every single one. Poor mids,
This is a bass list though
 
On that point...
Plastic housed cans all suffer from a echo resonance where the bass is getting in it's own way.  The TH by FOSTEX and SZ by JVC and the XB all have a hard/er surface somewhere behind or around the driver chamber/cup that controls that echo to the point where you can reach physical distortion before audible or at about the same time.
 
The aluminum mod helps a lot and on just bass it may be higher but the mids get louder but not better and asking folks to open their cans to experience something is too much. I'd have a buncha people breaking their cans and being pissed at me and they would have the right.
Mods are optional. Often effective but they cannot be related to the list.
 
77x are the best entry level bass cans IMO. You will want better later but on a budget they will hammer. And if one gets confident enough to crack them open they can get a little more.

 

[trancefiend]

Looking now for a portable relatively cheap over-ears with lots of bass, any ideas?

 
 

 
SMS DJ PRO (now cheap)
Monster Npulse over ear
ATH WS99
 
No amp, light,cheap, good bass and overall sound

 
I just purchased the WS99 and NPulse, to my untrained ears I can't tell which one has more bass.  The mids and highs of the WS99 are perhaps a bit clearer.  The WS99 is a LOT lighter and more comfortable for portable use.  It's much more low profile and the earpads are a lot softer.  The Npulse is quite bulky and you can't put your hoodie over it if it gets cold.  The Npulse's 4' cord is long for portable use, but it's removable so you could run a shorter cord.
 
However, you can easily pick up an Npulse under $100 on fleabay.  It's hard to find a good deal on the
WS99.
 
[edit] Another thing to consider on the comfort issue, the headband padding on the Npulse is not as soft as the WS99.  That, plus the additional weight, can make the Npulse feel like it's digging into your scalp a bit.  It's not bad, but the WS99 beats it hands down in that department, the WS99 almost floats on your head. The Npulse headband also has stronger clamping force but it's not excessive.            

 

[gikigill]

Get a Headstage Arrow 4G for the WS99 and it rocks. A very bassy but musical combo.

 

[epkrnftblluva]

Hi HBB! I've read quite a lot of your posts and really appreciate the work you do for the basshead community. It really makes our jobs as shoppers a lot easier. Anyways, I just had a question that I thought you would be able to answer.
 
Would the HA-SZ2000's be the best for big room house bass? Examples, include the drops in tracks like "Don't You Worry Child" by Swedish House Mafia:
 

 
Would it also be able to handle punchy mid-bass? It would also need to be able to handle the vocals in popular big room house music. Like this song:
 

 
I'm also looking for headphones that can handle detail and texture in the bass well too. An example would be the drop in Flume's remix of You & Me:
 

 
I know it's a lot to ask, but I hesitate to go for headphones like V-moda 100's because I'm scared that they will bloat out the mid's and treble's. I still want to feel the heavy drops in these tracks though. I feel like the HA-SZ2000's would be the best for me. Thanks! I would like your opinion on this.

 

[s5300]

Last night I had a dream JVC made a new phone...
 
They sent it to HBB and he got everybody hyped up. 
 
It was like the current SZ2000's with real pads in a lot of great colors, except the housing was a bit larger at the ends which held - an 80mm Driver in each side with an external on/off switch. W/o it on the current 30 & 50mm drivers delivered audiophile quality mids and highs and when the 80 was turned on everything just exploded..
 
~Only a dream though...

 

[Winly]

Hello Hawaiibadboy, I have a question! I've been following the thread for about 1 week and I have been reading about the JVC HA-SZ2000 and all the wonders It does in the bass department. So, just because of this thread I went ahead an got a pair of the HA-SZ2000 as well as the Fiio E12. Now, I Just want to know how to EQ the whole thing so I can listen to the powerful bass you talk about.
So far I got the Fiio 12 set up as; Bass ON and Gain 16dB. I'm using an iPhone 6 but I cant adjust the EQ.
just with the Fiio E12 setup I feel a powerful bass like never before haha, but maybe im missing something else. Also I hook the Fiio E12 to my PC and listen to music, what kind of EQ I need on my PC to make it work best. Thanks for creating this thread! I love bass and the SZ can deliver that.
 
PS: I like IEM more but after having the Turbine Pro Copper, Sennheiser IE80, atrio MG7, etc
I couldn't get the bass I was looking for. Unless you got something in that department that I can try hahaha.

 

[Hawaiibadboy]

  Hello Hawaiibadboy, I have a question! I've been following the thread for about 1 week and I have been reading about the JVC HA-SZ2000 and all the wonders It does in the bass department. So, just because of this thread I went ahead an got a pair of the HA-SZ2000 as well as the Fiio E12. Now, I Just want to know how to EQ the whole thing so I can listen to the powerful bass you talk about.
So far I got the Fiio 12 set up as; Bass ON and Gain 16dB. I'm using an iPhone 6 but I cant adjust the EQ.
just with the Fiio E12 setup I feel a powerful bass like never before haha, but maybe im missing something else. Also I hook the Fiio E12 to my PC and listen to music, what kind of EQ I need on my PC to make it work best. Thanks for creating this thread! I love bass and the SZ can deliver that.
 
PS: I like IEM more but after having the Turbine Pro Copper, Sennheiser IE80, atrio MG7, etc
I couldn't get the bass I was looking for. Unless you got something in that department that I can try hahaha.

 
 
Any chance you can get this?
 
If you can you'll be very happy. I know this app and it shakes the SZ with authority with good settings (not hard with this app)

 

[Slovenek]

  Hi HBB! I've read quite a lot of your posts and really appreciate the work you do for the basshead community. It really makes our jobs as shoppers a lot easier. Anyways, I just had a question that I thought you would be able to answer.
 
Would the HA-SZ2000's be the best for big room house bass? Examples, include the drops in tracks like "Don't You Worry Child" by Swedish House Mafia:
 

 
Would it also be able to handle punchy mid-bass? It would also need to be able to handle the vocals in popular big room house music. Like this song:
 

 
I'm also looking for headphones that can handle detail and texture in the bass well too. An example would be the drop in Flume's remix of You & Me:
 

 
I know it's a lot to ask, but I hesitate to go for headphones like V-moda 100's because I'm scared that they will bloat out the mid's and treble's. I still want to feel the heavy drops in these tracks though. I feel like the HA-SZ2000's would be the best for me. Thanks! I would like your opinion on this.

You must know that the SZ2000 are great BASS HP and they sound great with Hip Hop and most Electronic Music without Vocals..
SZ2000 sound terrible with all other genres especially with Vocals. The most important thing you should know about SZ2000 is that they are very uncomfortable (pads change, heavy, big) and build quality is awful. They can not handle detail and texture in the bass well.

 

[Strauss95]

  Hi HBB! I've read quite a lot of your posts and really appreciate the work you do for the basshead community. It really makes our jobs as shoppers a lot easier. Anyways, I just had a question that I thought you would be able to answer.
 
Would the HA-SZ2000's be the best for big room house bass? Examples, include the drops in tracks like "Don't You Worry Child" by Swedish House Mafia:
 

 
Would it also be able to handle punchy mid-bass? It would also need to be able to handle the vocals in popular big room house music. Like this song:
 

 
I'm also looking for headphones that can handle detail and texture in the bass well too. An example would be the drop in Flume's remix of You & Me:
 

 
I know it's a lot to ask, but I hesitate to go for headphones like V-moda 100's because I'm scared that they will bloat out the mid's and treble's. I still want to feel the heavy drops in these tracks though. I feel like the HA-SZ2000's would be the best for me. Thanks! I would like your opinion on this.

 
I just listened to all the tracks you posted on my Yamaha Pro 500's and they sounded great! Especially the last song, the bass was fantastic and very detailed. I am powering my 500's with a Fiio E11. 

 

[TheDragonGuy]

You must know that the SZ2000 are great BASS HP and they sound great with Hip Hop and most Electronic Music without Vocals..

SZ2000 sound terrible with all other genres especially with Vocals. The most important thing you should know about SZ2000 is that they are very uncomfortable (pads change, heavy, big) and build quality is awful. They can not handle detail and texture in the bass well.

I completely disagree with this. The sz2000s handle vocals and genres besides bass heavy stuff just fine if you have a good eq or just leave it flat. If you talk from listening to one you must have had a bad eq or a defective set of cans. I've listened to all sorts of music from hip hop to country and with a flat eq they all sound superb.

 

[DreamKing]

  Hi HBB! I've read quite a lot of your posts and really appreciate the work you do for the basshead community. It really makes our jobs as shoppers a lot easier. Anyways, I just had a question that I thought you would be able to answer.
 
Would the HA-SZ2000's be the best for big room house bass? Examples, include the drops in tracks like "Don't You Worry Child" by Swedish House Mafia:
 
 
Would it also be able to handle punchy mid-bass? It would also need to be able to handle the vocals in popular big room house music. Like this song:
 
 
 
I'm also looking for headphones that can handle detail and texture in the bass well too. An example would be the drop in Flume's remix of You & Me:
 
 
 
I know it's a lot to ask, but I hesitate to go for headphones like V-moda 100's because I'm scared that they will bloat out the mid's and treble's. I still want to feel the heavy drops in these tracks though. I feel like the HA-SZ2000's would be the best for me. Thanks! I would like your opinion on this.

 
The SZ2000 sounds great with house music. Vocals are handled great. It is a very "in the club" sound. So just keep that in mind. It is lively but dark. Vocals are pleasant and merge with the rest of the sound so they don't sound disjointed. They handle all my electronic music great. Drops are very engaging and grab you fast. I don't think you will be disappointed.

 

[Hawaiibadboy]

I completely disagree with this. The sz2000s handle vocals and genres besides bass heavy stuff just fine if you have a good eq or just leave it flat. If you talk from listening to one you must have had a bad eq or a defective set of cans. I've listened to all sorts of music from hip hop to country and with a flat eq they all sound superb.

 I read this last night (what dragon replied to) and ignored it but will address it now
 
 

 
Why these cans?
 
Why not.
 
Somebody had compared their vocal pr owes to the ma 900

 
I went and brought my portable rig ma 900 ver. and X5/e12 around neck
 

 
 
listened to Sundownfrom Gord's Gold.
 

 
 
That guy was apparently drunk? The ma 900 on a track like this which we were talking about (I thought so anyway) mids, detail,vocal clarity, stage.  On another level..HD800 like level...and I ain't talking bout the art monitors.
I grinned......despite having wasted my time it was like back in the bass days when folks were comparing the bass output on the Q40 to the Sz2k in impact

I'd get riled but I'd go check.
 
This thread was built on 2 things
 
1. an obsessive hunt for a single thing. Bass impact
 
2. A wingman who would buy any can and immediately test it using identical gear and settings and a library was built. The guy did not connect his manhood or self worth in anyway to the quality of his cans. They are items he bought. He owns them. They do not own him.  In a thread like this it had to be that way and by divine intervention or amazing luck we hooked up here.
 
I get some folks get emotionally attached. This thread is not built on that. The list could change. If what you like is displaced it's not as personal shot. That sounds ridiculous to say but if you surf this site folks get really attached.
 
 
 
Here I am 12 months after buying them and ...still owning them. Some folks rip into _________<<<insert any can on this site as they all have detractors.
I listen to music with vocals exclusively. Nothing without vocals in my library.
 
The thread title
The 1st post mission statement
The list and videos and disclaimer
 

You don't want that? Cool.​

You do?​

The rest....is up to you *eq"​

​

 

[DreamKing]

Yeah I agree with HBB. The thread isn't about finding an all-rounder headphone, or one size fits all scenario. This answers the simple question: want bass? you got it in boatloads with all the different strokes and textures effortlessly produced. Ever came from the club and wish you could go back to the pounding punishing bass that leaves you with ringing ears when you get out of the door? Well you're covered and you can lower the volume if you're not a fan of the flashbang grenade after-effect

. This puts you in the club. You want to listen to folk, steely stringy guitars, classical music? Well I gotta tell you to go elsewhere if you're expecting an accurate or organic sound reproduction lol. But it's all about a frame of reference of having heard other headphones, speakers and iem's.
 
If you have other headphones or audio setups, this is a nice addition. You appreciate them more for what they're doing so different than the rest. 70mm cannons, a leap in headphone architecture.
 
This is a niche category of headphones and not for the faint of heart. Saying this has weak vocals is wrong though, they do an awesome job at that. It's really when you bring the depth and width of the soundstage, instrument separation, actual musical instruments, and anything that isn't mostly computer made where I have to reach for something else to listen from.

 

[epkrnftblluva]

  Yeah I agree with HBB. The thread isn't about finding an all-rounder headphone, or one size fits all scenario. This answers the simple question: want bass? you got it in boatloads with all the different strokes and textures effortlessly produced. Ever came from the club and wish you could go back to the pounding punishing bass that leaves you with ringing ears when you get out of the door? Well you're covered and you can lower the volume if you're not a fan of the flashbang grenade after-effect

. This puts you in the club. You want to listen to folk, steely stringy guitars, classical music? Well I gotta tell you to go elsewhere if you're expecting an accurate or organic sound reproduction lol. But it's all about a frame of reference of having heard other headphones, speakers and iem's.
 
If you have other headphones or audio setups, this is a nice addition. You appreciate them more for what they're doing so different than the rest. 70mm cannons, a leap in headphone architecture.
 
This is a niche category of headphones and not for the faint of heart. Saying this has weak vocals is wrong though, they do an awesome job at that. It's really when you bring the depth and width of the soundstage, instrument separation, actual musical instruments, and anything that isn't mostly computer made where I have to reach for something else to listen from.

DreamKing, I think your comment settled it for me. HA-SZ2000's and a pad change ordered! I'm only getting this to listen to electronic dance music and hip-hop, I already have other headphones designated for other genres like classical/jazz/etc. I was just concerned that sometimes they may struggle with the vocals that are in a lot of EDM tracks, but I already have an inclination towards warm headphones with my HD518s so I don't think I would even notice a veil on the vocals. I'll be back with my impressions in a few weeks!

 

[TheDragonGuy]

I would say they in no way struggle with vocals unless you do a bad eq which is easy if you just merely take some standard preset bass boost eqs. Even if you just use an amp and no eq you get great bass and pretty darn good vocals and all other sounds.