[Hawaiibadboy]

  I would greatly appreciate some help to choose bass headphones for me.
 
I have read about 30% of this thread, but did not find an answer.
 
What I need:
- (obviously) closed cans
- price $500-900 (as I also need decent mids, highs, stage, details, clarity which cheap cans cannot give me)
- these headphones must be basshead enough WITHOUT eq (equalizer)
 
So Fostex -TH-900 and LCD are too expensive.
J.V.C SZ are too cheap - sorry I am not a true hardcore basshead yet

 
Which leaves me with Fostex -TH-600? Right?
 
But the point is I listen to my cans using player HifiMan HM-901 which is WITHOUT eq (equalizer)
Do Fostex -TH-600 have enough bass without equalizer?
 
Or Ultrasone - Signature DJ are bassier without eq?
 
 
*Hawaiibadboy, great job you are doing here! Thank you!

  Ultrasone Signature DJ are outstanding.cans. The TH600 are as well.
 
Luckbad has the TH600 so Iam sure he'll pipe in.
 
cb3723 owned both and was a shameless photobombing Ultrasone Signature DJ Pro fanboy.
 
*The Ultrasones..almost all..have a pretty strong clamp force

 

[Luckbad]

@Russian1
 
The Fostex TH600 are pretty amazing cans, especially if you can find them for $600 or below. You can get more sub-bass punch without EQ from them than most other headphones I've used, and I've heard many. They've just been discontinued, so they're becoming both harder to find and sometimes less expensive as places clear out their inventory.
 
Of all the basshead headphones that I've heard--and I've heard everything on the Top 10 List except the Yamaha Pro 500 and Sony XB1000 (and many that aren't quite on the list)--the Fostex TH900 are the best sounding basshead headphones without EQ, followed almost imperceptibly for me by the TH600.
 
The negatives of the Fostex TH600 are as follows: No detachable cable, the highs can get a little fatiguing (but are calming down as I use them more--must be burn-in taming them), some people have had problems with the screw that attaches the earpieces to the headband getting loose, and they don't isolate as much as a truly closed can.
 
I also have the AudioQuest Nighthawks on my ears right now. Compared to the TH600, these are less bright in the highs, have slightly less bass impact, are a little more comfortable, and do have detachable cables. They isolate roughly the same amount as the Fostex; I'm not really bothered by others at work--nor are they bothered by me--with either headphone.
 
The Fostex TH600 have a bit more bass impact than the AudioQuest Nighthawk both with and without EQ and are a bit more fun to listen to, but the Nighthawks really can be listened to for many hours without fatigue. Neither headphone is completely broken in. The Nighthawk are supposed to be broken in for 150 hours (according to AQ), and the Fostex are reported to continue burning in for about the same amount of time. I probably have 20 hours on the Nighthawk and 60 hours on the TH600.
 
I have listened to them back-to-back, but never in extremely rapid succession. To do that, I need both at home since I can output both simultaneously from one source. I'll do that next week sometime since the in-laws are in town and are staying in my office where I can actually listen to them both.
 
My next favorite basshead sound signature without EQ would be the V-Moda Crossfade M100 with the XL pads. They have better isolation than the Fostex or AudioQuest cans and are actually portable. Their build quality is also top notch. I thought they sounded great and would have kept them, but I have stupidly tall ears and even the XL pads didn't quite go all the way around my ears. If you have a Best Buy near you, you can probably try them out without the XL pads. They aren't quite on the same level as the higher-priced cans, though.
 
I have never heard any Ultrasone or Audeze headphones, and both have basshead-worthy contenders according to others that don't quite make the list.

 

[DooberKnob]

Which has more bass impact. M50x or DT770(any of the versions, but 80 ohm in particular)?

 

[Luckbad]

Which has more bass impact. M50x or DT770(any of the versions, but 80 ohm in particular)?

I haven't heard the M50x, but have heard the M50. I owned the DT770 for a bit. The Beyerdynamic definitely extended better into the bass region and had more impact. Neither are really basshead headphones (but the 770 comes close).

I prefer the sound of the DT880 for Beyerdynamic (not basshead) and WS99 for Audio Technica (basshead worthy).

What are you looking for? Closed only? Portable? Under $200? Amp or no amp? EQ or no EQ?

 

[DooberKnob]

I haven't heard the M50x, but have heard the M50. I owned the DT770 for a bit. The Beyerdynamic definitely extended better into the bass region and had more impact. Neither are really basshead headphones (but the 770 comes close).

I prefer the sound of the DT880 for Beyerdynamic (not basshead) and WS99 for Audio Technica (basshead worthy).

What are you looking for? Closed only? Portable? Under $200? Amp or no amp? EQ or no EQ?

 
I'm looking for a closed back $100-300 for home use. I have an amp and I'm not opposed to using EQ.
 
I'm not sure if I'm a true basshead, but headphones in general seem to lack the physical feeling you get from a flat speaker system. I really like the sound quality of the AKG k612 and Beyerdynamic DT 150 I owned, but wasn't really feeling the bass. I want something with good/detailed mids/highs, but also has a strong physical punch.

 

[kayan]

  @Russian1
 
The Fostex TH600 are pretty amazing cans, especially if you can find them for $600 or below. You can get more sub-bass punch without EQ from them than most other headphones I've used, and I've heard many. They've just been discontinued, so they're becoming both harder to find and sometimes less expensive as places clear out their inventory.
 
Of all the basshead headphones that I've heard--and I've heard everything on the Top 10 List except the Yamaha Pro 500 and Sony XB1000 (and many that aren't quite on the list)--the Fostex TH900 are the best sounding basshead headphones without EQ, followed almost imperceptibly for me by the TH600.
 
The negatives of the Fostex TH600 are as follows: No detachable cable, the highs can get a little fatiguing (but are calming down as I use them more--must be burn-in taming them), some people have had problems with the screw that attaches the earpieces to the headband getting loose, and they don't isolate as much as a truly closed can.
 
I also have the AudioQuest Nighthawks on my ears right now. Compared to the TH600, these are less bright in the highs, have slightly less bass impact, are a little more comfortable, and do have detachable cables. They isolate roughly the same amount as the Fostex; I'm not really bothered by others at work--nor are they bothered by me--with either headphone.
 
The Fostex TH600 have a bit more bass impact than the AudioQuest Nighthawk both with and without EQ and are a bit more fun to listen to, but the Nighthawks really can be listened to for many hours without fatigue. Neither headphone is completely broken in. The Nighthawk are supposed to be broken in for 150 hours (according to AQ), and the Fostex are reported to continue burning in for about the same amount of time. I probably have 20 hours on the Nighthawk and 60 hours on the TH600.
 
I have listened to them back-to-back, but never in extremely rapid succession. To do that, I need both at home since I can output both simultaneously from one source. I'll do that next week sometime since the in-laws are in town and are staying in my office where I can actually listen to them both.
 
My next favorite basshead sound signature without EQ would be the V-Moda Crossfade M100 with the XL pads. They have better isolation than the Fostex or AudioQuest cans and are actually portable. Their build quality is also top notch. I thought they sounded great and would have kept them, but I have stupidly tall ears and even the XL pads didn't quite go all the way around my ears. If you have a Best Buy near you, you can probably try them out without the XL pads. They aren't quite on the same level as the higher-priced cans, though.
 
I have never heard any Ultrasone or Audeze headphones, and both have basshead-worthy contenders according to others that don't quite make the list.

 
Thanks for the info. That was great.
 
I too enjoyed the V-Moda M100s, but the stock pads are really small and shallow. I actually bought them a 2nd time once the XL pads came out, and they still were too small for going around my ears. I did like the sound that they produced though.
 
On a side note the wife and I went to a somewhat local-ish audio store today. We had the privilege of trying on about 20-25 different headphones. It was amazing, and I'm sure Amazon's return department thanks them. I got to try almost every headphone I was interested in, except for the Fostex TH600/900 and MrSpeakers Alpha Prime.
 
Anyway, I can vouch for the AudioQuest Nighthawk. They were light, and extremely comfy. They had a pretty decent bass response too. Out of all the headphones I tried on, I found the Nighthawk to be the most comfortable. I also got to try the Sony MDRZ7 and these were the 2nd most comfortable, but had a TON of BASS (#1). These sounded awesome for pretty much everything. I also got to try my first planar magnetic headphones, these were pretty neat. The LCD2 was also awesome. Great headphone, tight punchy bass, but heavy and slightly uncomfortable, and 1200 bucks or so. They were probably my favorite sounding set of cans.
 
I ended up getting a pair of Hi-Fi 560, but while they sound good, their lack of bass is not really what I was looking for. I think I may grab the Nighthawks, or the Sonys, or possibly the Fostex TH600/900.

 

[DreamKing]

Originally Posted by kayan /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
I ended up getting a pair of Hi-Fi 560, but while they sound good, their lack of bass is not really what I was looking for. 

 
I recommend trying jerg's bass/seal enhancement mod: http://www.head-fi.org/t/738912/he-560-enhancement-mod-v1-5. Works incredibly well. Bass is elevated by a considerable amount and the bass artifacts in relation to the seal (due to the singled-ended driver design) are negated.

 

[Luckbad]

I'm looking for a closed back $100-300 for home use. I have an amp and I'm not opposed to using EQ.

I'm not sure if I'm a true basshead, but headphones in general seem to lack the physical feeling you get from a flat speaker system. I really like the sound quality of the AKG k612 and Beyerdynamic DT 150 I owned, but wasn't really feeling the bass. I want something with good/detailed mids/highs, but also has a strong physical punch.

In that price range...

If you're willing to EQ heavily, the JVC HA-SZ2000 hit harder than any other headphone. You'll need to get either Brainwavz HM5 pleather pads for comfort (you'll lose a little bass energy) or JVC 55x pads for maximum bass.

The Audio Technica WS99 hit hard and have a V shaped signature. The Pro700Mk2 hit about the same (possibly slightly more) with a darker signature and more clamping force.

The V-Moda Crossfade M-100 sound good and hit hard. They have XL pads that are mandatory for comfort, but are more like L pads because my big ears still don't fit.

As for other non-top-10 basshead headphones, I yield the floor to those who can discuss the currently available Sony XB series, Pioneers, and others.

 

[Luckbad]

I ended up getting a pair of Hi-Fi 560, but while they sound good, their lack of bass is not really what I was looking for. I think I may grab the Nighthawks, or the Sonys, or possibly the Fostex TH600/900.

Amazon hates me. I'd have to drive to LA or San Diego to hear any good headphones (I'm in Orange County).

Nighthawks have been growing on me. I'm loving them with jazz and acoustic while I break them in and before I do a proper paper test.

Sony Z7 are on my list to try if I ever can. I love comfortable, bass-heavy headphones that roll the treble off a bit.

Fostex TH600 are awesome but are a little bright on the high end. Still hoping that clears out with burn-in. If it doesn't, I'll probably look for a wood type from Lawton or an amp that helps tame it. Or I'll just EQ them.

 

[kayan]

Amazon hates me. I'd have to drive to LA or San Diego to hear any good headphones (I'm in Orange County).

Nighthawks have been growing on me. I'm loving them with jazz and acoustic while I break them in and before I do a proper paper test.

Sony Z7 are on my list to try if I ever can. I love comfortable, bass-heavy headphones that roll the treble off a bit.

Fostex TH600 are awesome but are a little bright on the high end. Still hoping that clears out with burn-in. If it doesn't, I'll probably look for a wood type from Lawton or an amp that helps tame it. Or I'll just EQ them.

In your opinion, do you like the Nighthawks or TH600 better for musical enjoyment overall? Also, do you play video games, and if so which is better for that?

 

[Luckbad]

In your opinion, do you like the Nighthawks or TH600 better for musical enjoyment overall? Also, do you play video games, and if so which is better for that?

Direct musical enjoyment, TH600. Zero fatigue listening all day, Nighthawk.

Play video games? I make them! I'm a game designer at Blizzard. Frankly, I don't use either for gaming. I mostly use either Sennheiser G4me Zero or HD598 for gaming (the latter if 3D positioning is super important). The music headphones stay on in games only if I'm listening to music a lot while playing.

 

[Russian1]

  @Russian1
 
The Fostex TH600 are pretty amazing cans, especially if you can find them for $600 or below. You can get more sub-bass punch without EQ from them than most other headphones I've used, and I've heard many. They've just been discontinued, so they're becoming both harder to find and sometimes less expensive as places clear out their inventory.
 
Of all the basshead headphones that I've heard--and I've heard everything on the Top 10 List except the Yamaha Pro 500 and Sony XB1000 (and many that aren't quite on the list)--the Fostex TH900 are the best sounding basshead headphones without EQ, followed almost imperceptibly for me by the TH600.
 
The negatives of the Fostex TH600 are as follows: No detachable cable, the highs can get a little fatiguing (but are calming down as I use them more--must be burn-in taming them), some people have had problems with the screw that attaches the earpieces to the headband getting loose, and they don't isolate as much as a truly closed can.
 
I also have the AudioQuest Nighthawks on my ears right now. Compared to the TH600, these are less bright in the highs, have slightly less bass impact, are a little more comfortable, and do have detachable cables. They isolate roughly the same amount as the Fostex; I'm not really bothered by others at work--nor are they bothered by me--with either headphone.
 
The Fostex TH600 have a bit more bass impact than the AudioQuest Nighthawk both with and without EQ and are a bit more fun to listen to, but the Nighthawks really can be listened to for many hours without fatigue. Neither headphone is completely broken in. The Nighthawk are supposed to be broken in for 150 hours (according to AQ), and the Fostex are reported to continue burning in for about the same amount of time. I probably have 20 hours on the Nighthawk and 60 hours on the TH600.
 
I have listened to them back-to-back, but never in extremely rapid succession. To do that, I need both at home since I can output both simultaneously from one source. I'll do that next week sometime since the in-laws are in town and are staying in my office where I can actually listen to them both.
 
My next favorite basshead sound signature without EQ would be the V-Moda Crossfade M100 with the XL pads. They have better isolation than the Fostex or AudioQuest cans and are actually portable. Their build quality is also top notch. I thought they sounded great and would have kept them, but I have stupidly tall ears and even the XL pads didn't quite go all the way around my ears. If you have a Best Buy near you, you can probably try them out without the XL pads. They aren't quite on the same level as the higher-priced cans, though.
 
I have never heard any Ultrasone or Audeze headphones, and both have basshead-worthy contenders according to others that don't quite make the list.

 
@Luckbad
Thanks A LOT for a detailed answer. Deeply appreciated.
I just ordered Fostex TH600.
I am not sure that they are available though. as you said they've been discontinued.

 

[s5300]

No 55 or 77 pads have came up on Ebay yet.. even messaged some phone sellers about buying the pads..
 
Killin ma vibe

 

[Hawaiibadboy]

  No 55 or 77 pads have came up on Ebay yet.. even messaged some phone sellers about buying the pads..
 
Killin ma vibe

http://www.ebay.com/itm/JVC-HA-M55X-Headband-Headphones-Black-Red-/311314234726?hash=item487bc63d66
 
This guy is a seller.
 
I wonder if he can hook you up? There was a guy selling just the pads but sold all out. Folks don't want the 55x they want the pads

 

[Luckbad]

No 55 or 77 pads have came up on Ebay yet.. even messaged some phone sellers about buying the pads..

Killin ma vibe

I'd just get the whole headphone and steal your own pads.