The Hardest hitting Headphones are.. ( "The EXTREME BASS Club")
Jun 1, 2021 at 9:47 AM Post #12,031 of 12,962
What's the best bass headphone in the >$700 range? I was looking at the Fostex 610's, but read a terrible review that put me off.

For some context, I've been mostly listening to the VModa Crossfade 2's for the past 3 years, but I broke them. I thought I'd upgrade, so I got the Audio-Technica WP900s and can't stand their lack of bass and find he sharpness of their treble unbearable (although they can be made to sound better by turning the base up on an amp). Should I just get another pair of Crossfades? Or is there something better out there?

Are the V-Moda M-100s the same as the Crossfade 2's?
 
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Jun 1, 2021 at 9:43 PM Post #12,033 of 12,962
Guys, you can't really compare a wired headphone to a wireless one. This is because wireless headphones are usually 45mm driver or smaller headphones, powered off of a internal op-amp, which receives power from a limited internal battery. Yes, bluetooth has made great strides over the years, and so has wireless headphones in general, but they are still not considered audiophile grade. I have a pair of Cowin E7 Pro's, sure they sound nice, but are mid-range heavy, and even I know they aren't audiophile grade.

A wired headphone with 50mm drivers or larger, are always going to produce much more sound. Plus, when using 22-gauge wire connected to a powerful AMP and quality DAC, really makes them shine. So I really don't think there is a wireless option out there that is going to make you happy with bass. The old bass kings were in the JVC SZ series line of cans, but since you can't get those anymore, I think the current kings are cans like the V-Moda M100 or LP2's. We need to get some V-Moda M200 owners in here to give opinions on what they think of bass on the newer models.
 
Jun 1, 2021 at 10:29 PM Post #12,034 of 12,962
The cfw2 can be wired too, but i skip buying those cause the opinions of a lack of bass against the m100. I have test b2b the pioneer hdj x10 with the m100 with techno heavy bass track and powered by a ddj1000 of pioneer, is notorius the difference of bass in the m100, way punchier. The x10 have more soundstage tho, but the treble and mids are more harsh, I prefer the dark signature of the m100. xl pads will arrive next week, but i guess that I will prefer the stock ones if the bass is afected in a bad way, fit perfect in my ears
 
Jun 1, 2021 at 10:46 PM Post #12,035 of 12,962
Guys, you can't really compare a wired headphone to a wireless one. This is because wireless headphones are usually 45mm driver or smaller headphones, powered off of a internal op-amp, which receives power from a limited internal battery. Yes, bluetooth has made great strides over the years, and so has wireless headphones in general, but they are still not considered audiophile grade. I have a pair of Cowin E7 Pro's, sure they sound nice, but are mid-range heavy, and even I know they aren't audiophile grade.

A wired headphone with 50mm drivers or larger, are always going to produce much more sound. Plus, when using 22-gauge wire connected to a powerful AMP and quality DAC, really makes them shine. So I really don't think there is a wireless option out there that is going to make you happy with bass. The old bass kings were in the JVC SZ series line of cans, but since you can't get those anymore, I think the current kings are cans like the V-Moda M100 or LP2's. We need to get some V-Moda M200 owners in here to give opinions on what they think of bass on the newer models.

The Crossfade 2's are 50mm and have a cord. I almost never listen to them wireless, but for what it's worth, they sound fine when I do. They have aptx, which is supposedly lossless equivalent. When I'd listen to them via aptx on my Fiio M11, I could never really tell a difference between bluetooth and wired on them, although they do sound slightly tinier if you are listening to them via normal bluetooth (but, to be fair, all bluetooth 5.1 sounds tiny and compressed).

The newer V-Modas have gotten terrible reviews, from everything I've seen. And not just from pretentious audiophiles. The M100s and Crossfade 2 tended to get very good reviews from audiophile websites. They are seen as "fun" (whatever the **** that means), but most conceded they are great headphones for their price class, despite the emphasis on bass. However, the newer V-Moda models are getting almost universally terrible reviews, which puts me off trying them.
 
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Jun 1, 2021 at 10:49 PM Post #12,036 of 12,962
The cfw2 can be wired too, but i skip buying those cause the opinions of a lack of bass against the m100. I have test b2b the pioneer hdj x10 with the m100 with techno heavy bass track and powered by a ddj1000 of pioneer, is notorius the difference of bass in the m100, way punchier. The x10 have more soundstage tho, but the treble and mids are more harsh, I prefer the dark signature of the m100. xl pads will arrive next week, but i guess that I will prefer the stock ones if the bass is afected in a bad way, fit perfect in my ears
I've never heard the m100s so I can't compare, but the Crossfade 2's have a good deal of base, and from what I've read, I thought they were the same as the m100s, only with the addition of bluetooth, but I could be wrong. Honestly, I think they are super underrated. Audiophiles crap on them and call them "fun" in condescending tones, but I don't think many have actually listened to them. The $700 headphones I just returned (the AT-w900s) sounded very, very similar to the Crossfade 2's when I had their bass boosted to 10 through an amp. The treble is slightly more recessed on the Crossfade 2's vs the AT-w900s, but the treble on the w900s was ****ing ear piercing. I listen to music for hours on end at times, so I much prefer the recessed treble of the Crossfade 2.

All that said, the Crossfade 2s actully have great treble, mids, and separation relative to most other bass-heavy headphones I've tried. I really do think that V-Moda is underrated among audiophiles.
 
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Jun 1, 2021 at 11:48 PM Post #12,037 of 12,962
I want to thank those who have Crossfade 2's for giving your review in here, this is exactly what we need. People looking for reviews for headphones won't just look on Amazon, especially since a huge portion of Amazon reviews are fake, although Amazon has been combating against that for the last couple years. But users will be coming here, just as I did, when I was looking for a good basshead can. This is what people need to know. Also, it would be nice if some of you could post some pictures of your crossfade 2's.

I am Curious to know if the Crossfade 2's have a recessed AUX port like the standard wired do. I literally had to take a quality AUX cable and take the 1/8 plug to the bench grinder, to grind down the back half a bit, so I could fit the plug in the cans. LOL - And how many of you use custom pads and headband cushions like I do, inquring minds want to know lol.

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Jun 2, 2021 at 5:58 PM Post #12,038 of 12,962
Guys, you can't really compare a wired headphone to a wireless one. This is because wireless headphones are usually 45mm driver or smaller headphones, powered off of a internal op-amp, which receives power from a limited internal battery. Yes, bluetooth has made great strides over the years, and so has wireless headphones in general, but they are still not considered audiophile grade. I have a pair of Cowin E7 Pro's, sure they sound nice, but are mid-range heavy, and even I know they aren't audiophile grade.

A wired headphone with 50mm drivers or larger, are always going to produce much more sound. Plus, when using 22-gauge wire connected to a powerful AMP and quality DAC, really makes them shine. So I really don't think there is a wireless option out there that is going to make you happy with bass. The old bass kings were in the JVC SZ series line of cans, but since you can't get those anymore, I think the current kings are cans like the V-Moda M100 or LP2's. We need to get some V-Moda M200 owners in here to give opinions on what they think of bass on the newer models.
Didn't someone in the past few pages remark that M200 is neutral-like in tonal balance, very unlike M100?
 
Jun 2, 2021 at 7:37 PM Post #12,039 of 12,962
Didn't someone in the past few pages remark that M200 is neutral-like in tonal balance, very unlike M100?

I thought that was the M200 Master, and not the standard M200, but of course, I could be wrong.
 
Jun 2, 2021 at 9:41 PM Post #12,040 of 12,962
Didn't someone in the past few pages remark that M200 is neutral-like in tonal balance, very unlike M100?
All the reviews I've read said they sound completely different. V-Moda specifically designed the M200s to have a more balanced and neutral sound, so I don't think the bass is as powerful. The M200's are being sold as "studio master" headphones, which usually means weaker, but more precise, bass.
 
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Jun 2, 2021 at 10:06 PM Post #12,041 of 12,962
I would like to see someone compare the M-100s to the M-200s, though. I think I'm going to get one or the other. My Crossfade 2's work fine, even if the bent metal on one of the cups can start to hurt after an hour of listening, so I think I'll just keep my Crossfades to use bluetooth for shorter durations (i.e. working or travel), and buy either the M-100s or the M-200s for my PC.

I made a mistake earlier when I said the M-200s have gotten terrible reviews. They've actually gotten great reviews, it's only the M-200 ANC's (which are the bluetooth + sound canceling model) that have gotten terrible reviews. I've read very good things about the M-200s, but I'm worried that they won't have the bass I crave, so I'd like to see someone do a direct comparison.
 
Jun 3, 2021 at 5:24 PM Post #12,042 of 12,962
You've piqued my interest in the Crossfade 2's.
 
Jun 7, 2021 at 8:01 PM Post #12,043 of 12,962
I ended up getting the V-Moda M100 Master Headphones. Amazon no longer had the original M-100's in stock, but I'm happy with these. As far as I can tell, they sound exactly the same as my Crossfade 2's, the only difference being that they don't have bluetooth.
 
Jun 7, 2021 at 10:01 PM Post #12,044 of 12,962
I ended up getting the V-Moda M100 Master Headphones. Amazon no longer had the original M-100's in stock, but I'm happy with these. As far as I can tell, they sound exactly the same as my Crossfade 2's, the only difference being that they don't have bluetooth.

Good knowledge in regards to stock usage...

Now, apply a good amp capable of at least 2-watts or more in the chain. Then, apply a +10DB in the sub base frequencies, and apply a +6DB or more in the high frequencies, and listen to them come alive.

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