[SpiderNhan]

Just some pics showing how liquid leather looks on my M-100 headband. Little tears are starting to pop up across the middle, outer edges of the headband and on the inside where it makes contact with my hats. I actually like how it turned out and I'll be doing a more deliberate, aesthetic pattern tonight.
 

 

[Solrighal]

FWIW, and while I like Rammstein, there's better Neue Deutsche Harte bands out there. Die Krupps, Eisbrecher and Megaherz come to mind. And this is probably more appropriate for the metal music forum.

There's a metal music forum? God, no thanks, I'll pass. I just happened to mention Rammstein in passing. I'll be sure to look up your recommendations too, thanks.

 

[SomeGuyDude]

There's a metal music forum? God, no thanks, I'll pass. I just happened to mention Rammstein in passing. I'll be sure to look up your recommendations too, thanks.

 
Be a little more condescending why don't ya. I'm sorry, do you have a problem with fans of metal?

 

[Solrighal]

Be a little more condescending why don't ya. I'm sorry, do you have a problem with fans of metal?

It wasn't meant to be condescending, don't be so sensitive mate. I used to go to school wearing a Tygers of Pan Tang t-shirt, when they were current. I'm still into heavy music but I was acknowledging a legitimate comment that this thread is an equipment thread and not a media thread. As for being a "fan" well, no, I'm not really fanatical about anything. But I can appreciate a wide range of genres without feeling any real need to discuss them.

Happy ☺?

 

[howdy]

I'm taking the plunge and buying these damn things. They are always referenced by every other headphone so, why not!

 

[SomeGuyDude]

I'm taking the plunge and buying these damn things. They are always referenced by every other headphone so, why not!

 
I feel bad for all your other headphones. Poor things are gonna get neglected. might wanna look into giving them new homes!

 

[howdy]

I feel bad for all your other headphones. Poor things are gonna get neglected. might wanna look into giving them new homes!

It will only be my 2nd pair of headphones ever, I have some ATH-M50s which I gave to my daughter. I like IEMs better but have been wanting these for awhile.

 

[ratinox]

M50 is bigger. It's a studio monitor, after all. M50 is only a little bit bulkier than M-100 which looks more svelte. That's all the metal compared to M50's mostly plastic. M-100 weighs a bit less.

Comfort for me is a coin flip. M50 fits me better; M-100 has the memory foam XL pads. They're both comfortable enough for long sessions but neither beats my KRK's.

How do they compare sound-wise? Quite similar, actually. Both have prominent bass between 30 Hz and 150 Hz. M-100 has more bass, about +8-9 dB across that range while M50 has about +5 dB. Both have drops at 5.5 kHz: M50 is ~-10 dB and M-100 is ~-18 dB. Now, before you go "what?" that's a good thing, mostly. This is where vocal sibilance resides, and we humans find tones at around 4.5 kHz to be especially tiring. M-100's -18 dB there is good for a fun-sounding, non-fatiguing headphone. Unfortunately, 5 kHz is vocal presence so the deeper valley there is probably why I get that "behind the drum kit" feel. Both then rise up to about +0-1 dB at 10 kHz for some sheen on cymbals and triangles and such, then both roll off towards 20 kHz. M50 rolls off sharply (down 8 dB) below 30 Hz; M-100 rolls off almost flat (down only 3 dB). M50 has a drop to +1 dB at 75 Hz; M-100 does not. M-100 is smoother through the midrange and above 10 kHz. They're both clean headphones, remarkably so for closed-back cans. Props to HeadRoom for their FR graph overlay.

Plain English translation: they both have similar V-shaped sound signatures. M-100 is smoother, cleaner, has a bit more bass, and has better bass extension along with a few quirks that can be equalized around.

So, yeah, what you're getting with M-100 is a better sounding, better looking, better built M50.

 

[MCImes]

It will only be my 2nd pair of headphones ever, I have some ATH-M50s which I gave to my daughter. I like IEMs better but have been wanting these for awhile.

@howdy you know how much I like them =)

 

[NiteWalker]

M-100 is smoother, cleaner, has a bit more bass, and has better bass extension along with a few quirks that can be equalized around.

So, yeah, what you're getting with M-100 is a better sounding, better looking, better built M50.

That's exactly how I'd compare the two.

 

[PsychoGenetiX]

I'm more of a trance/house/edm/old school dubstep kinda guy. I liked your other tracks better in my opinion ^-^

I.E. Heartswitch and Inspire

I absolutely adore the sub-bass for Inspire

 
First off thanks for giving my stuff a listen! It's the most important thing for me!
 
Secondly, about Inspire, yes! I fell in LOVE with that bassline, it sounds incredible on good cans and I adore how smooth it came out when the drop hits and the music gets going.
 
It's the result of some experimenting and maintains some Square synth elements which give it the punchiness in the upper bass range.
 
Heart Switch has like 5 or 6, even 7 different bass synths used throughout, and like 20 different synths used as leads, fillers or background noises. Both HS and Swept Away were an awful lot of work, but they were great fun and also an enormous learning experience for me. There's alot more like them to come.
 
I'm glad you enjoyed!

 

[ratinox]

Today I took the opportunity to audition some closed-back headphones in the general $300 price range. None of them could be described as basshead cans but these are some of what's out there in high quality, over-ear, closed headphones in that general price range. These were all auditioned with my little Clip Zip w/ Rockbox. No outboard amps or anything.

Starting with NAD Viso HP50 since it's received a lot of positive press. That press is mostly well deserved. It's a great sounding headphone, probably the best-sounding headphone at $300. Of the four it has the most bass and treble. It's not V-shaped by any means but the bass and treble are up a bit from neutral. It has a few problems. Construction is one. There's a lot of plastic involved in what's supposed to be a premium product. Holding it, HP50 doesn't feel like a $300 headphone. Definitely a $200 headphone, maybe a $250 headphone, but not a $300 headphone. Fit is the other. It's quite small for a circumaural headphone and the pads aren't very deep. Getting a good seal meant more clamping pressure than was comfortable and the driver felts were pressing hard on my ears. This also made it difficult to gauge isolation. If you have comfort issues with M-100 fit then you will probably have similar issues with HP50.

Beyerdynamic DT 660. This lists at $250. Beyerdynamic T 70. This one is a $550 headphone that I auditioned just for kicks. How shall I put it? Where's the bass. Really, these have the least bass that I think I've ever heard in properly working headphones. It's there, it's audible, but you really have to listen for it. I'm told that both respond well to powerful amplifiers with good bass boost circuits but that defeats the purpose of portable. Both have velour ear pads which is wonderful for comfort but not so wonderful for isolation. All in all, if you hate bass then you might like either of these headphones.

AKG K 551. This is the iThing-oriented design tweak of the K 550. I spent the most time with this one. This is definitely the most neutral of the four, which should be expected from what started out as one of the best reference grade studio monitors ever made. K 551 is a big headphone. Really big. There's no mistaking this for a "portable" headphone despite the shorter cable with iThing-compatible remote control. The way I compared K 551 and HP50 directly at the store: "this (K 551) is a monitoring headphone; that (HP50) isn't."

So, what out there at the $300 price point is a better-sounding, portable, over-ear, closed-back headphone? HP50 vs. K 551 is a tough pick. Neither are basshead cans though they can be boosted so if prominent bass is your first requirement then neither are a good choice. If comfort edges out listening enjoyment then K 551, otherwise HP50.

Which would I buy? K 551.

 

[SomeGuyDude]

I'm noticing a distinct lack of M100 in that post.

 

[ratinox]

I'm noticing a distinct lack of M100 in that post.

It's a continuation of my previous post about how little there is out there that competes with M-100. To wit: not much that isn't a rapper can.

 

[SomeGuyDude]

It's a continuation of my previous post about how little there is out there that competes with M-100. To wit: not much that isn't a rapper can.

 
LOL whoops, my bad.
 
And you know, you bring up a good point. I think the reason I love the M100 so much is that it's the only one I've found that is sort of in the middle of various sound styles. It's a headphone that truly sounds like it was made through the input from hundreds of people. The bass isn't huge and thumpy like you'd find in Beats-style cans, but it's significantly more present than in true "audiophile" products. It's not as even, clear, and separated as audiophile cans, but far more than you'd get out of those head-thumpers.
 
So what you have is a can that is just a swiss army knife. You can throw rap at it, you can throw orchestral, heavy metal, electronic, pop, whatever. There's no music that will really leave anyone disappointed in its output, it'll sound fantastic with everything.