[boomana]

Clue me in, guys. I'm stumped. It seems that every other thread I read is a request for more bass from headphones and amps, and I don't get it, at least not in the way I'm understanding these posts. Don't get me wrong. I like bass. I know some music is better with more bass. I owned Darth Beyers, I like PS1s, and I just bought a subwoofer because I wanted more bass. I guess it just seems to me that people are requesting crazy bass lately, are coming here to find headphones based solely on their ability to produce huge bass, bass that overpowers the rest of the music. If they can't get it from their headphones, and even if they can, they go looking for help from amps. It's as if nothing can ever give them enough bass. Is that a good thing? Am I missing something? Misreading? Getting old (okay, don't answer that one)?

Speakers can give you killer bass and still sound good. Headphones, for the most part, sound really crappy that way, at least in my experience, and that's not fun. If that's how you like your music, fine by me, but I am trying to understand what the heck it's all about. If you're a basshead, tell me why you want that from your headphones, what it does for you and why you like it. To me it just seems like you're sacrificing the whole spectrum of music, and by doing so, music itself. Why would anyone want to do that? Am I wrong? I really want to know.

 

[coolshot]

bass helps you feel the music. Just like at a concert. Its a state of being where bass isn't a regularly experienced thing unlike vocals and 'most' of sound spectrum. I love Hip hop and techno, a lot of the 'musicality' comes from the beats pounding your chest( or in our case eardrums). I been around here long enough to know that headphones have limitations but it doesnt make the pursuit any less interesting. I would love to have a pair of L3000 paired with a nice tube amp to provide me with thick lush sound that you can feel while you groove.

 

[Chickenman]

I Don't get it either.. I would much rather have a nice clean sound with a lot of details instead of crazy bass that shakes my head. Guess theres a thin line between good bass and excess to some members here. And I thought I liked bass..

P.S. - Is it just me, or does too much bass give you guys a headache?

 

[TMM]

+1 to what coolshot said. I'm a bass lover (of quality over impact), but if its a sloppy 'one-note' sounding bass i'd rather not have it at all. I'd also take extension over impact anyday.

p.s. too much bass gives me a headache as well

 

[Chickenman]

Haha. Yea I agree completely with you. I love the sound of tight, deep bass.

 

[Luminette]

the biggest thing standard headphones like ipod earbuds or the old old cd player standard cheap headphones were lacking in is that ability to give deep bass. i think people experience better bass out of large cans and/or subs and realize what's there, and it becomes the most mentionable absence for them compared to what they had used for listening before

i just pulled that out of my arse, but, it sounds somewhat reasonable

as for why i like bass.. well.. indeed there is a lot of depth and texture to bass, most prominently in modern electronic music variants, as well as hip hop. hell, it's even relevant for dual kick drum pedalwork in prog metal.. it's just a critical part of the whole feeling there.. and i think the lack of vibing that particular aspect of these kinds of music is also a big part of why a lot of people aren't able to get into these styles.

having your equip able to deliver the kind of bass that these styles put out is simply an essential part of the experience for that music. especially for some electronic variants.. depending on how much they utilize bass.. but it can be very sustained stuff with a constant vibrating resonance or some other sort of maintained texture.. and even the shorter beats, like with common trance or hip hop.. they frequently have a lot of texture to them


that all said, i'll still call bass an addiction

 

[Acoustic Chef]

Well bass is fun right..? If your into that... that’s fine, what's not fine is slagging cans with accurate low-end claiming they have a roll off.

 

[Redo]

I like bass, but not at the expense of mids.

 

[Blutarsky]

I have no idea why or how most people find themselves in this category. Experiencing music is subjective, personal and I'm sure, like everything else, it hinges on a set of developed preferences. All I can authoritatively state is, "Hello, my name is "Blutarsky" and I am a basshead".

Crazy bass; I guess so - but I'd describe it more as the pursuit of integral bass. I used to listen to "albums" when I was younger (not to age myself) and analyze each song. Then armed with an intense knowledge of each song I'd scrape up the cash, go to a live show and get blown away by the musicality of a live performance. The gear I had then just couldn't reproduce that sound. Crappy turntable, eight tracks, sony walkman/discman with foamies or dumpy speakers. Even my very accurate 90's minidisc without decent phones... failed to reproduce the fun "feel" of a live performance. Psycho-acoustical stuff I guess.

But how does it happen? How does one devolve into a basshead? I used to be a clean-cut, acoustically informed etymotic listener. I loved the crisp, bright sonic signature. Respectable sure, but not really moving or satisfying. In the pursuit of better isolation, more comfortable fit and the ability to wear them under a helmet, I moved into Westone ES2s. With RSA amplified ES2s I'm hearing the detail, highs - mids and I'm getting a taste of that punchy impact and bass. Hmm, I began to really like this and "remember" the experience to be much more akin to live music. I love this setup but the lows are a teensy, tiny bit flabby and I begin to think - maybe full size phones are the ticket - uh oh.

As it happens I'm minding my own business, not looking for trouble and I wander into the Darth Beyer forum. At first I didn't know what to think. It seemed healthy enough. I read the 140 (att) pages in a few days and began to understood the pursuit. Also noticed some more ummm "experienced" folks such as myself, listening to the same types of things in the forums so I felt assured it wasn't a limited niche or naughty "sonic excess" thing.

I was planning to buys some Darth Beyers when fate stepped in and I won Larry's holiday contest. The second I put the DBs on - even out of the box my music was transformed. All of the old stuff that I have heard performed live is incredible; faded memories are re-invigorated. I begin to literally grin my a**-off (GMAO) when I listen to these beautiful phones synergize with my amp and high quality recordings. You know what they used to say, the first hit is free!

Similarly, music I have heard a million times but not necessarily seen live also is newly discovered. For example, I was listening to the Police remastered Synchronicity II and its as if I was hearing the the bass line for the first time. In fact the bass drum actually startled me to the point I thought my 5 y/o knocked something over, I take off the phones go look - nothing wrong. Huh? Sit down, re-cue and there it is again. *Holy crap* that's in the recording? I guess I had never "experienced" that bass drum before.

Alright, I know I've got it bad. What can I say, its only been a week or ten days and my wife is beginning to notice me smiling again. I can't seem to hide it any longer. It'll just take some time, I guess, I think she'll get used to it and eventually learn to accept it.

 

[Jaska]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blutarsky /img/forum/go_quote.gif my wife is beginning to notice me smiling again

Satisfying headphones are indeed the archway to a happier marital union

 

[ken36]

This is why there are bassheads and airheads. If everyone like the same music played the same way over the same gear. we would have no debate and we could all go home. Blame it on our DNA, I do.

 

[Spareribs]

That is a very good question. Bass is popular. I was at K mart recently and I looked at some headphones and on the packages, they emphasized extra bass. I see lots of guys driving around with that killer bass in their car audio systems. Males love bass because it is from the testostrone. It makes us feel macho and strong.

Ok, kidding aside. I love bass but I am not a basshead. I can't stand extra bass and prefer a better mid range and better soundstage. To me, extra bass in many cases is not natural. Bass can be wonderful but I feel that it is abused in today's society.

 

[GreatDane]

I love deep,tight bass and Darth Beyers do that pretty good for a headphone but not like a good subwoofer can...totally different experience. At home I use an HGS-10 which despite its small size sounds very clean and has decent power. In my truck I use a 380 watt mono amp pushing 2 10" subs...so I get my bass fix, but it must remain "clean" and not overpower.

 

[Austin 3:16]

Basshead here. But it doesn't mean I don't know what quality bass is.

 

[Kirosia]

I like deep, tight bass that makes my bowels quiver. Can't stand over-blown crap bass.