[baglunch]

My overall problem is a lack of properly fleshed-out bass, and I'm trying to figure out what I need to adjust.

I'm going Foobar2000 (with no DSPs or EQ) -> ASIO4All -> USB AlienDAC (maxxed out)-> MisterX XP amp (maxxed out) -> SennHD 595s.

The sound is like some good studio monitor speakers I've heard: beautiful highs and mids, good clarity and positioning, but only representative bass. You can hear that the bass is there and well-formed, but lacks presence. Lacks punch.

How can I track down what I need to change? I'm using a computer at work, so I can't change any of the hardware on the computer itself, and using a USB DAC, I shouldn't need to anyway, right?

I've tried:

1.) Plugging the headphones straight into the motherboard's onboard audio out for a baseline: Sound is not great; I might as well be using a $30 pair of headphones.

2.) onboard audio out -> amp -> headphones: sound is better, but not dramatically so. I'm glad the seller talked me into getting the DAC and amp combo instead of just the amp.

3.) USB DAC -> headphones : sound is very small and tinny, like when you hold your headphones a foot or so away from your head.

4.) USB DAC -> amp -> headphones: adding the amp to the DAC dramatically improves the sound, like the difference between holding your headphones a foot away from your head, and actually putting the headphones on. This is far and away the best sound configuration, as it obviously should be, but I have this bass issue.

I'm no expert with an EQ, and I can punch up the bass with the EQ in F2K, but then things are a bit muddy and I lose fidelity in the mids. What else can I try? Is it my amp; do I need a bigger, beefier one or should this one be doing it for me? Is it my F2K configuration; is there something more I can tweak there? I've tried various DSPs and EQ settings, but haven't stumbled across any combinations that gave me the bass I want and still preserved the fidelity and presence of the highs and mids.

Any recommendations? I'm listening to all kinds of music, from classical and opera, to Marilyn Manson and Tool, to Dido, Orbital, Monster Magnet, Eva Cassidy, etc. So I can't really tailor my setup to a specific type of music. I want an all-around performing sound.

Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[spacemanspliff]

You need different headphones. The only way I ever got bass out of 595s was with my 34lb SQ-84 monster tube amp.

Try Beyer 880s or Grado 325s or Senn 600s.

 

[baglunch]

Will all of those three recommended headphones work well with my existing hardware?

 

[HFat]

Most likely... but I don't think you'd get the bass you want. Grados would give you some punch though. Can you describe what you want a bit better?

Maybe you could try harder with the EQ or some other DSP.

 

[baglunch]

HFat: Not sure how to describe it, other than to say that currently, I like what I have for the highs and mids, but the bass just doesn't have the energy and impact that it should. Like having small, high quality reference monitor speakers, but no subwoofer. I want there to be a subwoofer in there too.

Do you have recommendations for DSPs or EQ settings? I've already spent hours playing with various configs, and still end up happiest with nothing.

EDIT: also, I'm not really interested in Grados, for comfort reasons alone. I have a pair of SR60s with comfies, and those are ok, but any of the higher phones with the non-comfies feel like sandpaper on my ears, and I hear that using the comfies on higher end models lose you fidelity. And generally, circumaural is more comfy for me than on-the-ear, as I have my headphones on pretty much the entire workday (8-12 hours).

 

[HFat]

I'm not a basshead so I won't be able to give you good advice but I think you may have unrealistic expectations. Headphones typically have full-range drivers and they won't be able to move air like a subwoofer anyway. There's usually a tradeoff between the bass and the midrange.

Have you already tried a nice closed phone? In my experience, bass feels different in closed headphones.
My reference headphones when it comes to good punchy bass is the HD25-1 but that wouldn't be a good choice for your application. I also don't have experience with headphones that bassheads tend to like (DT770, HD650, and so on).

Maybe you should make a thread in the headphone forum or simply run a search.

 

[baglunch]

So your recommendation is to change the headphones? The rest of the setup is good to go? I'm not sure how to diagnose my problem aside from what I've done, and it hasn't gotten me far enough to reach a conclusion. I can't afford to upgrade everything, but I can probably afford to tweak upward one component or another (by selling the current one), if that's the solution.

I haven't tried closed in over 15 years, I'd guess. I was happy with my last pair (when I was 18 or so), but they'd make my ears feel sweaty after a few hours, but they used some fake leather vinyl something on the pads that disintegrated after a few years. Do you have recommendations for closed? Something likely to be found for under $200 used?

 

[Chri5peed]

You need the 'foo_dsp_heresthebass.dll'

JK. The 595s are your trouble, while they're not bass light they certainly are not punchy. The odd song/album can be bassy, the 650s hit many more albums in that way.

Dear option though. Turn a bassy EQ on. Or use the VST bridge.

 

[HFat]

Well, unless the rest of your gear is broken in some way (like your onboard audio seems to be) or not suited to this kind of headphone, it's the 'phone that's going to pretty much define the character of your bass. There are other factors obviously like the volume you're listening at and DSP.

I don't think you should blindly switch headphones: just try others. It's not a matter of upgrading but of getting the flavor you want. I think that others will be able to give you better advice than I could as to which models might suit you.
You can certainly buy a lot of great 'phones with 200$, especially if you're willing to buy used. More expensive isn't necessarily better.

 

[baglunch]

-- oops, reposted the same thing again, deleted. --

 

[spacemanspliff]

If you like the Senn sound just pick up some used 600s or 650s. The rest of your setup will be fine until you can upgrade. The fun thing is that the 600 and 650 are almost infinite in their upgrade path. You will get damn good bass with either model and your existing hardware.

 

[TheVinylRipper]

You could try Winamp with a plugin called simply "Enhancer", it has an adjustable subharmonic synthesizer which can make quite a big difference in how much bass your music has.

Once you get used to it, it's hard to go back to doing without, everything sounds too "thin".

I'd give that a whirl before spending a lot of money, it's freeware as is winamp.

http://www.winamp.com/plugins/details/81361

 

[baglunch]

Ok, thanks for the responses. I'll check out the free stuff, and then the spendy stuff! Any new ideas, plz bring em'!

 

[Alleyman]

If you're going the DSP route, there is one which works with Foobar too.

http://www.oss3d.com/usite/

Not free though.

 

[Asmo]

I've heard some amazing bass from headphones, but absolutely nothing in your price range unfortunately.

650s with a mobius upgrade cable with a highend singlepower tube amp setup, will sound amazing, or I also really loved the bass (tight and impact) from AKG 701 with upgraded cable and a headroom maxed out home amp.

Basically, I havn't heard good bass from a headphone without a $1000+ amp behind it, and not without a replacement cable.

I would stick with your setup, and just save for a better rig if you really want that bass, you can try a lot of other $200ish headphones but you won't find it.