# Bass heavy + Audiophile Headphones?



## full dp (Dec 2, 2008)

I would like to solicit you opinions on Bass-heavy/audiophile headphones?

Budget $250-300

Any recommendations?


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## SaturnSL1 (Jun 27, 2011)

I use these. They sound really damn good and will vibrate your face with a good sound card or amp.

Amazon.com: SONY Stereo Headphones MDR-XB700 | Extra Bass Closed Dynamic (Japan Import)-Black: Electronics


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## Old Skewl (May 30, 2011)

I use these

Amazon.com: Shure SRH840 Professional Monitoring Earphones (Black): Musical Instruments

Very nice sounding. Accurate bass but not real heavy!


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## full dp (Dec 2, 2008)

SaturnSL1 said:


> I use these. They sound really damn good and will vibrate your face with a good sound card or amp.
> 
> Amazon.com: SONY Stereo Headphones MDR-XB700 | Extra Bass Closed Dynamic (Japan Import)-Black: Electronics


wow this huge! and the built is solid...im curious to try this.


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## AuralSalvation (Oct 29, 2010)

Amazon.com: V-MODA Crossfade LP Over-Ear Noise-Isolating Metal Headphone (Phantom Chrome): Electronics


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## Earzbleed (Feb 10, 2013)

I use these Sale Brand NEW Sennheiser HD600 HD 600 ON EAR Home Cinema HI FI Headphone 2700703063354 | eBay as my studio headphones.
They don't colour the music by adding bass but they faithfully represent exaclty what's there and they handle the low frequencies very well.


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## AuralSalvation (Oct 29, 2010)

Earzbleed said:


> I use these Sale Brand NEW Sennheiser HD600 HD 600 ON EAR Home Cinema HI FI Headphone 2700703063354 | eBay as my studio headphones.
> They don't colour the music by adding bass but they faithfully represent exaclty what's there and they handle the low frequencies very well.


Forgot about these. I love my HD-555's.

Sent from my Nexus 10 using Tapatalk 2


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## SaturnSL1 (Jun 27, 2011)

full dp said:


> wow this huge! and the built is solid...im curious to try this.


They kick ass. I'm thinking about upgrading to the 1000s 

Amazon.com: SONY Stereo Headphones MDR-XB1000 | Extra Bass Over Headband Type: Electronics


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## vrdublu (Apr 13, 2009)

Old Skewl said:


> I use these
> 
> Amazon.com: Shure SRH840 Professional Monitoring Earphones (Black): Musical Instruments
> 
> Very nice sounding. Accurate bass but not real heavy!


^^^^^^^This^^^^^^^^^^ for the $$$$ can't be beat!!


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## ZAKOH (Nov 26, 2010)

One thing I heard is that closed back full size headphones tend to have more bass impact. One audiophile brand that specializes in closed back headphones is Ultrasone. If you want something cheap, get Koss PortaPro. This has best bass I heard so far in $65 or cheaper headphone. They're pretty durable and SQ if fine.


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## abusiveDAD (Jan 7, 2009)

SaturnSL1 said:


> They kick ass. I'm thinking about upgrading to the 1000s
> 
> Amazon.com: SONY Stereo Headphones MDR-XB1000 | Extra Bass Over Headband Type: Electronics



I have the mdr-xb500's paired with JDS labs cMOYBB and the bass
is scary, it almost feels like you are having heart palpitations.


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## Randyman... (Oct 7, 2012)

AuralSalvation said:


> Amazon.com: V-MODA Crossfade LP Over-Ear Noise-Isolating Metal Headphone (Phantom Chrome): Electronics


I have the "more bass heavy" 50mm Vmoda *LP2*'s  (3 pairs) - and I drive them off a Lectrosonics PA8 Power Amp - These things will rip your eardrums out when driven properly! I LOVE them for Tracking Drums or whatever as they never run out of SPL or low end.

A shout for the Sony HD7509's, too. Also use a 50mm driver and are capable of serious bass response on-par with the LP2's.

The secret for any "extreme Bass" from a headphone is the HP Amp, bar none. I'm sending well over 2-3 Watts (3000mW) of well-damped power per channel to mine. They just don't have the same effect when driven of most mediocre High-Z headphone amps even though both the Sony and Vmoda's are pretty efficient. Want crazy driver control and insane low-end from your cans? You'll need a beefy HP Amp to drive them...


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## abusiveDAD (Jan 7, 2009)

Randyman... said:


> I have the "more bass heavy" 50mm Vmoda *LP2*'s  (3 pairs) - and I drive them off a Lectrosonics PA8 Power Amp - These things will rip your eardrums out when driven properly! I LOVE them for Tracking Drums or whatever as they never run out of SPL or low end.
> 
> A shout for the Sony HD7509's, too. Also use a 50mm driver and are capable of serious bass response on-par with the LP2's.
> 
> The secret for any "extreme Bass" from a headphone is the HP Amp, bar none. I'm sending well over 2-3 Watts (3000mW) of well-damped power per channel to mine. They just don't have the same effect when driven of most mediocre High-Z headphone amps even though both the Sony and Vmoda's are pretty efficient. Want crazy driver control and insane low-end from your cans? You'll need a beefy HP Amp to drive them...


agreed
the cMOYBB amp just make the cans insane ,but FUN to listen


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## Randyman... (Oct 7, 2012)

Indeed - I'm using two of the Lectrosonics PA8 8-Channel Power Amps to drive 8 discrete stereo pairs of cans (each can have their own mix / 16 DAC channels feeding them  ) This amp is plain silly on Low-Z cans (bit does have some voltage limitations for the high-z cans, but still plenty loud). The Amp makes all the difference - even compared to my high-dollar RME gear with a descent HP output - NO COMPARISON to an actual power amp.


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## its_bacon12 (Aug 16, 2007)

Why not just get nice headphones and equalize the low end to suit your preference?


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## eisnerracing (Sep 14, 2010)

I've had an amazing experiance with 
Sennheiser 

Sennheiser - Headphones & Headsets - Microphones - Integrated Systems

Hd598 model or pxc450

rs170 wireless (i have these)

I wonder if ps3 headphones would work with a disc in your ps3 7.1 surround and huge bass - going to try that when i get off work..!!??


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## abusiveDAD (Jan 7, 2009)

why not get something bass heavy and eq the mid-range


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## eisnerracing (Sep 14, 2010)

abusiveDAD said:


> why not get something bass heavy and eq the mid-range


true a 2 channel eq would be inexpensive


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## abusiveDAD (Jan 7, 2009)

eisnerracing said:


> true a 2 channel eq would be inexpensive[/QUOTE
> 
> i give grado sr80's a little dropping on the high end
> nice and smooth w/ no boost in the lows and love'em.
> ...


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## Randyman... (Oct 7, 2012)

its_bacon12 said:


> Why not just get nice headphones and equalize the low end to suit your preference?


In my particular use-case, it's a matter of SPL capabilities in the low-end. I have plenty of descent cans in the $100-$250 range (they even spec flat to below 20Hz) that simply fart out when given any substantial low frequency information from a high-powered HP Amp. Literally sounds like poop and you can tell the drivers are not happy...

I use my cans when tracking live drums and other loud instruments - and even though the V-Moda LP2's I use have good isolation, there is still a need for pretty drastic SPL's for a drummer or guitar player standing in front of his half stack while overdubbing. The LP2's, MDR7509's and MDR-V900's will handle all the low-frequency balls I need and still have some room left. I never feel like I'm about to toast them (unlike the other cans I mentioned above).

There are likely some "flatter" cans out there that might handle this type of low-end SPL via EQ boosts, but generally speaking I believe the drivers (generally 50mm) really need to be designed to handle these extreme levels and excursion from the ground up - and they generally end up with a bass-heavy response.

Different use-cases will have different needs - my requirements are pretty extreme IMNSHO - that's my M.O.


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## MinnesotaStateUniversity (Sep 12, 2012)

I recommend an external amplifier, especially at that price point.

I just sent my Audio Technica ATH-M50's back because I'm forced to use a COMPAQ as my source. I made Kip Kay's LM386, but meh'

Your phones will only sound as good as your source.


**Not that the Audio Technica's are known to be bass heavy...

Just socializing


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## Randyman... (Oct 7, 2012)

Exactly - I'm running a pair of discrete 8-Channel 15WPC (15,000mW per channel) power amps on my cans  The built-in 100mW-200mW (0.1 Watt - 0.2 Watt) HP Amps on most gear I've owned are just not up to snuff (in terms of power/headroom and driver control/damping factor).


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## SaturnSL1 (Jun 27, 2011)

abusiveDAD said:


> I have the mdr-xb500's paired with JDS labs cMOYBB and the bass
> is scary, it almost feels like you are having heart palpitations.


Dude its insane  Love the feeling of my cheeks and nose shaking with the bass! I need to look into these "HP amps" you guys are talking about, sounds crazy. I used a crappy little Fios amp but it wasn't that much better than my cell phones regular power output, and it wasn't as nice sounding as my computers sound card.


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## jasonwilliam (Dec 11, 2015)

Most people associate bass with a specific type of guitar but the low tones are also achieved with the tuba, bass drum, or even keyboard. The best bass headphones will have clear low tones that capture the heartbeat and mood of the music.

There are 10 choices for bass headphones at Headphones Unboxed website to make it easier for you.


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