What headphones for the biggest bass?

Sc00p007 · 18 May 2017 at 06:30

Hi,

Looking for a pair of headphones with the biggest bass. I'll be using them for music with plenty of sub bass. I'm guessing closed will be better for this?
The bass needs to be big but quality too. I'm open to the rest of the signature. Although i normally like open analytical sounds, i'm leaning towards a closed darker sound.
As a point of reference, the HD650 would not have enough sub bass.
They won't be used for long listening sessions, so the bigger the headache after one hour the better.

Phil.

Liquid_Entity · 18 May 2017 at 07:10

I own a set of Sony XB650BT cans. I didn't have the budget to go bigger or better but the bass on these Extra Bass cans is good. I know there is a XB950BT model too. Still not in the regions of HD650 cans though so this post is probably extremely irrelevant haha

Ryanr1987 · 18 May 2017 at 09:42

Biggest bass and sub bass is completely different. HD650 has plenty of bass impact but being open it doesn't have reverb to create that sense of sub bass.

The cleanest bass cannons I've heard are the Audioquest Nighthawk and TH900. If you want just sub bass then something like a HE-400i or LCD-2 is a food option but they have no impact.

Ayahuasca · 18 May 2017 at 11:26

Good thread on the matter: https://www.head-fi.org/f/threads/the-hardest-hitting-headphones-are-the-extreme-bass-club.716711/

Sc00p007 · 18 May 2017 at 19:18

Thanks for the replies.
Yes, Bass cannons!
I will look at that Headfi thread later.
Ryan1987, thanks for the advice. I will look into the nighthawk and TH900.
About the bass, I want it all. Lot's of it, with that roll and the impact to give my brain a shake.
My two headphones with the most bass are the ie80 and 800. I want this to be a fun headphone, not bothered about accuracy... IE80 mid bass is just about right, with the sub bass quality of the ie800 (but more). Unless, maybe it would be better to eq more bass into my iem's? Without a point of reference, it is difficult for me to know if my iem's eq'd could compete with a closed over ear bass cannon. I guess not.

Rroff · 18 May 2017 at 19:21

Try a pair of Sennheiser Momentums if you can - not sure it is what you are looking for as its kind of faking up big speaker bass and lacks deep clean bass but certainly worth a try.

PapaLazaru · 18 May 2017 at 21:16

Bluedio U Plus (UFO)

altus · 19 May 2017 at 03:10

JVC SZ2000 , just make sure you have enough amp and can use EQ.

FredFlint · 19 May 2017 at 05:03

I got a pair of Klipsch Image ONE (II) and the bass is crazy, they were on sale for ~£20 at the time but normally go for about £60.

MrRockliffe · 19 May 2017 at 13:05

Beyerdynamic Custom One Pros have a bass tuner on them, allowing you to adjust the levels on the go. Worth a look - owned a pair myself before.

Sc00p007 · 19 May 2017 at 13:06

altus said:
JVC SZ2000 , just make sure you have enough amp and can use EQ.

Promising, initial reviews sound like what im looking for. I will be using a headphone amp and can use EQ as they will only be used at home. Just wondering what you would eq on these headphones?

altus · 19 May 2017 at 18:22

Sc00p007 said:
Promising, initial reviews sound like what im looking for. I will be using a headphone amp and can use EQ as they will only be used at home. Just wondering what you would eq on these headphones?

Hi Sc00p007,as a start you generally drop everything above 50hz to say -6 gain and 50hz and below to +2 gain.
that would be a rough starting point, you would adjust to your own preferences from there.
I go as high as +12 and as low as -10 depending on what i am listening to.
You want at least E12 or Cayan c5 levels of amp, around 800mw, i use a Fiio K5 around 1.5w and they eat up the power with ease.
The stock pads are not great for impact, JVC 55XX pads are highly rated for impact.
Some links of interest below:

https://www.head-fi.org/f/threads/t...extreme-bass-club.716711/page-5#post_10560293
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VG1_m_zvjNE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=voQTe5Ysdko

I got the SZ1000`s first and then got the SZ2000`s, keeping the 1000`s for travel and backup
if i ever lose the 2000`s.
They get me closer to the noise i was hearing\feeling in various fields and warehouse`s i visited from 89-95 than i thought headphones could.
Before health and safety was a thing ;]

PapaLazaru · 19 May 2017 at 20:10

altus said:
They get me closer to the noise i was hearing\feeling in various fields and warehouse`s i visited from 89-95 than i thought headphones could.
Before health and safety was a thing ;]

Hehe.

Eskimo sound systems were the best.

Sc00p007 · 19 May 2017 at 21:12

altus said:
Hi Sc00p007,as a start you generally drop everything above 50hz to say -6 gain and 50hz and below to +2 gain.
that would be a rough starting point, you would adjust to your own preferences from there.
I go as high as +12 and as low as -10 depending on what i am listening to.
You want at least E12 or Cayan c5 levels of amp, around 800mw, i use a Fiio K5 around 1.5w and they eat up the power with ease.
The stock pads are not great for impact, JVC 55XX pads are highly rated for impact.
Some links of interest below:

https://www.head-fi.org/f/threads/t...extreme-bass-club.716711/page-5#post_10560293
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VG1_m_zvjNE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=voQTe5Ysdko

I got the SZ1000`s first and then got the SZ2000`s, keeping the 1000`s for travel and backup
if i ever lose the 2000`s.
They get me closer to the noise i was hearing\feeling in various fields and warehouse`s i visited from 89-95 than i thought headphones could.
Before health and safety was a thing ;]

Thanks for the tips. Sounds better than what i "wanted". Back to the warehouse sound. Just a little concerned my amp isn't powerful enough. I looked it says: Power output: (rms, both channels fully driven at 1% THD)
32 Ohms: 140mW/channel; 600 Ohms: 30mW/channel. That's a long way off 1.5v. But it's plenty loud enough for my other headphones. Is it due to being as much as -10 in the eq?

altus · 20 May 2017 at 00:08

Sc00p007 said:
Thanks for the tips. Sounds better than what i "wanted". Back to the warehouse sound. Just a little concerned my amp isn't powerful enough. I looked it says: Power output: (rms, both channels fully driven at 1% THD)
32 Ohms: 140mW/channel; 600 Ohms: 30mW/channel. That's a long way off 1.5v. But it's plenty loud enough for my other headphones. Is it due to being as much as -10 in the eq?

You need a lot of power for the very low end, think High SPL car audio, if you don`t cut the gain on the higher stuff your ears will bleed, i have a Soundblaster E5 that i believe is around 200mW [creative don`t show in spec] It only gives a taste of what the headphones can do.
For on the go i have a Fiio A5 that works well for about £110, but the Fiio K5 desktop is cheaper and has RCA line in and really gets them dancing on your head.
I really want to try an iFi micro iDSD Black Label, 4,000mW @ 16 Ohm Load and apparently the SZ2000`s lap it up,i cant really imagine the extra cost could give me much more impact though, even at 1.5w i chicken out before the phones do.

JunglePioneer · 20 May 2017 at 00:35

I can only say that altus has nailed this.
His rig sounds perfect, and if I had the dough I would have something like this.

I also have the SZ1000 ( with no back up

) but with a smaller amp, the Fiio E10K Olympus. It only gives out 200mw but with these head phones they actually kick so hard and give the best bass I have ever heard.
They E10K is great with these as they don't demand as much power, and I have just tried the way altus uses his EQ. This is spot on, so thanks for that. Highly recommended, and there are some great free EQs out there to download.

My set up gives me just what I want from the big subs of the late 90s to early 2000s and all those indoor do's. It put me right back in Brixton again!

I can definitely recommend the E10k and the SZ1000 if you are on a smaller budget, like myself.

Sc00p007 · 20 May 2017 at 00:45

Im definitely going for these headphones. Just confused with the amp. I have a Fiio E10K and my current amp is far louder than this. But, in the specs the E10 is 200mW@32, whilst my main amp is 140mW@32.

Actually quite excited. Prob look to pick a pair up in the next week or two. Just a bit of time to see all options. But have a feeling these are already the winners

Rroff · 20 May 2017 at 00:47

^^ Current and voltage will come into play as well - some headphones require more current to get loud than others, etc.

JunglePioneer · 20 May 2017 at 23:08

Sc00p007 said:
Im definitely going for these headphones. Just confused with the amp. I have a Fiio E10K and my current amp is far louder than this. But, in the specs the E10 is 200mW@32, whilst my main amp is 140mW@32.

Actually quite excited. Prob look to pick a pair up in the next week or two. Just a bit of time to see all options. But have a feeling these are already the winners

Listening to mine as I type, you will not be disappointed. Rroff is right that the voltage and current may be the reason of volume difference.

Please keep us posted when you purchase and receive your new head phones. Ensure you also buy the JVC 55XX pads, they work!
What music are you listening to? As a point of interest,

Sc00p007 · 7 Jul 2017 at 06:00

Ordered. Wanted to see if i could get them in the uk. Had to order from Japan.
Got the brainwavz HM5 pads. Totally forgot that you recommended JVC 55XX pads.
I'm still concerned about the amp. Guess i'll find out when the headphones arrive. Lots of threads keep mentioning numbers like 4v, 1.5v, 1000mw etc... far far higher than my current amps spec. But i don't fancy buying another.
I have the E10K which is quiter than my desktop amp. So, i'm optimistic.