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Another where do I go next thread - help before I go insane

daftcombo

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I think it's unlikely to be either of them.
Did you check your sound settings? Digital volume at max or close to max, all effects disabled, etc.

Is there something wrong with digital volume at max?
 

flipflop

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Is there something wrong with digital volume at max?
No, I'm saying that's where it should be at. And that effects should be disabled, too.
The last link in your chain should be used to adjust the volume, so in his case, it's the Magni. Everything else should be at max: windows volume, music player volume, etc.
 

wiggum

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I've used Equalizer APO several; times and always end up going back to a pure sound. The problem with the DT770 cans is that I can't drive them loud enough and when I do the bass distorts so badly, the bass sounds like a flappy fart. I have a magni 3 so I was assuming this would do the job - I'm not sure if the amp is distorting at full or 3/4 volume or the cans.

These are 250 ohms so perhaps the 80 ohms would have been better but overall I'm not hearing anything exciting with these cans, I heard few tracks that I thought yeah that sounds good but overall the lack of loudness resulted in me going back to M50's within about 1 hour or so.
You are supposed to reduce the preamp value by -6 or -9 dB otherwise you might be digitally clipping the signal. By the way, why do you boost bass so much that it distorts? What effect are you trying to recreate?

Excessive bass muddies the sound and sounds like crap. :rolleyes:
 
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Tidaliser

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I have no boost at all, no EQ, all effects are off, Magni 3 on high gain, Tidal volume 100% master volume at 100%, Topping at 0db i.e. no attenuation, I've checked everything.

Yes the magni 3 can drive the DT770 cans, at about 50% volume I get a volume level that's below the level I normally listen at but I do like my music loud, above 50% the flappy bass starts to creep in, 75% to 100% volume on my magni 3 results in horrid bass and vocals sounding like aliens or if your familiar with Dr who - sounding like Daleks. The vocals are ok at high levels until bass kicks in, that's when the vocals are clearly being affected massively by the bass.

With my M50's at 50% volume on the magni I get no distortion and some serious loudness, more than 50% is ear pain, of course the DT770 are 250 ohms so there's definitely going to be a big difference in volume levels between the headphones. The DT770 with the magni 3 to my mind has no headroom for volume, it just about gets them to a listening level that 'some' (not me) would be ok with.

As mentioned the DT770's didn't give me any kind of wow factor that I had when switching to the M50's, perhaps there is no more wow factor to be found above the M50's, I think the AKG K712 might be my next can to try, I think if they don't give me any excitement I'll take my time in deciding on my next move.
 

M00ndancer

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As mentioned the DT770's didn't give me any kind of wow factor that I had when switching to the M50's, perhaps there is no more wow factor to be found above the M50's, I think the AKG K712 might be my next can to try, I think if they don't give me any excitement I'll take my time in deciding on my next move.
The AKG 712 wont give you the sound signature that you want. For kicks, get the Cooler Master MH252 to test a different sound signature.
 
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Tidaliser

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Well I'm looking for better clarity, sound stage, punchier bass, bass extension right down to some silly Hz like 5, so I'm thinking open back is the route for sound stage - perhaps not bass but the AKG 712 advertise a 3db lift in the bass area plus they don't cost that must relative to other recommended cans such as the HD650's. So I'm keen on trying some open backs...

It's odd that so many reviews say get some HD650's but the sound is flat with the Sennheiser veil, these don't sound like exciting headphones.
 

M00ndancer

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it's odd that so many reviews say get some HD650's but the sound is flat with the Sennheiser veil, these don't sound like exciting headphones.

If you want exciting you might try to find even more v-shaped headphones. Punchy bass and open headphones is kind of hard to do. If you want that bass extension to feel the base (sub 20hz) you usually need a closed set, loosing a bit on sound stage. MDR-1a mk2 might be a contender.
 

vert

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Do you play music from a computer or a smartphone? If so, is everything optimized - from the quality of rips to the player used - on that side? Some of the upgrades you can make there don't even cost anything.
 
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Tidaliser

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I had and sold my MDR-1a mk2, sounded muffled compared to my M50x's I play music from my PC, 100% Tidal, never anything less, so no mp3 files etc. So Tidal is at least CD quality and more for tracks at master quality, these are 24bit 96Khz sampling I believe.
 

wiggum

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Well I'm looking for better clarity, sound stage, punchier bass, bass extension right down to some silly Hz like 5, so I'm thinking open back is the route for sound stage - perhaps not bass but the AKG 712 advertise a 3db lift in the bass area plus they don't cost that must relative to other recommended cans such as the HD650's. So I'm keen on trying some open backs...

It's odd that so many reviews say get some HD650's but the sound is flat with the Sennheiser veil, these don't sound like exciting headphones.

Better clarity - implies elevated treble which sounds harsh after some time.
punchier bass - M50X have very low distortion. I can't think of any other over ear headphone with better bass.
bass extension to 5Hz - keep dreaming.
soundstage - we know that a dip around 10kHz is responsible for this and can be reproduced using an equalizer.

All openbacks have weak bass and they are unlikely to be better than M50X in that regard.

It seems to me that you are seeking the bass effect felt in clubs which no headphone can reproduce. May be, buy a sound system with woofers?
 
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Tidaliser

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I've heard the DT 770 cans have one of the best bass extensions - so I am toying with the idea of a swap of my 250 ohms to 80 now.

Later I might try my 250 ohms on my full size amp with an headphone output and soundblaster AE-5 headphone output to see if I can drive these to a level that might give me an idea of whether it's worth persevering with the Beyerdynamic sound.

But yeah I'm struggling massively with this - I just want an M50X upgrade :)
 
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Tidaliser

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When I say clarity perhaps I meant detail ? I want to hear more detail from the music I listen to. As mentioned when I upgraded from my Sony cans which weren't cheap to the M50X it was 100% obvious the M50X sounded clearer, as mentioned the Sony's sound muffled in comparison or perhaps it was just elevated treble ?

I'm not sure I want anything elevated to be honest I just want the cans to deliver the full sound spectrum as intended - so no roll offs, dips or peaks.
 

andreasmaaan

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When I say clarity perhaps I meant detail ? I want to hear more detail from the music I listen to. As mentioned when I upgraded from my Sony cans which weren't cheap to the M50X it was 100% obvious the M50X sounded clearer, as mentioned the Sony's sound muffled in comparison or perhaps it was just elevated treble ?

I'm not sure I want anything elevated to be honest I just want the cans to deliver the full sound spectrum as intended - so no roll offs, dips or peaks.

My opinion about the M50x is that they sound a little on the warm side. Surprised you describe those as clear vs the HD650 as veiled. I would have put it the other way around...
 
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Tidaliser

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Yes garbulky I'll check out the HD700's, I think I did listen to 1 review last night and they said the HD700's have a different / odd sound and the reviewer preferred the HD650's, but yeah thanks for any suggestions.
 
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Tidaliser

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I've never heard the HD650's I'm just going by online comments / tubers / you tube sound tests etc. Perhaps what I'm after are HD650's with some umph on the low end.
 

TimW

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@Tidaliser I thought you wanted closed back cans? The Monoprice Monolith M1060C is a closed back planar magnetic headphone that subjective reviewers claim has good bass and a wide soundstage. It is available on Amazon so you can take advantage of their return policy. Planar magnetic headphones are known for having deep bass extension.
 

garbulky

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Yes garbulky I'll check out the HD700's, I think I did listen to 1 review last night and they said the HD700's have a different / odd sound and the reviewer preferred the HD650's, but yeah thanks for any suggestions.
FWIW I have heard the HD650. I'd still suggest the HD700 (though the improvement isn't massive).
 
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Tidaliser

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@Tidaliser I thought you wanted closed back cans?

I'm willing to compromise if I need to, again I have no idea how much external noise open backs produce, my M50's produce loads of external noise at the levels I listen at, so perhaps the difference won't be a big deal ? Yes I had considered planars but most reviews seem to suggest they lack details at the higher frequencies, although I know the perfect headphone probably doesn't exist. I know reviews / headphones / sound is very subjective but I don't like this comment posted against the Monolith M1060C - "Cons: Uncomfortable, heavy as hell ". If no open backs have good bass then it's definitely going to have to be closed backs or planars, when I say good I mean fast punchy bass that goes low.

It's entirely possible my M50X's are the best headphones, as wiggum said "I can't think of any other over ear headphone with better bass. " which is kind of funny because my initial upgrade path was my amp and not my cans, just that others on this thread said I'd get the best boost in sound quality if I changed my cans.
 
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