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Headphones with the most "Slam"?

K3N3

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I know I'm talking about something very subjective here, with different meanings to different people, but what are some headphones that have a lot of "slam"?

Slam to me is the essence of punchy hard hitting drums or percussion in general, not necessarily even being bassy. I know a lot of Focal headphones are praised for having this quality; either that or they're very "dynamic".

Currently I've been eyeing the Focal Elex or Clear for this property, albeit it's a bit hard to find the Elex used up here in Canada. Also I've seen some issues with Focal headbands having QC issues. I've also heard that the Hifiman HE6 has a lot of slam. Curious to see what others might recommend.

PS. Just some additional thoughts, I'm not really sure what to look out for in the FR that might indicate slam, I've heard some people mention that slight sub-bass roll-off compounded with elevations in upper bass and mids lends to the effect.

At the moment I'm just using the Heddphone Two as my main headphone and an old AKG K245 with a mic, but I'm looking to replace the AKG headphone since the OEM pads are unavailable and eqing them to match the pre-pad swap totality has been frustrating. Also planning to attach the Meze boom mic to whatever I get.
 
I own a pair of Focal Clears. In my opinion they have no "slam" at all.
 
Can't imagine what that would be like compared to transducers that actually affect your body.....tuning in.
 
Slam to me is the essence of punchy hard hitting drums or percussion in general, not necessarily even being bassy.
Doesn't that depend on the music genre? Probably best to get something that measures well to target and adjust using EQ from there.


JSmith
 
Try this:

69Hz +2.5dB Q=1
138Hz -2.2dB Q=1

It’s supposed to emulate the reel tape head bump. The above gives a nice bass thump on my system, not sure if it’ll work for headphones.
 
I admit I'm a basshead, and like the Sony WH-1000XM4 and Beyerdynamic DT 770 pro that I have.

Closed headphones tend to have more bass "slam" than the open type in my experience.


(Fun fact : in my native language the word slam actually means "mud" ...)
 
I admit I'm a basshead, and like the Sony WH-1000XM4 and Beyerdynamic DT 770 pro that I have.

Closed headphones tend to have more bass "slam" than the open type in my experience.


(Fun fact : in my native language the word slam actually means "mud" ...)
Which also happens to be a subjective description.. ;)
I think that "slam" is something physical with larger speakers bass response.
 
Which also happens to be a subjective description.. ;)
I think that "slam" is something physical with larger speakers bass response.
Of course it's subjective, like all words we use for describing how we perceive sound :)

Physical impact like the chest-pounding bass from large speakers is simply not possible with headphones. But some headphones do sound more punchy than others I think.
 
Of course it's subjective, like all words we use for describing how we perceive sound :)

Physical impact like the chest-pounding bass from large speakers is simply not possible with headphones. But some headphones do sound more punchy than others I think.
Yes, yes, nothing against your comment. It’s just that "mud" is also a term often used to describe perceived sound, which I found amusing because it translates to "slam."
 
Slam is something that slams. It slams in mid bass but you don't want it stand out too much and still settle down quickly not producing secondary refraction to a point that they impact FR. Without it is dool and not very dynamic and with too much of it it's horrible and masking - leaking in the mids. How much you want depends both on SPL (psy) and material (where such peaks are present). In real material's there are two dominant DR areas low bass (mid 30's) in more bass orientated music, mostly electronic and mid bass 80 to 180 Hz depending on genre.
So for headphones it goes; closed back, good low THD dynamic drivers in a good enclosure. Planar drivers lack this ability and in order to compensate for it some of the best have boost there to compensate like DCA Stealth. I would say take a look at models with Foster driver's and more to Denon than Fostex offering (for the built quality). So you will have to experiment especially regarding fit and such however try to do it in shops or borrowing from friends until you are sure you are getting what you wanted. I use Denon AH-D5200 with EQ towards Stealth with little less boost in transition area but even those aren't for anyone (not big cups and sawing on lower turfs)... Good luck and have a good time.
 
To me slam is very much about bass. It is however a fine line between something that slams and something that sounds muddy. In general I find a bass shelf better than a midbass hump.
I think the most slamming headphone I’ve ever tried was the Denon AH-D7200 which also suggests that a controlled bump in the mids can add to my overall sense of ‘slam’ or whatever you want to call it. I distinctly remember how impressed I was with the Denon’s ability to make music sound more ‘muscular’, ‘slamming’ or in-my-face. I know all anecdotal and slightly flowery adjectives, but when you look at it’s frequency response it’s obvious that the lower frequencies as well as the mids are pushed forward.
This isn’t a natural sounding headphone by any means and a long ways from either IEF or Harman neutral…but some times people fall for unorthodox tunings like this particular Denon.
1733395455131.jpeg

Edith: People who find Focals to slam may feel the same about the D7200 as it also comes with a distinct bump in the mids similar to what you find over Focals. Only the Denon also ‘slams’/thumps in the bass. Double whammy!
 
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Slam is not defined well enough to make tests that produce repeatable results.

Earpad thickness and firmness affects how much low frequency vibrations are dampened, which can affect the _slam_ feel.

It depends a lot on the content - kicks are seperated from other low frequency sounds (like bass synths) so they don't interfere and drown each other (ducking).

Personally I just brute force with at least +10 dB low shelf on low frequencies and tame FR peaks in mids and highs that could sound ear piercing. Just need headphones that don't distort a lot at high SPL, especially in sub bass.
 
For a relatively representative example (standing up a little bit more at 120 Hz) of what it is this opening is a good example:
Just first thing that feld on my mind.
 
To me slam is very much about bass. It is however a fine line between something that slams and something that sounds muddy. In general I find a bass shelf better than a midbass hump.
I think the most slamming headphone I’ve ever tried was the Denon AH-D7200 which also suggests that a controlled bump in the mids can add to my overall sense of ‘slam’ or whatever you want to call it. I distinctly remember how impressed I was with the Denon’s ability to make music sound more ‘muscular’, ‘slamming’ or in-my-face. I know all anecdotal and slightly flowery adjectives, but when you look at it’s frequency response it’s obvious that the lower frequencies as well as the mids are pushed forward.
This isn’t a natural sounding headphone by any means and a long ways from either IEF or Harman neutral…but some times people fall for unorthodox tunings like this particular Denon.
View attachment 411633
Edith: People who find Focals to slam may feel the same about the D7200 as it also comes with a distinct bump in the mids similar to what you find over Focals. Only the Denon also ‘slams’/thumps in the bass. Double whammy!

Agree with Denon recommendation - I've only owned the 9200 but "slam" is definitely one of the first words that come to mind. Another that i recollect would be DCA EtherCX. My ears are too big for the rectangular cutouts on both, though
 
I haven't heard a open-back that had more of a slam factor than any closed-back. So choosing a closed-back might be a good start, and luckily well-tuned closed backs are more common these days than a decade ago.
 
I’ve been listening to my Sony MDR-Z1Rs as of late and coincidentally have been marveling at their “slam”. I’ve also noticed something in the upper registers that becomes a bit fatiguing during extended sessions so they giveth and taketh.
 
Agree with Denon recommendation - I've only owned the 9200 but "slam" is definitely one of the first words that come to mind. Another that i recollect would be DCA EtherCX. My ears are too big for the rectangular cutouts on both, though
Which makes sense to me. The D9200 is a riff on the D7200 tuning only it reigns in the bass energy as well as that midrange bump. The two look very familiar over a frequency response only the D9200 looks more ‘grown up’ if you will. I dig the D7200 for the full kahuna and slightly more boisterous presentation.
1733413512200.jpeg
 
Doesn't that depend on the music genre? Probably best to get something that measures well to target and adjust using EQ from there.


JSmith
It definitely does depend, but this time I'm hoping to get something that inherently fits the sound profile I'm looking for instead of only relying on EQ.

Not that I have anything against EQ, but the interaction between games and Equalizer APO is sometimes buggy and frustrating. I normally use my RME ADI-2 DAC when I EQ, but I'm also planning on using the new headphones as a headset (using a DAC that supports mic inputs), so I'll only be able to EQ via software.
 
To me slam is very much about bass. It is however a fine line between something that slams and something that sounds muddy. In general I find a bass shelf better than a midbass hump.
I think the most slamming headphone I’ve ever tried was the Denon AH-D7200 which also suggests that a controlled bump in the mids can add to my overall sense of ‘slam’ or whatever you want to call it. I distinctly remember how impressed I was with the Denon’s ability to make music sound more ‘muscular’, ‘slamming’ or in-my-face. I know all anecdotal and slightly flowery adjectives, but when you look at it’s frequency response it’s obvious that the lower frequencies as well as the mids are pushed forward.
This isn’t a natural sounding headphone by any means and a long ways from either IEF or Harman neutral…but some times people fall for unorthodox tunings like this particular Denon.
View attachment 411633
Edith: People who find Focals to slam may feel the same about the D7200 as it also comes with a distinct bump in the mids similar to what you find over Focals. Only the Denon also ‘slams’/thumps in the bass. Double whammy!
Will have to give these a try then, the treble peak does throw me off slightly but hopefully it's just a random resonance on the measurement rig.

Overall though I think it might fit the profile I'm looking for.
 
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