Can any headphone really do bass? (1 Viewer)

[Arthur S]

I can't use my sub in my apartment situation. Are there any headphones that can really do justice to deep bass and if so are they comfortable for long listening sessions?

Thanks

Artie

 

[DanaA]

I know my Sennheiser 650/ Perreaux headphone amp do a very nice job with music. Haven't tried them with movies though.

 

[Johnny_M]

i dont know if you would want too much base that close to your ears. im half def from listening to normal sub woofers all my life. I have a $50 pair of sonys that have pretty decent base tho, but ive never tried to watch a movie with headphones. do what i do, buy some at some place like best buy, if it doesnt work out you have 14 days to return them.


Johnny

 

[Wayne Ernst]

Arthur,

I have the Grado SR-60 headphones. They are not known for extremely good bass. However, with my Yamaha receiver, I've messed around with some of the different processing formats (DPL IIx, Neo:6, etc.) and found that with some, I'm able to create a better bottom end when it comes to these headphones.

Then again, you could also wire up a "Buttkicker" to your favorite chair to supply the extra bass during your headphone listening sessions.

 

[Greg Bright]

For years the Koss PRO-4s in all their various iterations were known for good bass. The best bass will come from a sealed headphone that keeps out ambient sounds versus one that is open and lets you hear room sounds. My Sony MDR-V600s have very acceptable bass, and they are sealed. But you must realize that NO headphone will give you the tactile experience that a subwoofer can even if it is flat to 20Hz. So much of our low bass enjoyment comes from the pressure on our skin (the flapping pants phenomenon). Better than headphones would be a sound-proof surround cocoon we could step into, transparent yet full-frequencied, with no visible speakers. Wouldn't have to cling tight; just be comfortable and not give the effect of a plastic raincoat. Has this been invented yet?

Greg

 

[Arthur S]

Greg

In the 60's there was something called the "egg chair". It was much like a cocoon, but it was not sound proof for comfort reasons. Never the less, the sound could be of high quality and provided a surround experience.

The originals are quite valuable and some musicians have one in their home sound system.

Regarding the Koss Pro 4's, I have tried several sealed heaphones and you are right about good bass. The problem is that they all have plastic covered ear pads that make my head and ears hot and sweaty.


Thanks

Artie

 

[Andy Goldstein]

running a set of pro4aa since the 70s. they sound great! and you can get covers from an aircraft supply house. i use the covers on my shooting headphones. very comfy.

ag.

 

[Arthur S]

Andy

Thanks for the info on covers for your headphones. I'm not quite sure what I would ask for from an aircraft supply house. Do you mean that they have them for the pilots who have to wear headphones for long periods of time? And just call any aircraft supply house and ask for headphone covers?

This is a great tip. Thanks

Artie

 

[frank manrique]

quote:

"running a set of pro4aa since the 70s. they sound great! and you can get covers from an aircraft supply house.
i use the covers on my shooting headphones. very comfy."

Ah, at last!...a fellow shootin' (what do you prefer...S&W, Colt, or Ruger?) audiophile!

I also listen to the Pro 4A headphones (been using them for a few months now, though confess to have lusted after them since Koss came out with the design back in the 70s) and strongly agree they're both very good sounding while also being highly sweat-inducing at the same time...

-THTS

"...hi, my name is Frank...and am an SVS bassaholic..."

 

[Andy Goldstein]

arthur: yes, go to your local small airport that has a pilot shop. hopefully they will have covers there. they also make padded covers for the part that goes over your head. if you call up a shop, specify a cover that goes over the ear cups. best bet is to take your 'phones to a pilot shop.

frank: roger on the sweat factor! and they are quite heavy too. but they have response down to 10 hz. not that i can hear it. as for toys that go bang, i have a colt gold cup that i bought new in the late 70s. and a para ordinance P12-45 that i picked up for 300 bux about 5 years ago. thats the one i carry, when i have to. both modded by me, but completely "returnable to stock" in a few minutes each. doesnt matter much, since i will never sell either. also have my grandfathers colt .25 vest pocket pistol, 1923, and a few black powder revolvers and rifles. i like loud toys!!!

ag.

 

[frank manrique]

quote:

"...as for toys that go bang, i have a colt gold cup that i bought new in the late 70s. and a para ordinance P12-45 that i picked up for 300 bux about 5 years ago. thats the one i carry, when i have to. both modded by me, but completely "returnable to stock" in a few minutes each. doesnt matter much, since i will never sell either. also have my grandfathers colt .25 vest pocket pistol, 1923, and a few black powder revolvers and rifles. i like loud toys!!!"

Neat toys, my friend! Meself have a Gold Cup (stainless, stock) made in the 80s. Costly! Had a chance to buy a blued version for $500--great price back then, believe me!--when Sports Mart chickened out, opting to stop selling such type "adult" toys shortly after the backlash that was sure to befall California after the mowing of children at a certain Sacramento elementary school by a wacked out criminal loser--typical knee-jerk reaction to such dramatic events from the part of gutless, spineless vendors and certain pols (oops! better shut up)--but screwed up by not purchasing it that Friday night. It was long gone next Saturday morning after I decided to go back and get it... :frowning:

Say...that 'lil Colt .25 pocket thingy of yours is a real treasure in disguise! Hold on to it real good 'cus they're as rare as hens' teeth are...

-THTS

"...hi, my name is Frank...and am an SVS bassaholic..."

 

[Andy Goldstein]

yep, shoulda grabbed that one. i paid 315 for mine, new, in 76 as i recall. fun stuff!

 

[Oachalon]

Headphones you buy really dont have to go low to make bass. I learned this in my college physics class. If you have frequencys like 300hz 400hz 500hz 600hz. Something like that. Or if you have 1000hz 2000hz 3000hz etc. Im not exactly sure on the frequencys, anyway your brain will actually make you think you are hearing the lower frequencys. I forget what this is called since its been a couple months since ive had class since its summer. Just think about using a telephone. If you are talking to a guy with a pretty deep voice there is no way that little speaker in the telephone could reproduce that low of a voice but you hear the voice correctly. It is actually at the lowest voice. If you just have the frequencys in a series and there are ones missing your brain will actually make you think that frequency is there. Just some more useless facts to know.

 

[Andy Goldstein]

sort of a biological sub-harmonic synthesizer. hmmmm.

 

[Greg Bright]

Artie,
I remember advertising for that "egg chair" you mentioned. I can imagine that it is quite a collectible now. Just as an aside, I remember chairs much like that used in the late '60s TV series, "The Prisoner", with Patrick McGoohan serving time as a former secret agent on an uncharted island inhabited by a multitude of odd folk and defended by large white balloons. Seems the island headquarters had several of them.

Greg

 

[Michael R Price]

When they're sealed against your ear, whether (depending on the type of headphones) the whole ear, the inside part of your ear, or even just your ear canal, good headphones do actually make bass and they aren't just faking it with harmonics. When they're sitting in free air like speakers, they don't.