Using a dB app on my phone, it looks like for the DT 177X Go the bass begins to distort around 46 dB which is pretty damn weak. Using Basement Jaxx - Something About You to test. The peak dB is around 76 dB with vocals. If I exceed that volume, the drivers start to rattle or just “whiff.”
Like when the low end hits on that song, it sounds like a “PUH!” sound instead of “BOOM!” The drivers moves violently to produce low end slam, but there’s no sound just the sound of the driver moving.
I feel like from what people are saying, and from reviews of these headphones, that they should not be doing that. Could it possibly be an issue with my amp? Because it did arrive banged up and used. I also requested a return (they wouldn’t allow cancellation, even though it was just sitting in their warehouse with a shipping label on it) before they shipped it, instead they shipped it a few days later. So I feel like maybe they’re trying to dump a defective unit on on me. It also had a LOT of noise, which I only recently got rid of with balanced cables.
I recorded the driver distortion on the DT 1990 Pro. According to the dB app this is around 50 dB which is moderate volume. The right driver distorts loudly making a terrible rattling noise lol. This was recorded on my cheap Android phone so the music quality is really bad.
The same for the DT 177X Go. The right driver distorts, and turning up the volume on the amp a little, the left driver begins distorting. At this point I would say it’s closer to 80 dB though.
That’s somehow so f-ked up track that it hurts my ears.
There is something really weird stuff happening. Along the track there are some 45Hz point plank high spikes that are really boosted, like a bass hummm. Also in the 95Hz region…high spikes.
The thing that really get’s me. Is the 1.8kHz and 3.5kHz spikes…not that high but still there.
I just feel/hear them instantly, causing pain and instant fatigue (sibilance?)
When the fast bass hit’s, right after the “clap” sound. It kinda sounds/feel’s like distortion is happening. Wierd all over.
E: Played with EQ little and it might in the ~500Hz area.
Watched the track with spectrum analyser (RTA240, 44.1khz) and listened, recorder + odd part over and over… it just is… horrible to my ears. Cannot even listen it loud. It’s all pain.
Good part was in the 3:30, low notes in the 45Hz range and last lyrics before the end.
I was determined to get some Argons to replace the DT 1990 Pro, but didn’t realize there was a 14 WEEK lead time. Yikes. Had to cancel my order. If I have to wait that long I might as well wait 4 weeks until I have the money for the Fostex TH909. I’m sure I’ll love those.
Even one reviewer said “If you like concert sound, you will love these.” LOL. The first line of my original post is “I’m looking for concert sound…”
The TH909s are also much easier to drive than planars and can get nice and loud without distortion, namely with bass.
Something to consider if you haven’t is actually getting into the IEM world. Something like the Empire Ears X series of IEMs and if you really want a great experience with a lot of bass, the Empire Ears Legend X is great for that.
I was actually thinking a similar thing. It seems counter intuitive but some of the biggest bass I have heard has been from IEMs. And not expensive ones either. The Shozy 1.1 has a powerful sounding bass, and I’ve heard that the Campfire Atlas and Polaris II are both bass monsters. Don’t know if it was mentioned yet, but for over ears the Campfire Cascade might be worth looking at as well for some solid bass.
DMS replied to one of my comments on one of his videos, where I had mentioned how poorly my DT 1900 Pro perform. He said that it was most likely because of my AMP, which is causing them to clip.
Turns out the SMSL SP200 THX AAA 888 amp is actually HALF the power of the THX 789! I had no idea. I just assumed being a new amp, higher number, that it was a better iteration of the same THX technology, just more efficient.
But it also seems that the Fostex TH909 (32 ohm) supposedly sound better with weaker amps. So maybe my SMSL SP200 will work for it.
On the other hand, I’m really curious now what my DT 1900 Pro can do with a stronger amp, (probably Schiit Mjolnir 2) if what DMS suggested is true. Because if it can still provide the same bass response at higher volume, I’ll be content.
It doesn’t seem to be that “power hungry” if it’s a 32 ohm headphone, so my thinking is that it shouldn’t matter whether you use a super power amp lol, but make sure not to destroy the headphone with your SMSL SP200, it can still happen. I’m just assuming at the moment from the knowledge I acquired this past year learning about audio.
DMS is a champ lol! Listen to him, if you’ve got the money, do it haha. Or go somewhere where you can try it out!
After watching Joshua Valour’s review of the DT 1990 Pro with Dekoni pads, I ordered some. It should improve the bass response, but I’m still really being held back by the amp. I guess ~500W @250 ohm is not very good.
EDIT: I downloaded the specs of the DT 1990 Pros and it says they have a nominal (RMS) power rating of only 200 mw. They’re getting more than twice that with the SMSL SP200 so, … Confused. Nowhere in the specs does it say peak power handling though, but I would assume it’s twice the nominal power rating.
I’m in Zeos’s patreon, he’s also giving me some advice. I’m definitely returning the SMSL THX 888 amp. It’s got to be defective. The fact it had so much noise was a huge warning sign since it’s lauded for having zero noise lol.
Right now it’s just a question of going with the THX 789 or Topping A90. I plan to upgrade to Fostex TH909 (25 ohm, 100dB sensitivity) but they can sound different on different amps. According to Z they sound great on the 789’s but I don’t know what they sound like on the Topping A90 (which is a weaker amp).
On low gain it should not have any more noise than the competition.
Without any signal, there should be zero noise also.
Was just wondering on everything mentioned. Could the source signal / signal level / or just the source device be causing trouble?
But if the HD8 work just fine. Maybe not.
then TH900… job done 
Nowhere in the specs does it say peak power handling though, but I would assume it’s twice the nominal power rating.