In the under $500 range, what are the best bass master headphoens?

just wondering what the best bass head 'phones for $500 or less would be. I saw a thread on Reddit about some Sony’s, but alas, forgot the p/n…I just remember they have a 1an2 in the name. :stuck_out_tongue:

Obviously the Fostex/E-MU/Dennon biodyna stuff.

Maybe used campfire cascades or Beyerdynamic stuff like the DT770 or DT177X, though these might need some pad swaps for best results.

If you can find them, the Nighthawk might be a real contender.

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I’ve already got the NHC and love em.

I didn’t think the really bassy Fostek/E-MU/ Denon fit the price range though.

Sony MDR 1AM2. Great portable headphones if you can get them for 1/3 of your budget and that’s where I would stop throwing money at them. Tuning is quite peculiar, you should try before you buy, definitely not neutral headphones.

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:point_up:

I’ve borrowed an OG Nighthawk and the bass is solid but it does not keep pace with (my memory of, it’s been awhile) the TH-X00 Purpleheart in stock form. I haven’t heard the E-MU Teak tho so maybe Nighthawk and Teak are close.

If you’re willing to do some EQ the Focal Elegia can reproduce some prodigious bass, too.

Probably already been recommended here, but check out the Campfire Cascades. So much fun when I got to demo them, and they’ve been popping up around 500 so I might grab one next time I see one around that price!

yeh…they don’t fit into the $500 budget. :stuck_out_tongue: most of the recommended don’t. the Denon 5200’s might squeak by, but I don’t think they’re the bassy one’s of the three Denon has.

Ive been researching the same, my two are the Teaks and the Magni’s for my top closed back not sure if either are bass monsters

I do think the EMU Teaks are considered bass heavy.

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perfect, im still skimming through that huge thread

The E-MU Teaks are just under $500 most of the time and the X00s and older Denons are only available used. I guess it would add about $130 to get purple heart cups from E-MU to get the BEST bass but that can still come in under $500 if you get the bamboos from drop whenever the pop up.

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There is also the JVC HA-SZ2000s or SZ1000, Zeos did a review too.
They’re somewhat of an odd case and cannot be recommended, but they have dat bass.
They have somewhat of a cult following as I understand it.

Got them for the bass myself(without the crazy addons) and they just didn’t sound good.
Everything sounds dull, can’t argue with the bass though.

are there any planar headphones that are bass heavy or are dynamics / bio-dynamics just right for bass?

To my understanding, planars have very fast, tight, well extended bass, but don’t always have the most quantity.

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argons and the dekoni blue are pretty bass heavy but t50rp’s aren’t really the most planar sounding planar headphone’s out in the wild

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are the T50RP’s still made? they don’t come up on Fostex website…only lhe 60’s do.

pretty sure they are but not sure. you vcan get them on sale on amazon for $160

BLON BL-30’s after modifications. Most linear bass with extension below 20hz, and just the most insane level of thump and slam without being bloated that I’ve heard.

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Are still on there:

ahhh…they’re listed under professional audio, not consumer like the 909, 900, 610 or 60RP.