# Headphones with good bass. budget 1k +/-200



## Bencollins (Aug 10, 2013)

usage : will be used on a desktop PC all the time for music and occasionally for movies and games

Requirements [if possible in my budget  ] :

Good bass, good build quality [should last atleast 1.5-2years without developing any problem with wires]

optional : comfort


budget Rs.1000 +/- 200

It SHOULD be available online as local shops are filled with enter, techcom and zebronics cr*p.



Although i take care of my headphones and make sure the wires arn't being twisted/pulled while using. all the headphones i've used so far, had developed problems with their wires/plugs.


i've used the following headphones in last 2 years:

logitech clear chat premium : developed problem with volume controller within 5 months

Logitech H250 : left speaker died after 1.5years



please answer these questions as well:

1. i'm currently using soundmagic ES18 IEM with my PC. is it possible for a headphone to deliver similar bass ? [i'm n00b in audio equipment]

2. Should i buy enter/techcom/other local brand wireless headphones? Considering they lack any wire, they should be more reliable than branded wired headphones?


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## omega44-xt (Aug 11, 2013)

Senneheiser HD180 ??


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## harshilsharma63 (Aug 11, 2013)

anupam_pb said:


> Senneheiser HD180 ??



I find Philips SHP2000 to be better than the HD 180s. If op can find SHP 2700, then it will be the best deal.


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## Nerevarine (Aug 11, 2013)

^+1 to that, Phillips makes some really good headphones for around 1k.. SHP1900 owner here


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## 5fusion (Aug 11, 2013)

Stay away from local brands as they are below standards in everything.. build, sound.
Take a look at Sony XB400. very portable. got it for 1.6k from flipkart.
its a bit over your budget but absolutely a VFM. build quality is decent and feels plasticy but thats fine as you said you take a good care of your stuffs and you wont get anything with premium feel unless cross 3-4k mark. Good thing is the cables are strong & reliable which you are looking for and are flat, so not gonna tangle up. the strain relief on cans is pretty strong as well. So i guess they should last well.
Out of the box they sound pretty good. bassy phones. real good thumping bass, vocals are good upfront and smooth treble but rolls of a bit early.
If you cant stretch your budget then the phillips ones stated above looks to be good in your budget but cant comment on sound as never got to hear them.


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## The Incinerator (Aug 11, 2013)

harshilsharma63 said:


> I find Philips SHP2000 to be better than the HD 180s. If op can find SHP 2700, then it will be the best deal.



I second that. Philips has better understanding of sound than some Senns and Sonys at that price point and beyond any day.


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## sandynator (Aug 11, 2013)

my vote for Philips shp series. 
first try to search for shp 2700 else settle for shp2500/2000. My shp2500 is going strong even after 3 yrs.


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## ashis_lakra (Aug 12, 2013)

I'm using Sennheiser HD 202 ( EOL ) and it still sounds awesome even after 2 years and has a very good bass. You might want to test the headphones before buying.

I'm using Sennheiser HD 202 ( EOL ) and it still sounds awesome even after 2 years and has a very good bass. You might want to test the headphones before buying.


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## 5fusion (Aug 12, 2013)

The Incinerator said:


> Philips has better understanding of sound than some Senns and Sonys at that price point and beyond any day.


i guess you may reconsider your thoughts after listening to Sony XB series lineup for 2013


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## harshilsharma63 (Aug 12, 2013)

5fusion said:


> i guess you may reconsider your thoughts after listening to Sony XB series lineup for 2013



Under 2k, Philips provides the best VFM through sound and build quality and comfortable headphones.


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## samudragupta (Aug 12, 2013)

Sony xb30ex


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## 5fusion (Aug 15, 2013)

harshilsharma63 said:


> Under 2k, Philips provides the best VFM through sound and build quality and comfortable headphones.


well, not anymore as XB400 just fell under 2k. smokes out anything near 2k easily for the "Sound" they are meant for.


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## sandynator (Aug 15, 2013)

5fusion said:


> well, not anymore as XB400 just fell under 2k. smokes out anything near 2k easily for the "Sound" they are meant for.



how would you put xb400 against AT SJ-33 ?

btw bro philips are good buy under 1k.


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## 5fusion (Aug 16, 2013)

sandynator said:


> how would you put xb400 against AT SJ-33 ?



both are very good bassy(not overpowered) portables and goes deep in lows.
SJ33 has a quick bass response and a good body. clean deep bass. XB400 has a more defined bass with more thump factor. more sub bass fun. Vocals are easy to figure out & upfront on SJ but on XB coz of more bass, sounds a bit distant than SJ but its got a good lushness in it. Treble is definitely more prominent on SJ33 & got more presence. takes a back seat on XB400 & rolls off a bit early & more smoother than SJ.

I find SJ33 to be more balanced but i do like the extra oomph xb400 creates.
If you want more livelier, energetic sound-- SJ33. If you are looking for warm & smooth, fun sounding cans-- XB400
XB is substantially more Comfy coz of very soft pads. Both are fantastic portables for the price. will be comin up with a detailed comparo by next month as xb400 is new & still opening up.




sandynator said:


> btw bro philips are good buy under 1k.


yeah may be.. i'hv never bought hp below 2k untill i got xb. below 1k is just too basic in audio or rather say nothing when 3-4k is considered to be only decent. sorry m spoilt reading too much on headfi but this audio thingy is crazily addictive
BTW the pic in your Avatar is the next thing in my wishlist but no funds


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## Bencollins (Aug 17, 2013)

after reading some reviews, i don't think i can get any good headphone under 1k  i've decided to save some money and increase my budget to 2k, will have to wait atleast 1 month before buying new headphone.

i've found these to suit my needs according to your seggestions and my requirements

Sony MDR-XB400
Sennheiser HD 202 II


any other headphones within 2k ?  again, my requirements are excellent bass.


ps: i've managed to do a jugaad repair of my current logitech H250 using soldering iron. and hence can wait a little longer to buy new headphones after increasing budget to 2k.


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## sandynator (Aug 17, 2013)

thanks bro.
still not sure what to get headphones or iems. Waiting for vsonic vsd1 and gr 02 silver to arrive here.
If h/p then ath sj series only. 

If you serious on fiio x3  then would have to act fast as very limited stock arrived @ 16200 only.


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## The Incinerator (Aug 17, 2013)

Avoid Sony,the bass is not weighted and looses focus when driven even at moderate volumes with some good but not complex recordings.The Bass is not accurate too,it relies on the philosophy of humping the mid bass to provide that tactical feeling which kills the entire frequency band and neutrality. Then the most annoying part is it just focuses on bass which kills the mid range and the top end. which the Philips does not. The Philips is more musical more rounded oveall and very enjoyable across the frequency over the one track minded Sony,which is muffled and not clean and clear in layman terms.If you are in to dubstep and the likes you will probably like em!

When I say Philips understand sound better than Senns and Sonys its for a reason,and here is one of them.......read on.....**www.whathifi.com/review/philips-fidelio-m1*


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## Knight2A4 (Aug 17, 2013)

That a very Neat Explanation ........ Nice to read Is there is a way to evaluate the same on other head/earphones ...


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## The Incinerator (Aug 18, 2013)

^^ Play non commercial recordings ,say like some Diana Krall/Sade/Nina Simone ,some Jazz,some well recorded Metal/Rock and check the Headphones if they can live up to them or bring out something that you havnt heard before in the mix!


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## 5fusion (Aug 18, 2013)

The Incinerator said:


> Avoid Sony,the bass is not weighted and looses focus when driven even at moderate volumes with some good but not complex recordings.The Bass is not accurate too,it relies on the philosophy of humping the mid bass to provide that tactical feeling which kills the entire frequency band and neutrality. Then the most annoying part is it just focuses on bass which kills the mid range and the top end. which the Philips does not. The Philips is more musical more rounded oveall and very enjoyable across the frequency over the one track minded Sony,which is muffled and not clean and clear in layman terms.If you are in to dubstep and the likes you will probably like em!
> 
> When I say Philips understand sound better than Senns and Sonys its for a reason,and here is one of them.......read on.....*Philips Fidelio M1 review from the experts at whathifi.com*


mate you got a wrong impression about Sony(no offence). You generalised everything about sony based on a particular series. here we are talking Bassy phones, and thats what Sony XB series is meant for and excellent at that.
If you are looking for a balanced sound that you wanna take out details from recordings, then i could have brought out the reference phones into the picture or Studio monitors. they are all the way neutral & bring out more details than the bass oriented ones. thats natural as none of a particular frequency is given preference and they are mostly flat across the range.
The more the colder sound goes, you seem to percept more details but then you loose the sound dynamics which you get from the low end and some warmness do give a nice texture to the overall tonal reproduction.

If you want details, Senns 5xx, ATs AD, Bayers DT series. they are well known audiophile phones bringing out the details as you said & the kind of bass response you are talking about.
But all that comes at a price. And what we are talking here is sub 2k phones.

About the Sony Xb lineup, they are their xtra bass lineup and do what thry are supposed to do & excellent at that. i agree to what you said about bass response but that was with the previous lineup, kind of boomy, flabby ans even i used to think the same. but the new lineup is substantially better with tighter bass and good body to go along with still retaining good details and better soundstage, as far as i have heard and read about it & with xb400 as opposed to old xb300, i just experienced it. 
and here i was just talking w.r.t bass oriented phones, not the detail monsters. more fun sounding and warm phones which you would just put on & enjoy music but not monitor the tiny nuances in sound.
For that purpose, a neutral or more treble oriented phones would do better.

 And for m1, check the End Words from a reputed headphone oriented site. casual phones as they say --  The Casual: Philips Fidelio M1 | Headfonia

m1 is a $125-150 phone. totally out of picture in sub $25. so that wont be a proper comparo to a $25 xb400. Just bring in some $150 phones from Senns, ATs, bayers, akg, & the likes and phillips just gets smoked away by these and wont even come close. Phillips has never been excellent in any aspect(bass, mids,treble) apart from just being good overall. Fidelio is the only series from phillips that got some praise in recent past but they are just good nothin much. but if you talk bass only, you are sure to get a sony xb in replies on headfi .


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## The Incinerator (Aug 19, 2013)

Im not at all talking or referring to audiophile Cans here. Secondly Im not generalizing Sonys sound either. You got it all wrong. Next the Philips Fidelio M1 was for reference as to what Philips is doing in the Hi End,as most people think Philips makes Bulbs!
Now, Im talking about the particular Headphone from Sony. Bassy Cans does not necessitate Blurry sound that kills midrange and mutes Hi Frequencies ,that is a trait of a Headphone made the wrong way or a bad headphone.There are Bassy Cans which dosnt sound muffled.Now the Sonys bass is not actual bass,if you hear it properly you will see they have nudged the mid bass to give you that bassy feeling ,which obviously sounds bad and cosmetic. The Philips is more musical it has the right amount of everything. In short it dosnt try and do things it actually cant!


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## 5fusion (Aug 19, 2013)

^ i take your point. but thats what all the brands do for their bass heavy cans. without that extra mid bass hump, you wont percieve the extra bumpy or thud sound. take the phillips bass series SHL for that matter and you would for sure find it to be even worse than what you described sony as.

Fidelio series of phillips is not a bass oriented series, its more concentrated on fidelity and they are good at it. As you said m1 is a reference can, so the proper comparo with it would be the something like Sony mdr v6,7506,7509,Z1000 which are their reference or neutral champs and are hard to beat. So when you take these, these will fade away those phillips.
now dont tell me mdr7506 is not that great. its been there for over two decades in industry, in studios and still hard to be seen replaced by any.
bass cans should be compared with bass cans, not some reference or neutral ones. if you would compare a reference with an Xtra bass can, definitely you are sure to feel the details to be wanting and the bass response would seem the way you described, i.e. boomy or scattered coz you are comparing it to something which its not meant for.
So thats what my whole point had been, compare the relevant ones.

And once you head to higher in sony, in same XB lineup, like XB900 or X10, you would get the kind of bass response that you wanted or talked about, i.e more natural, tighter, defined bass.
Sony's are absolutely amazing for bass as you can clearly make out difference between sub bass & mid bass. its like a seperate speaker is for sub bass & mid bass and thats why i said more defined.

there are people with different tastes in sound. some people prefer sub bass, some mid bass more. some are treble heads, some want mids.
Sony even have very differently tuned phones in their bass series itself. Take for example iems. i have sony xb90ex and my friend do have xb60ex. Now both are from same Xtra bass series, still sound very different.
xb90ex is pure sub bass fun and the mids and highs stay completely unaffected(the way you were looking for). xb60ex has more of a mid bass, so it does color mids a bit still not much(which some people like). thats y i said sony's are excellent when you consider bass and only bass and that too quality bass. And if you move to their reference, things go more better, towards neutral analytical.
hope i made myself clear



sandynator said:


> thanks bro.
> still not sure what to get headphones or iems. Waiting for vsonic vsd1 and gr 02 silver to arrive here.
> If h/p then ath sj series only.
> 
> If you serious on fiio x3  then would have to act fast as very limited stock arrived @ 16200 only.


Vsd1s seems promising, i may get one once they are available on hifinage 
I dont think i would be able to get x3 but i want one. may be next batch or so. there's still so much to go for its UI.


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## The Incinerator (Aug 20, 2013)

I wonder how you call the MDR Z1000 to be neutral?! They are one of the most coloured Cans ever made by a company as a flagship! The Bass has overhangs which again eats the mids and highs and has loudness which kills the recess and thus transparency of a track.They are good but definitely not neutral. The V6 are legends ,no doubt.All being said ,Im surprised you didnt mention the Sony MDR SA5000,now that was a great open back design!!

OPs thread is "Headphones with Good Bass", hence I feel the Philips are better overall.


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## Bencollins (Aug 22, 2013)

added  SHP2000 in the list as well 

i'm n00b about these music and sound stuff. idk what hi med or low , med bass or anything.

In my n00b terms, i need something that will give excellent bass without muffling other instruments/vocals.

for eg: when i select 'bass booster' in my ipod, everything except heavy sound from drums feels muffled. so i keep it on rock/R & B. which gives best balance and none of those instruments/vocals feels muffled.


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## The Incinerator (Aug 22, 2013)

I would say get the SHP 2500/2700


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## pratyush997 (Aug 26, 2013)

Domo Entral Q7 
Sorry for bumping few days old thread


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## The Incinerator (Aug 27, 2013)

He looking for Headphones and not In-Ears,He already owns a ES18!


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## Bencollins (Aug 29, 2013)

The Incinerator said:


> I would say get the SHP 2500/2700



ordered SHP2500 from flipkart 

thanks guys


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## pratyush997 (Aug 29, 2013)

The Incinerator said:


> He looking for Headphones and not In-Ears,He already owns a ES18!


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## The Incinerator (Aug 30, 2013)

Bencollins said:


> ordered SHP2500 from flipkart
> 
> thanks guys



Good but you are seriously overpaying,that Headphone is best bought within Rs 650,if you can, cancel the order and order the Philips SBCHP400 Headphone - Philips: Flipkart.com,/SHL3000 thats more worth the Rs800.

Check the links,could be had for less.

*www.shopmania.in/headphones/p-philips-shp2500-3326138
*www.saholic.com/mobile-accessories/philips-headphone-shp2500-97-1004411
*www.snapdeal.com/product/PhilipsCor/60174;jsessionid=BB7E6D157252C0835903CAC475363EEA.snapdeal


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## Bencollins (Aug 30, 2013)

The Incinerator said:


> Good but you are seriously overpaying,that Headphone is best bought within Rs 650,if you can, cancel the order and order the Philips SBCHP400 Headphone - Philips: Flipkart.com,/SHL3000 thats more worth the Rs800.
> 
> Check the links,could be had for less.
> 
> ...



I can't. If i cancel my order, i'd have to wait 10-12 days for a refund. that means i'd have to wait for another 15 days to get my headphones.  

meanwhile i'm also considering about upgrading from my ES18 to better IEM [i'm basshead]. max budget 1.4k

how's sennheiser CX180 street II    its selling for 1.3k and offers 2 years warranty.  

does it worth buying considering i am happy with ES18.

please don't suggest soundmagic or techfusion twinwoofer.


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## The Incinerator (Aug 30, 2013)

Note: But that does not mean in anyway that the SHP2500 is bad Headphone,not at all.Its very very good,its just that you are overpaying.

ES18 is superb stick to it. I feels Senns are over rated some of themm highly over rated just like Bose.An upgrade would be a PL21.


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## har (Aug 30, 2013)

Sorry to jump in but what is the best headphones under 1k(cant go higher) ?

I really dunno anything when it comes to headphones so need advice.
Artists I listen to : Imagine Dragons, Ellie Goulding, etc 
Mostly pop.

And does over ear offer substantial improvement in quality over inear headphones ?
I would prefer in-ear as it would be more portable. But if quality if betetr I would be ok with over the head too.


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## The Incinerator (Aug 30, 2013)

Check the Philips Headphones mentioned in this thread they all are great.^^


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## har (Aug 30, 2013)

Are these the ones ?
SHP2500
SBCHP400 

Philips SBCHP400 Headphone - Philips: Flipkart.com
Philips SHP2500 Headphone - Philips: Flipkart.com

Which would be betetr of the two above ?

PS. Would it be worth it to stretch my budget to 1.6k for a Sony MDR-XB400 ??


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## Bencollins (Aug 30, 2013)

The Incinerator said:


> Note: But that does not mean in anyway that the SHP2500 is bad Headphone,not at all.Its very very good,its just that you are overpaying.
> 
> ES18 is superb stick to it. I feels Senns are over rated some of themm highly over rated just like Bose.An upgrade would be a PL21.



any other options if i increase my budget to 1.7k?

how's Sony MDR-XB30EX Extra-Bass IEM ??  flipkart users report its awesome for bass lovers.

*www.flipkart.com/sony-mdr-xb30ex-e...TMDMDS3JSYC9MDJ?pid=ACCDFJ7UT2MZF8GG&start=10


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## The Incinerator (Aug 30, 2013)

Yes,thats what they are good at.


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## har (Aug 31, 2013)

I've come down to these 4. Please suggest 

Sony MDR-XB400 Headphones - Sony: Flipkart.com

Audio Technica ATH T200 - Audio Technica: Flipkart.com

JBL Tempo On Ear Headphone - JBL: Flipkart.com

Sennheiser HD 201 Headphone - Sennheiser: Flipkart.com

This may sound stupid but will these work well on my Lumia 520 ?


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## 5fusion (Aug 31, 2013)

Bencollins said:


> any other options if i increase my budget to 1.7k?
> 
> how's Sony MDR-XB30EX Extra-Bass IEM ??  flipkart users report its awesome for bass lovers.
> 
> Reviews Sony MDR-XB30EX Extra-Bass Stereo Headphone Headphone - Latest Review of Sony MDR-XB30EX Extra-Bass Stereo Headphone, India | Page No. 2, 11 - 20 | Flipkart.com


xb30 would be really good for bass. why not soundmagic? if you consider that, you can have a look at e10 as well.



har said:


> I've come down to these 4. Please suggest
> 
> Sony MDR-XB400 Headphones - Sony: Flipkart.com
> 
> ...


All of them are going to work good with your lumia.

>If you want to feel the bass thump with decent fidelity, nothing gets better than xb400. sony is crazy to put in such a good soundstage for a price like that. build is pretty good however i find the headband to be a bit scary.
>T200 if you are looking for decent bass with a more towards neutral sound. build quality is good for price. however you may need to crank up the vol on your mobile a little more than the rest.
>Leave the Senns unless that good 2 yrs warranty is the only thing you want. you can listen to them at any good stores like croma, reliance digital. they are generally put up for a demo.
>i find Jbl to be only good at speakers as even their high priced sets arent that satisfactory in sound. even these can be heard in some shops as they are free with some micromax mobile if i am not wrong.


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## har (Aug 31, 2013)

@5fusion - Thanks a lot !! The sony's sound the best. But I dunno if I am really a bass lover. Still at 1.6k it looks like a steal.
What do you think of the Philips SHL5205BL and SHL5200WT/10 ?
Philips SHL5205BL/10 - CitiScape Headband Headphones
Philips SHL5200WT/10 - CitiScape Headband Headphones


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## Bencollins (Aug 31, 2013)

@5fusion: thanks, ordered Sony MDR-XB30EX Extra-Bass IEM @ 1506/- from infibeam using 5% off coupon.


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## har (Aug 31, 2013)

I've ordered the Sony XB400 at 1.6k from flipkart.


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## 5fusion (Sep 1, 2013)

Bencollins said:


> @5fusion: thanks, ordered Sony MDR-XB30EX Extra-Bass IEM @ 1506/- from infibeam using 5% off coupon.


good price.. infibeam is a trusted site.. got my xb90s from them only.


har said:


> I've ordered the Sony XB400 at 1.6k from flipkart.


congrats mate. they are very comfy as well. you would definitely love the deep bass on these. i'll be comin with a review on these by end of this month as a lot of people do look for headphones in this range and may be a comparison also with AT sj33. so keep an eye on reviews section


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## har (Sep 1, 2013)

5fusion said:


> congrats mate. they are very comfy as well. you would definitely love the deep bass on these. i'll be comin with a review on these by end of this month as a lot of people do look for headphones in this range and may be a comparison also with AT sj33. so keep an eye on reviews section



Thanks 

I'll post some pics


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## Bencollins (Sep 9, 2013)

I'm not happy with Sony MDR-XB30EX     Compared to Soundmagic ES18, they sound a little bit muffled + bass is similar [or worse as it sounds a bit muffled]. I've used it for ~5-6Hrs. How much improvement can i expect after burning in for 50hrs or so? I'm considering about ditching them and getting PL21 or other soundmagic IEMs


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## The Incinerator (Sep 9, 2013)

Bencollins said:


> I'm not happy with Sony MDR-XB30EX     Compared to Soundmagic ES18, they sound a little bit muffled + bass is similar [or worse as it sounds a bit muffled]. I've used it for ~5-6Hrs. How much improvement can i expect after burning in for 50hrs or so? I'm considering about ditching them and getting PL21 or other soundmagic IEMs



^^*I did warn you about them, didnt I? Bass wont improve thats the problem with them, the inaccurate bloated unwieldy bass  will eat up the midrange ,kill the treble's airy character hence make the soundstage muffled in the end.I told you to get the PL21 and painstakingly posted about why not a Sony or some Sonys,you should have read them.*

I always say no to Sony Extra Bass Crap both IEM and Headphones.

For bassy but way better all rounders over the Sony's BullCrap IEMs you should have got the Denon AH-C260/Philips SHE9700


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## Bencollins (Sep 10, 2013)

The Incinerator said:


> ^^painstakingly posted about why not a Sony or some Sonys,you should have read them.



yes, but i thought it only applies for Headphones.   made a foolish mistake by assuming sony IEMs to be better than ES18 as many FK reviewrs were claiming. 'has excellent bass and sound quality'.



anyways, will see if i can sell it without considerable loss. Will increase my budget to 2.5k next time before considering any other IEM.


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## Bencollins (Sep 11, 2013)

How's Signature Acoustics C12 ? I did some research and found its lot better than other IEMs in its price range. and C12 offers everything i need. good bass with balanced sound quality.

max budget is 2.5k +/- 300


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## sandynator (Sep 11, 2013)

Bencollins said:


> How's Signature Acoustics C12 ? I did some research and found its lot better than other IEMs in its price range. and C12 offers everything i need. good bass with balanced sound quality.
> 
> max budget is 2.5k +/- 300



Its a very good option IMO. 
Check  ClieOS's & Joker's reviews
In Ear Matters: [REVIEW] Signature Acoustics Elements C-12

Signature Acoustics Elements C-12 | The Headphone List

You Can also Check out *Vsonic VSD1*.
I'm confused between C12 & VSD1 so waiting for some reviews especially Jokers.


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## The Incinerator (Sep 11, 2013)

Bencollins said:


> How's Signature Acoustics C12 ? I did some research and found its lot better than other IEMs in its price range. and C12 offers everything i need. good bass with balanced sound quality.
> 
> max budget is 2.5k +/- 300



Better than Sony, Its not a very neutral flat sounding IEM and leans towards bass with a midrange hump and the Treble is not very well defined but not too less either,so if you are looking for accuracy its not for you but if you want  entertainment ,yes they are way better than the Sonys you have now. Keep in mind to have a source which is energetic and not warm/thick sounding to get the Signature IEM singing!


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## Bencollins (Sep 12, 2013)

@the incinerator: I'm a total n00b in audio. IDK what is mid range or treble is   all i want is they should be as good as or better than my current ES18 [balanced sound with punchy bass]. and shouldn't feel like those XB30 sony [muffled sound]

I've already sold those Sonys @ ebay   although its foolish to compare but are they better than ES18?  I mean i don't want to repeat the same mistake again. ES18s were better than XB30EX IMO.
I need something with xcellent bass, but it shouldn't sound muffled like sony XB30s. I need something like ES18 , but better than ES18s.


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## bubusam13 (Sep 12, 2013)

But I ditched my MP21(PL 21 with mic) after getting Sony XB30. I agree on day one I too even thaught what big mistake I have done by buying XB30, only boomy bass and nothing but after a month of usage, it's sound quality totally changed. 
But Still at normal or flat equalization they sound more leaned towards bass. I got these equalizer tweaks and now I believe I won't have to buy another pair till these lasts.
They say there is nothing like burn in, our ears get used the SQ oh headphones. So I lend my XBs to many and few end up buying a pair for themselves. 
Below settings produce nice and punchy Bass and great trebles
*i1138.photobucket.com/albums/n536/bubusam13/DSCN1415_zps4b759abb.jpg


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## The Incinerator (Sep 12, 2013)

^^Thats called Psychoacoustics ,the sound didnt change,its your brains that adapted itself.For a reality check,check them again or do a A/B testing with a PL21 ,and you will know what Im talking about!

@Ben, look at the Denon AH-C 260 for good bass with a balanced sound signature and if you want a change from the current sound signature of the Soundmagic,Or stick with the ES 18 as they are very good,and dont just upgrade just for the sake of it.


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## bubusam13 (Sep 12, 2013)

The Incinerator said:


> ^^Thats called Psychoacoustics ,the sound didnt change,its your brains that adapted itself.For a reality check,check them again or do a A/B testing with a PL21 ,and you will know what Im talking about!



Please read carefully what I have written before commenting. Read the 3rd paragraph.


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## The Incinerator (Sep 12, 2013)

bubusam13 said:


> Please read carefully what I have written before commenting. Read the 3rd paragraph.



If I hadnt read carefully I wouldnt have mentioned the term Psychoacoustic,  Anyways EQ dosnt make a inherently crap iem good,EQ to change SQ or Harmonics is lame.


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## 5fusion (Sep 12, 2013)

The Incinerator said:


> Better than Sony, Its not a very neutral flat sounding IEM and leans towards bass with a midrange hump and the Treble is not very well defined but not too less either,so if you are looking for accuracy its not for you but if you want  entertainment ,yes they are way better than the Sonys you have now. Keep in mind to have a source which is energetic and not warm/thick sounding to get the Signature IEM singing!


an important thing to be noted for c12 regarding source. 



The Incinerator said:


> Anyways EQ dosnt make a inherently crap iem good,EQ to change SQ or Harmonics is lame.


well that is certainly not inherently crap iem. its not the best out there in budget but decent. soundmagic equivlnts do perform better if someone needs more cleaner sound. So stop cursing sony. they do have their share in best out there when audiophiles do need some audio love.
now both the things do happen in case of audio. psychoacoustics is in case of audio perception by our ears and burn-in is in case with the equipment. its very subjective to what extent you hear the change and sometimes the change itself is not much or unnoticeable.
EQ to change sound a bit according to your requirement is anybody's preference and in no way lame. Infact the ones who crave for perfect sound for their ears(Audiophiles) do end up EQing to some extent no matter what. now it depends what users use s/w or h/w EQs.


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## Bencollins (Sep 12, 2013)

I had used them for ~12hrs. I was feeling like sound quality was improving, but as The Incinerator said, my brain was adapting to its sound   tried ES18 again, they were stil better IMO, XB30 still felt muffled even after 12hrs of use.



> 5fusion
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## Knight2A4 (Sep 13, 2013)

With all the Below 2k IEM Philips stands out i have found 2 highly rated IEM from them SHE 3580 & SHE 9700. These two IEM have every good reviews all over the net. As far as E.Qing goes i have followed PiccoloNamek Tutorial How to equalize your headphones: A Tutorial & then to Joe Bloggs *www.head-fi.org/t/633102/budget-iems-review-panasonic-rp-hje355-posted-18-february-2013 Now there are many people who have found these post useful & i have also found that precise E.Qing can improve your Earphone SQ. 

Here is some thing that i just stumbled upon. 
How I Turned A Bass-IEM into a balanced/clearer iem

IMO E.Qing will not will not dramatically change the sound signature of any IEM. But it can be used to reduce the harshness of certain frequencies. but could not used to enhance them. So cutting of  
 harshness frequencies will bring out the true nature of a given iem. In case of Sony xb30ex i think the bass can be enhanced from muddy to tighter & more accurate by E.Qing.


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## bubusam13 (Sep 13, 2013)

The Incinerator said:


> If I hadnt read carefully I wouldnt have mentioned the term Psychoacoustic,  Anyways EQ dosnt make a inherently crap iem good,EQ to change SQ or Harmonics is lame.



You havenot still read this line properly "They say there is nothing like burn in, our ears get used the SQ oh headphones. *So I lend my XBs to many and few end up buying a pair for themselves*. "

And stop misleading reviews. I am not a selfproclaimed audiophile but I do have sensitive ears. And everyone recognizes what sweet sound is. MP21 is definitely good but lacks bass. As I have both, I can compare them side by side. Even others with whom I have shared both IEMs agree to what I said. And here we are talking about sub 2K IEMs, never expect them to give perfect sound.



5fusion said:


> well that is certainly not inherently crap iem. its not the best out there in budget but decent. soundmagic equivlnts do perform better if someone needs more cleaner sound. So stop cursing sony. they do have their share in best out there when audiophiles do need some audio love.



Exactly man ! And Sony XB series is for additional bass. Expecting them to produce balanced sound would be foolish. Further they need burn in for a month or so from my experience.


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## The Incinerator (Sep 14, 2013)

bubusam13 said:


> You havenot still read this line properly "They say there is nothing like burn in, our ears get used the SQ oh headphones. *So I lend my XBs to many and few end up buying a pair for themselves*. "
> 
> And stop misleading reviews. I am not a selfproclaimed audiophile but I do have sensitive ears. And everyone recognizes what sweet sound is. MP21 is definitely good but lacks bass. As I have both, I can compare them side by side. Even others with whom I have shared both IEMs agree to what I said. And here we are talking about sub 2K IEMs, never expect them to give perfect sound.
> 
> ...



More bass dosnt mean only bass!!! You are misleading OP here and he squarely dosnt like the Sony and its for a reason as we all dont have SENSITIVE ears like yours!!! Thank God........



bubusam13 said:


> Exactly man ! And Sony XB series is for *additional bass*. Expecting them to produce balanced sound would be foolish. Further they need burn in for a month or so from my experience.



Additional Bass .... Ha ha ha ha ha h whats that,bringing in drum kit and playing along with rest of percussionists?It is this very out of the egg experience hass doomed OP. He ended up buying a crappy or the crappiest IEM at that price point levaing aside Philips SHE 9700 and the Denon. Sony makes some good Pro Studio Cans but when its the Consumer market...they have some of the worst line ups.Get your concept right,listen to some more a lot more IEMS ,need not be expensive but start ....Its suggestion like yours half baked,ends up people buying crap. OP wants bass BUT NOT AT THE COST SOUNDSTAGE MUFFLING....Clear?


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## Bencollins (Sep 21, 2013)

XB30EX are crap, IMO. I would never suggest them to anyone. Even my Es18 produces similar bass without screwing up meds and highs   I need something that has excellent bass but decent amount of meds and highs as well, realized this only after buying XB30 

I've finalized b/w Signature Acoustics C12 and Vsonic GR02 bass edition. Which one is better? I'll order new IEMs this monday.

contacted ClieOS from headfi, he says C12 is better than GR02 BE


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## The Incinerator (Sep 21, 2013)

Signature Accouctics C12 is better over the VSonic,according to my listening experience. But I find them a bit expensive for what it does at that price point over cheaper Soundmagics.


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## sandynator (Sep 21, 2013)

I'm not expert in this but speaking from my experience of 5+ yrs with sony ericsson Iems around 1.5 to 2k which I guess totally made by sony. They sound very muffled & overpowering Mids & Highs. BTW my source were mobile phones i.e. SE K750i / W800 /W700 & C510.

@Bencollins
Instead of Vsonic GR02 BE wait for VSD1. It seems very promising IEM around 3k & could be better than  C12 if you prefer more of balanced & neutral sounding IEM.
GR02 Silver is also good which said to be next Brainwavz M1 by Joker.


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## Bencollins (Sep 21, 2013)

the incinerator: I had checked a few SM IEMs but all of them either have over the ear desgin or they lack L shaped connector.

sandynator : I want bass, but not at the cost of muffled meds and highs.


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## sankar (Sep 21, 2013)

@ The Incinerator what do you think about SoundMagic PL30.Currently i am using she 9700.
will it be a upgrade over my current she 9700 ?


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## The Incinerator (Sep 21, 2013)

If you can live without that bass ,and see more music in mids and highs and with just about enough low end,then yes.


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## sandynator (Sep 22, 2013)

sankar said:


> @ The Incinerator what do you think about SoundMagic PL30.Currently i am using she 9700.
> will it be a upgrade over my current she 9700 ?



Its gr8 IEM only if you can live with less impact-full bass. A good source can take the best out of it. 

In my case BBE MP Eq settings of my Nationite N2 compensates the shortfall of bass. For some people Fitting & Isolation would be an issue. I shelled out Rs.400/- for bi & Triflanges tips but was not satisfied, finally logitech UE200 Silicon tips fitted me well.



sankar said:


> @ The Incinerator what do you think about SoundMagic PL30.Currently i am using she 9700.
> will it be a upgrade over my current she 9700 ?



Its gr8 IEM only if you can live with less impact-full bass. A good source can take the best out of it. 

In my case BBE MP Eq settings of my Nationite N2 compensates the shortfall of bass. For some people Fitting & Isolation would be an issue. I shelled out Rs.400/- for bi & Triflanges tips but was not satisfied, finally logitech UE200 Silicon tips fitted me well.


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