Bass To The Power Of Two: Pro700 Mk2

I may have one of the oddest preference for headphones. Sennheiser HD800 and Stax Omega 2 on some days, and a bass monster Pro700 Mk2 on others. But seriously, I am having such a great time listening to the Pro700 Mk2 that it earns my strong recommendation mark if you happen to be into deep, hard-hitting bass. The reality is that different headphones are built for different types of music, and in this case the Pro700 Mk2 simply delivers when it comes to bass heavy electronic music (I know a lot of you are listening to these).

The bass on the Pro700 Mk2 will put most other basshead headphones to shame. The Beats, the Denons, or what ever other bass heavy headphone you can think of — I’ll gladly put the Pro700 Mk2 for a challenge. And despite the condescending tone audiophiles tend to have over basshead headphones, the recent success of the JH16Pro and the Audez’e LCD-2 tells me that we may love bass more than we’re willing to admit. Of course the Pro700 Mk2 is a $200 headphone and it would be silly to attempt to match it to the $1,000 orthodynamics or the 16 drivers custom in ears. But I am quite sure that the Pro700 Mk2 can have the bragging rights when it comes to the bass category under the $500 mark. My friend Sem who owns the Audio Technica ES-10 (that huge 58mm driver portable headphone) and the Denon 2000 (another supposedly basshead favorite) commented that the Pro700 Mk2 has even more bass than the two, and comparing the Pro700 Mk2 to my favorite HD25-1 and AIAIAI TMA-1 again proves that it would be silly to challenge the Pro700 Mk2’s bass supremacy.

53mm driver delivers seismic bass.

 

I didn’t know I was such a bass addict, but whenever I start to think about the Pro700’s bass, I just have this uncontrollable grin (and even small laughs) as the brain re-played the thumping beats on my head. With the right music, this headphone is seriously a lot of fun. In fact, I’ve been spending more time with the Pro700 Mk2 out of the Yulong than I do with the Exstata + Omega2 combo (there goes all my credibility). I don’t know, perhaps it’s not the Omega2’s fault, but rather the wishy-washy Bill Evans Jazz that I’ve been listening from the Omega2 that causes this behavior, because Prodigy and Interpol sounds really kickass with the Pro700 Mk2.

If you are used to the typical audiophile headphone’s tonal response, then nothing can prepare you for the the Pro700 Mk2. This headphone is so heavily bass colored that it will make the HD650 sound thin and bright (it really does that, actually). I also had to spend some time trying to readjust my ears, but after I did, then I really didn’t want to take them off.

The Pro700 Mk2 is also quite different than the HD25-1, which still had a typical audiophile headphone tonal balance with the addition of a tight and punchy bass. The HD25-1 is one of the few headphones that can please both the audiophile as well as the bass-seeking crowd, and in a way, it’s a very safe recommendation to make. But for the pure bass-seeking crowd, the Pro700 Mk2 offers the true SEISMIC bass that makes the HD25-1 sound weak in comparison. And while the Pro700 Mk2 is something that every basshead should apply for an audition, I would be more hesitant to recommend this headphone to the typical audiophile.

One of the issues with the so-called “heavy bass” headphones is that sometimes they only give you big quantity of bass reverbs without actually delivering the punch (or the kick, in the case of the Pro700 Mk2). The HD25-1 didn’t have any bass reverbs, but it delivers a convincing and fun punch. The Pro700 Mk2 on the other hand, is a pure basshead approach to music. This headphone would make the Beats Studio headphones sound like a polite audiophile headphone as it delivers one of the most thundering bass I’ve ever heard from a pair of headphones. Given the seismic quality (and quantity) of the bass, it would be un-reasonable to expect the Pro700 to match the transients and the articulation level of headphones with lesser bass levels, including the HD25-1. The bass is not exactly slow, and reverb levels are quite low, but still the Pro700’s bass can only be considered to be moderate in speed and articulation. The PRaT factor, however, is quite excellent with the right beats as the seismic quality of the bass makes up for anything it loses in the speed section.

Another thing that you need to be prepared for is attenuated treble levels from the typical audiophile style tonal balance as well as a significantly less open midrange section. I didn’t brand this a basshead headphone for no reason. But compared to the original Pro700, the Mk2 is significantly improved in the midrange quality, housing reverbs, and top and bottom extension. Bass also hits lower and deeper on the Mk2, and as a whole, as I told my friend DJ Reginald, the upgrade from the Pro700 to the Mk2 is a must.

Compared to the HD25-1 and the AIAIAI TMA-1. HD25-1 Adidas version courtesy of Astrindo.

 

Compared to my previous favorite, the AIAIAI TMA-1, again the Pro700 Mk2 is simply supreme in the bass, but the AIAIAI has a better midrange and treble clarity. The TMA-1 is more refined than the Pro700 Mk2, but the bass does sound too polite when compared to the Pro700 Mk2. The TMA-1 is also noticeably brighter than the Pro700 Mk2. Now if you consider that a lot of people brand the TMA-1 as a dark and muffled headphone, then you’d have a pretty good idea of the kind of tonal balance we’re talking about with the Pro700 Mk2. But, somehow, with the right music, I think the Pro700 Mk2 really delivers the goods (Evil Empire also sounds really good with the Pro700 Mk2, btw).

The housing surprisingly says “Monitor Headphones”. I don’t know how you can monitor with these seriously skewed tonal balance.

 

I tried the Pro700 Mk2 with some popular R&B such as Raphael Saadiq and the Cadillac Records, and while the bass are always good, vocal passages, especially Beyonce’s on the Cadillac Records, are quite muffled and congested. It can pass as a decent R&B headphone, but the HD25-1 is definitely the better choice as it presents a much, much better vocal section. The TMA-1 is a little better than the Pro700 Mk2 on the vocals, but again, the HD25-1 beats both of them convincingly. But for a moment I am enjoying the bass so much, and as most electronic music don’t put a heavy emphasis on vocal, the Pro700 Mk2 remains to be a very strong recommendation if you happen to be a fan of Electronica, Dance, House, and even Alternative Rock — anything that demand strong and impactful beats to work.

You can enjoy the Pro700 Mk2 direct from an Ipod just fine, but with bass-heavy recordings, bass control would quickly go out the door. Blame it on the Ipod though, as a good portable amp that boasts good articulation such as the Meier StepDance quickly solves this problem. Likewise I much prefer the Yulong U100 with its superior bass articulation than the warmer sounding Audinst HUD-MX1.

I used to praise the Etymotic ER4 for its supposedly “high quality” bass section, but that was in 2008. This year, bass is what you should be listening to. Click on that “Like” button if you agree.

UPDATE: COMPARISON WITH THE AUDIO TECHNICA M-50

The reason that I didn’t even bother comparing the Pro700 to the M-50 is that the two headphones are so different from each other.

The Pro700 Mk2 is a purebred basshead headphone, while the ATH M-50 is closer to a studio monitoring headphone that happens to have good bass quantity. The tonal balance of the M-50 is quite proper, with treble, mids and bass all taking roughly similar proportions. The Pro700 Mk2 is so seriously skewed to the bass regions, it’s probably one of the most colored headphones I’ve ever listened to.

The M-50 has good bass punch, but presented in that wide soundstage, the focus and the impact seems lost. The HD25-1 is better in this regard, as the smaller soundstage helps focus the impact of the bass. The two headphones’ bass, however, sounds puny in comparison to the Pro700 Mk2.

5/5 - (1 vote)
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288 Comments

  • Reply April 5, 2011

    Anonymous

    Screw transients! Bass is the new king!

  • Reply April 5, 2011

    Franz

    more bass than es10? crazy

  • Reply April 5, 2011

    Lieven V

    And it looks great as well. no single reference to the ATH M50?

    • Reply April 5, 2011

      Camembert

      Second that. How does it compare with the ATH-M50?

    • Reply April 6, 2011

      Anonymous

      LoL. Sorry for missing that out guys.

      The reason that I didn’t even bother comparing the Pro700 to the M-50 is that the two headphones are so different from each other.

      The Pro700 Mk2 is a purebred basshead headphone, while the ATH M-50 is closer to a studio monitoring headphone that happens to have good bass quantity. The tonal balance of the M-50 is quite proper, with treble, mids and bass all taking roughly similar proportions. The Pro700 Mk2 is so seriously skewed to the bass regions, it’s probably one of the most colored headphones I’ve ever listened to.

      The M-50 has good bass punch, but presented in that wide soundstage, the focus and the impact seems lost. The HD25-1 is better in this regard, as the smaller soundstage helps focus the impact of the bass. The two headphones’ bass, however, sounds puny in comparison to the Pro700 Mk2.

      Bass to the power of TWO — yeah!!!!

  • Reply April 5, 2011

    Erik Wijnands

    And here I was, thinking my Sony XB700 had enough bass. The TMA-1 was too dark for me compared to my HD25-1 but I’m looking forward to hear how the Pro700 Mk2 compares. Who needs treble and mids anyway. 😉

    Oh, and the photos are awesome! You even made the driver look stunning. 🙂

    • Reply April 5, 2011

      Lieven V

      hey it’s negakinu 😉

    • Reply April 6, 2011

      Anonymous

      This giant pillow is what I want to listen to next:

      http://www.wired.com/images_blogs/gadgetlab/2011/01/MG_2110.jpg

      • Reply April 6, 2011

        Erik Wijnands

        That XB1000 does look pretty pillowy indeed! First impressions seem to be that it’s actually less bassy than the XB700 though. It’s mighty expensive as well compared to the XB700 (which I got for $45) . Are you going to review it?

        • Reply April 6, 2011

          Anonymous

          Hopefully I can get to find a unit to do a review with, because I am definitely interested in it.

  • Reply April 5, 2011

    Alvin Juanta

    Would the Pro700 Mk2 compete with the Ultrasone PRO 900’s bass?

    • Reply April 6, 2011

      Anonymous

      Alvin,
      If you read the comment I just wrote comparing the PRo700 Mk2 to the ATH M-50, that will help to put things into perspective.

      http://www.headfonia.com/bass-to-the-power-of-two-pro700-mk2/#comment-178887876

      GettSlapt asked the same question on Twitter, and I said this: “The Pro700 Mk2 is an all-assault attempt on Bass. The PRO900 is a hifi headphone with good bass.”

      True bassheads really need to have a listen to the Pro700 Mk2.

  • Reply April 5, 2011

    Alvin Juanta

    Would the Pro700 Mk2 compete with the Ultrasone PRO 900’s bass?

  • Reply April 6, 2011

    Deckhand Davy

    Haha, I love the lower frequencies as well, Mike and great review! Question: would you have a chance to compare the mkII to the Ultrasone PRO 750’s? I hear the 750’s are pretty supreme in the lower extensions and I almost bought a pair a few weeks ago.

    -davy

    • Reply April 6, 2011

      Anonymous

      Davy,
      I have never auditioned the PRO750, but in comparison to the PRO900, you can read my comment below.

  • Reply April 6, 2011

    Earfonia

    Tried the Pro700 Mk2 with iPod for sometime. Love the build quality, really good design 🙂 But the tonal balance is too coloured for my taste. The mid-bass is too dominant with narrow soundstage. Pro700 Mk2 only good for certain music, definitely not an all-rounder bass heavy headphones. Whenever I want seismic bass, I prefer Shure SRH-750DJ, strong bass with more natural tonal balance, a better all-rounder for basshead I would say 🙂

    • Reply April 6, 2011

      Anonymous

      I prefer to take things to the extreme, Bram. 🙂

  • Reply April 6, 2011

    Pete Manakit

    The perfect antidote for the ‘audiophile sound’

    Reminds me of the time back when I used the ER4P as my ‘everyday phones’… but swapped for the Future Sonics Atrio at night when my dark side took control 😛

    • Reply April 6, 2011

      Anonymous

      That’s exactly what I’m talking about.

      • Reply April 7, 2011

        Pete Manakit

        I salute you for having the temerity to admit it! Don’t worry about ‘losing your rep’… you have gained even more respect from me.

        Let’s all get back to basics : )

        • Reply April 7, 2011

          Anonymous

          Lol.. You know how I kept on talking about the bass of the Blox when we discussed the earbuds?

  • Reply April 6, 2011

    Boymasskara

    How does this compare to the old pro700?

    • Reply April 7, 2011

      Anonymous

      I wrote a bit comparing it to the old Pro700. Please read the article. There is simply no competition. The Mk2 is way better.

  • Reply April 7, 2011

    Tze Yong Teo

    yes mike, i retreated from audiophile a few months ago. without all those “restrctions” as an “audiophile”, i reverted to my basic listening and man, bass is the win afterall. screw treble, screw vocals! bass + soundstage = everything.

    • Reply April 7, 2011

      Anonymous

      Going back to the roots, man!

  • Reply April 7, 2011

    Zuqi

    Its good to follow your instinct:)

    When I put my Jay-a Jay iem on, I have a strange feeling that I like its sound more than my Grado HF2**< but that is the truth, I love bass as much as (or more than0 the overall sound quality, even I don't want to admit it at that moment.

    • Reply April 7, 2011

      Anonymous

      It is good that we are getting some honest confessions time from people like you, Zuqi.

  • Reply April 7, 2011

    SJC

    More bass than Pro 900? It would seem like the pro 700 mk2 is the equivalent of portable subwoofer(s) strapped to one’s head

    • Reply April 7, 2011

      Anonymous

      Yea, that would be a good analogy. Does the thought excite you?

  • Reply April 7, 2011

    Jason Suarez

    I know exactly what you’re talking about Mike. About a week after I talked to you I took a train from Philly to New York and literally tried out just about every headphone I could think of at 5 different shops (Regardless of price XD)

    In the end I settled on the AKG K271MKII over the HF5 as I found the two to be very similar and at the time preferred the superior depth and soundstage on the K271MKII over the even cleaner armature-based Ety sound.

    That said, after 2 weeks of listening/testing K271MKII on my bad setup I felt temporarily sick of the clinical/dry/detailed sound. Something was wrong; it’s like a K701 user switching to an AH-D2000+Fiio E7 (with bass boost set at +2 or +3) every once and a while or else he wouldn’t want to listen to music anymore.

    So tonight I ended up discovering your article while listening to my Klipsch Image S4+Fiio E5 on bass boost out of a Sansa Clip+ with further EQ’ed low frequencies (think Fiio E5 double bass size/boost+ around 3DB’s equalization) and find It hilarious how irrational people have to go in the exact opposite direction sometimes in order to enjoy their own preferences. -Had to say it 😉

    I swear if it wasn’t for big-bass headphones warming my music loving soul every once and a while I don’t think I’d be able to stand “audiophile” headphones at all!!!

    Back to the update, now I’m pretty confident the K271MKII was the right choice; bass impact/punch and deepness are incredibly surprising with these cans, while mid-bass is almost non-existent. Putting the obvious increase in clarity/instrument presence/separation aside; with a little upper midrange tweaking in foobar2000 I’m absolutely sure the Yulong will give the K271MKII’s the life I want from them XD.

    They’re actually the airiest closed cans I’ve ever heard out of trash setups/on their own, not that that’s saying much from me 🙂

    I’ll have to get back to you on it, but I get the feeling that through the U100 they might become the best sounding “perfect” (works with all genre’s/jack-of-all-trades) closed-cans period. You know; the go any higher on the price bracket/scale option and everything is specialized nature of the audiophile world.

    As for the Pro700 MK2’s, I’ve given up trying to figure out how these are AT phones…Hell, if they use the the same 53mm drivers as in the A700/AD700 then something is wrong with the world 🙁

    They should definitely be every audiophile’s rebound headphones though…

    Putting the otherworldly Pro700 MK2 aside, who would have thought such an analytical can could have such a present deep, clean low end? K271MKII are really underrated IMO.

    • Reply April 7, 2011

      Anonymous

      Lol.. Thanks for the long write up, Jason.

      I fear that one day the S4, Sansa Clip and Fiio combo will take over the K271 completely.

      The K271 is actually a very nice headphone. The recent MkII version has a very good built quality, and I believe also comes with verlour pads. I would not be surprised if the bass hits low. It is one of the highly regarded AKG Monitoring headphone for the professional world. Also as a proper monitoring headphone, it should not come with too much midbass, so I think what you are hearing is correct.

      If you want to go a step up, go with the Sony Z1000. It retails for $500 approximately, and it will better the K271 on many aspects, simply due to the newer driver technology. But I am not sure if it will beat the K271 on the low bass section. You can find a review of the Z1000 somewhere on this site.

    • Reply April 7, 2011

      Anonymous

      • Reply April 7, 2011

        Jason Suarez

        Actually, when I originally commented, mentioning around $400 as my threshold was my absolute highest budget possible. I’m an 18 year old student nearing the end of my gap year and plan to spend my summer in Spain with family I’ve only seen maybe 4 or 5 times in my life.

        If I hadn’t gotten such a good deal on the K271MKII ($150) things might be different, but as It stands I’m more interested in building up a proper foundation for the K701/K702/Q701 and the Yulong’s great airy natural highs, bass articulation, and mids that manage to be crisp/slightly warm and airy at the same time would probably do that headphone justice. There are surely other headphones that would benefit as well.

        I wouldn’t want to believe that the Z1000 will sound better out of a Sansa Clip with an E5 than the K271MKII would out of the Yulong U100 but… if you say so…

        As for the Ety; I haven’t given up on it yet. Call me crazy (seriously) but after doing some research I’ve decided that in the coming year or two I’ll be buying the HF5 and giving it the 1964Ears custom body treatment.
        Comparing the ER4P/HF5 at J&R; I’d say headfiers are right about the HF5 having slightly darker/more natural highs, but sound quality itself really is exactly the same.

        Sure it wouldn’t compare to $1000 offerings from UE or JH audio but for less than $350 dollars (1964Ear’s charges $190-ears molds should be around $50 total) I think it would be one heck of an entry level custom. What do you think?

        Hopefully everything will go well, lol. I have some time to think about it though…

        • Reply April 8, 2011

          Anonymous

          Oh, Lol. Sorry didn’t notice the $400 part. Well, I really don’t think
          you should be eyeing the Z1000 at the moment, seeing how you just got
          the K271 and are having a good time with it.

          I think the Yulong would inject some intimacy and liveliness to the
          K271, and so if you want to go for the Yulong, I’d say go for it.

          Personally, I probably would not bother remolding the ER4/HF5. If the
          sound is good, why bother?

  • Reply April 7, 2011

    eugenius

    I have to say you make this headphone seem absolutely disgusting 🙂

    Have you tried EQ-ing the HD25-1 and comparing?

    • Reply April 8, 2011

      Anonymous

      I have succeeded then! 🙂

      I tried to do a small EQ on Itunes, didn’t make the HD25-1 identical to
      the Pro700 Mk2, but fairly close. Roughly add 6dB (!!!) to the entire
      bass spectrum, and lower the treble areas around 3dB. LOL now you know
      what I’m talking about.

  • Reply April 8, 2011

    Jason Suarez

    When a feature doesn’t work on a new headphone is it always better to play it safe and replace the item within warranty?

    The mute feature didn’t work on my K271MKII when they were brand new in box, the seemingly flimsy button on it never locks. I don’t care for the auto mute and get the feeling it will just break anyway with strain from use.

    • Reply April 8, 2011

      Anonymous

      I would send it in for a replacement under warranty.

      • Reply April 8, 2011

        EL84HiGain

        It’s funny… I had every intention of getting the JH 13Pro IEMs but after hearing the JH 16Pro… I could not stop grinning! I determined that there was too much music that benefited from the bump on the bottom. Also, I would rather occasionally cut the bass on the16s and have them loaf, rather than bump the bass on the 13s. But oh what bass!

        • Reply April 8, 2011

          Anonymous

          Another basshead signs in. 🙂

  • Reply April 8, 2011

    zegun

    hey mike, how’s this Pro700 MK.II compared to M50? can it be considered as an “upgrade” or not?
    and oh, can you compare it with a Shure SRH750DJ?

    • Reply April 8, 2011

      zegun

      oops sry, didn’t see the replies below, there’s comparison w/ M50 😀

      • Reply April 8, 2011

        Anonymous

        Yep, there is already a comparison below.

        The SRH750DJ has good bass, but I believe this one is simply extreme.

  • Reply April 8, 2011

    Scytus

    How is the soundstage on these headphones? I’ve been long searching for a pair that has the HiFi mid/highs, with a very strong bass presence, and quite wide soundstage (for gaming)

    • Reply April 8, 2011

      Anonymous

      It was mostly okay. I wouldn’t put a strong mark on the soundstage.

      • Reply April 9, 2011

        Scytus

        sad panda

        • Reply April 9, 2011

          Anonymous

          If you have too big of a soundstage, then the focus on the impact gets
          lost. This is partly why the Sennheiser HD25-1 is such a great and fun
          little headphone. Small soundstage, but the impact and the energy of the
          bass is very well focused. It is hard for headphones with big
          soundstages to get a proper impact and focus on the bass (i.e AKG K501,
          ATH AD-series, Senn HD800, and so on).

          • Reply April 10, 2011

            Scytus

            So finding a balance of powerful/impactful/vibration-friendly bass and a wide soundstage would be near impossible? :C

            • Reply April 11, 2011

              Anonymous

              Depends on how powerful you want the bass to be. I think the Ultrasone
              PRO700 can bridge that criteria pretty well, as well as the LCD-2 on the
              high-end front.

  • Reply April 11, 2011

    Dan Z

    so is there any difference between the the Pro700 Mk2 and the Pro700 SV?

    • Reply April 12, 2011

      Anonymous

      Sorry I have no idea, Dan.

  • Reply April 13, 2011

    Andrew

    Thank you so much for this review. I recently purchased the Shure 750DJ and was incredibly disappointed with it. Then I read your review and decided to give the Pro700MK2 a chance. It came in and I auditioned it immediately. Bliss followed shortly after. This is the headphone for me. For someone who likes mostly electronica and rock music the Pro700MK2 just delivers the visceral impact that made me a fan of both of these genres.

    My headphone journey is now over. I have you to thank. Cheers.

    • Reply April 13, 2011

      Anonymous

      Wow that is such a good news to hear, Andrew.

      Cheers.

  • Reply April 19, 2011

    Kunalraiker

    Hi Mike,

    Any recommendation to use at the gym,with finer detail retrieval then the HD-25 1 II

    • Reply April 19, 2011

      Anonymous

      Better detail retrieval than HD25-1? IEMs maybe?

      • Reply April 19, 2011

        Kunalraiker

        I keepasking this question even when I know the answer,hoping something will come.

        I use the RE-ZEROs but don’t know want something with more PRAT-whatever that means 🙂

        • Reply April 19, 2011

          Anonymous

          PRAT is the toe tapping factor. 🙂

          RE-ZEROs have okay PRAT. Not too bad, not too much.

  • Awesome!

  • Reply May 5, 2011

    Mike11

    I am really tempted to order a set of these, i love my M50’s very much but the trance music I listen too is heavily vocalized and if these fall short on the vocals I think maybe I’ll try the HD-1 instead.

  • Reply May 6, 2011

    GhostRider

    I think my next quest is for a bass headphone. This article makes me really want the Pro700Mk2, but I’m really curious how they compare to the Sony XB series – especially the new XB1000, which I can’t test out yet.

    • Reply May 6, 2011

      Anonymous

      I am also looking to review an XB1000, but no headphones yet.

      • Reply May 7, 2011

        GhostRider

        The pictures in this article make this headphone looks so cool.

        That was my first post. I emailed you a few weeks ago, and you helped me with my 1st open back headphone choice.

        • Reply May 7, 2011

          Anonymous

          Thanks. How is the recommendation on the open back headphone? Were you
          satisfied?

          • Reply May 7, 2011

            GhostRider

            Totally. I told you that I was going for the Senn 558, but at the last minute, your description of the AD700’s massive soundstage made me change my mind. So I’ve been listening to a lot of old recordings by Andres Segovia, Robert Johnson, and Django Reinhardt with the AD700 over the past few weeks, and it is just an amazing sound experience. I really appreciate your help. I have a question about “sources”, and I was wondering which channel you prefer for communication.

            • Reply May 7, 2011

              Anonymous

              Nice. I’m working on an AD300-700-900-1000-2000 review. 🙂

              What are you considering for the source? Perhaps you can read around the Audinst and Yulong articles and see if they interests you.

              You can reach me at twitter @headfonia as well.

  • Reply May 9, 2011

    GhostRider

    Hey Mike, I just signed up with Twitter, but I haven’t tried navigating it much, so I sent you an email. I was just thinking that if I get a simple plug n play CD player, I can focus on being crazy headphones guy without too much extra equipment.

    • Reply May 9, 2011

      Anonymous

      Okay. And your question is?

      • Reply May 9, 2011

        GhostRider

        When comparing a CD player (e.g, Marantz, TEAC, Yamaha, NAD) with its own headphone output against some of the source components you review at this site, do you have any idea which would sound better? It seems that the CD player option would cost less in general, but I’ve heard people speculate that CD players use high quality DACs and mediocre headphone amps.

        • Reply May 9, 2011

          Anonymous

          I had a CEC player that had a headphone out. It was really transparent to the

          source, but punch and impact was not that good. The entry level Marantz

          CD players had a good headphone out though, I can’t remember which

          particular model I listened to, but I’ve listened to several different

          entry level Marantz (ie CD6003, CD5004, CD5001) and they generally had

          good driving power and impact for most of the dynamic headphones out there.

          Don’t believe all the myths thrown out there just to make people buy

          stuff you don’t need. If it sounds good and you’re enjoying the music,

          then it sounds good.

          I think the case with CD players headphone out is this:

          1. You are always playing from a good source (CD quality)

          2. Very short signal path, means very small loss of quality.

          These two factors already takes care the most critical aspect in a

          system: source quality is very important, garbage in = garbage out.

          Now looking at a simple amp like the JDSLabs Cmoy, it actually doesn’t

          take too much of a complex design to make an amp that sounds good. Of

          course don’t go comparing it to a Burson or a Beta22, but a simple amp

          with a great source and a short signal path is actually good enough to

          make good music (with the right headphones, of course).

        • Reply May 9, 2011

          Anonymous

          I am not too inexperienced with CD player headphone output. I had a CEC
          player that had a headphone out. It was really transparent to the
          source, but punch and impact was not that good. The entry level Marantz
          CD players had a good headphone out though, I can’t remember which
          particular model I listened to, but I’ve listened to several different
          entry level Marantz (ie CD6003, CD5004, CD5001) and they generally had
          good driving power and impact for most of the dynamic headphones out there.

          Don’t believe all the myths thrown out there just to make people buy
          stuff you don’t need. If it sounds good and you’re enjoying the music,
          then it sounds good.

          I think the case with CD players headphone out is this:
          1. You are always playing from a good source (CD quality)
          2. Very short signal path, means very small loss of quality.

          These two factors already takes care the most critical aspect in a
          system: source quality is very important, garbage in = garbage out.

          Now looking at a simple amp like the JDSLabs Cmoy, it actually doesn’t
          take too much of a complex design to make an amp that sounds good. Of
          course don’t go comparing it to a Burson or a Beta22, but a simple amp
          with a great source and a short signal path is actually good enough to
          make good music (with the right headphones, of course).

        • Reply May 17, 2011

          simon pressman

          Hi there, in my experience, most cd player headphone outs only like driving relatively easy loads to any satisfying volume level.  My Sennheiser HD650’s are a no go zone (if you want any kind of volume), my Sony MDR7509 no probs.  In-ears are hit and miss with cd player headphone outs (I have 3 or 4 different in ears).
          I have (2x) different expensive Sony ES cd players – and they sound completely different to each other even!     I also have a Denon CD player and have had Marantz in the past.  

          I think the simple thing is does the headphone you own sound good on one of the CD players you are looking to buy?  
          I hope you find what you’re looking for    : )

          P.S – I now have (and love) the Burson HA160D – and it puts all my other headphone outs (on cd players, MD recorders and HiFi amps) to shame – especially with the sennheisers).

          • Reply May 18, 2011

            Anonymous

            Thanks Simon.

            Obviously the CD players outputs can’t be compared to a full discrete
            class-A amp like the HA-160D. 🙂

  • Reply May 9, 2011

    GhostRider

    Awesome. I had just got myself up to speed on what it would take to get the best sound from my iPod, but then I pictured my bedroom being filled with even more components and wires (in addition to my guitar, bass, and DJ gear). Before I go out and get some good bass headphones, I’m going to look for a good CD player.

  • Reply May 18, 2011

    Robbo

    Hey Mike,
    I’ve been using a pair of these all day today and yes I gotta say the bass is just incredible, Im trying to decide however if I want to buy a pair of these or the M50’s. From what ive seen the M50s look like they have a better build quality, and are also not as bulky. Soundwise however, Im finding it really hard to decide, I listen to alot of different types of music (electro, house, alternative, trip-hop etc..) and Im not too sure whether or not the M50’s are better equipped for  music production compared to simply enjoying music. Do you think the m50’s are lacking in the bass department too much?I geuss what im trying to ask is, in your opinion which do you think is an overall better headphone for general music listening, Im not a professional musician I just really like music. Any advice you could provide would be great, cheers.

    • Reply May 18, 2011

      Anonymous

      Hi Robbo,
      The ATH M-50 will give you a slightly better build, and is also slightly
      less bulky. But from your music choices, I think you’ll be happier with
      a Senn HD25-1 than the M50. The M50’s bass is there, but it’s not quite
      punchy and tight as the Senn. The pace is also slower than the Senn HD25-1.

      You can go with the M50 and that will be a fine headphone, but the
      HD25-1 would do a better job in my opinion.

      • Reply May 18, 2011

        Robbo

         Hi Mike,
        Sorry I think I might of confused you, the pair that I was using today that I was referring to was actually the ATH-Pro 700 MK2 not the Senn HD25-1. So yes just to clarify I was tossing up between the M50 and the Pro 700 MK2, sorry about the confusion again. Any thoughts?

        • Reply May 18, 2011

          Anonymous

          Not confused at all, Robbo.

          I just thought that the HD25-1 would be the better choice than the ATH
          M-50 for those music. Likewise the Pro700 is also better than the M-50
          for your music, but if you’re still going for the M-50, then it would
          still be a decent choice.

  • Reply May 18, 2011

    Ghost Rider

    Hey Mike and Simon – thanks for the input.  So far, the headphones which I own, as well as the ones I want, have fairly low impedences with high sensitivities.  I tried contacting a few CD player manufacturers, asking about the specs of the headphone amp sections of their units, but I came up with nothing.  I think if I just keep shopping for hps with comparable specs, I should be ok (or look for an external amp in the future).  I ordered the TEAC CD-P650, since it has a USP port which taps the digital output of iPods and runs it through its own Burr Brown DAC.

    • Reply May 19, 2011

      Anonymous

      Low impedance headphones with high sensitivity should be easy to drive out of an average CD player headphone out.

      I googled the TEAC CD-P650, and while it does have an USB port, I am not sure it can tap the digital out from an Ipod (I think Apple put some sort of an encryption block), though it may work with other DAPs.

      Burr-Brown DAC should be good though.

      • Reply May 19, 2011

        GhostRider

        Yeah, I emailed TEAC before ordering it, and they said, “yes, it can play your iPod.” That’s not exactly what I was asking, but I read some reviews that said it is an actual digital jack for iPods, but I guess I can’t be totally sure yet.

        Also, out of curiosity, I ordered the JVC HA-M5X Xtreme Xplosives hps to get started in the basshead realm. I eventually want those Pro700Mk2 hps, but all these may be quick fixes until Sony’s monstrosity is released here.

      • Reply May 19, 2011

        GhostRider

        p.s.: I really like that “Recommendations” section at the bottom of the page. It’s such a simple feature, but it answers a lot of questions people may have.

  • Reply June 2, 2011

    Andres Bastidas

    Hi…. would you recommend this ones over the M50’s in term of sound????? an why????

    Thanks and awesome review!

    • Reply June 3, 2011

      Anonymous

      Hi Andres,
      I copied and pasted this from the earlier comments:

      ———————————————-

      The reason that I didn’t even bother comparing the Pro700 to the M-50 is
      that the two headphones are so different from each other.

      The Pro700 Mk2 is a purebred basshead headphone, while the ATH M-50 is
      closer to a studio monitoring headphone that happens to have good bass
      quantity. The tonal balance of the M-50 is quite proper, with treble,
      mids and bass all taking roughly similar proportions. The Pro700 Mk2 is
      so seriously skewed to the bass regions, it’s probably one of the most
      colored headphones I’ve ever listened to.

      The M-50 has good bass punch, but presented in that wide soundstage, the
      focus and the impact seems lost. The HD25-1 is better in this regard, as
      the smaller soundstage helps focus the impact of the bass. The two
      headphones’ bass, however, sounds puny in comparison to the Pro700 Mk2.

      ———————————————

      Cheers

  • Reply June 4, 2011

    Katun

    I just ordered a set of these. As well as a pair of M50 pads.

    I’ve got “basshead” in my blood, even though I’ve altered things up and went with low-hitting open headphones recently. I really want something I can use for an all out party on my head, and also a set of closed headphones that don’t leak. Thus, I ran straight for these. There is a very select few of headphones I’ve tried that *really* impressed me in one way or another, and one of them was the Pro 900 for it’s bass. I’m really hoping these can be added to the list, and wonder how they would do against them bass wise only. 

    An absolute insane question, but how does the bass on these compare to the LCD-2? Extension, impact, slam, rumble, whatever. Just need a headphone for REALLY good bass.

    • Reply June 6, 2011

      Anonymous

      Hi Katun,
      I think when people say “good” bass it can be interpreted in several
      different ways:
      1. Quality. As in the articulation, tightness, texture, layering.
      Headphones like the Etymotic ER4 or Beyerdynamic DT880 can be said to
      have good bass if quality is what one wants.
      2. Quantity. The problem with only demanding “quality” is that
      eventually you’ll feel that there is just isn’t enough bass to make
      certain music with strong beats work. So people begin to look for
      quantity as well. This is what you get with headphones like the Pro700
      Mk2, LCD-2, or the JH16. Obviously the Pro700 Mk2’s bass quality isn’t
      going to match the $1K LCD-2 or JH16, but it is still a lot of fun.
      Quantity wise, the PRo700 Mk2 actually trumps the LCD-2’s and the
      Ultrasone Pro 900. The Pro700 Mk2 is a heavy bass skewed headphone,
      while the Audez’e or the Ultrasone are hi-fi headphones with good bass.

      • Reply June 7, 2011

        Katun

        Alright, awesome. Thanks for your input.

        So regarding the quality and quantity, I know exactly what you mean. HE-500 has far more bass quality and the XB500 has far more bass quantity. For me, I would take the HE-500 for bass music over the XB500 any day, as I do not appreciate the quantity to quality ration given by the XB500. The Pro 900 had some of the best quality impact bass I’ve ever heard, and in turn impressed me greatly. What I’m wondering is where would the Pro 700 MK2 stack up ratio wise? In other words, you mention it trumps the Pro 900 in quantity, but is the quality still pretty high up there? If it’s an XB500, I’ll hate it, while if it’s more like the Pro 900, I’ll adore it.

        Sorry, that is a terrible question, and I’m not even sure you’ll understand what I’m trying to say. I’m just hoping it can resemble the Pro 900’s bass, yet on a higher impact scale.

        • Reply June 7, 2011

          Anonymous

          The Pro700 Mk2 ‘s bass quantity is much higher than the Pro 900, but don’t expect the bass quality to be anywhere near it. This headphone is about quantity and far more than the XB500 or XB700s. When you have so much quantity it’s hard to get the quality as well.

  • Reply June 6, 2011

    Cliff Cheng LF

    curious, how is it when compared to AT’s in house Solid Bass series headphones?

    • Reply June 6, 2011

      Anonymous

      Still way more bass on the Pro700 Mk2.

      The Solid Bass series is like a proper hi-fi headphone with a slight EQ
      on the bass section. The Pro700 Mk2 is an all-out bass headphone.

  • Reply June 7, 2011

    Pdm

    Good article mike, i do like to read your articles. But i’m just curious on how good the pro700mkii compared to beyerdynamic bass monster dt770pro/80 ohm. Is there any chance that you make the comparison? Thanks.

    • Reply June 7, 2011

      Anonymous

      I’ve only listened to the 770/80 briefly, but I t

  • Reply June 8, 2011

    Eli

    I listen to songs I download from itunes and Right now I have a setup of my ipod touch and my zo personal subwoofer amp. I have a goal of getting the bassiest headphone ever made. I have the M50s right now but was wonderin if there was something bassier. I listen to alot of top 40, hiphop/rap, dubstep, and Dance music.
     
    I want the headphone that not only has the best bass but more so the one that I can feel the most. To be more specific, I want a bass a ‘phone that has the best of both worlds if thats possible. I like the pounding mid bass against my head but I also like the rumbling deep bass that courses through your body.  I’m looking for the the headphone that is superdynamic where I can feel the bass, but also the crystal clear highs. I want quantity and quality if thats possible becuase I hate distorted bass unless its dubstep or something. The one that will shake your whole head. How would the mk2s compare to the M-audio Q40s with these parameters?

    • Reply June 9, 2011

      Anonymous

      Eli,
      You want to listen to the bassiest headphone ever made, but you also
      want crystal clear highs. That’s like asking for a Ferrari with a soft
      plush suspension straight out of a Toyota Camry.

      The Pro700 mk2 is the bassiest headphone I have ever listened to. And
      while I’ve never listened to the M-Audo Q40s, I think the Pro700 mk2 is
      probably going to be far bassier than it. This headphone is totally
      focused on bass, and while the treble is actually quite clear, and I
      think you’ll enjoy it a lot with Dubstep and Dance. With rap and the top
      40 stuff, you’ll be better off with the Sennheiser HD25-1.

      http://www.headfonia.com/adidas-originals-hd25-1/

  • Reply June 10, 2011

    Sam

    Thanks for your great reviews. Your site has been a great help in finding the right headphones for me.  My question for you is, how would these Pro700Mk2 phones sound coming directly out of a HRT Music Streamer II? My HD595’s sound amazing when paired directly to the MSII, but I feel the bass isn’t up to par for my preferred dance/electronica/trance music.  So I just ordered the Sony XB500’s and the ATH-Pro700Mk2’s  to compare. Thanks for your input.

    • Reply June 10, 2011

      Anonymous

      Hi Sam,
      First of all I don’t think you should be connecting your headphones
      directly to the MS2 (it doesn’t come with a headphone out). But anyway,
      the Pro700 Mk2 needs an amp really, but nothing too heavy, so any
      portable amp would do the job quite well, including the PA2V2 that I’ve
      just reviewed.
      http://www.headfonia.com/electric-avenues-pa2v2/
      http://www.headfonia.com/category/amplifiers/portable-amps-amplifiers/

      The HD595 is indeed quite light on bass so I wouldn’t be surprised it
      doesn’t work for dance/electronica/trance. The Pro700 Mk2’s bass is way
      way more than the XB500 or the XB700 though.

      • Reply June 15, 2011

        Sam

        Actually, it is completely fine to connect your headphones directly to the MS2 via a RCA to 3.5mm cable. This is what the CTO of HRT had to say about that: “Thank you for your email and purchase of a Music Streamer.  In answer to
        your question, yes.  You can certainly use an adapter cable (RCA to
        3.5mm stereo) and directly drive a pair of headphones.  I have been
        using Grado SR60s with a Streamer for just such a pairing for many
        months and find the results to be fantastic.   In fact, other than a
        slightly lower maximum level, the performance far exceeds that which I
        have obtained with any headphone amplifier I have tried.”

        Anyhow, thanks for your help.

        • Reply June 16, 2011

          Anonymous

          Hi Sam,
          Yes, I’ve seen some people do that out of their pre amp line outs (which
          is sort of a similar concept). I think the sound will be better if you
          get an entry level amp (PA2V2, JDSLabs Cmoy, Fiio E11) and hook it
          between the HRT and the headphone.

  • Reply June 11, 2011

    LeyTon CarTer

    I just found your site and spent hours on here reading your reviews. What a great site!

    If i may ask a question from a music production point of view? (TL;DR below).

    I was going to get a set of the ATH M50’s as they are renowned in the industry for a relitively flat EQ (for the price), yet still maintaining good bass presence, which is essential in music production.

    I write electronic music with a heavy emphasis on sub-bass; my musical style is very similar to the Prodigy. If we take that as an example, would the M50’s be more suitable for this over the Pro 700 mk 2’s?

    I mix/master with professional studio grade monitors & a subwoofer, but other times (i.e. late at night) I need a set of studio quality ‘phones to carry on working on ideas. If i take the analogy that the MK50’s would be my full-range monitors, would the pro700 mk2’s be the monitors plus a subwoofer, or is the range in the M50’s good and strong with minimal tail-off all the way down to 20hz?

    When you take into account that my personal taste is very bass heavy – strong and precise (but without being muffled or muddy) or at the expense of heavily colouring the highs, would you be able to reccommend the pro700 mk2’s as a studio phone, or, as I read in your review that you say the tonal balance is heavily skewed – is it skewed to the point where it would be IMPOSSIBLE to mix on without completely re-adjusting my ears, or, due to the fact that I am used to dealing with strong bass in the first place would it be suitable…

    Summary:

    I know that a studio phone should be as flat as possible, however my taste dictates a stronger emphasis on bass. Is it TOO strong on the Pro 700mk2 VS the M50’s, or would it suit me?

    • Reply June 11, 2011

      Anonymous

      Hi LeyTon,
      Thanks for the compliments.

      I am not a professional sound engineer, but I do simple sound system set
      up for my church, and if I’m going to do some monitoring the M-50 is
      definitely far more prefferable than the Pro700 Mk2. The M-50 is far
      more linear, though it still can be considered to be a little bass heavy
      compared to some of the other monitoring headphones from Shure or
      Beyerdynamic.

      I definitely wouldn’t recommend using the Pro700 Mk2 as a monitoring
      tool, you need to put some serious EQ to tone down the bass (perhaps 6dB
      on all the bass frequencies) and to make it linear. Otherwise I fear
      that the results of your mix will be quite anemic in the bass.

      Another choice that you may want to consider is the Sennheiser HD25-1.
      People use it for television production monitoring, so I am not sure how
      it will be for music production. But where the HD25-1 differ from the
      M-50 is that the bass is less bloated, and yet more punchy than the
      M-50. The M-50’s bass however extends lower and the treble higher than
      the HD25-1.

      I would personally advise you to give the M-50 a try. They are fairly
      linear and has all the right characteristics for a monitoring tool. The
      Shure SRH-840 is flatter than the M-50, but the bass is even more anemic
      so I wouldn’t recommend it for you.

      • Reply June 11, 2011

        LeyTon CarTer

        Thanks for your quick reply!

        In response to your comments, a flat frequency response is probably going to be more preferable to me in a studio application than a 6db(!) difference in the lows… after all, due to the fact that the majority of my mixing is done on my monitors, the last thing I want to be doing is fiddling with my EQ every time I want to put the cans on… wow, 6db’s.. no wonder it has all that extra bass – but it will be far too much for monitoring. I now see what you mean by skewed.

        I’ll have to take a listen to the HD25-1’s – I’ve heard some very good things about them, especially with music that has a very fast pace, such as rock. The only way for me to decide is if I listen to one then the other, but my instinct is still on the M-50’s, due to the extended frequency response for the lows and high’s, even if the PRaT isn’t quite up to scratch with the HD251’s older drivers.

        Thanks very much for your input. I’ve actually been reading your site all day, i’m quite a fan of your work already – it’s nice to read something that knows the difference between subjective and objective, especially when it comes to reviewing.

        • Reply June 11, 2011

          Anonymous

          Hi LeyTon,
          Yes I’m think the M-50 will be a more suitable tool for your production.
          Give the HD25-1 a try as well and see if you like it better than the
          Audio Technica. The toe-tapping factor is much better on the HD25-1, but
          as you mentioned, the M-50’s driver is more modern and has a better
          frequency range.

  • Reply June 25, 2011

    Zart_zaku

    I will buy ath pro 700 mk2 next month. I will use hifiman hm-601 as the source. Will I still need an amp for it? In audiophile-id, I saw someone sell govibe pkk. Do you think it will be suitable for ath pro 700 mk2.

    • Reply June 25, 2011

      Anonymous

      I haven’t tried that govibe, sorry. HM-601 should be enough though.

      • Reply June 25, 2011

        Zart_zaku

        should i just direct ath pro 700 mk2 to hifiman hm-601 or using fiio e11 or soundmagic a11?

        • Reply June 25, 2011

          Zart_zaku

          sorry i mean soundmagic a10

        • Reply June 28, 2011

          Anonymous

          If you want an amp, I would recommend the E11 over the A10 for the Pro700. The bass is punchier on the E11 and would go in line with the Pro700’s character better.
           

          • Reply June 28, 2011

            Zart_zaku

            so E11 is better than internal amp in hifiman hm-601??

            • Reply June 28, 2011

              Anonymous

              Less refined, but punchier.

  • Reply June 26, 2011

    Eskimoo

    hi, nice review there.
    can we just conluded that Pro700 Mk2 is ultimate DJ / Clubber h.phone which very suitable for Dance, R&B, Techno, Trance (progressive) and House?
    mostly customer eyeing DJ h.phone for it’s ‘more & powerful bass impact’

    aside from seismic bass, how the detail, treble, mid compared to other DJ phone like 181DJ, SRH750DJ, or even highly appraised HD25-1 (which i’m not sure HD25-1 really suitable for clubber music mentioned above even its has PRaT, punchy and perhaps accurate bass) ?

    thanks b4

    • Reply June 28, 2011

      Anonymous

      The Pro700 Mk2 just obliterates everything else when it comes to bass.

      The driver resolution is actually very good and if your ears are
      sensitive enough it is actually more resolving than the HD25-1,
      SRH-750DJ, and even slight better than the 181DJ. However treble
      quantity is very very low, and so it’s hard to see that.

      Treble quantity on the phones you mentioned goes something like this:
      (less to most):
      Pro700 Mk2, SRH-750DJ, HD25-1, AKG K181DJ.

      If you are into club music, I actually suggest headphones that attenuate
      the treble heavily since the recordings are always very sharp on the
      trebles. The Pro700 Mk2 is awesome and another choice is the AIAIAI TMA-1:
      http://www.headfonia.com/aiaiai-tma-1/

      • Reply June 30, 2011

        Eskimoo

        on your analysis with club & electronica, which is better :  AIAIAI TMA-1 or Pro700mk2? 
        thx in advance

        • Reply June 30, 2011

          Anonymous

          I love both.

          TMA-1 is more refined, more detail in the mids. Pro700 Mk2 if you are a true basshead. 

          TMA-1 is like gourmet food. Pro700 Mk2 like fatburger.

          • Reply July 1, 2011

            Eskimoo

            you make me torn apart with that choices.
            not everyone buy both cans. 

            aiaiai not widely available here.
            and for gourmet vs fatburger  .. a bit confusing

          • Reply July 1, 2011

            Anonymous

            Well,
            If the thought of having massive amounts of bass excite you, then the Pro700 Mk2 is for you. If you only said “okay.. ” when you hear about massive amounts of bass, then go for the TMA-1.

            🙂
             

  • Reply August 3, 2011

    Andre.

    Hi Mike,

    Well this article really helps me narrowing my choices of bass head cans. I listen to some types of music including R&B, HipHop, Electro, House Music, and Pop sometimes. I have been looking for a bass head can that can fulfill my need and my choices have come down to :
    1. Audio Technica Pro700 MK 2
    2.Ultrasone HFi 580.
    3. Sennheiser HD25-1 II
    4. Denon AH-D1100.

    I am looking for the cans that can provide lower bass extension (like a subwoofer sound) while still manage to have a bit of bass impact  and control which I think is good for the music that I listen to. I don t really mind with the impact and bass control as long as the bass quantity is greater. I have listened to the beats studio and I think that the bass from that cans is pretty good for R&B song but it seems like it does not have enough bass impact and I don’t like the highs on because it is too sharp and attacking my ears.
    Which of my options from the list above would you recommend? Sound Isolation and comfort is also my main concern prior to purchasing this headphone.
    Thanks,
    Dre.

    • Reply August 4, 2011

      Anonymous

      Hey Dre,
      I think the Pro700 Mk2 will give you the mind blowing bass that you look for, while keeping treble levels reasonably safe.

      • Reply August 4, 2011

        Andre

        Have you listened to the Ultrasone 580? some reviews said that the 580 is recommended for bass head but I am not sure if the can has greater bass quantity than the beats studio. I think the bass quantity that the beats studio provide is good enough for me, but I like the bass to be deeper, punchier and faster while keep maintaining the low extention.
        Do I need an amp to drive this Pro700mk2? If so, what would be the most suitable amp for this pro700mk2? I probably use the Ipod and my laptop to as a source for now.

        Thanks..

        • Reply August 5, 2011

          Anonymous

          Yes the Ultrasone 580 has a good bass, but the Pro700 is more powerful.
          As for amps, I think the Fiio E11 is a good amp to pair it with — of course you can go with better ones if your budget allows. http://www.headfonia.com/the-usual-suspects-12-portable-amps-compared/

          • Reply August 5, 2011

            Andre

            Mike, I purchased the Pro700mk2 and the reason why I chose this over ultrasone 580 and M50 was because Iwanted more bass.. What would be the better amp than the E11? I will probably check out the price first before I buyt it.

            • Reply August 5, 2011

              Anonymous

              If you can afford the Meier Stepdance amp, that will be among the best amp for the Pro700mk2. It will add some bass punch to the mix, but most importantly it will add a very strong bass control.

          • Reply August 5, 2011

            Andre

            Wow.. Mike it is a lot more expensive than the E11. But I have read the reviews and I know it has been given an A+ for an amp.  I will probably go with the E11 since it offers a decent price range for me.. Thanks…

            • Reply August 6, 2011

              Anonymous

              I know, it is quite pricey, but since you asked. 😉

              The E11 it is then.

          • Reply August 5, 2011

            Andre

            Mike, I have read some reviews and they said that this MK2 sounded really awful. It is like having a monster sub without the bass control at all??? and if you listen to the trance music, you can’t even tell when the bass stops because Trance music is a kind of music that has speed in bass and these MK2 bass could not even catch up  and the mids and highs are really recessed. The guy suggested to return this Mk2. The Kicker HP541 sound even better than these mk2.  Is it really that worse? I mean I hope I would like this headphones when I get them. Does providing E11 amp help these mk2 sound much better? Or should I just get the HFI-580 and return this MK2? Do the HFI 580 have more bass quantity than the beats studio?

            Thanks.

            • Reply August 6, 2011

              Anonymous

              I won’t say that the guy who said that is wrong, because when you have a lot of bass, like on the Pro700 Mk2, it’s going to be hard to control them. The only bassy headphone that has crazy bass and just as good control is the JH16 and they did it with four balanced armature drivers. So, that you have to know.

              This is why a good and precise amp like the Meier Stepdance I mentioned earlier helps. The E11 is not as articulate, but it would help. Ultimately it depends on the type of trance as well. If you listen to the really speedy type, the HD25-1 would be better. Smaller bass quantity, still very punchy and good control.

    • Reply August 6, 2011

      Andre

      Mike, I also purchased the Ultrasone HFI 580 and I think I would choose between the Pro700 and the HFI 580. I would return one of them.  Any recommendation for the most suitable amp for the HFI 580S?? 

      • Reply August 6, 2011

        Anonymous

        Budget? I never spend too much time with Ultrasones, but perhaps RSA amps like the Hornet, Mustang, SR71-a and such.

        • Reply August 6, 2011

          Andre

          Budget is around the same with the Fiio E11. Something around $50-70. Thankss

          • Reply August 8, 2011

            Anonymous

            For the Ultrasones I’d proably get the JDSLabs.

    • Reply August 6, 2011

      Andre

      I will probably listen to both pro700mk2 and 580 unamp and will see which one I like more. To be honest, I like the punchy and good control bass but I do not want to lose the lower frequency extension that will make them sound just like a mid bass. I will see how the ultras one 580 sound. Any reference for a good amp that is suitable for the 580?

      • Reply August 6, 2011

        Anonymous

        I think a lot of headphones these days can do lower bass pretty well. The difficult part is getting one that can do lower bass with power and good control. That’s what the LCD-2 does.

        On second thought you seem to be very picky about bass quality, might as well save some money and get the LCD-2.

        Or if your budget is limited, it’s much easier to get good low bass on custom IEMs. The JH5 should be a good place to start. http://www.headfonia.com/recommendations/

        • Reply August 6, 2011

          Andre88s

          I think the best way for me is to listen to them and pick out the best out of them that fit me taste. Then i will try to get an amp for the cans.  Anyways, thank you so much for your help and time.. You have such great reviews..

          • Reply August 8, 2011

            Anonymous

            Thanks, Andre.

    • Reply August 15, 2011

      Andre

      Mike, I auditioned the MK2 and the 580. Personally, I like the MK2 better than the 580. I think the 580’s have too much treble and the high is very very aggressive.  I personally do not like the sound of the 580. I returned them. The mk2 is the bass head can, I do bass lower on my EQ and listen to the Audiophile songs and they sound Ok for me, well but the mid is a bit recessed.  I think somewhere between 2.5k to 6.0k frequency range need to be boosted. Thanks Mike..

      • Reply August 16, 2011

        Anonymous

        Yes the midrange on the Pro700 Mk2 needs to be EQ-ed for a more linear presentation.

        • Reply August 16, 2011

          Andre88s

          I have been listening to the mk2, i have been enjoying the sound.. I am thinking to buy the E11. I am satisfied with the bass quantity and the bass quality is not bad, it is enjoyable. 🙂

          • Reply August 17, 2011

            Anonymous

            Are you listening to it ampless now? If yes the E11 would make things better.

          • Reply August 17, 2011

            Andre88s

            Yes, I am listening with no amp right now. I just ordered the E11, can’t wait to pair them up and listen to it. Thanks mike. I almost bought the Solo HD but, I liked these Promk2 better than the Solo and Studio.

            • Reply August 17, 2011

              Anonymous

              Nice

  • Test it!!!

  • Reply August 11, 2011

    gas thermocouples

    The headphones stay on the ears and they are wireless, many people like runners, people who like go to gym, and walkers like this style. The other features that many Bluetooth headphone earphones give to you is they have volume and track selection features right on the ear piece, so you can keep enjoy to play your music device with ease while exercising.

  • Reply August 18, 2011

    Pedro Malheiro

    Hi. I recently discover this site and I love your reviews.

    Can you help me to decide what to buy?

    I don’t know what to choose between the Hd25-1, M50, and the Pro700Mk2.
    I would like one close headphone that are good in both music kind, and not very good in some kind of music and not so bad in other.
    I think that between the hd25 and the M50, I prefer the M50 because the old drivers of the hd25, and I don’t know if the pro700 will bring to much bass… I like bass but maybe for some kind of music it could be more than the intended… 😐

    I listen musics like,
         300 and Gladiator soundtrack 
         Daft Punk in Tron movie,
         Linkin Park
       
    Adele and Eminem for example

    Best Regards Pedro Malheiro

    • Reply August 19, 2011

      Anonymous

      Pedro,
      I think the HD25-1 or the Beyer DT1350 should bethe two headphones you look at. Please also read the DT1350 review.

      http://www.headfonia.com/beyerdynamic-dt1350-death-to-the-hd25-1/

      • Reply August 19, 2011

        Pedro Malheiro

        thanks very much,  I like the design of the Beyer dt1350 but it’s much more expensive than the hd-25-1 :S

        I’m looking a close and portable headphones most of all for travel at maximum 150€, probably I will choose the hd25-1 II
        Do you think there will be a new version of the hd25 soon?

        Best Regards

        • Reply August 19, 2011

          Anonymous

          Hi Pedro,
          If the budget is limited, then yes just go with the HD25-1.

          I absolutely have no idea if there will be a new HD25-1.

  • Reply September 10, 2011

    Ieatbabyheads

    Disregarding the “bass” when it comes to sound quility, which is better, the PRO700MK2 or Ultrasone HFI-580?

    • Reply September 12, 2011

      Anonymous

      HFI580.

  • Reply September 21, 2011

    Anonymous

    I’ve heard that these babies require a lot of burn in time(almost a month) and the ear pads hurts so bad after long use that one reviewer in YouTube recommended and even replaced it with the M50’s pads.  Is this true? 

    • Reply September 21, 2011

      Anonymous

      It’s a sad fact that almost every reviews these days say that headphones need hundreds and hundreds of hours before they open up. In my experience most headphones settle down within 12-24 hours. 

      As for the pads, the M-50 is softer but I think it would induce more sweating. And different pads would alter the frequency balance so unless you purposedly want to tune it a certain way and know what you are doing, I recommend staying with the stock pads. 

      • Reply September 21, 2011

        Anonymous

        Thanks

  • Reply October 13, 2011

    DJ/G

    What are the best DJ-headphones ?? :O

    Can you make a top 5,?? please!! thank you so much!

  • Reply October 26, 2011

    Jmbassrulz

    would these be good while listening to hardcore/metal music?

    • Reply October 26, 2011

      Anonymous

      Nope, too much bass quantity, and the bass is too slow for metal.

      This is much better for metal: http://www.headfonia.com/sennheiser-hd-25-1/

      • Reply October 27, 2011

        Jmbassrulz

        I have been researching a lot about all different kinds of headphones because I want a durable pair with a lot of bass but also treble and midtone clarity for a reasonable price, and also for more of hardcore style of music. Would you rather go with the HD 25-1 or the AIAIAI TMA-1?

        • Reply October 27, 2011

          Anonymous

          The Pro700 Mk2 and the TMA-1 would not have the treble and midrange clarity that most people are used to.
          The HD25-1 is good with treble and midrange clarity, but I’m not if it has enough bass, since you are asking for a lot of bass.

      • Reply October 27, 2011

        Jmbassrulz

        or what about the ATH-M50 also?i forgot to put that in the list. And im not gonna be using an amp either.

        • Reply October 27, 2011

          Anonymous

          Also not sure, define lots of bass. The M-50 has bass but it’s not exactly a basshead headphone.

          • Reply October 27, 2011

            Jmbassrulz

            I would like to have every drum kick to really “KICK”. 

            • Reply October 27, 2011

              Anonymous

              Okay, I think different people have different standards as to how much of a kick really counts as a kick, if you know what I mean.
              Neverthless, I’ll suggest that you go and try out the Sennheiser HD25-1. It is one of the headphones that have a very good balance between the treble-mid-bass, and a lot of people find it to have a good bass kick without overwhelming the rest of the frequencies.

  • Reply October 28, 2011

    Sorensiim

    Have you ever tried the Ultrasone Pro 900? Deep, impactfull bass AND clear highs and tons of detail…

    • Reply October 28, 2011

      Anonymous

      Yes the Pro900 is a very nice headphone.

      • Reply October 28, 2011

        Sorensiim

        Yeah, I like mine a lot – But how would you compare the bass of the Pro700mk2 to that of the US Pro 900?

        • Reply October 28, 2011

          Anonymous

          Someone asked this earlier when the article was published.

          I actually did a comparison between the two (I should’ve posted this in the article), but it boils down to this: The Pro 900 Ultrasone is a fine hi-fi tuned headphone with good bass and at the same time good clarity. The Pro700Mk2 ATH on the other hand is a skewed, total bass-head headphone with little treble quantity but very massive bass amounts. The bass is much much bigger on the Pro700 Mk2.

          • Reply October 28, 2011

            Sorensiim

            Much bigger bass than the Pro 900? Doesn’t it create some severe resonance in your skull when your eardrums hit each other?

            Damn, the Pro700mk2 sounds like a purebred basshead can!

            • Reply October 28, 2011

              Anonymous

              That’s what’s so fun about it. Lol.

              The purist certainly won’t like it though. 😉 This thing is so guilty of exaggerating the bass.

  • Reply November 1, 2011

    Dj Formation

    I think i my have found some new cans!

    • Reply November 1, 2011

      Anonymous

      Lol. Good for you man!

  • Reply November 1, 2011

    Dj Formation

    I think ive found some new cans

  • Reply November 6, 2011

    J Sleamy

    Hi, do you mind comparing this pro700 mk2 with Sony mdr-xb1000? thanks 🙂

    • Reply November 7, 2011

      Anonymous

      Yea I really need to do that. 🙂

      I’ve only done the comparison up to the XB700-500-300, and from that the Pro700 Mk2 has a far stronger kick on the bass, compared to even the XB700. The bass on the Sony, though plenty (the XB700), is a bit loose as well compared to the Pro700 Mk2. The Sony still has a more proper treble presence though, where the treble is more attenuated on the Pro 700, making it a darker headphone overall.

      • Reply November 8, 2011

        J Sleamy

        looking forward to that Sir 🙂

        from the reviews that i read, xb1000 is way better than xb700.
        so i’m just wondering how the pro700mk2 competes with the xb1000.

        i own the M50 and i’m planning to buy a good “basshead” headphone, but i dont want to have a headphone that only emphasising the low freq while sacrifice (significant) mids and high.
        because in my honest opinion, listening to such headphone would be like putting your ears to a sub-woofer while the satellite speakers are located 10 meters away from the ears. i barely can’t enjoy the music.
        or is it the typical basshead headphone characteristic?

        it’s only my 2 cents though. i’m still kinda novice in this headphone world 🙂
        cheers.

        • Reply November 9, 2011

          Anonymous

          Well, it is the XB1000 so it should be better. As to how much better it really is, that remains to be seen.
          The Pro700 Mk2 will definitely give you that ears in subwoofer sound, and if you still want good treble I think you’d be better off trying the Sony. At least I know that the XB700 doesn’t do that.

      • Reply November 8, 2011

        J Sleamy

        looking forward to that Sir 🙂

        from the reviews that i read, xb1000 is way better than xb700.
        so i’m just wondering how the pro700mk2 competes with the xb1000.

        i own the M50 and i’m planning to buy a good “basshead” headphone, but i dont want to have a headphone that only emphasising the low freq while sacrifice (significant) mids and high.
        because in my honest opinion, listening to such headphone would be like putting your ears to a sub-woofer while the satellite speakers are located 10 meters away from the ears. i barely can’t enjoy the music.
        or is it the typical basshead headphone characteristic?

        it’s only my 2 cents though. i’m still kinda novice in this headphone world 🙂
        cheers.

      • Reply November 11, 2011

        g.peterson

        I have the Ultrasone DJ1, XB1000, and just got the Pro700Mk2 to compare. I feel like the XB1000 has a deeper bass than the Pro700Mk2. This is especially true with bass boost equalization and driven by a Yulong U100. The Pro700Mk2’s bass seems slightly tighter than the XB1000, but the DJ1 has even tighter bass.

        So I feel like the Pro700Mk2 ends up being stuck between the other two: it doesn’t have the deep extension of the XB1000 nor the tightness of the DJ1. It also does seem to have more recessed mids compared to the XB1000 and DJ1.

        Just my initial impressions, YMMV of course…

        • Reply November 14, 2011

          Anonymous

          Hi, Gerber. I think you described the DJ1 and the Pro700 Mk2 quite well. I have yet to listen to the XB1000. Thanks for sharing your impressions.

    • Reply November 7, 2011

      Anonymous

      Yea I really need to do that. 🙂

      I’ve only done the comparison up to the XB700-500-300, and from that the Pro700 Mk2 has a far stronger kick on the bass, compared to even the XB700. The bass on the Sony, though plenty (the XB700), is a bit loose as well compared to the Pro700 Mk2. The Sony still has a more proper treble presence though, where the treble is more attenuated on the Pro 700, making it a darker headphone overall.

  • Reply November 6, 2011

    J Sleamy

    Hi, do you mind comparing this pro700 mk2 with Sony mdr-xb1000? thanks 🙂

  • Reply December 3, 2011

    Guest Sheeert

    I’ve read from other places that this is just a bass monster and all you hear is bass and no clarity at all from vocals and background instruments like piano, sinth, guitar, etc. Is this true? I wanted something that was really punchy in bass and give you that “shock” of boom from bass but still with really good clarity.

    Was wondering how this would compare in the mids and highs against hd25-1 ii or even the V-Moda LP2 or V-Moda m80

    • Reply December 3, 2011

      Mike

      Yes that is right, that’s what the Pro 700 Mk2 is all about.

      If you want good bass punch with good clarity, then the HD25-1 is the one you should get. I’ve never auditioned the V-Modas so I can’t comment, but the HD25-1 has been winning people over for a very long time. Hard to go wrong with that one.

      • Reply December 3, 2011

        Guest Sheeert

        Alright thank you, I just came up with another headphone and still deciding, have you ever tested the Ultrasone pro750? I was wondering how it compares to the HD25-1?

        • Reply December 5, 2011

          Mike

          The driver resolution is better with the Pro750, the soundstage is also more spacious. However some people don’t like the S-Logic’s way of presenting music, and it would also depend on the recording — some works, other doesn’t. The HD25-1 is a more straight forward sound, and it’s easier to pair with mainstream recordings.

  • Reply December 15, 2011

    An Da D'Samster

    Hey I’m planning on buying the ATH Pro700. My question is, would it be comfortable for long distance travels? let’s say about 4-5 hours. Please help! tnx

    • Reply December 16, 2011

      Mike

      Well I can’t really say since it depends on the people who wear it, but comfort isn’t the Pro700’s forte — so I would guess no.

  • Reply January 2, 2012

    Anonymous

    I was thinking of buying this is too much for my budget but there is the Pro500MK2 which appears to me that it is the cheaper version of the Pro700MK2 with 53mm drivers. What do you think about this new model? Also do you have any experience on the Pioneer HDJ500?

    • Reply January 3, 2012

      Mike

      Sorry, I don’t have any experience with either the Pro500 or the HDJ500.

  • Reply January 5, 2012

    headphone_maniac

    Hello mike !
    Thanks for the review and for all the job done in this site !
    I own the ATH-M50 for 2 years now and truly love it , i consider-it a “bass-heavy” headphone and mostly enjoyed it on electro and hip hop , using an other can for classical ,vocal , jazz.
    My question is that : For dynamic music which benefits in my opinion with good bass impact ( less fidelity but so enjoyable music) do you recommand the pro 700 mk II avoer the M-50?
    What about details of those 2 cans ?
    I’m also a little affraid by vocals , are they that bad? i love hip hop and vocals are to me as important as bass impact so is the pro 700mkII worse in this section than the M-50 ( or do the MKII do less than expected for a higher priced headphone than the M50 on vocals)
    I hope you didn’t get me wrong and sorry for english errors if they are any (i’m french)

    Once again thanks for the great job done here, i always found your reviews to be verry good and verry close to what i think and feel!

  • Reply January 16, 2012

    Ed

    Hi Mike,

    Your site is wonderful.  I’ve been enjoying myself reading your reviews , and your honest opinions on Hi-fi gear.  I might be getting this Hps, since I’ve always been a bass head. Your review makes them sound like some really interesting headphones.  I just got one question: Have you heard of the Anniversary edition for this model? They look really nice. I’m just wondering if they might have a different sound, because they have included metal on the casing and the pads a genuine leather according to Audio Technica.

    Thanks so much for your time Mike!

    Ed

    • Reply January 17, 2012

      Mike

      Hi Ed,
      I was just talking with a friend on the anniversary edition Audio Technicas, and yes they relased some limited edition Pro700 Mk2s, but I don’t think I’ll be reviewing it. However I may do a review on the Anniversary Edition M-50, and since I have the stock one to compare it with, we’ll see if the anniversary edition is really any different.

      • Reply January 17, 2012

        Ed

        Yeah, the M50 Anniversary edition look nice as well.  I can tell you that a lot of people might wanna read that review Mike.  Thanks so much for your quick reply.

        I will be looking forward to your insightful write-ups.

        Have a nice day!

        Ed

        • Reply January 17, 2012

          Mike

          You’re welcome, Ed.

  • Reply January 16, 2012

    Ed

    Here’s a pic of the anniversary edition. 

    • Reply January 25, 2012

      Aria Gorba

      those are some sweeeeeeet loking pair of cans.

  • Reply January 25, 2012

    Alexsafyre

    I am right on the verge of either buying this phone, or the ATH-ASW70 – Someone ” in the know ” reccomended this over the Pro 700 yes, bass ” description ” sounds great, but if the ” mids ” are gone – than forget it….I tried the Klipch –  bass heavy too, but there wa absolutely no mid range……Why does everyt hing seem to have to be a comprimise in the ” portable ” market….I am willing to spend good money, but I absolutely will not sacrificed audio quality…..I have an M-50 -and unlike some others, am not that impressed over all, so if it falls short of the M-50  – than I don’t want to risk it……What about he HI_FIMAN 400 – Yes I know MUCH bigger, but it doesn’t seem like if I give up on something, I will find something acceptable DAMM !!!!

    • Reply January 25, 2012

      Mike

      What sort of music do you listen to? And do you want a pure bass monster headphone or something that has good bass and good mids as well?
      Usually bass monster headphones would have some compromise on the midrange.

  • Reply January 25, 2012

    Anonymous

    Okay so I bought the MD50s and found them really flat and not what i was looking for. I wanted something more for entertainment use and therefore am returning them for these. However I see on the headphones it still says “Monitor” headphones. This is just marketing right? I dont want sound that can be called “clinical” or just focused on 100% accuracy, I want something FUN and bass-orientated. So whatsup with the “Monitor” thing? Even if they are MUCH more bass-orientated than the MD50 does the fact they claim to be “Studio Monitoring Headphones” mean the other frequencies are flat and boring? LONG QUESTION SHORT: Are these headphones for entertainment use? And does Monitor status differ from regular consumer headphones? (hoping not)

    • Reply January 26, 2012

      Mike

      I don’t know why people keep on saying that the M50 is a basshead headphone because it certainly isn’t. It’s made to be a monitoring headphone, but it just happens to have a slightly above average bass quantity for a monitoring headphone.
      The Pro700 Mk2 on the other hand is a purebred basshead headphone. I don’t know why the monitoring writing is there.
      Well monitoring usually strives for a flat frequency response and a recording revealing sound. Some people, perhaps they only listen to good recordings, like to use monitoring headphones for music listening. That makes sense if everything you listen to is well recorded. Otherwise, I’d recommend a music listening headphone.
      Please check this list, and pay attention to the ones marked “Hifi”.

      By the way you don’t sound like someone who wants a basshead headphone. I think something with a more Hifi sound may be what you’re looking for.
      http://www.headfonia.com/full-size-headphone-recommendations/

  • Reply February 27, 2012

    Boon Huang

    Hi Mike,

    This site is wonderful and your review is really useful. I wonder how do you compare Pro700 Mk2 with SRH-750DJ?

    • Reply February 27, 2012

      Mike

      The Pro700 Mk2 is a much stronger, bassier headphone than the 750DJ.

      • Reply February 28, 2012

        Boon Huang

        How about the comparison of clarity? Which one is more recessed in mid? I owned 750DJ and changed it to M50s, but I like the sound of 750dj more except its uncomfortable design. I wonder if pro700mk2 is an update from 750dj regarding the bass quality, clarity and mid/high range? 

        Thanks Mike!

        • Reply February 29, 2012

          Mike

          The bass quality and clarity is perhaps better on the 750DJ. Basically the rule of thumb is the bigger the bass quantity, the harder it is to maintain clarity.
          If you’re still concerned with the quality of mid and high range, then you should look into something else, perhaps like the ATH WS-70. The Pro 700 Mk2 is a pure basshead headphone.

  • Reply February 28, 2012

    Zac Caslin

    Did you break them in before the review? Because I got a pair about a week ago and I don’t seem to be getting the huge bass that everyone is talking about. For example my klipshch image one headphones have alot more bass than the 700pro mk2’s. Do I need to just let them break in for a wile longer. Also I tried them with a Fiio E6 and E10.

    Thanks, Zac

    • Reply February 28, 2012

      Mike

      Just the standard break in, nothing too extreme. The klipsch Image One having more bass than the Pro700? Surprising. Honestly I don’t know why your Pro700 Mk2 seems to be so bass light.

    • Reply March 15, 2012

      Autumn Constantine

      It could be that you have a counterfeit.

      • Reply March 15, 2012

        Zac Caslin

        No I baught them from amazon and everything looks good, just not the bass that everybody says it has. Maybe I was exspecting too much from them.

        • Reply March 18, 2012

          Damon Michener

          I’ve had experience with both. In my experience, the Klipsch Image One’s are more naturally bassy in certain frequencies, but the Pro700 Mk2 is good if you use an amplifier with a good bass boost (or have a Cowon MP3 player like I have — the EQ options on my J3 make my iPod Touch’s seem awfully anemic). I will say I vastly prefer the overall sound of the Pro700Mk2’s myself — seems less muffled.

      • Reply March 15, 2012

        Mike

        Yes, very surprised to hear that you don’t get enough bass with it. I can’t imagine any headphone having any more bass than the Pro700Mk2.

  • Reply March 13, 2012

    ARKADIUSZ MIKINA

    Hi Mike

    Your website and reviews are absolutely awesome – thank you for that.

    I am after really bass heavy, full sized closed backs please. They have to be over the ear (circumaural right?) so sit around my ears (hold on the head) – I used akg 181dj now and after 2 hours of listening my ears burn so I presume that’s because akg181s are supra aural and sit mostly on the ears?

    I will be listening only to trance, house and ambient and I love powerful, deep bass no matter what volume it is.

    Can you please confirm if the Pro700 Mk2 are actually circum aural and sit over/around ears and not on them please?
    Are these cans quite loud? my current k181djs are not very loud which is a bit disappointing.
    I like dynamic, loud, banging sound.

    Originally I was settled for technics rp-dh1200 after reading some reviews but after finding your website I am leaning towards Pro700 Mk2 now.
    Do you know how they both compare? Have you ever listened to the rp-dh1200? There is not that much difference in price between them…The others I am considering now would would be xb1000s (did you manage to listen to them? how do they perform in comparison to Pro700 Mk2? altho they are really big and also quite a bit more expesive at 300usd), ultrasones dj1 pro and maybe pioneer hdj-1000/2000…. please help me choose.

    Generally I am after a headphone + mp3 player combo. I was looking a lot and came to conclusion that best sound quality (+ all of the above I am looking for i.e. dynamic, bassy experience + electronica only listened to) is mentioned with cowon j3 mp3 player – do you 
    know this player? could comment on it at all plz?

    If not, do you know some other (just as awesome site as yours) that specializes in PMPs?

    I was also thinking about adding an amp to the equasion but consider most of them to be too expensive until I came across fiios. I had a closer look at E6 and E11.
    Do you think this would make sense with cowon J3 and one of the headphones above? Would it make sense in adding E11/or any amp in this case at all?

    I am looking to buy fairly quickly so was nearly settled on J3 + rp-dh1200 + E11… until now 😀
    I am thinking if I should go the J3 + Pro700 Mk2 + E11 route now? – trouble is I can’t listen to it anywhere that I live. 

    please advise.

    thank you very much

  • Reply March 22, 2012

    Edward Wrigley

    Hi Mike,
    I am looking into upgrading from the Sony xb500/700 to these or the Beats by Dre Pro’s. I used to have the Sony xb700 but swapped them for the 500’s as I felt the 500’s bass punch was better and to my liking. I have tried out the Beats by Dre Pro and I found them to be such a fun headphone, but I suspected they were connected to an amp in the shop, but I am looking into buying the Fiio e11 amp. In your opinion and if you have listened to the Sony and Beats Pro’s, how do they compare to the Pro700 Mk2 in sound quality and bass punch? (Beats Pro is £223.99 and Pro700 Mk2 is £142.80 Amazon UK)

    Much appreciated and as always amazing and helpful reviews! 😀

    • Reply March 22, 2012

      Mike

      Edward,
      If you have listened to the Beats Pro and enjoyed it, then I would just go with that. There is no guarantee that going with the Audio Technica would give you a better overall listening experience, and unless you can personally audition the Audio Technica, I would just go with the headphone that I’ve listened to and enjoy. Yes, the price difference is quite significant, but at the end of the day better to go with something a little more expensive but you can enjoy.

      • Reply March 23, 2012

        Edward Wrigley

        I will try to audition the Audio Technica’s but living in the UK its difficult finding a way of doing so, just wondering how the bass of the Audio Technica’s compare to the Sony’s and Beats Pro.

  • Reply March 23, 2012

    Edward Wrigley

    As you said you haven’t heard any other headphone that has more bass (what I’m looking for is punch) so does that mean they have more bass than the Beats Pro?

    • Reply March 23, 2012

      Mike

      Yes more bass than the Pro..

  • Reply March 23, 2012

    Edward Wrigley

    Sorry double post

  • Reply March 25, 2012

    Prakhar Yadav

    Hey Mike
    I have a couple of questions Im hoping you could answer… Im really looking for that thunderous bass that the Pro700Mk2s offer but Im wondering are the mids decent? I dont need them to be great just good enough. Also would the headphone be able to be powered by an E11?
    Thanks in advance
    Prakhar

    • Reply March 27, 2012

      Mike

      The E11 should be good, but for your mids question, the Pro700 Mk2 is not exactly the headphone you use for intensive vocal listening.

      • Reply April 12, 2012

        Prakhar Yadav

        Have you tried these with the ZO2? And its not that I need a lot of vocals, its just that some of the electronica I listen to has some vocal passages. Would these be able to present them well enough?

        • Reply April 12, 2012

          Mike

          Not with the Zo. No problem with the vocals on electronica, since they are usually mixed into the recording quite differently than other recordings. 

  • Reply March 29, 2012

    Mike Boogey

    i was originally going to get the xb1000’s but looks like sony pulled the plug on these, i loved the xb500 tho, found the bass to be the greatest i have ever heard lol, anyway how would u say the bass on the pro700’s compares to the sony xb500’s? i have a hard time believing the xb500 can be beatin in that department lol, also out of curiousity, have you had a chance to see how these stack against the ultrasone pro900?

    • Reply March 29, 2012

      Mike

      First of all the Pro700 Mk2 has more bass than the Ultrasone Pro900 or the XB500 combined. But on the other hand it’s also a more specialized, all-out bass headphone. For instance if you value things like clarity, the Ultrasone would be the best of the three, while still offering a good strong bass. The XB500s are okay in my opinion. I don’t think the bass quantity or impact can be compared to the Pro700 Mk2, as the difference is quite big.

  • Reply April 16, 2012

    Ceyer Wakilpoor

    Hey Mike
    Thanks for the great review, so I assume these will really shake your head right? Well, I currently own a pair of Shure se215 iem’s, HD25’s and a pair of M50’s, and I absolutely love them, but I would like to color up my collection. I am looking for a hardcore bass head headphone that is more portable than my M50, and these seem to be perfect, with the bass and the detachable cable. Still, I am worried that it may be clinical and I was wondering if they really gave a fun characteristic to the music. Oh and how portable would you say they are and do they have a low profile? Would also be interested in a side by side with the anniversary version 😀 

    • Reply April 16, 2012

      Mike

      Lots of questions there, Ceyer.

      Yes this would be the hardcore basshead headphone, though the size is more or less the same as the M-50. I hope that also answer your question on portability and low profile. 🙂
      I’ve A-Bed the M-50 regular and anniv. version, small differences. I’m inclined to believe that it’s going to be the same case as the Pro700 Mk2.

      • Reply April 17, 2012

        Ceyer Wakilpoor

        Thanks a bunch :D, very helpful ^^. From what I’ve read the Anniversary version uses different drivers, but from the specs they seem identical, I just assume its a different batch. How do you think the Pro700mkii will match with the ZO2? 

        • Reply April 17, 2012

          Mike

          I haven’t used the Pro700 Mk2 with the Zo, but I’d give it a try just don’t go all the way with the contour setting on the Zo.

  • Reply April 19, 2012

    Deniz Zoeteman

    Hi Mike,
    I was wondering if this was the right headphone for me. I am a basshead, but I do like my mids in there. I am a new guy as it comes to high-end headphones. Would these work great for songs like Tiesto & Wolgang Gartner – We Own the Night? That song would sum up what I listen to. Thanks!

    • Reply April 20, 2012

      Mike

      Deniz,
      The Pro700 would be perfect for Tiesto.

  • Reply April 22, 2012

    Max von Hippel

    The PRO 700MK2’s are enormously uncomfortable because they are far too tight, even with m50 earpads.  If ATH fixes this or if someone can come up with a good mod I will be very grateful, but until then I feel like a total schmuck for completely wasting $160 of my hard earned money.

    • Reply April 23, 2012

      Mike

      If you want strong bass, tight pads are a must, unfortunately.

  • Reply April 23, 2012

    Kevin Baculanta

    just got this hp, the bass is nice but your over-hyping this hp man. I expected thundering reverbering gigantic earth-shaking bass, its true the bass is good if your music has good bass in the first place, lesson learned…

  • Reply May 4, 2012

    Josh Bortz

    Hello,

    I am a massive basshead, like you, I also grin and laugh to myself when i hear heart thumping bass. Knowing some other bass heavy headphones, I was wondering if since you said these are good for electronica, will those cymbals and fast hi hats be muffled. I don’t want to spoon out money on a headphone that I can’t return. I love bass and I know that in order to get a lot of it, you compromise the higher spectrum. But in your experience, will a get that sense of ambience, that feeling of rain falling down on your head with a drum and bass song because of those drumkits. 
    Sorry for the long question but thanks for reading!Josh

    • Reply May 4, 2012

      Mike

      Hi Josh,
      In my experience the electronica recordings have always been boosted on the treble region and so with the Pro700 Mk2 I’ve never had a problem with the high frequencies being muffled. As long as you stick to electronica recordings. If you’re gonna use this for Jazz than that’s an entirely different issue.

  • Reply May 7, 2012

    David Eisenblaetter

    Hi Mike,
    I just wanted to thank you a lot, I’m from Germany,
    enthusiastic dubstep, electro, minimal and deep tech house listener even hard style when I want to really kick my brains out 😉 I read your article, ordered these Audio Technica and now am the happiest person 🙂 I used the Bose AE2 before and while these HF are very very nice for classical and vocal driven music, they lack a huge load of bass.
    The Audio Technica sound a little dull in comparison with the bose but the smile they give me while listening to hard bass music is priceless.
    Thanks you and please please keep it up,

    at least now you have to since you know how international your readers are

    Cheers
    David

    • try going back to the Bose now and see how much detail is missing :), I can’t recognize half the frequencies with those.

      • Reply May 8, 2012

        David Eisenblaetter

        The thing is I tested both with a programm that produces test tones from 5 Hz up to 20000 Hz and the AT is much punchier from 5 – 500 Hz while the Bose is more clear and crisp going up. I think it really depends on what music you like and listen to 🙂
        For my application it’s perfectly fine.
        I have a audiofile setup with a good yamaha amp and 4 Magnat speakers at home and a nice setup in my car for that boom boom moments 😉
        So all I was looking for was a fun headfone to take along, that is not as clinical as the Bose with my tipe of music and I think I found it 🙂
        I didn’t want to go with the Beats because they are overpriced and I don’t like them having a small amp built in with a set of batteries, I don’t like Dr. Dre either and I don’t like the looks (Power Ranger) ;P But I had to admid after hearing them that I liked the sound of that big bass in a headfone.
        Thats why I bought the AT and I m happyWith a little treble adjust on the portable amp its alright by the way.
        But indeed you are right the Bose would be the better monitor headfone.
        The AT is much more fun for me though haha

    • Reply May 8, 2012

      Mike

      Hi David,
      So lucky to be living in Germany! I’m happy you enjoy the Audio Technica. The bass is just awesome, isn’t it? I’ve yet to find anything better. 😀
      Cheers

      • Reply May 9, 2012

        David Eisenblaetter

        Yes indeed I haven’t had headfones with more bass, and thats worth nothing when somebody like I say that, but you’ve tested more than every headfone that I knew of so 😉
        By the way I’m so impressed that you answer almost every post! never saw that on any website 🙂
        Just because I saw it on a youtube vid a few seconds ago, did you listen to the pioneer HDJ-2000 before? Could be interesting,
        not that I had huge experiences with pioneer stuff…. 🙂
        Thumbs up and you made me really curious why I’m so lucky living in Germany 😉 hope that was no sarcasm hehe

        Cheers

        • Reply May 9, 2012

          Mike

          Thanks for the kind words, David. I do miss a few comments here and there, but I try my best.

          The Pioneer HDJ-2000, unfortunately no. Germany is a really nice country, I visited Germany twice before and I just love it. The beer, the alps, super nice.

  • Reply June 8, 2012

    Nick Tam

    heck… picked up the ANV edition for a steal of $200, put them on and I really forgot about how much I enjoyed my usual music with my UM3X and Senns 650… the bass is just TOO MUCH FUN!!! THX MIKE!!! =P

    • Reply June 8, 2012

      Mike

      Nick,
      I think we need to celebrate bass head headphones more. 😉

    • Reply June 8, 2012

      Ken Stuart

      Nick – Where did you find it in stock? Even AT themselves are out of stock at the moment…

      • Reply June 8, 2012

        Nick Tam

        I bought them locally in Hong Kong where I live, I actually I found them by chance in a non hi-fi store which probably didn’t have a clue that its price had appreciated long ago. Most hifi stores here do have the Pro700mk2anv but they would usually retail for around $400

        • Reply June 8, 2012

          Mike

          You can find just about anything in Hong Kong.

          • Reply June 9, 2012

            Nick Tam

            Hifi haven here xD
            Most cans and IEMs you can find at good prices here… not those amps that I’ve been looking at though :

            • Reply June 11, 2012

              Mike

              It’s all good since amps tend to do serious damage to your wallet. 😉

      • Reply June 9, 2012

        Nick Tam

        Oh and you can always try http://www.amazon.co.jp provided that you can read Jap to finish the payment procedures 🙂

    • Reply June 17, 2012

      Nick Tam

      Now this is disappointing… the right side drivers blew and it hasn’t even been 2 weeks.

      These things has a rated input of 3500mW and I was listening with 0 gain… AT better have replacements for these

  • Reply June 8, 2012

    Ken Stuart

    Mike – have you compared using the Pro700 Mk2 to simply adding bass EQ to some other high end headphone that already has good bass quality ?

    • Reply June 8, 2012

      Mike

      Ken,
      In my experience you can only EQ so much bass before it’ll get all messed up. The Pro700 Mk2 on the other hand is tuned to be a specialty bass head headphone. It’ll be tough to match it.

  • Reply June 29, 2012

    Jack Kennedy

    Awesome review Mike! I wasn’t even considering these until now.
    Maybe you can help me out; I’m looking for a good pair of closed-back headphones and I can’t really figure out what would fit my needs best. I’ve been looking at the Pro700 Mk2’s, the ATH M-50’s, and the HD25-1’s. I bought the HD558’s not too long ago and I love them. However, I’ve recently gotten into electronica/dubstep/house and the 558’s are good, but not exactly the best with these genres. Which of these do you think would provide the best bass impact/handle these genres while still being able to play other genres (alt rock, acoustic, metal, etc) too?

  • Reply June 30, 2012

    Indra Putu

    I have pro700mk2, but I want more bass, deeper bass, the lowest possible, I found that pro700mk2 is not low enough for my taste, I’m so desperate for a can that brings earthquake to my jaw, I heard about M-Audio q40 & Ultrasone pro 900, do you think it has a better bass compare to pro700mk2?

    • Reply June 30, 2012

      Mike

      More bass is not the same as deeper bass. You can have headphones with lower bass but less bass quantity. If you want earthquakes, what you need is bass quantity and impact and I think the Pro700 Mk2 is pretty maxxed out in that department.

      • Reply June 30, 2012

        Indra Putu

        I think i need to learn more here :). “pretty maxxed out”? so what headphone is the real maxxed out? Thx

        • Reply July 1, 2012

          Nick Tam

          honestly i do think it’s probably because that extremely low bass is probably out of your hearing range anyways. and i would really like to know what is your reference point or cans for having low bass at all

    • Reply May 2, 2013

      Asrona

      Try an amp, it will do just fine. It also depends on, on what portable device you use.

      • Reply May 3, 2013

        Mike

        I think sub-low bass on headphones are severely limited, even when they show up on the graphs, usually you just can’t feel them very well.

    • Reply October 4, 2015

      anonymouse

      You need to EQ to get the deeper bass out, some people use amps with a bass switch. Its just a must for bassheads. EQ and you should be fine (btw not all EQs are equal).

  • Reply July 23, 2012

    Juan Carlos Rodriguez

    I just order the MK2, I have a Cowon X7 and I was thinking of getting the fiio E17 or the E11, I’m leaning more so to the E17 to pick up on the mids and stile have great bass, or will it not make a difference at all. I have the AT M50 and I love them with instrumental music but for electronica or hard style I’m getting the MK2, I’m also going to get the AKG K550 in the future.

    P.S. Sorry If I miss spelled anything I’m for Mexico.
    Your review was great and that’s why I a picked the MK2 over the XB 1000 or other headphones very nice work.

    • Reply July 25, 2012

      Mike

      Thanks, Juan.

      I just got the chance to listen to the XB1000. It’s very nice, but very different from the Pro700 Mk2. Ultimate bass, Pro700 is still king.
      I may do an XB1000 vs Pro700 Mk2 comparison if I have the time. 🙂

      • Reply July 30, 2012

        Juan Carlos Rodriguez

        That sound’s really good, since the XB1000,
        AIAIAI TMA-1, and the pro 700 mk2 were my 3 top pick for a bass headphone but as seen the mk2 was Mi pick mainly because of the kick on the bass, any how I hope that comparison helps people to see if they want a big kick in the bass of a dark headphone or something little less dark with more mids or highs I,m looking forward to your comparison.

        P.S. I do want the XB1000, they look so comfy, but people that have them think they are to big for comfort. (Plus I Pick the MK2s because of portability and good bass with out and amp.)

        • Reply August 1, 2012

          Mike

          Alright Juan.. it should be a good comparison. 🙂

  • Allen & Heath Xone XD2-53s or Audio-Technica ATH-PRO700MK2s have a flatter frequency response?

    • Reply August 18, 2012

      Mike

      Sorry, the Allen & Heath I’m not familiar with. The ATH Pro700 is not exactly flat. It’s a über bass heavy phone.

  • Reply August 18, 2012

    sunand jose

    Thanks for your great review ,i got this superb headphone from amazon,your review is absolutely right,I have one Denon AHD 1100, but Audio Technica pro700 mk2 will beat any headphones in this price range with its huge bass and clarity of sound, I have no words about the bass its produced…

    Simply …fantastic and mindblowing..

    • Reply August 20, 2012

      Mike

      Glad you’re enjoying the Pro700 Mk2. 🙂

  • Reply August 18, 2012

    sunand jose

    Hi Mike,
    what is the best sound card for drive this headphone for my system?

  • Reply November 15, 2012

    Faris Hadi

    Hello Mike,

    Greetings from Malaysia. I’d like to know in terms of bass comparison, would you say the V-Moda Crossfade LPs has more bass punch as compared to the AT Pro700Mk2s? I have the Crossfades, but the AT looks real good too. Am considering purchasing one soon. Your reply will be much appreciated. Cheers mate.

    • Reply November 15, 2012

      Mike

      Faris, sorry I don’t have the Crossfade LPs. The Pro700 Mk2 is a monster bass headphone I’ve heard.

  • Reply May 1, 2013

    Asrona

    HI,

    It seems, i like the Pro MK2, but is there a headphone other than pro mk2 which has good comfort, fairly good soundstage and the most important part, subwoofer like bass, solid bass, like the mk2?

    Thanks

    • Reply May 1, 2013

      Asrona

      I bought the Sennheiser 25hd, and the sound was not good enough. My friend and even some headphone review sites, recommended them but it is not good enough, sound is flat and the bass, not powerful enough. soundstage, almost none. i really need to find a headphone shop where i can try out headphones. But there is not any where i live. So it sucks. That is why this time i will by a good high end headphone, but not sure.

    • Reply May 1, 2013

      Mike

      Well you can’t have it all, otherwise we won’t be talking about this if you can find a headphone with similar bass bit better soundstage and comfort.

      • Reply May 1, 2013

        Asrona

        Well ok, i see what you mean there. So what you are telling me, i can’t have a headphone with good soundstage, with a solid bass, like the mk2. ?
        The reasonable thing would be then i might prefer the subwoofer like bass MK2 has.
        I listned to them, tried them out, they sounded good, but the comfort. Not good. Keep in mind, for you out there, this headphone doesn’t have good comfort. Too bad.

        • Reply May 1, 2013

          Mike

          Yeah sort of like that.

          Also I have to say that this isn’t the most comfortable headphone out there

  • Reply June 13, 2013

    frangameister

    G’day Mike, I do have Pro700MKII paired with Fiio E17/E12 and happy with bass but the comfort side of it well… its ok on short listening sessions. Its not the head clamp that bothers me its the band that gives me discomfort. Its more of the bass firstly and portability I am after. I was given a viable option why not go for Ultrasone Pro900 for bass but If portability I am really after ATH-WS99 will be the better option.

    No doubt ((BASS)) on Pro700MKII but I would like to get some thoughts in comparison to Ultrasone Pro900 & ATH-WS99 both sound, comfort & portability.

    I hope you can give me some of your valuable views on this, thank you.

    xs – Keep up the good work. I enjoy reading your reviews.

    • Reply June 13, 2013

      Mike

      Uls Pro900 is nice and it does have bass but not quite at the level and quantity of the Pro700. The WS series I’ve only heard the 55 and 77. And like the Pro900 they are also good but not Pro700 quantity.

  • Reply September 16, 2013

    Alex

    Hey, i was just wondering if anyone else had problems with the 700mk2’s having absolutely no bass. there is literally none. i dont know what im doing wrong, or if i have a defective pair.

    • Reply September 16, 2013

      Mike

      That is really weird… defect? Manufacturing inconsistency?

  • Reply November 2, 2013

    Krzysztof Pomarancza

    Thank You for great review and all your comments!!! You are amazing!
    At the same time I’m a little bit surprised why you haven’t write any word about outside noise isolation.
    I would love to hear which one of this free headphones ”TMA-1”, HD 25 II” or ”Pro700 Mk2” dealing the best with outside noise (has best isolation). This is very important for me because i just hate increase volume each time when im entering noisy surroundings.
    Greetings from berlin
    Kris

    • Reply November 2, 2013

      Mike

      Hi Kris,
      The pro700 isolates far more than the aiaiai and also a bit more than the hd25

  • Reply November 10, 2014

    Thach M Truong

    Thank you for the awesome review Mike. I’m gonna buy the pro700mk2 next week but I just want to ask which amp should i get to go with it? Does the CmoyBB sound good to you? I can only handle under $100 amp

  • Reply November 13, 2014

    Thach M Truong

    Hello I would love to know your comparison between Pro700mk2 and Pro500mk2. How different are they and is the pro700mk2 a strong step up? Thank you very much in advance

  • Reply March 5, 2015

    Marius Haugan

    I wonder how the bass in these compares to the infamous JVC HA-SZ2000’s…!

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