So I had some time with the Mad Dogs now. Here are my thoughts on them vs the HD650, K702, D-2000, and ATH-M50. All of which I have lying around me right now.
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MrSpeakers Mad Dog (w/ comfort strap) vs.
Sennheiser HD650, Denon D-2000, AKG K702, Audio Technica ATH-m50.
Comfort -
Sennheiser HD650 - Very good. Average clamping force is mitigated by the sot velour pads and comfortable headstrap. Long listening sessions have proven to be somewhat uncomfortable, though, due to slightly more clamping than I would prefer.
Denon D-2000 - Legendary. Next to no clamping force, extremely soft ear pads. Gently hugs your head without ever being slightly uncomfortable.
AKG K702 - For short listening sessions they are very comfortable. However once worn for mroe than 30 minutes or so the headbands pressure point at the very top of your head becomes irritating, to the point of significant discomfort. Very light clamping force ensures that this is really the only point at which the headphones become uncomfortable, but it honestly seems like this would've been an easy problem to avoid with a slightly different headband design. For long listening sessions, I would rate this last in the group.
Audio Technica ATH-m50 - Initially comfortable due to some not very soft pads, and heavy clamping force on the head. This lessens over time, and once broken in can be worn for hours without significant discomfort.
MrSpeakers Mad Dogs - Extremely comfortable. Very nearly as pleasent as the D-2000. The only real difference between the two in head feel is that the Mad Dog are heavier, and clamp slightly more. The extremely soft pads are as nearly as luxurious feeling as the D-2000's.
Ranking -
Long listening sessions - D-2000,(very close) Mad Dog, HD650, ATH-M50, K702
Short Sessions - D-2000, (very close)Mad Dog, K702, HD650, ATH-M50
Song by Song Comparison
The Aristocrats - Bad Asteroid - I like this song (and this album) because the near perfect mix allows the intricacy of each instrument in this three piece to shine through.
Mad Dog vs HD650 - The extra extension in the low frequencies really helps seperate the bass guitar from the 6 string guitar. I find the depth resolution on the drums to be pretty equal in both cases. Cymbals have a distinctly different character in each headphone, with the Mad Dogs tending to have a slightly warmer high end shimmer. I have a slight preference for the sound of the cymbals on the HD650, sounding ever so sligthly more 'in the room' than on the Mad Dog, however the Mad Dogs sound more real and live as a total package, especially in regards to the bass guitar.
Mad Dog vs K702 - The lack of low end extension on the K702 is REALLY felt here. I find the imaging on the K702 to be somewhat lacking as well, in comparison to the Mad Dog. At some of the more intense moments, the bass is nearly lost behind the wailing guitars and drums.
Mad Dog vs ATH-M50 - I've always felt that the M50 punched far, far, above their asking price, and this song furthers that. Depth resolution is nearly nonexistant compared to the Mad Dog, and this has a similar problem to the HD650 where the instruments all feel very crammed together (with the exception of the Cymbals), but the M50 keeps up admirably in the quieter sections, and I find myself only really being dissapointed with the sound of the electric guitar in comparison to the Mad Dog.
Mad Dog vs D-2000 - The D-2000 present a very fun sound, with both a lot of brightness and a lot of bass. Despite the bass, they lack the lushness of the Mad Dog. The brightness also has a tendency to become fatiguing as I find these have the most intense top end of any headphone I own. Despite the bass's extension, it does not resolve itself as well as the Mad Dog, occasionally showing that there is a solid bass line going on, but making it difficult to resolve what it actually is.
Ranking - Mad Dog, HD650, D2000, K702, ATH-M50.
nervous_testpilot - Switch (from the Frozen Synapse Soundtrack)
If you're familiar with this song, you'll know it has a nearly overwhelming Bass slam, and as such can be difficult to get a good experience on a headphone. I think at least two of our contendors will be able to do an admirable job trying, though.
Mad Dog vs HD650 - The Mad Dog have an incredibly low bass extension, and that does a great job of hitting you hard when is necessary. The slam of the bass combined with the feeling of space presented by some of the higher melodies is really nice in this song. The 650 fare a little better than I had expected at the start of the song, but most of the slam is lost when the music picks up in intensity with other sounds coming in. No other aspect of the song really lags behind, but unlike Bad Asteroid, I don't really hear anything the 650 seems to be doing 'better' than the Mad Dog.
Mad Dog vs K702 - The bass line is buried even more deeply than the HD650 in this test. I've never felt the K702 to be a good headphone for bass heavy electronic music, and this is reinforced here.
Mad Dog vs ATH-m50 - Finally some bass slam. One gets the impression it might be a bit much though, seeming to be a tad too muddy for its own good as it feels like it might be slightly compressing other frequencies (and not in the sidechained sense that electronic music is written to compress) and not properly integrating with the music. Still, this is the best competition for the mad dogs so far.
Mad Dog vs D-2000 - For this song, this is the main event. The D-2000 are known for their slamming bass, and this is the chance to prove it. In terms of sub bass quantity, they are clearly winning here. With better sub bass resolution than the M-50, I can see a reall bass head preferring these to the Mad Dogs in this song. They do not sound as as effortlessly pleasent as the Mad Dogs outside of the sub bass realm, and their imaging is lacking comparing to the Mad Dogs, but these definitely bring the slam.
Ranking - Mad Dog (tie) D-2000 , ATH-M50, HD650, K702.
Christopher Tin - Baba Yetu
This song needs no introduction. Made famous as the title track in Civ 4, I'll be listening to the version on Christopher Tin's cd, "Calling All Dawns".
Mad Dog vs HD650 - Picking out the first swell in the first verse, with the female voice chiming in after, the Mad Dog sounds noticeably more real here and 'in the room' here. Frankly the first time I came to this part it was a little spooky. This continues through the whole song, with voices just feeling more natural on the Mad Dog. The 650 provide a nice listening experience, but one gets the sense there is something a little funny going on in the frequency range between the middle and top of the male voice, and between the lower mid and mid section of the female voice which just doesn't sound as natural as the Mad Dog. This isn't really something noticeable unless directly compared though.
Mad Dog vs K702 - If there is any song these headphones will shine it, it's this one. I've always felt the K702 was fantastic at handling the female voice, and was excited to see how it compared in this song. And shine it does. It colors the voice differently than the Mad Dog, but the sense of distance is greater in the K702, which lends it towards feeling like your listening from farther away, and the difference in coloration of the voice plays nicely with that so that they both feel natural. The Mad Dog however feels more intimate. Like you're right infront of the performers, and they're singing right into your face. The K702 is a somewhat more distant sound, as if you're seeing the Soweto gospel choir (who performed this song) at a venue. While I prefer the Mad Dog for this intimacy, I'd stop short of calling it better, but rather just call it different.
Mad Dog vs ATH-m50 - I knew this was not going to be a kind comparison to the M50, and while they performed adequately enough that I wouldn't hesitate to reccomend the headphones (especially for the asking price), some odd resonances in both voices (but especially the female voice) lend it a less realistic feel than the others so far.
Mad Dog vs D-2000 - The D-2000 fall somewhere between the HD-650 and ATH-m50 in this song. The D-2000's weak point for me has always been vocal sibilance. The dry male voice and female vocalist bring this out quite clearly. It still sounds awesome, don't get me wrong, but there is just something off about the voices that taints the experience of such a vocal heavy song. The problem is essentially the same as the 650 experiences, though a little more pronounced.
Ranking - Mad Dog, (close) K702, HD650, (close) D-2000, ATH-m50
Thats it. The Mad Dog won or tied every round, which honestly rather surprised me. Needless to say they are now my go to headphones and I couldn't be more pleased with them. Especially considering I spent less on them than any other headphone in the test save for the ATH-m50. I still want to stress that each of these headphones tested is FANTASTIC, and will absolutely obliterate anything you might be used to that you got at radio shack and think sounds good (including the Monster beats). The Mad Dogs are just an insane value proposition though.
Feel free to hit me with any questions you might have.
Sometimes I get self conscious that I'm too enthusiastic about this headphone. Then I put them back on and they impress me all over again.
