M-Audio Q40 Impressions (long w/pics) - Page 55

Got my Q40s today. Sound-wise they seem just as good as my friend's DT770s for the most part. However, the comfort leaves a bit to be desired. I am probably going to order the Beyer ear cushions for it but I also don't like how hard they seem to clamp. I'll stretch them out over some CDs/a speaker or something but I hope they get better (Don't want them really loose but they were clamping on my jaw quite a bit, making it uncomfortable to even talk)

you should definitively get the beyer velours. it is like night and day comfortwise

Yeah, I figured, but how do they effect the sound (if at all)

maybe a tad wider soundstage, thats all.

 

Actually the mids become also slightly more recessed/distant sounding. There's even been people reverting to stock pads due to that. What I did to mine was to apply a rather thin layer of papertowel underneath the stock pads, so it gets deeper but I noticed as soon as I made it too thick the mids indeed will start to sound thinner so I only made it as deep as needed for the ears to not constantly touch the foam rings.

 

It's a tendency I've heard in several different headphones when making the pads deeper, the midrange is the first to start sounding more distant, they become less warm/smooth and more bright sounding by doing so.

Edited by RPGWiZaRD - 1/8/13 at 1:41pm

Hmm, that's a shame as I don't find the stock pads that comfortable as they sit on my ears rather than around them.

 

Really? For me they fit fine around the ears, you must have pretty large ears, I already concider mine to be above midsize/large. Ofc the soft part of the ear doesn't fit inside in almost any headphones for me but since it's so soft it's like hard to tell if it's inside or not but most likely isn't but as long as the bonepart is inside it usually is ok for me and feels "around-ear".

Edited by RPGWiZaRD - 1/8/13 at 4:55pm

I'm considering ordering a pair of these.  Do they still have issues with the cable, or has M Audio fixed this issue

There is no comparison.I've had both the DT 770/80ohm and the Q40.Sound wise?The Q40s blew the beyers away in every aspect except soundstage.But i still have not heard a headphone that has speaker monitor bass like them.And no matter how much power they receive.They hardly ever distort.The DT 770/80 would distort very easily when pushed.
Edited by Nirvana1000 - 1/9/13 at 12:27am

 

I used to use papertowels to push up the pads, but have found gauze works better (available in any pharmacy). Softer, easier to work with, and doesn't muck with the midrange as much. 

I have had two of the stock cables break recently. Its a pain, but it's fine since you can replace them.

However, I haven't seen anyone find an ideal replacement cable yet. There are a few threads about this but no standard replacement cable that people buy to my knowledge.

I use the V-Moda Audio only cable, and it works well.

Got the Beyer pads on. Will install my Xonar DG tomorrow. Sound pretty good to me so far. Slightly more recessed but I think the comfort trade off will be worth it (For me anyway, huge head, huge ears and glasses ^^)

Edited by Mackem - 1/10/13 at 12:55pm

Just did the Beyer pad mod today myself:)  Wasn't able to find the 770 pads so I ordered the black 990 Velour pads.  People say the 770's have better characteristics then the 990's but so far I have no complaints. The mids are a little harder to distinguish but the comfort is 100% worth it...  They feel wonderful on my head now and I could wear them all day!!  Still doing my burn in process now, rolling up to 30 hours of play time since I received them Tuesday morning.  Hoping the mids fill in after the speakers are worked in a bit, if not I've heard a small amp helps fill the void 

Hmm, I sort of noticed something with my Q40s and not sure if it's normal. On the left earcup, the part of the housing that has 'M-Audio' written on it sort of rattles if if put my fingers on each side of the rectangle(?)-thing with M-Audio written on it and move up and down.

 

EDIT: I basically put my fingers where the red and blue dots are and move up and down and it moves/rattles:

 

Edited by Mackem - 1/11/13 at 3:17am