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Victor HP-FX500 Review: World's first Wood Canalphones - Page 8

post #106 of 1086
5/6/09 at 4:51am
gadgetman...

Thanks for that

The wording on the left, 'Wood unit and housing', it shows as black on the image, and with a wood effect background, on my box is different, mine being (iirc) in gold, and darker gold - So, there is still a vague hope that FX1000s are different to FX500s... Time will tell I'm sure...
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post #107 of 1086
5/6/09 at 7:05am
For those of you who had a chance to do some comparisons, how do the fx500s compare to today's offerings (monster turbines, ie7...)?
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post #108 of 1086
5/6/09 at 4:13pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jazz9 View Post
For those of you who had a chance to do some comparisons, how do the fx500s compare to today's offerings (monster turbines, ie7...)?
Jazz9...

I will reply to both threads with this exact same post (as we still haven't worked out 100% if the FX1000 = EU version of JPN FX500)

The FX1000 smokes the IE8... now, I do not say that lightly, especially after heading a 200+ page thread singing the praises of the IE8...

The JVCs make the Senns sound flat, and lifeless, with a souless midrange (maybe that goes some way to explain some of the disappointment in the IE8 thread) - The JVCs have so much life / energy, but without needing to go harsh or shrill, and their soundstage is not shabby either!

The only thing that would put a fair few people off of these is the bass, which is VERY deep / impactful, then again, for those with Cowon players, or those with rockboxed players that have good EQs, it would be easier to tame the bass of the JVCs than to boost the other frequencies on the IEs...

By far, the best genres for the JVCs are live music (sublime!) and instrumental / female vocalists (eargasms!!)... - I am re-finding music I didn't even realise that I'd forgotten!!

This is with only approx 20hrs on the JVCs, so maybe I'm a little forward with their praise, but - these are early impressions

Now, for my own sanity, I really need someone who has the FX500 and IE8 to post their own opinions, to see if they mirror mine with the FX1000...
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post #109 of 1086
5/8/09 at 11:28am

Hi guys... Just ordered my HP-FX500 from eBay since I'm in the 'States...

I have every reason to belive the transaction is legit, eBay being eBay ah well.

Not too late to the party I hope...

I have a pair of the HA-FX300R from JVC, and they are so wonderful I just had to try the "high class" wooden version...

I've got 200 hours or so on the FX-300's and I'm really impressed. So Impressed I tore the paper on the corner of one of the drivers which led me to investigate into the Fabric Diaphragm Mod and wow, now they sound even better.

I agree that for bass they bowl over the competition. I can't wait to see how much more "refined" the Woodies will sound.

Anyway I'm eagerly awaiting receipt of shipment now, something to look forward to. :-D

Best to Everyone...
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post #110 of 1086
5/16/09 at 3:19pm

Just Recieved!!! I'm listening!! W00 H00!!

...and I'm _excited_ by the beautiful Reference Grade sound that's subtly pouring into my ears ever so gently...

I don't want to say too much, as these have had exactly 00:04:24 sec of playtime... but they are SO MUCH better than everything that I've heard before.

They are out on top with a tad bit of harshness in the mids, which I'm sure will settle down after 2 to 3 hundred hours of nice burn in time...

Listening to my 'reference' track, a FLAC file ripped with rubyripper on Gentoo Linux, which is an Exact Audio Copy clone utilizing Audited Rips and cdparanoia... the track is "Doctor" which is a Doctor Who theme song remix done by Orbital off of "The Altogether" (disc 1), and is a brilliantly well mastered piece of musique concrete gone Techno. So symphonic. So aetherial...

I've spec'ed all of my headphones and mods with that track, and know it intimately on 'phones and on speakers...

I'll keep everybody posted with what I notice about my personal experience with them, and hope that more folks get lucky enough to enjoy these marvels of audio engineering. !!!

Bliss Out!
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post #111 of 1086
5/16/09 at 9:12pm
Yes, the woodies are VERY good... they are, relatively speaking, amazing value if you get the FX500 at the Japanese price - hey, I think they're good value in their FX1000 guise, paying the massively inflated UK price
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post #112 of 1086
5/17/09 at 7:30pm
If they are so good, why arent they much more popular?
so far, i read only good comments on them, but slightly worried to import them!
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post #113 of 1086
5/17/09 at 10:31pm

At only 17 hrs are more musical than the HA-FX300... Nice

I wouldn't be worried to import them. I did, and they're fine. They were promptly delivered from Japan, and quite respectfully packaged!

They're worth every cent, erm Pound, GBP to be precise, that I paid for them.

They're what I hoped they'd be: Somewhat "rounder" and more "cohesive" in tone than the somewhat more analytical-by-comparison, HA-FX300's, yet somehow these sound Higher in Resolution, ? anyone else noticing that??

Also, they're a tad "brighter" but have a "rounded" bightness, like well-modeled highlights in a Black & White photograph... They're almost "bassy" treble highlights... Very nice indeed. Almost as if the Wood Dome gives the highest treble tonalities a soft yet crisp enough edge, at a higher resolution than the Bi-metal is capable of pulling off.

I'd like to 'hear' some confirmation on this, and hope I'm not the only guy with both types of earphone to do a review...

I'll keep everyone posted along the way. Boy am I a happy camper so far!!
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post #114 of 1086
5/17/09 at 11:49pm
Thread Starter 
they are not popular here as they are a japanese-only release. other sites have to import them for big price hikes for one and victor don't really market much outside japan anyway except a few models.

do i love the fx500? yes. they are very good.

if i was to review them at TouchMyApps, I would give them a Grab. Basically, the cable should be about 10 cm longer and should be a bit more durable (non-crystalising) and the highs should come out a bit more. I found however, that if you remove the filter at the end of the tube, the highs come out a bit more and the phone is nearly perfect.
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post #115 of 1086
5/18/09 at 12:48am
Duncan,
How can we be sure that the JVC and Victor versions are indeed the same? I'm very interested in one of them.......
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post #116 of 1086
5/18/09 at 12:49am
Quote:
Originally Posted by FLACvest View Post
I wouldn't be worried to import them. I did, and they're fine. They were promptly delivered from Japan, and quite respectfully packaged!

They're worth every cent, erm Pound, GBP to be precise, that I paid for them.

They're what I hoped they'd be: Somewhat "rounder" and more "cohesive" in tone than the somewhat more analytical-by-comparison, HA-FX300's, yet somehow these sound Higher in Resolution, ? anyone else noticing that??

Also, they're a tad "brighter" but have a "rounded" bightness, like well-modeled highlights in a Black & White photograph... They're almost "bassy" treble highlights... Very nice indeed. Almost as if the Wood Dome gives the highest treble tonalities a soft yet crisp enough edge, at a higher resolution than the Bi-metal is capable of pulling off.

I'd like to 'hear' some confirmation on this, and hope I'm not the only guy with both types of earphone to do a review...

I'll keep everyone posted along the way. Boy am I a happy camper so far!!
Are you talking the same HA-FX300s on sale for $30.99 (black) on Amazon? That good?
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post #117 of 1086
5/18/09 at 3:05am
Quote:
Originally Posted by cn11 View Post
Duncan,
How can we be sure that the JVC and Victor versions are indeed the same? I'm very interested in one of them.......
cn11...

We can't until one of us gets both pairs and compares them, but, I for one am totally out of 'Head-Fi' money after getting the X
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post #118 of 1086
5/18/09 at 1:04pm
Thread Starter 
mate, you took one for the team, though i hear there is another
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post #119 of 1086
5/18/09 at 1:11pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by shigzeo View Post
mate, you took one for the team, though i hear there is another
I do believe that you are well informed ;o)

The woodies will take over the world... one person at a time...
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post #120 of 1086
5/18/09 at 2:09pm
Thread Starter 
well Duncs (if i may call you that), i have been chatting with that other person and well.. i have even in the recesses of my black mind wished i had not sold them. my decision was based not on sound but on practicality. i needed only iems that work whilst bashing through the bush or clean roads on my beautiful marinoni fango bicycle. haha.

the victor did not do that. cord too short and well, i did not want to sweat on the beautiful housing. when you get a bit more used to them, you may 'want' to pull out the blackfilter paper that sits atop the nozzle. i found that a nice sound upgrade. funny how long it has taken for this thread to get any action! just needed a few big names to post up!
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