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The JVC HA-S500.. Appreciation, fan thread. - Page 68

post #1006 of 6334
9/4/12 at 1:42am

Let these burn in for about 150 hours. The bass definitely has mellowed out. I think the highs are still not as sharp as they could be. The mid-range has developed. Still feels a bit veiled but I really like them a lot more than I did when they first arrived. I think they are a great buy for the money.

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post #1007 of 6334
9/4/12 at 7:51am

My velour pads  http://www.ebay.de/itm/261084114242?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649#ht_2912wt_857 just arrived.

 

First impressions:

 

Bass : does get reduced indeed. Will quantify by how many dBs time permitting. Does not change in definition. Definitely not something a basshead will crave for. I would call it about right, maybe a tad less than totally flat, but never gets overwhelming or fails to support the music with fundamentals needed. "Boring" in the positive meaning of the word, does not draw attention to itself.

 

Isolation : expectedly worse, but no biggie.

 

Treble/soundstage/airiness : I chose to rate these three as a single category due to the fact that these earpads literally transform HA-S500 from (bassy/ In your face/with occasional tendency to shout) headphone with constricted soundstage into something with much more rafined manners and much, much more satisfiying soundstage presentation, both in width and depth. Now you can almost "count wires" on delicate jazz cymbal work, for example. I do not have the time needed to do A/B against AKG K 1000 at the time, but the humongous gap between the two regarding soundstage/airiness is certainly reduced with these pads.

 

Midrange: improves further due to the above.

 

These earpads reduce the sound level compared to stock ones by about dB or two - you will have to open the volume a bit more. But BEWARE of Telarc 1812; they were on the very edge of possibility with stock pads, 2 dB more might prove too much for them; use caution and common sense.

 

Now they are much more comfortable and improvement in treble definition keeps freaking me  out - listening to http://www.amazon.com/Dafos-Hart/dp/B000008GEY at the moment from the Rykodisc CD. You can look for it on YT, but the usual blues regarding SQ applies too much for me to post any of the links available. Wish I still had my copy of the awesome Reference Recordings LP pressed on arguably the best thing EVER produced by the JVC - their vynil analogue LP records...

 

That much after about 90 minutes after opening the box and fitting the velour pads.

 

As always, enjoy your music !

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post #1008 of 6334
9/4/12 at 10:47am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dsnuts View Post

Just awesome sauce

angry_face.gif

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post #1009 of 6334
9/4/12 at 12:19pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by analogsurviver View Post

My velour pads  http://www.ebay.de/itm/261084114242?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649#ht_2912wt_857 just arrived.

 

First impressions:

 

Bass : does get reduced indeed. Will quantify by how many dBs time permitting. Does not change in definition. Definitely not something a basshead will crave for. I would call it about right, maybe a tad less than totally flat, but never gets overwhelming or fails to support the music with fundamentals needed. "Boring" in the positive meaning of the word, does not draw attention to itself.

 

Isolation : expectedly worse, but no biggie.

 

Treble/soundstage/airiness : I chose to rate these three as a single category due to the fact that these earpads literally transform HA-S500 from (bassy/ In your face/with occasional tendency to shout) headphone with constricted soundstage into something with much more rafined manners and much, much more satisfiying soundstage presentation, both in width and depth. Now you can almost "count wires" on delicate jazz cymbal work, for example. I do not have the time needed to do A/B against AKG K 1000 at the time, but the humongous gap between the two regarding soundstage/airiness is certainly reduced with these pads.

 

Midrange: improves further due to the above.

 

These earpads reduce the sound level compared to stock ones by about dB or two - you will have to open the volume a bit more. But BEWARE of Telarc 1812; they were on the very edge of possibility with stock pads, 2 dB more might prove too much for them; use caution and common sense.

 

Now they are much more comfortable and improvement in treble definition keeps freaking me  out - listening to http://www.amazon.com/Dafos-Hart/dp/B000008GEY at the moment from the Rykodisc CD. You can look for it on YT, but the usual blues regarding SQ applies too much for me to post any of the links available. Wish I still had my copy of the awesome Reference Recordings LP pressed on arguably the best thing EVER produced by the JVC - their vynil analogue LP records...

 

That much after about 90 minutes after opening the box and fitting the velour pads.

 

As always, enjoy your music !

 

Analogsurviver.....you hear those velour pads exactly like I did, less bass(about right), and bigger soundstage, sparkle, more delightful mids!

 

"Dead Can Dance", "Anastasia" album, much improved with the velour pads....thanks for the recommendation of "Dead Can Dance", have two of their albums now...live performance is over the top! 

 

Thanks for the post!


Edited by cute - 9/4/12 at 12:23pm
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post #1010 of 6334
9/4/12 at 12:39pm
Thread Starter 

Listening to my HA-S500s now. I have lost track of how many hours I had them on the burn. Easily over 400 hours and I have to say these are seriously giving competition to my other full sized headphones. Around the 200 hour mark I stated how the mids was much more forward at the time. I don't think they have changed much since but I can say the detail and clarity is at an all time high. HD sound is in full effect. Everything just pops on these headphones for me. The sound is shockingly great. Yes Awesome sauce!!

 

It will be a shame that many headfiers will skip this thread and this headphone thinking these are your average garden variety portable on ears because they are cheap. You guys know better. You should by now.. Happy listening fellas...

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post #1011 of 6334
9/4/12 at 12:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dsnuts View Post

Listening to my HA-S500s now. I have lost track of how many hours I had them on the burn. Easily over 400 hours and I have to say these are seriously giving competition to my other full sized headphones. Around the 200 hour mark I stated how the mids was much more forward at the time. I don't think they have changed much since but I can say the detail and clarity is at an all time high. HD sound is in full effect. Everything just pops on these headphones for me. The sound is shockingly great. Yes Awesome sauce!!

 

It will be a shame that many headfiers will skip this thread and this headphone thinking these are your average garden variety portable on ears because they are cheap. You guys know better. You should by now.. Happy listening fellas...

 

I haven't even considered buying anymore headphones since I got these.  Maybe we should ask the admins for a JVC smiley! smile_phones.gif

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post #1012 of 6334
9/4/12 at 12:53pm

I'm really happy I decided to try the s500 instead of getting another iem (fxd80). I now have a new hobby doing driver transplants and modding. Too much fun. The s500 drivers have worked out well in both of my projects. I'm contemplating putting them in the semi-open Fidelio L1.

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post #1013 of 6334
9/4/12 at 12:56pm
Same here. I am using more my s500 than my ATH M50, so that should tell how good this are.
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post #1014 of 6334
9/4/12 at 1:02pm

JVC needs a super comfy over-ear version of these for longer term use. It's great as is (but with velours) for work, but I'd like a bigger comfier version for home and I don't think I'm up to transplanting drivers.

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post #1015 of 6334
9/4/12 at 1:05pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Achmedisdead View Post

 

I haven't even considered buying anymore headphones since I got these.  Maybe we should ask the admins for a JVC smiley! smile_phones.gif

For sound quality, me either. I'm now on the hunt for the perfect home for the drivers. I find myself skipping the sound quality sections of reviews and only reading about build quality and comfort/ergonomics.

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post #1016 of 6334
9/4/12 at 1:07pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dsnuts View Post

Listening to my HA-S500s now. I have lost track of how many hours I had them on the burn. Easily over 400 hours and I have to say these are seriously giving competition to my other full sized headphones. Around the 200 hour mark I stated how the mids was much more forward at the time. I don't think they have changed much since but I can say the detail and clarity is at an all time high. HD sound is in full effect. Everything just pops on these headphones for me. The sound is shockingly great. Yes Awesome sauce!!

 

It will be a shame that many headfiers will skip this thread and this headphone thinking these are your average garden variety portable on ears because they are cheap. You guys know better. You should by now.. Happy listening fellas...

 

These are "garden variety"..........on steroids!

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post #1017 of 6334
9/4/12 at 1:16pm
Thread Starter 

Sound tuning through velours. Can you guys guess which one has more bass and which one has less? I just got these cheaper ATH velours that Cute and others have..You guys are in for a complete surprise. These makes the headphones sound like a complete different model all together.

 

I can't believe just how much the sound changes with changing pads..I am very much used to hearing these with my HD25 pads/ top pic..The mids and highs are much brighter on the ATH pads while the HD25 warms up the sounds with more forward fuller thicker intimate mid section and less high emphasis with more bass.

 

So if your a bass fan. The HD25 all the way. If your a treble fan the ATH pads.. Using the ATH pads these almost sound like AD700s. lol..I have to get used to how the new pads sound before I make a judgement if I want to use these new ATH pads for me but it is quite shocking just how much the sound changes going with one set of velours to the other . The HD25 pads I think retain more closer to the stock pads sound these ATH pads change the sounds and they sound more closer to the FXD80 open sound vs the FXD70,FX40 closed sound using the HD25 velours.  I am getting 2 completely different sounds in one. Lol. Surprising.

 

I also noticed the ATH velours have a thinner cloth type material that cover the drivers vs the thicker sponge like material that cover the drivers for the HD25 velours. Might be the reason they the sound on the ATH velours sound a bit brighter as well as the fact that the sound hole is wider.


Edited by Dsnuts - 9/4/12 at 1:34pm
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post #1018 of 6334
9/4/12 at 1:22pm
new sony xb series comming out soon and aslo the sony mdr1 which i am goona get the mdr1 and the next xb900 tongue.gif
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post #1019 of 6334
9/4/12 at 1:24pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dsnuts View Post

 

Sound tuning through velours. Can you guys guess which one has more bass and which one has less? I just got these cheaper ATH velours that Cute and others have..You guys are in for a complete surprise. These makes the headphones sound like a complete different model all together.

 

I can't believe just how much the sound changes with changing pads..I am very much used to hearing these with my HD25 pads/ top pic..The mids and highs are much brighter on the ATH pads while the HD25 warms up the sounds with more forward fuller thicker intimate mid section and less high emphasis with more bass.

 

So if your a bass fan. The HD25 all the way. If your a treble fan the ATH pads.. Using the ATH pads these almost sound like AD700s. lol..I have to get used to how the new pads sound before I make a judgement if I want to use these new ATH pads for me but it is quite shocking just how much the sound changes going with one set of velours to the other . The HD25 pads I think retain more closer to the stock pads sound these ATH pads change the sounds and they sound more closer to the FXD80 open sound vs the FXD70,FX40 closed sound using the HD25 velours.  I am getting 2 completely different sounds in one. Lol. Surprising.

 

I also noticed the ATH velours have a thinner felt type material that cover the drivers vs the thicker sponge like material that cover the drivers for the HD25 velours. Might be the reason they the sound on the ATH velours sound a bit brighter.

 

You really want a different sound, try Grado comfy pads.......wink_face.gif

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post #1020 of 6334
9/4/12 at 1:25pm
I am guessing the xb900 is gonna sound like the 90 but with bigger stage and more bassy air movement.
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