The JVC HA-S500.. Appreciation, fan thread. - Page 184

Quote:

Originally Posted by musubi1000 

Bwahahaha

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! I think I am going hysterical over these CRAZY S500s.

The bass still felt overly tight/ thin with with my AKG pads/ mod: The sound is almost to the point of a surgical HD sound, wayyyyy too clean and lean on the bass. I am looking to up the bass to give it more warmth, but still trying to accomplish this. 

SO I put back my stuffed stock pads on (inner stuffed with one cotton ball, very outer layer stuffed with one thin-ish circle of paper towel so it would not block the driver hole) OMG these stock pads are BASS monsters compared to the AKG pads. Stuffing the stock pads brought the mids/ highs out as similar to what the AKG pad did, but the bass is DEEP and BIG!

Not sure if my felt cover mod added EXTRA bass with the stock pads, but these are crazy in bass quality now as I am listening to them as compared to the extremely tight/ lean bass with the AKG pads.

Here are some pics of my S500 pad-on-pad set up.

With the stuffed AKG pads under....

My felt cover mod over the driver disk of my S500s (did not tape down the 3 open arch slot )

Out in their naked openness.......

Holy cow, the bass with the stuffed stock pads hits hard and deep, (go stuff your stock pads with one layer of cotton as the inner layer and a layer of paper towel as the outer layer... I gives you the best sound as compared to all cotton stuffing or all towel stuffing, trust me I tried it all already)

This is crazy yo! With the AKG pads these S500s almost sound "flat" really balanced in sound with a crazy tight/ lean bass, almost surgical HD sound. BUT with these stuffed stock pads the bass literally KILLS, yet the mids/ highs are no longer as compromised/ congested as the original un-modded stock pads.  FUN FUN FUN LoLs

edit: alright having too much fun/ amazement with/ by these S500s, gonna give your mod a spin in a quick minute musubi1000.  Will report back, but I think you are onto something where with the taped slot mod for increased bass on not just these S500s but the S400s as well, more on that later on........

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doc-holliday 


I wasn't gunna say it but since you did.....
+1!

+2! Thanks goodness I'm really enjoying the S500+ath pleathers, because that was about as complicated a mod as I could do lol!

ps Doc, haven't you been outlawed here yet?

pps Doc, you used to be so handsome. What happened to you lol!

You guys are insane! 

Quote:

Originally Posted by dweaver 

Danny, now that you have the 1R and the S500 if the S500's driver was magically transplanted to the 1R would you prefer it over the actual 1R? Or is the overall sound of the 1R enough to overcome the fact it has less sub-bass for your tastes?

I wouldn't want the S500 drivers in the 1R.  I do like it for what it is.  It's spacious, has great instrument separation, love the vocals and treble is sparkly w/o any unwanted peaks.  As much as i like the S500's, it's far from the balance I hear on the R1's.  Thankfully I have a great desire to appreciate and love the different signatures all these headphones has to offer.  I could never be satisfied with one type of sound.  I like the S500's for what it is, an affordable fun set of cans that punches above it's price.  Heck, I still liked it without all the pad modding.  I can't see myself ever selling the R1's though they don't wow me like the S500's tend to do.  Are you still enjoying the R1's?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dsnuts 

You guys are now officially over my head.  I can't keep up. Lol. Call me a simple guy but the synergy between my Bravo amp connected to both my clip or my Z1060 is sonic bliss with my HA-S500 and ATH pleathers. . But I admire you guys quest for the best sound possible. It is astonishing just how many different ways one can change the sound. But for me this is all I need here.

It is extremely simple really. It is just stuff stock or AKG pads on the S500s with some tape over the open arch slots on the plastic disk driver. THAT'S IT!!! LoL

BUT I went a little bit further and added a extra set of pads over the stock/ AKG pads for added over ear comfort. AND instead of taping the open arch slots on the driver disk, I cut and taped a piece of felt onto the driver disk leaving only the driver hole open. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by DannyBai 

You guys are insane! 

Think this phrase comes to mind for these S500s, "do as your wish" or "do as you please" with it in order to find your favorite sound signature. Its all sound AMAZING as you'll already know just by simply changing pads, etc.... so easy/ simple but the change in sound is nuts yo!

IT IS TRULY INSANE how versatile/ malleable these S500s are. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by musubi1000 

I have achieved audio nirvana by accident. By looking to improve comfort I made several discoveries. Either way they are all enjoyable.

Right back at you there buddy, I have never heard these S500s as AMAZING/ FUN as I am currently hearing them right now with the stuffed stock pads and that felt cover on the driver disk. AND this is coming straight from my ipod nano 4th gen, without eq/ amp nothing. Just total musical bliss!!!

On the side note, i did tape up the S400s and the bass increase was subtle but yet noticeable. Here are some pics of my taped up S400s....

......I taped covered all of the rectangular arched dents around the driver, as well as that one open arch slot on these S400s. As seen here. (S400 driver on the left of the 1st pic)

------------>......masking tape seems to work much better than scotch tape, cuz it is similar to the original tape used by JVC.

My theory here is that the arched rectangular dents/ the open arch slots acts as a sound sink which traps and/ or channels the sound. By taping it up, the sound bounces right on to the disk and to your ears without it being channeled anywhere else. Hence you get more bass and a more dynamic sound.

This was what I experienced with my taped S400s. Before tape was applied, the sound was mid-centric smooth, mellow and relaxing. But after I taped it up, the bass subtly increased, the sound became more dynamic; bit faster and more engaging to listen to. It is very nuanced but I can tell that my S400s sounded less mellow due to a slightly increased bass and speed.  

So there you have it musubi1000, this is my theory on what you have stumbled upon. I have yet to try your mod in full haha, enjoying my mod of these S500s too much currently. LoL  Bass lovers rejoice!!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doc-holliday 


Oh yes, it looks really simple....
I take it all back
I'ts all good, I'm glad you guys are having so much fun with them.

haha, it is doc, tape tape tape, re-wrap the pads, DONE!!! LoL

edit: almost didn't recognize you doc without your cowboi avatar. heeeeeee

Oh man you can't pry these S500s off my head even with a jack hammer, DAT big deep/ tight BASS + the entire full sound spectrum = audio nirvana

Be interested to hear from anyone who has the incase sonic and the s500's and can compare them.  Recently got these and find them very enjoyable (and comfortable!).  I already have the brainwavz hm5's and they came with a spare set of pads, so could be an easy upgrade on the s500's (if anyone is still using those pads )