The NEW JVC HA-S400. Affordable Carbon Nanotube cans for the masses. - Page 68

Again, relative. This time to distance. I have the S500 and my wife the S400. When sitting at the table or on the bed without my cans on I can hear her music a tiny bit. On the other side of the room I can't hear it. We can both hear considerably less when we have the HM5 pads on.

So I may have gotten my father to see the light today. I made him sample the headphones at best buy. His tastes lean towards a v-shaped on ear. His budget is $20. Instantly I thought of these. He said he's only going to use them while mowing. So I told him I'd cover the difference if he let's me use them every now and again.
Soooo I'll be grabbing a pair of these for $10 or less! On one condition... I'm concerned about his hearing. How's the isolation? I don't want him to have to crank them too high over the sound of the mower. I've been pushing him towards circumaurals because of this but he doesn't have my big dumbo ears so he can get away with smaller cans

FWIW I only use my IEM's while mowing the lawn (or using the snowblower). AND I use those cheap Harbor Freight ear protectors over my ears with the IEM's in. Not only do I not have to crank up the volume very loud but I also get to hear all of my music and not my music with a lawnmower engine as accompaniment. I think with the S400's you will likely hear way too much mower. Not much point in having great headphones when you can't hear them. When I first bought my Senn 580's I hated them because I could always hear my kids yelling and stuff. Now they are grown and the house is blissfully quiet and I LOVE them. YMMV

Thanks for the first hand words of advice.
Yeah I agree wholeheartedly. But he doesn't like IEM. He doesn't like things in his ears. I got him a set of Phillips she3580 and I have silicone putty to make molds though... just in case...
Edited by thoughtcriminal - 3/11/13 at 8:27am

Do you think that S400 sound better of ZORO NOONTEC ?

ah just when i was about to get the s500s, these catch my attention. particularly interested in the better mids.

I think I'm going to get the White ones for the pads... So, I'll put my black S500 pads on those, what're some mods for these?

 

I haven't heard the s500's but based on what I've read here, I'd go with the 500's. Though I would recommend that you read this thread from p. 53 on about my modifications and other people's opinions on doing mine slightly differently and do that with the s500's.

 

Do you have s500's already? I'd recommend keeping those and doing the mods on those. What I would do is, pull off the pads, put duct tape all around the inside plastic surfaces (the heavier, the better) but leaving the holes uncovered - the ports that are covered by the JVC white tape that you'll see when you take it apart. Then put a light piece of cloth on top of the large back surface behind the speaker. Click on one of the photos on the upper right of the page to see a photo of the inside or go to my profile and click on my photos. (Outside of the sky photo, they're all of my s400 mods.)

KK, thanks! I might buy after I get a turn table though... Here are some pics of my HA-S500z if anyone is interested:

Sorry for my english

 

Hi guys, i have bought jvc s400, i thought had better isolation, but i found they not have isolation at all!!!! wit ipod classic at 40% of volume, i can ear everything and often people talk.  I have the akg 518DJ and i thought this had better isolation than akg...... there is a trick for improve isolation? i tried to insert foam rubber in internal speaker but not solve....... if i will buy akg 81 dj pad it can improve isolation? i read this thread and i understand they can improve bass area, in fact if there is noise about me, bass disappear.

i have akg pads on mine. imho i didnt notice any change in isolation. the main thing and only thing that changed was the SQ. other than that, its a nice and easy mod to do.


from what i'm reading, the type of isolation that you want to achieve will be from a full size over the ear can. not from a on ear like the has400. on ear headphones like this will not always isolate fully or sufficient enough to some users needs. still awesome headphones though

at least to my knowledge, "I" dont know of any mod that could help isolate more environmental noise with these.

With akg 518DJ i was ok :(  i'm sad now

About the only way you will improve isolation on these cans is to place the HM5 pads over the stock (or other) on-ear pads. Internal mods won't affect isolation.

HM5? what is it? i think to put akg k81 pads or 518 is the same?