The NEW JVC HA-S400. Affordable Carbon Nanotube cans for the masses. - Page 4

 

I'm buying a white pair as well, for my imaginary girlfriend.

 

..

I am trying to sell a bunch of stuff right now so I can get the V-Moda M-80 for SQ, noise blocking and travel.

 

How would these compete against the M-80 for all of that?  Could I just save a lot of money and get these instead and be happy?

 

..

Edited by BloodyPenguin - 9/21/12 at 9:26am

Ghostfit,

 

Any updated impressions of your burned-in vs. non burned pairs? I've actually not done any burn-in, and enjoying these as is.

Wow these work out at only £24.58 here in the UK (from US, not Japan) so I'll wait until they hit you guys over there and then I'll think about purchasing these based on feedback here (hopefully Dsnuts grabs a pair too! ). The white ones look sexxy!

This may sound silly but is it worth picking up these if I'm an already very satisfied M-Audio Q40 user? ^^ Now I'm not completely sure whether S500 or S400 is better for me but I think S400 may fit better and the S500 might be too bright. My preferred sound signature is that of Q40, bass significantly bumped with neutral mids & highs. I may even prefer slightly forward mids if possible, at least it's IMPORTANT that mids are at least on an equal level or slightly more forward in comparision to highs for it to sound right to me.

That is actually how the HA-S500 sound but using a bigger pleather pads. I don't have my HA-S400 yet but from what I understand. Out of box the HA-S400 will have better sound channeling to your ears because of the smaller 30mm drivers using the same pads and housing as the 40mm HA-S500.

 

The problem if you can call it that with the HA-S500 was the stock pads was restricting some of the upper focus of tunes. After 5 different varieties of pads n velours. Cute came up with a cheap replacement pad that is used on the ATH- SJ5...Also turned out to be the best pads for the  headphone.. A tad mid forward with so much detail and solid bass impact with carbon nanotube precision, tightness and sheer dynamics..The HA-S400 will be cheaper and sound great. The HA-S500 do require the ATH pads but it sounds freaking amazing with the pads..

 

The resolution of the drivers are so on point it only takes a pad change to change the sound to your liking. Not too many guys have the HA-S400 yet but who knows maybe bigger pads might make them sound better for them as well. Getting a white pair soon to compare.

Edited by Dsnuts - 9/22/12 at 7:41am

Glad you are getting a pair as it will be good to get more impressions of these to help me decide whether I should go for them as I already have the S500's as you know.

Can anyone recommend a nice looking, nice sounding cheap headphone that could take the drivers from these?

I know it's silly but I'm not keen on the design of these so I was thinking I might get a cheap pair of well built phones (so possibly used) to transplant these spangly nano-tube drivers into.

Just not sure what would be the best choice in terms of comfort..

Any ideas?

Hi Wizard, i got or had a few HP you have owned,
Xb500, xb700,htf600,m50. I will try my best to describe the S500 to all of them, also sorry for my english.


First, the s500 destroys the htf600 in bass, its almost like a bass monster but way more refined. I find the bass impact bigger on the s500 , subbass is also better, the mids are mediocre on the htf600, voices are more distant and lack clarity, the s500 is brighter, but not to a point of being treble heavy. I would score (jokers style) with 6 points. Its ok but its lacking on everthing even in the fun, maybe its more "neutral"? Or simply put it doesnt nothing better than the s500, maybe on the airy thing as they are semiopen back. For 30 bucks they are ok so i still keep them but dont care for them, if someone gives me 30 bucks they are gone.


Xb500/xb700. One goes lower the other has more impact, right? Ok, again, the s500 are not bass shy, i just made a comparo using some trance from Hiro, Mix 19. It starts with some efects then at second 30 starts a kickbass drum beat, i am not lying to you, on the xb700 its sounds deep, the xb500 you feel the impact but on the s500 iam feeling more impact, my ears are almost like movingm the impact is harder. This can be good or bad if you like heavy bass HP or want more subbass or impact, the xb700 goes lower but the s500 is not far behind. If i ever sell my xb's i will not miss the bass from them, the bass on the s500 hits hard but its tight, not muddy its got better quality IMHO over the xb500.

Mids... S500 no contest. I am telling you, just made a ab testing with all of them, took me almost 2 hours, for example a simple song. Of the Wall, MJ. Mid highs, details are better on the s500, when you switch from the xb500 to the s500 its like having a thick blancket removed from some speakers, its not only the highs, its the voice of MJ much more foward, clear, out of no where the guitars are in front, clear and i hearing those guitars licks, you hear details everywhere. In a nutshell, the s500 is not bass shy, almost or even like bass monsters BUT they got the mids highs and detail you will never hear on those others HP

Overall, no contest.. Bass is better and its not lackiing, no muddy bass here. Its like a direct hit. Mids way more foward with the added clarity and detail the xb series will never have no matter how much you eq them, i am even using your same eq setting on my foobar for the comparo, used it for a long time.

Xb500, 700 and HTF sound boxy, dull and even lifeless compared to the s500, its also louder.



M50. Close call, its a matter of taste maybe, but IMHO the level of detail and clarity is slightly better on the s500, mids are more foward without a doubt in the s500. Some will find the quality of the bass better on the M50, slighlty more controled.

I will stick with DS comment on the s500 as having the bass wiitout being overwhelming, they are there whem they are called, if not not they dont mess with the sound.

Its like the s500 is a bass monster, but at the same time they got mids highs and details no bass monsters got, including my Beats Pro, its like v shaped but with mids more foward.

I am no expert, just giving the best descrption i can. I dont own the s400.


About the highs, they dont bother me at all but i am not sure if they will or will not work for you. But for me they are not harsh, silibance is non existent.

Having the fx40, fxd80 and s500 wich all use the nanocarbon thing, there is no relation on "treble heavy" thing of the fx40, the bass is also bigger better. Using jokers review as a reference and seeing that he scored the fxd80 with 8.7, IMHO the s500 is close to 9 if not 9. IMHO i find them fuller and better but not that much over the fxd80 without the cons ins joker review. Hope it helps.
Edited by rickdohc - 9/23/12 at 5:22pm

I need to add somehting as in the other s500 thread Cel made a very impotant coment, the s500 are more sensitive so i double checked. The bass impact is a notch lesser on the s500. But its not like a huge diference, most noticeble on the subbass of the xb700. But still, if ever sell them i will not miss the bass fun of the xb series.
Edited by rickdohc - 9/23/12 at 5:32pm

My findings are similar. I can here the "looseness" on the bass when compared with higher end cans. I still prefer the non-burned S400 to the S500 with over 200 hours on them. Also, still waiting on the AT pleathers...

Anyone know how these or the s500 would compare to the ATH ES55!?

 

So the S500 has more midbass bump than S400?