[Trunks159]

You should!

 

[Trunks159]

You can easily (and I mean easily) change the clamping force on the m500 to your liking. I just stretched it out a little and wow, the most comfortable headphones ever! More comfortable even than my mdr ma900 and 1r!

Ear positioning also changes the soundstage somewhat dramatically. Don't wear them on the front of your ears, wear them farther back and man it improves.

I don't think I've ever had a headphone that I haven't had a problem with the build, that is, except the m500.

Sound Comment: The Soundstage is veeery deep abd it has good height, especially for a closed on-ear headphone. It's not very wide though, but that was expected.

 

[Beagle]

Quote:

I don't think I've ever had a headphone that I haven't had a problem with the build, that is, except the m500.

 
The build is wonderful. You can tap your fingers on any part of the construction and it is solid and dead. Compare that to the various percussive noises you get when doing that to a Skullcandy Aviator.
 
M500 looks great, feels great, sounds great. The complete package.

 

[Trunks159]

Yup. Im amazed by how easy you can adjust the ear pressure. Just light stretches and pulls work well.

 

[robm321]

It looks amazing. I thought the Momentums looked good but these are on another level. Kef is definitely keeping their integrity in tact as they enter into the headphone market.

 

[robm321]

One more question before I pull the trigger. if you had to pick one, would you keep the Martin Logans 90 or M500?

 

[GAViN617]

Quote:

Ok. First impressions:

Comfort-Wonderful for short listening, but they hurt for longer sessions, just be because they're on ear and they're brand new. Clamp is just right.

Isolation-Nice, no complaints

Build- Nice, wonderful actually.

Concerns- Only one problem, and this will suck for some people, is the microfonics. Rubbing the cord at lower volumes isn't a pleasant exp, and any touch on the headphones will produce some sound. The cord is a little thin.

Sound- I shouldn't write anything on the sound really, its too early. But I guess I could say something. The sound is pretty much neutral, though having a veeeery small bump in the upper bass/lower midrange area. The highs thankfully aren't recessed, and the bass is absolutely perfect quantity wise. Like beagle said, the quantity of bass depends entirely on the recording. Some are bass light, some bass heavy.

Quality wise, I won't give many impressions. I'll say they're very clear and airy sounding (compared to other portables in this price range). The soundstage is pretty damn good for an on ear too.

Only good things! Against the ws99, 1r, etc, well, that'll have to wait for another time.

 
Thanks for the review

Looking forward to your comparison with the WS99's. Do let us know what you think

 

[Trunks159]

I will.

 

[Beagle]

Quote:

One more question before I pull the trigger. if you had to pick one, would you keep the Martin Logans 90 or M500?

 
I would have to go with the M500 due to it's sonic honesty and comfort.
 
But the Martin Logan is a real hi-fi treat

 

[Trunks159]

Impressions #2:
I still may have that new toy effect, but after all the new toys I've gotten in the past, probably not.

Anyway, with every headphone, you have to give up something. I'd say this headphone's main weaknesses arenot burned in really, only like 7 hours)
1- Lack of width in the soundstage. It's very noticeable.
2- Bass: I'd say the bass is about average. It does mud up the sound a little, and its more noticeable against my ath ws99, which had the absolute best bass ever! The width of the soundstage and the somewhat loose bass kind of compound each other, making these sound a lot more like headphones than my other cans.

The sound is very neutral, with slight emphasis in the bass to upper mid range area. The mid mids and upper mids, and highs rock though. These sound nice at most genres. The only genres it falls in are rock, metal, or soundtrack, genres that require solid, and fast bass.

These are pre burn in impressions though, so take this with a grain of salt.

If you wanna know which I prefer out of the ws99 and m500 right now, I'd say the ws99, but don't worry, these will probably improve.
Beagle, how do these improve with burn in?

 

[Beagle]

Interesting. I have no problem with the bass (very balanced) and I find the M500 spacious from all angles, depending, of course, on the recording. But I am using them with a good amp..

 

[Trunks159]

Hmph. I have an amp and haven't used it because I just don't feel like putting it on.
You may not notice it because you haven't compared them to the ATH WS99, which is known for its unstoppable bass.

 

[Trunks159]

It's funny how much sound can interpretation can change with mood and tie of the day. These things just sound wonderful right now. These have just the right amount of bass, while the ws99 can be a little too bassy. Oh, and your sooo right about the clamping pressure.

 

[navii]

How do the M500s compare to Yamaha PRO 500s?

 

[roma101]

x2 would love to know that as well^^

Also is the isolation comparable to an HD25/DT1350?