[Kierkes]

MY personal opinion is that burn-in is real...to a totally insignificant degree. I think drivers stretch and flex, but it doesn't change anything enough for someone to notice. (I also read that burn-in happens in the first split-second of the drivers flexing, which probably happens in QA.) I remember having the opposite experience as marone: I let a "burn-in" loop play for days (I didn't listen to the cans) and when I first listened to them after, my brain went "WOW!" but my ears were all-in-all hearing the same thing. I think it's a placebo whether or not you're listening to them!
 
But, I really don't want to argue about burn in anymore. It devolves into a volley of platitudes. Eventually, someone starts evoking the stipulations of free speech. 

 That's when you know the argument is futile: when "argument" becomes a topic. I gotta hand it to you, RoMee, I'm so sick of burn-in talk that I can't bring myself to resent the JPEG angle you're taking with this one.

 

[Darknecron]

Burn-in could very well be the placebo effect...but I agree that is does have a small effect on the sound signature of the transducer.

 

[UnicornSlaya]

Hey guys, I wanted to ask a question about these. I just bought mine from amazon used, and I was wondering if there's a hiss whenever there's no music playing. Whenever I plug it my macbook or the 3ds, there's some kind of static even though the volume is all the way down. It doesn't do this with my iPod touch except if I turn off the music and put the volume all the way up. If there's a real problem, I might return these guys.
 
Thanks!

 

[Wasatchsummits]

I just got mine in the mail today and noticed this noise, almost sounds like gsm signal interference as well, and they are new. I've got a Mac Mini with a Fiio E17 run via usb, using the dac, and the noise is there with the E17. When I connect them to the iPhone 5s, the noise is gone. Weird. Doesn't seem to effect the music though, and these sound great, though there is not much of a soundstage at all... 
 
Been enjoying the sub bass on these. The music on this one really shines on these:
 
 

 

[BenF]

  Hey guys, I wanted to ask a question about these. I just bought mine from amazon used, and I was wondering if there's a hiss whenever there's no music playing. Whenever I plug it my macbook or the 3ds, there's some kind of static even though the volume is all the way down. It doesn't do this with my iPod touch except if I turn off the music and put the volume all the way up. If there's a real problem, I might return these guys.
 
Thanks!

 
The hiss is caused by the headphone amplifier in your macbook. iPod has a much better one, that's why it's less prone to hiss.

 

[UnicornSlaya]

Well, I guess that would make sense. Would that go the same for the 3DS? I thought something was wrong with the headphones lol. I might get a headphone amp is that is the case
.

 

[BenF]

  Well, I guess that would make sense. Would that go the same for the 3DS? I thought something was wrong with the headphones lol. I might get a headphone amp is that is the case
.

Yes, get a good amp, e.g. FIIO E12

 

[TrollDragon]

No hiss from my FiiO E11 on them.

 

[Wasatchsummits]

Went back and re-checked the noise out of the E17, doesn't seem to be happening now. Odd. The only time I get any noise is if the volume is cranked without any playback. 
 
With all the burn-in banter aside, does the soundstage on these open up a bit after say, 100 hours? Curious... Otherwise these sound pretty good otherwise. 

 

[TekeRugburn]

  Well, I guess that would make sense. Would that go the same for the 3DS? I thought something was wrong with the headphones lol. I might get a headphone amp is that is the case
.

 
dude you dont need an amp.  and amping the 3ds would be amping an already bad sounding amped signal.  

 

[gopanthersgo1]

Well, I guess that would make sense. Would that go the same for the 3DS? I thought something was wrong with the headphones lol. I might get a headphone amp is that is the case
.

an amp is unnecessary, but a dedicated dac would fix the problem on the iMac, it plugs into a usb slot and makes the audio a bit more clear too, the 3ds, however, will not be able to be silent as it does not support dacs and the issue is in the hardware. If you want a cheap dac/amp combo i have an e7, you can use the amp on your itouch and 3ds without the dac, and you can use both the amp and dac on your imac, pm me of interested, i have no idea on the price, but i dont use it often so we can work a price out, if you wanna spend more on just a dac the modi or odac is pretty nice, but youd need an amp for them.

 

[marone]

Day 10 of burn-in and the issues remain.

The HA-s500 has a euphonic, mid-fi, lower mid and upper, bass bloom that makes music sound better, but that's not hi-fi or 'good sound'.

Nirvana "On a Plain" Kris and Kurt's guitars are lumped into one molten blob, cannot tell them apart. Contrast with Superlux 662b or Takstar Pro 80 which can separate the instruments.

S500 does pull detail out and has a rich full sound, but it slams everything right into your face with diminished sound-stage and instruments that are are fat circles of sound coming from...somewhere over there.

This would be recommended for a portable rig, first time head phone for someone in this price range who has not listened to many other portable on-ear choices. Even at, or below, this price range, most of my hps surpass the S500 in most or all areas.

There are many better cans at less money and my current collection has ample choices at or below this price.

The KSC-75 would be an excellent choice, the CAL 1.0 as well. Pro 80 clearly far superior.

The HA-S500 is good for bass fans, that must be the allure. EDM and electronica perhaps.

 

[Darknecron]

Day 10 of burn-in and the issues remain.

The HA-s500 has a euphonic, mid-fi, lower mid and upper, bass bloom that makes music sound better, but that's not hi-fi or 'good sound'.

Nirvana "On a Plain" Kris and Kurt's guitars are lumped into one molten blob, cannot tell them apart. Contrast with Superlux 662b or Takstar Pro 80 which can separate the instruments.

S500 does pull detail out and has a rich full sound, but it slams everything right into your face with diminished sound-stage and instruments that are are fat circles of sound coming from...somewhere over there.

This would be recommended for a portable rig, first time head phone for someone in this price range who has not listened to many other portable on-ear choices. Even at, or below, this price range, most of my hps surpass the S500 in most or all areas.

There are many better cans at less money and my current collection has ample choices at or below this price.

The KSC-75 would be an excellent choice, the CAL 1.0 as well. Pro 80 clearly far superior.

The HA-S500 is good for bass fans, that must be the allure. EDM and electronica perhaps.

 
If you have a 5-band equalizer handy, I highly suggest these headphones as a possible upgrade.  The EQ settings I use are -9 / -12 / +2 / +7 / +9.  My review at Amazon.

 

[TekeRugburn]

   
If you have a 5-band equalizer handy, I highly suggest these headphones as a possible upgrade.  The EQ settings I use are -9 / -12 / +2 / +7 / +9.  My review at Amazon.

 doubtful it's an upgrade.  

 

[Darknecron]

   doubtful it's an upgrade.  

 
I own both.  The S500 can't compete, even after they have been equalized.  The Marleys are particularly good with instrumental separation and have a soundstage that surpasses my Creative Arurvana live, as well as slightly less (but much tighter) bass, and less laid-back highs (they actually sparkle!).