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.
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.