[Craigster75]

  Thanks very much, this is an excellent description.  You just helped me make my decision to NOT waste money on the XL pads! 

Keep in mind this was one opinion not shared by all.  As discussed by MANY XL pad owners, most have a varied listening experience with different takes on the sonic impact.  Your experience may vary.

 

[RPGWiZaRD]

Klawn,
You posted about the mids earlier? Sorry, I check this thread from time to time, but I must've missed it. The only thing you said just now about mids is the sub bass bleeds into the low mids... so I guess mid bass and top bass stay the same except for being skipped? And when you say "bleeds into low-mids," do you mean the low mids get dB boosted or they get recessed underneath the sub bass?

Really, the only thing I got from your description was that the bass gets stronger yet boomier, which I suppose means more diffuse. What if you EQ down the bass and use XL pads?

What I make out of it is that he means the bass loses midbass (punchiness) and and gets more subbass skewed and to him the subbass starts to affect the low mids so they don't sound equally clear. Several people seems to agree it seems to make the bass deeper sounding as a trade-off in lost midbass.

 

[noinoi24]

Guys,this post might be out of place, but just wanted you guys to know that amazon has sale on m-100 Matle black for $279.98. So grab yourself one and let the world discover how music can change you...

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00A39PPDK/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?qid=1382529174&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70

 

[Craigster75]

 
What I make out of it is that he means the bass loses midbass (punchiness) and and gets more subbass skewed and to him the subbass starts to affect the low mids so they don't sound equally clear. Several people seems to agree it seems to make the bass deeper sounding as a trade-off in lost midbass.

I would say this is accurate.

 

[blueangel2323]

  What I make out of it is that he means the bass loses midbass (punchiness) and and gets more subbass skewed and to him the subbass starts to affect the low mids so they don't sound equally clear. Several people seems to agree it seems to make the bass deeper sounding as a trade-off in lost midbass.

 How can sub bass affect the low mids? It's mid bass and upper bass that bleeds into the mids. Sub bass is low enough to do its own thing without affecting anything else.

 

[Speakerphile]

Guys,this post might be out of place, but just wanted you guys to know that amazon has sale on m-100 Matle black for $279.98. So grab yourself one and let the world discover how music can change you...

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00A39PPDK/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?qid=1382529174&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70

 
Because it never hurts to have more than one option!
 
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/crossfade-m-100-over-the-ear-headphones/1636825.p?id=1219058299172&skuId=1636825&st=v-moda&cp=1&lp=3

 

[blueangel2323]

They're at Best Buy now? Good job, they're becoming mainstream

 

[noinoi24]

Please remember that bestbuy is not an authorized reseller of v-moda products. I don't know if they will honor your warranty claims as you didn't buy it from v-Mod's authorized resellers.

 

[DrSheep]

Please remember that bestbuy is not an authorized reseller of v-moda products. I don't know if they will honor your warranty claims as you didn't buy it from v-Mod's authorized resellers.

Not really, they have been authorized since Sept.

 

[noinoi24]

Oh ok... Then I guess that's good news. Didn't see it on v-moda's website.

 

[Speakerphile]

Please remember that bestbuy is not an authorized reseller of v-moda products. I don't know if they will honor your warranty claims as you didn't buy it from v-Mod's authorized resellers.

They are definitely authorized.  I personally worked with them to get their products onto our site.  Fear not!

 

[adamlr]

   
I also wonder whether the sonic difference for most listeners who might find the original pads intolerable would be as dramatic as it has been for some of the posters here. 

 
i found the original pads to be 100% intolerable. i did the "softie mod", pushing the stock pads to their very limit and still i couldnt wear them for more than an hour, and even that was stretching it a bit. with the new pads, it went up to and hour and a half. however, i have since done the "softie mod" to the new pads, only without the softies as they wouldnt fit around the XLs, and comfort is no longer an issue. if pressed, id give it a 7/10. i assume (as do some others) that my ears are simply freakish... while they dont look abnormal at a glance, the m-100 have made it quite clear to me that my anti-helix protrudes out way more than most, particularly with my left ear. so to sum it up, comfort wise the XL pads have made a huge difference. true, i had to mod them as well, but 5 minutes of my time is quite alright as far as im concerned. 
 
as for sonic differences, no, they are not "as dramatic". noticeable, but hardly night and day:
the biggest difference imo is the soundstage, which opened wide to my ears, making a noticeable difference right from the start. the rest of the differences were more subtle.
like most people here, i feel the mid bass was mitigated, clearing the way for a more pronounced sub bass (probably due to the better seal, as others have speculated). this was a very welcome change as far as im concerned, since sub bass is what its all about for me =]
i do feel the mids took half a step back, but this was hardly a dramatic difference to me, infact, it took me a while to notice, and with some songs i cant even tell. i wont say anything about the highs since my hearing is very easily fatigued and i eq the highs quite a bit. however, i do still use the original eq settings i saved for the stock pads, that in itself may suggest something.
 
in conclusion, i do feel the XLs have changed the signature, but i dont feel that "they have lost their edge" or any of those unkind things other people say. i see the XL sound as an isotope (im such a nerd) of the original m-100 sound. still the m-100, just a slightly different one. one that i can wear without suffering 

 

  Several people seems to agree it seems to make the bass deeper sounding as a trade-off in lost midbass.

sounds about right to me
 

 

 How can sub bass affect the low mids? It's mid bass and upper bass that bleeds into the mids. Sub bass is low enough to do its own thing without affecting anything else.

masking effect?

 

[DeeToti]

I guess the original pads gave me a good reason to be happy about my small ears
 
They are ok for me, I have used them for more than 4 hours straight, without feeling uncomfortable

 

[Craigster75]

   
i found the original pads to be 100% intolerable. i did the "softie mod", pushing the stock pads to their very limit and still i couldnt wear them for more than an hour, and even that was stretching it a bit. with the new pads, it went up to and hour and a half. however, i have since done the "softie mod" to the new pads, only without the softies as they wouldnt fit around the XLs, and comfort is no longer an issue. if pressed, id give it a 7/10. i assume (as do some others) that my ears are simply freakish... while they dont look abnormal at a glance, the m-100 have made it quite clear to me that my anti-helix protrudes out way more than most, particularly with my left ear. so to sum it up, comfort wise the XL pads have made a huge difference. true, i had to mod them as well, but 5 minutes of my time is quite alright as far as im concerned. 
 
as for sonic differences, no, they are not "as dramatic". noticeable, but hardly night and day:
the biggest difference imo is the soundstage, which opened wide to my ears, making a noticeable difference right from the start. the rest of the differences were more subtle.
like most people here, i feel the mid bass was mitigated, clearing the way for a more pronounced sub bass (probably due to the better seal, as others have speculated). this was a very welcome change as far as im concerned, since sub bass is what its all about for me =]
i do feel the mids took half a step back, but this was hardly a dramatic difference to me, infact, it took me a while to notice, and with some songs i cant even tell. i wont say anything about the highs since my hearing is very easily fatigued and i eq the highs quite a bit. however, i do still use the original eq settings i saved for the stock pads, that in itself may suggest something.
 
in conclusion, i do feel the XLs have changed the signature, but i dont feel that "they have lost their edge" or any of those unkind things other people say. i see the XL sound as an isotope (im such a nerd) of the original m-100 sound. still the m-100, just a slightly different one. one that i can wear without suffering 

 
sounds about right to me
 
masking effect?

Yes. Long story short, I believe it is fair to say that the comfort benefits of the XL pads are far more significant and outweigh any perceived sonic changes. 
 
The bass still blows away Momentum, MDR-1R, P5, D600, etc.

 

[Nicadraus]

It's all about personal preference. Whether using the stock or XL pads, it will depend on the user. Personally, I am very much happy with the original pads and fits my ears perfectly with out any issues. Also the sound to me is just perfect with the original pads.