So you are saying Meizu has declined in terms of audio quality with their transition to Qualcomm chips? Are you saying phones like the Vivo Nex S are the best audio phones outside of USB DACs?

I'm using FLAC music stored locally and the SRH 1540 personally.

Has anyone tried the newer Meizu phones? I am wondering if the Pro 16 Plus and similar phones are a good buy. The old Pro 16 Plus was very solid. https://www.gsmarena.com/meizu_pro_7_plus-review-1654p6.php

V20 user here - what do you think is best extended battery? With good headphones, the battery seems to die very quickly.

Like the others who have done so, I highly recommend that folks here consider the Alpha Pads - they are a lot more comfortable and seem to improve the sound noticeably. I'd recommend a custom one from Amazon. Here's what I ordered a while back...

Just wondering, can the shielding be added with the Sparkos Op Amps?   I think the version is the "dual discrete" SS3602?

  Thanks.   It doesn't look like anyone in the thread has tried the Dexa. Tried browsing the Op Amp thread.       Is there are consensus between which sound card is better after the  upgrades?     Asus STX 2  with Burson or Sparkos versus  Creative ZXR with Burson or Sparkos? I think I...

Does anyone have any good cable recommendations? My current cables are starting to wear. I think that these are MMCX.

  Just wondering about this one?   ZxR with Op Amp Upgrade >  STX 2 with Op Amp Upgrade?   Is the consensus that the Burson V5 is the top, although V5i is cheaper?     Then for those on a budget, Nec UPC4570c is the best "cheap" option.     Come to think of it, has anyone tried the...

Been trying on the 1540 as a mobile headphone - it works better than I thought, but I am debating what's the best mobile amp to use with this setup.     Quote:     It's definitely a moderate V shape. Not big, but easily noticeable.   Coming from studio monitors, it will be noticeable...

  It's the frame that's the problem.   Pads are widely available when it comes to buying replacements. Cables too on most headphones can be replaced. But the frame - not so much.

  They are relatively durable, although I would be worried about scratching the ear cups though. One thing I wish they would do is fold, but on the upside, they are very light and durable because they were designed with as few moving parts as possible. Mostly cosmetic - would not affect noise...

The fact that the price has gone up from the lows of around $100 - $150 USD (even less than that sometimes) and more like the $150 - $200 USD I think is why this headphone is now being questioned. That and Audio Technica is releasing colored versions that cost more.   On that note, if anyone...

  I suppose both the SRH 440 and SRH 840 are viable contenders, although the SRH 840 is probably closer price wise.   The problem I find with the Momentum is that the cans are not the most comfortable in the world for long listening sessions with larger than average ears.  I'd rather have a...

No they are based in the US.   http://www.shure.com/americas/about-shure/history

  The main reason is the strong US dollar. The US dollar has been rising very rapidly against the Euro, Canadian dollar, Australian dollar, and several other currencies. Commodity prices have fallen, which is why the CAD and AUD are weaker (at least in part), and the European economy is in deep...

  The problem I see is that among the cheaper options, even though the ATH-M50X has gone up in price (it used to be as low as $100 USD on sale), there are no options decisively better in all categories.   Among the competitors, you could add the SRH440.   The HM5 arguably is the closest one...

Thanks for the comments - I will think carefully about it. I actually kind of like the bass, but I would like to see if a bigger sound stage is possible with the Dynamat. Hmm... decisions, decisions.   It is amazing though that the 1540 is holding up pretty well to more expensive cans though...

@Everyone that's tried the HD 700 vs the 1540   It'd be very interesting to see a comparison between the two. I know it's apples to oranges - open to closed, but still interesting to see the difference.   Quote:   Quick question - the Dynamat mod - is it very similar to the other...

Another problem is that for gaming, the recordings are often not of the highest quality (Ex: FLAC). For that reason, a good set of cans has to be very "forgiving" of bad recordings and make pretty much everything sound good.

Out of curiosity, outside of the stock pads and the Alpha Pads, has anyone else tried any other pads?   It sounds like Angled Pads seem to address the somewhat excessive bass, and perhaps it is worth opening the cans up to apply Dynamat.     +1   I agree with this.   I have always...

It could just be the size and shape of your head is different from the other posters. That would explain the differences in comfort and fit.

Agree. My concern was for the transparent materials. To be honest, I'm not fond of that direction.   I'm sure that when there are future headphones, Shure will make them durable enough for professional use. Personally my favorite brands are Shure, Audio Technica, and Mr. Speakers has been...

Depending on the materials used, durability too could be an issue.   Shure so far has done a good job of making sure that this headphone not only looks good and is very comfortable to wear, but that for practical reasons, it can survive being handled not in the most gentle way. The tradeoff I...

I'll probably try it in a few months then after  I get a couple of hundred hours at least on the stock pads. Thanks for the tip though.   I think though that these may be one of the most comfortable headphones that I have ever worn though.   I've been thinking - Shure seems to be moving...