[onal]

So I received my two sets of earpads from AliExpress recently, the full leather ones recommended by @Benaudio and @HardstyleLoco96, and some perforated pleather ones which have the exact same dimensions but use lower quality material.

So far I'm really happy with the full leather ones, they are super comfy and don't change the sound signature too much. They do provide a fuller sound in the low and top end, without turning the Sine into a v-shaped headphone. I have my FA1 iem to compare them to and I would still rate the Sine as a very balanced headphone in comparison. I will do more comparison with my Avantone Planar when I'm back from holidays. Overall it's a great combo, great level of transparency with a smooth/natural sound signature, which is something many headphones can't achieve (my Quad Era-1 can't do that with the stock pads for instance).

On the other hand the perforated earpads don't work so well. They do give a very flat sound signature and even greater level of transparency to the Sine but they also sound a bit bland and lack the vibrancy of the leather ones. I think this kind of fake leather material is harming the natural timbre of the headphone. I'd read about that already but it's the first time I'm able to do a proper comparison between real leather and pleather and the difference is quite obvious. I suspect real leather perforated pads would work very well with this headphone if one can find such pads. But I might be wrong, maybe it's just the perforations which just don't work with this headphone. Anyway they do have this great transparency which I haven't heard with other earpads so it's something worth exploring.

I switched back quickly to the stock pads and I think they are still very good in their own right, delivering a very smooth and natural sound. The main limitation with them is comfort and the fact that they will never really sound like a fullsize headphone.

A picture of my portable setup with the leather pads and thx onyx, I love this combo (but I don't think you need to spend so much on a simple USB dongle)

Hi, do you have the link to aliexpress please.

Thanks.

 

[onal]

I tested the Amazon Cable ( https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/s/ref=...c&sprefix=newfantasia+beye&crid=2L0EJK5DMM336 ) on my sine today, works very well, and fits in the small cavity almost perfect.

Hi do you mind sharing/letting me know where did you get the ear-pads from please.

Thanks.

 

[Shivas22]

How does the Sine compare and contrast to the Sundara? I bought a used set of the Sine a few months ago and enjoy them. I've been thinking about grabbing the Sundara and am hoping someone has had both and will give their thoughts.

Obviously the Sundara is open back, but as both have planar drivers, are they similar or is there a significant difference? Which do you prefer and why? Many thanks in advance for your assistance.

 

[Terozzzz]

I got SINE and i got Drop 5XX. SINE is the one that i still use on daily base. 5XX sits in the box, most likely never to be used again.

 

[tinyman392]

I got SINE and i got Drop 5XX. SINE is the one that i still use on daily base. 5XX sits in the box, most likely never to be used again.

Completely different price points though... The Sine was like 500 starting when it launched while the 5XX was about 2-250.

 

[Quartzwald]

I recently bought these sheepskin pads:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/255094792048

They fit well (slightly larger than the OG pads, so they became over ear for me) and don't change the sound too much. I also prefer having the pads follow the general shape of the Sine.

 

[borrego]

I also bought these recently available sheepskin pads, though from a different seller for my Sine DX (right). I was using the Skullcandy Aviator pads (left)



The sound is of the sheepskin pads is very similar to the Aviator pads, except with 0.3dB less dip in between the 2kHz to 3kHz range, which make the FR curve more even. The slightly larger opening also makes the sound a bit less congested at higher listening volume.

The sheepskin pads I received are not as nicely finished as they are in the pictures. There are some uneven stitching resulting some wrinkles. Overall they are of acceptable quality.

The Skullcandy pads cost 1/5 of the sheepskin pads, so I would say they are still the best value on ear earpads for the Sine. Both the sheepskin pads and the Aviator pads improve the sub-bass extension of the Sine, making them to sound more like a mini LCD-X.

 

[mobbaddict]

I recently bought these sheepskin pads:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/255094792048

They fit well (slightly larger than the OG pads, so they became over ear for me) and don't change the sound too much. I also prefer having the pads follow the general shape of the Sine.

I also bought these recently available sheepskin pads, though from a different seller for my Sine DX (right). I was using the Skullcandy Aviator pads (left)



The sound is of the sheepskin pads is very similar to the Aviator pads, except with 0.3dB less dip in between the 2kHz to 3kHz range, which make the FR curve more even. The slightly larger opening also makes the sound a bit less congested at higher listening volume.

The sheepskin pads I received are not as nicely finished as they are in the pictures. There are some uneven stitching resulting some wrinkles. Overall they are of acceptable quality.

The Skullcandy pads cost 1/5 of the sheepskin pads, so I would say they are still the best value on ear earpads for the Sine. Both the sheepskin pads and the Aviator pads improve the sub-bass extension of the Sine, making them to sound more like a mini LCD-X.

Thanks for the feedback guys. These are the same pads sold on Alibaba that I mentioned earlier. I ordered them from eBay after reading your feedback, can't wait to try them.

I don't know if you saw the review on ASR where someone posted in the comments some measures with a broken seal, using the Vesper Audio pads:
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...view-closed-back-headphone.27397/#post-943943
I shows well the benefit of over-ear pads in terms of bass response.

 

[mobbaddict]

I also bought these recently available sheepskin pads, though from a different seller for my Sine DX (right). I was using the Skullcandy Aviator pads (left)



The sound is of the sheepskin pads is very similar to the Aviator pads, except with 0.3dB less dip in between the 2kHz to 3kHz range, which make the FR curve more even. The slightly larger opening also makes the sound a bit less congested at higher listening volume.

The sheepskin pads I received are not as nicely finished as they are in the pictures. There are some uneven stitching resulting some wrinkles. Overall they are of acceptable quality.

The Skullcandy pads cost 1/5 of the sheepskin pads, so I would say they are still the best value on ear earpads for the Sine. Both the sheepskin pads and the Aviator pads improve the sub-bass extension of the Sine, making them to sound more like a mini LCD-X.

I received mine yesterday, I'm quite happy with them overall. They fit the Sine tightly and have a nice finish. I was expecting them to be slightly thicker, they're actually thinner than the previous leather pads I got from Aliexpress. But they provide a well balanced sound signature overall, with good bass and excellent clarity. These are among the best closed-back cans I've ever heard at any price anyway.

 

[Gorktastick]

I received mine yesterday, I'm quite happy with them overall. They fit the Sine tightly and have a nice finish. I was expecting them to be slightly thicker, they're actually thinner than the previous leather pads I got from Aliexpress. But they provide a well balanced sound signature overall, with good bass and excellent clarity. These are among the best closed-back cans I've ever heard at any price anyway.

Hey, I'm looking to buy those pads! Quick question: in the ebay link, there is a choice between synthetic leather ($22.56) and real sheepskin ($37.22) - which did you get?

Thanks, in advance!

 

[mobbaddict]

Hey, I'm looking to buy those pads! Quick question: in the ebay link, there is a choice between synthetic leather ($22.56) and real sheepskin ($37.22) - which did you get?

Thanks, in advance!

I got the real sheepskin pads, I think the transducers are good enough to justify the price difference. It's still cheaper than Vesper Audio's pads.

IMO the Sines are still very dependant on the fit though, no matter which pads you stick on them. Because they basically always sit on a small part of your ears (unless you have very small ears). I can make them sound more or less bright even with those pads. At best it will almost sound like a HD600, at worst like a Grado. But comfort-wise they're perfect now.

 

[ddre54]

Hi guys,

Reporting here after getting my new replacement earpads and custom cable from https://vesperaudio.com/earpads arrived.

I bought the following: (Price that I had to paid included)

Custom Ear Pads and Cable:
- 1 x Over-Ear - black real whole grain leather+memory foam. $59+3.5 <- Highly recommended, this is the way to go
- 1 x On-Ear - black real whole grain leather+memory foam. $59+3.5
- 1 x Custom Cable: - Anthem CL v2 Audeze Sine.jpg (Black cable) $124 <- Highly recommended if you can go for it

Image of cable attached. Also image of how they fit on the Audeze Sine

Delivery estimated time: Current production time is ~34 business days. Rest depend on UPS service. Average time is ~2 weeks.
Shipping was $23 but they had multiple choices depending on delivery method.

Review:

The way to go is Over-Ear - black real whole grain leather+memory foam + Custom Cable: - Anthem CL v2 Audeze Sine.jpg (Black cable).

The Audeze Sine (closed) always sounded extremely good for me in comparison to any other similar priced headphones or even above its original price tag ($500). My only issue with them was the comfort and weight of wearing them that will fatigue my ears and almost carve a dent on my skull.

Comfort:
After the Earpads + Cable upgrade, the comfort has improve massively, to the point that I can wear them all day and the custom cable is soft and don't get in the way, they almost could disappear in my head now.

I used them now as my mainly travel companion for Hi-Res audio on the go paired with a Chord Mojo.

Sound:
Let me tell you about the sound, but first some notion of how I define the default earpads + default cable sound. The default + default cable sound of the Audeze Sine was always a bit in the dark and punchy spectrum. Not too dark as a bass head headphone, but punchy dark closed feel to them on the sound and the bass.

After the custom Over-Ear Earpads + Custom Cable, the sound... oh my! the sound! The improvement to the sound was massive!. They sound more open, almost like open back headphones. The imagine has noticeably increased. They are less dark, and more details have been included on the rendering of the music. The bass is still punchy and more define, not like if you're hearing it from a cup anymore or enclosed space. This has added more clarity to the music across all the spectrum while keeping a nice clear and define punchy bass. The mids and the vocals have come a bit more forward which is a big plus for me since I'm, as I think most audiophiles in this community, in pursuit of a possible upgrade to the Sennheiser HD650's sound.

Overall, I feel that the Audeze Sine, in insight, they were held back by the default earpads and cable on the sound capability that it can render, and by adding those two custom changes to them has made them shine and unlock more of it's technical and musical capabilities.

Conclusion: (After Earpads + Cable upgrade)

For reference, my main desktop headphones are the Audeze LCD-X, for desktop close headphones setup I use the Focal Radiance and the Dan Clark Audio Aeon 2 Closed. I know that the Audeze LCD-X and the Dan Clark Audio Aeon 2 can sound amazing and they shine with better amplification bringing more of their sound characteristics and true potential in them. But if I were to use the Chord Mojo with the Audeze LCD-X or the Dan Clark Audio Aeon 2, the Audeze Sine (closed) could be punching almost at the same level as them, as to say that the Audeze LCD-X and Dan Clark Audio Aeon 2 Closed will look at the rear mirror and realize the note "Objects in mirror are closer than they appear" when looking back on the Audeze Sine. From my perspective, this is an incredible feat for the Audeze Sine, that I can blatantly compare them with those two heavy weights.

Now I can say, I get the best of two worlds, the Hi-Res setup that is close to what I could experience at my desktop setup but in a small factor that I can take on the go and that will be comfortable to wear for hours with no end.

If you really want to extract more of the Audeze Sine potential, I heavily recommend the Earpads + Cable upgrade.

NB:
- I still keep my Sennheiser HD650 for times when I have that yearn for its mellow vocal timber.
- I didn't compare the Audeze Sine to the Focal Radiance because, even if the quality of sound and timber are similar or could have some resemblance, the Focal Radiance have that dynamic driver punch, that I find to be different in characteristic from planars, being in that regard a more closer comparison in sound characteristics to the Dan Clark Audio Aeon 2 Closed.

I hope this helps

 

[mobbaddict]

Hi guys,

Reporting here after getting my new replacement earpads and custom cable from https://vesperaudio.com/earpads arrived.

I bought the following: (Price that I had to paid included)

Custom Ear Pads and Cable:
- 1 x Over-Ear - black real whole grain leather+memory foam. $59+3.5 <- Highly recommended, this is the way to go
- 1 x On-Ear - black real whole grain leather+memory foam. $59+3.5
- 1 x Custom Cable: - Anthem CL v2 Audeze Sine.jpg (Black cable) $124 <- Highly recommended if you can go for it

Image of cable attached.

Delivery estimated time: Current production time is ~34 business days. Rest depend on UPS service. Average time is ~2 weeks.
Shipping was $23 but they had multiple choices depending on delivery method.

Review:

The way to go is Over-Ear - black real whole grain leather+memory foam + Custom Cable: - Anthem CL v2 Audeze Sine.jpg (Black cable).

The Audeze Sine (closed) always sounded extremely good for me in comparison to any other similar priced headphones or even above its original price tag ($500). My only issue with them was the comfort and weight of wearing them that will fatigue my ears and almost carve a dent on my skull.

Comfort:
After the Earpads + Cable upgrade, the comfort has improve massively, to the point that I can wear them all day and the custom cable is soft and don't get in the way, they almost could disappear in my head now.

I used them now as my mainly travel companion for Hi-Res audio on the go paired with a Chord Mojo.

Sound:
Let me tell you about the sound, but first some notion of how I define the default earpads + default cable sound. The default + default cable sound of the Audeze Sine was always a bit in the dark and punchy spectrum. Not too dark as a bass head headphone, but punchy dark closed feel to them on the sound and the bass.

After the custom Over-Ear Earpads + Custom Cable, the sound... oh my! the sound! The improvement to the sound was massive!. They sound more open, almost like open back headphones. The imagine has noticeably increased. They are less dark, and more details have been included on the rendering of the music. The bass is still punchy and more define, not like if you're hearing it from a cup anymore or enclosed space. This has added more clarity to the music across all the spectrum while keeping a nice clear and define punchy bass. The mids and the vocals have come a bit more forward which is a big plus for me since I'm, as I think most audiophiles in this community, in pursuit of a possible upgrade to the Sennheiser HD650's sound.

Overall, I feel that the Audeze Sine, in insight, they were held back by the default earpads and cable on the sound capability that it can render, and by adding those two custom changes to them has made them shine and unlock more of it's technical and musical capabilities.

Conclusion: (After Earpads + Cable upgrade)

For reference, my main desktop headphones are the Audeze LCD-X, for desktop close headphones setup I use the Focal Radiance and the Dan Clark Audio Aeon 2 Closed. I know that the Audeze LCD-X and the Dan Clark Audio Aeon 2 can sound amazing and they shine with better amplification bringing more of their sound characteristics and true potential in them. But if I were to use the Chord Mojo with the Audeze LCD-X or the Dan Clark Audio Aeon 2, the Audeze Sine (closed) could be punching almost at the same level as them, as to say that the Audeze LCD-X and Dan Clark Audio Aeon 2 Closed will look at the rear mirror and realize the note "Objects in mirror are closer than they appear" when looking back on the Audeze Sine. From my perspective, this is an incredible feat for the Audeze Sine, that I can blatantly compare them with those two heavy weights.

Now I can say, I get the best of two worlds, the Hi-Res setup that is close to what I could experience at my desktop setup but in a small factor that I can take on the go and that will be comfortable to wear for hours with no end.

If you really want to extract more of the Audeze Sine potential, I heavily recommend the Earpads + Cable upgrade.

NB:
- I still keep my Sennheiser HD650 for times when I have that yearn for its mellow vocal timber.
- I didn't compare the Audeze Sine to the Focal Radiance because, even if the quality of sound and timber are similar or could have some resemblance, the Focal Radiance have that dynamic driver punch, that I find to be different in characteristic from planars, being in that regard a more closer comparison in sound characteristics to the Dan Clark Audio Aeon 2 Closed.

I hope this helps

Great review! I agree with you that the Sine can compete with higher-end planars. I like it better than my Avantone Planar (better technicalities) and my Quad Era-1 (better tuning).

 

[mobbaddict]

Great review! I agree with you that the Sine can compete with higher-end planars. I like it better than my Avantone Planar (better technicalities) and my Quad Era-1 (better tuning).

I did a few tests with mine after reading your feedback and I have an extra question for you. Your Vesper pads seem much larger than the ones I got on Amazon. Can you actually put your whole ears inside of them? When I force my ears to sit into the pads I have, it does make a big difference in the low end. I think that's main caveat with this headphone, like you said the on-ear position basically destroys the low-end, and even aftermarket pads seem to have this issue too.

 

[ddre54]

I did a few tests with mine after reading your feedback and I have an extra question for you. Your Vesper pads seem much larger than the ones I got on Amazon. Can you actually put your whole ears inside of them? When I force my ears to sit into the pads I have, it does make a big difference in the low end. I think that's main caveat with this headphone, like you said the on-ear position basically destroys the low-end, and even aftermarket pads seem to have this issue too.

Yes, I can put my whole ears inside of them without a problem and they are extremely comfortable. Let me clarify the part about the bass. The Vesper over ear earpads tend to make this headphones more neutral IMO. This is something I tend to prefer, the bass will still have the punch and some slam depending on the songs but it's more neutral, clear and clean. The thump or rumble will be highly diminished since it will sound so open as if the expansiveness of this part of the bass is dissipated in the open space. With the default on-ear pads, the thump or rumble part sounded more like in a cup or in a closed space, making its presence to feel stronger and darker but at the cost of the clarity and clean sound on the other parts of the spectrum.

I've attached a picture of the pads against cup of the headphones to make it easier to dimension its scale

I hope this helps.