[reivaj]

I am just suprised that changing the padding can change music experience... i dont know i think i may want to keep mine stock but the bowls sound so tempting

 

[F107plus5]

The bowls are interesting critters indeed.

I swapped out my bowls with my reversed 414s between the MS-1 and MS2i on at least three ocassions in the last month since my MS2i arived, and getting final results are tricky at best!

While the efficiency of MS-1 and MS2i are listed as the same, I still have to dial in about 2db more volume to equal them out for an A-B test since the MS2i seems to be a bit louder at any given volume level. Then the time it takes to make the swap, and then music "memory" on a single passage for "bass" and another one for "highs" and yet more for "soundstage" and then swap back for re-conformation; whew! The differences are subtle. To be honest, I never got around to swapping back my original comfies or unmodded 414s since the reversed 414s were so darned comfortable on the MS-1s and I recall that both comfies and unmodded 414s tend to slide around on my ears too much.

I also tried the reversed 414s on my MS2i for a couple of days and found them to be a bit more comfortable and stable than the bowls but to offer a bit less soundstage and not "sound" quite as "good" as the bowls, but I found the difference to be fairly small, but noticable, and the difference seemed to "go away" quite quickly and was not missed within just a few short minutes. What didn't go away was the "knowledge" that bowls were a bit better, and just knowing that, prompted me to put the bowls back on the MS2i.

.....that, and the Wife and kids preferences as to which pads "they" prefered on which cans!

So the differences seem to be there, and understanding those differences, as small as they really are, is what prompts some of us to go with that extra 2% improvement. The MS-1s were just a small amount "better" with the bowls, but unamped it was very small indeed, and the comfort and stability of the MS-1s with reversed 414s on "my" system with "my" ears makes buying bowls for the MS-1s entirely out of the question!

It's been a fun exercise, and may even be ongoing, although now that the bowls are getting more comfortable...!

 

[nickchen]

So finally MS1 + rev. 414s ands MS2 + bowls is the way to go?

 

[F107plus5]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nickchen So finally MS1 + rev. 414s ands MS2 + bowls is the way to go?

Well......for "my" ears in "my" system, with "my" type of music with "my" source and amp with "my" particular comfort levels, it seems to working quite well!

But yeah; that seems to be what's working best "for me"!!