[z1ggy]

 
Well yes like others said... depends on listening volumes. BTW, the leakage is not as much as other semi open or like properly open backs here. These will leak, but not to super levels. But I must say - their leakage shouldn't hold you back. The leakage has to be there to give them that wide soundstage (for the form factor). The best way would be to maybe demo them and to assess if the sound quality still warrants the leakage. And yes, on lower volumes, I don't think they will leak a lot. Someone could help telling you what's the ideal volume where you're not detected.

Unfortunately, there's no where around me that has many high quality cans. The only place that does, I've been to and they don't have what I'm looking for (other than the SONY MDR-1A's). they mostly had low end crap or super high end open backs that I'm not looking for.
 
There's literally a dozen cans I'm considering, and I don't feel like buying them all and returning all but one just to find out which I like best.

 

[NewbieSteve]

The Sony MDR-1A actually has a small bass port/opening on top of the cup which I found to leak in wind and some noise. The fostex does leak slightly more than the sonys IMO but you should be good if you listen at below average listening volume. In terms of SQ the bass on the fostex is has higher impact and better subbass extension. The sonys' bass sounds bloated in comparison, and the sonys' bass are by no means bad. Vocals are slightly smoother and more recessed (by a bit) on the X00. The highs extend more on the sonys, so if you liked the sonys treble then the X00's treble definitely won't hurt you.  

 

[z1ggy]

I see, thanks for that info. Have you ever listened to the Ultrasone Pro 900? Very similar in price and on my list.

 

[NewbieSteve]

I see, thanks for that info. Have you ever listened to the Ultrasone Pro 900? Very similar in price and on my list.

Sorry I don't. I mainly use X00 for bassy tracks and HD650 for everything else these days haha. The ultrasones would've overlapped with the X00

 

[chenjy9]

For me, the Dekoni sheepskin pads made them sound more airy and open, but decreased the bass noticeably. My guess is due to the lack of the thin plastic tuning ring that are part of the stock pads.

 

[Hunki Chunki]

  For me, the Dekoni sheepskin pads made them sound more airy and open, but decreased the bass noticeably. My guess is due to the lack of the thin plastic tuning ring that are part of the stock pads.

I too have a little suspicion about that little plastic ring in the original pads, maybe one day, a little destructive modification to move the ring to the new pads will reveal the secrets hahaa =)

 

[Hunki Chunki]

  I too have a little suspicion about that little plastic ring in the original pads, maybe one day, a little destructive modification to move the ring to the new pads will reveal the secrets hahaa =)

So I couldn't resist and went ahead and removed the plastic tuning ring from the stock pads and moved it to my new pads.......Oh my I think it works..... subb...... bassss
 
 
 

 

[jeffri]

So I couldn't resist and went ahead and removed the plastic tuning ring from the stock pads and moved it to my new pads.......Oh my I think it works..... subb...... bassss

What a brave man...

It pains me to see the pads get destructed though

 

[vcmusik]

I just had an epiphany earlier today. Are there any other MDR-MA900 owners here? You may recall, like I did, that to help compensate for the lack of bass/sub-bass (being the downside of an open-headphone design by nature), Sony designed an "acoustic bass lens" for the drivers. I'm not sure what material they were made out of, but I realized that effectively, the intended effect seems to be similar to that of what the plastic plates in the earpads of the X00 is trying to achieve. 

 

[Hunki Chunki]

  I just had an epiphany earlier today. Are there any other MDR-MA900 owners here? You may recall, like I did, that to help compensate for the lack of bass/sub-bass (being the downside of an open-headphone design by nature), Sony designed an "acoustic bass lens" for the drivers. I'm not sure what material they were made out of, but I realized that effectively, the intended effect seems to be similar to that of what the plastic plates in the earpads of the X00 is trying to achieve. 

Its a round plastic piece in the shape of the x00 earpads, the hole in the plastic follows the shape of the ear hole for the pads.
 
one side of the plastic is glossy (facing my ear), the other side is kinda matt (facing the driver)

 

[inertianinja]

Here's another pad option that I don't think anyone has yet considered.
 
I have been using HM5 pads with these for a while, but it has always bothered me how much extra distance the HM5s add between the driver and the ear. It clearly changes the sound - you can test this simply by pushing them closer to your ears while listening. I know some people have gone up to pads like the Alphas, but those add even more distance. More distance = more surface area for pad bounce to effect the sound. 
 
The stock pads are relatively thin - the only real problem with them is that the ear hole is too small.
 
So, I tried out stretching the pads from my old M50s and my MSR7 onto the X00's plastic rings. It takes a little patience, but they work!
They're much closer to the thickness of the original pads, with a larger ear opening.
 
Pictured here are the M50 pads on the X00 and MSR7 on the Purpleheart.
 
The MSR7 pads are thicker and softer, and have audibly more sub-bass than the M50 pads. I'm still listening to see if I can detect any other differences. I'm swapping both pairs back and forth on the two headphones to see what works best...but these are what I'm sticking with (unless someone measures them and shows that they cause some other problem).
 

 

[AT Khan]

  Here's another pad option that I don't think anyone has yet considered.
 
I have been using HM5 pads with these for a while, but it has always bothered me how much extra distance the HM5s add between the driver and the ear. It clearly changes the sound - you can test this simply by pushing them closer to your ears while listening. I know some people have gone up to pads like the Alphas, but those add even more distance. More distance = more surface area for pad bounce to effect the sound. 
 
The stock pads are relatively thin - the only real problem with them is that the ear hole is too small.
 
So, I tried out stretching the pads from my old M50s and my MSR7 onto the X00's plastic rings. It takes a little patience, but they work!
They're much closer to the thickness of the original pads, with a larger ear opening.
 
Pictured here are the M50 pads on the X00 and MSR7 on the Purpleheart.
 
The MSR7 pads are thicker and softer, and have audibly more sub-bass than the M50 pads. I'm still listening to see if I can detect any other differences. I'm swapping both pairs back and forth on the two headphones to see what works best...but these are what I'm sticking with (unless someone measures them and shows that they cause some other problem).
 

Hmmm... nice experiments. Personally, I hate the M50 pads, and the stock are much worse than the $3 ones i got off ebay. Stocks are great for isolation, but such a stubborn B!tch for fit. Plus, the stock X00 pads are more comfy and more open than M50 pads. Wonder what the MSR7 pads are like though. The fit here looks nice. Are they more spacious from the inside? I see them blend in so nicely...

Yeah Hm5 and other larger pads do mess things up with the driver distance thing. Quite right, there.

 

[inertianinja]

 
Hmmm... nice experiments. Personally, I hate the M50 pads, and the stock are much worse than the $3 ones i got off ebay. Stocks are great for isolation, but such a stubborn B!tch for fit. Plus, the stock X00 pads are more comfy and more open than M50 pads. Wonder what the MSR7 pads are like though. The fit here looks nice. Are they more spacious from the inside? I see them blend in so nicely...

Yeah Hm5 and other larger pads do mess things up with the driver distance thing. Quite right, there.

 
Oddly enough, the M50s are about the same stiffness and thickness as the stock X00 pads. But I agree, they're not my favorite.
 
Genuine MSR7 pads are of a much softer material, and they have a more structured shape. They round off over time as they break in.
 
in terms of space, they are a little stretchy so they can be pulled a bit to have more room. Definitely nicer than the stock pads.

 

[chenjy9]

I wonder how many people actually like stock M50 pads? Nearly everyone I know immediately upgrades them after buying the M50.

 

[inertianinja]

  I wonder how many people actually like stock M50 pads? Nearly everyone I know immediately upgrades them after buying the M50.

 
heh, that's why I had them available. Just looking through my box o' pads and figured i'd give them a try.