[Intel386]

Hmmm...Anyone of you guys here feel that the first batch of V4s ( white mesh ) are somehow not detailed as expected ? I've just plugged it into my macbook and found that they're not detailed as my previous RS1i ( from my memory ).How do V4s compare to V3.5s in term of detail ?

 

[stratocaster]

I don't feel the grey-mesh V4's lack in resolution and detail retrieval. Of all the Magnum drivers I own I consider them the best. Although I have to add that I do not own any of the all-black V4's. The first-batch V4's, however, the ones with the grey ring and black mesh, seem to be slightly recessed in the higher frequencies, though. The V3.5's are noticeably brighter than any of the V4's, a tad shoutier in the upper mids and have less bass body and extension.
 
I can confirm what thelostMid has stated about the effect of cup materials on sound. Wood species, cup length and geometry all do have an effect, to my ears the effects are not really that dramatic, though. Maybe my ears are not trained as well as thelostMid's. If I only owned a set of drivers in wood and I liked what I heard, I would not start worrying and think of finding out if there was more to it. You can only detect these slight variations if you own more sets of drivers, more wood and alu cups and when you carefully and thoroughly A/B your setups.
 
There also is driver variation between batches. But isn't that what people are finding out about other manufacturers as well? Just have a look at Tyll's article on innerfidelity on LCD-3 variations. And people have often mentioned that no RS1 sounded really the same as another one. It is only when you A/B several drivers of the same manufacturer and series that you will notice the differences.

 

[Intel386]

Thanks for rapid response Stratocaster.
 
Sorry for my mistake, my V4s are grey ring with dark mesh, not white mesh.
 
Btw, when you applied the Ultimate mod on V4s, how deep is your distancer ? Have you lined your pads ? I feel that my modded V4s are lack of bass impact and deep bass is even less than unmodded.My distancer is 14cm deep with 3 1.5mm venting holes.

 

[stratocaster]

Quote:

Thanks for rapid response Stratocaster.
 
Sorry for my mistake, my V4s are grey ring with dark mesh, not white mesh.
 
Btw, when you applied the Ultimate mod on V4s, how deep is your distancer ? Have you lined your pads ? I feel that my modded V4s are lack of bass impact and deep bass is even less than unmodded. My distancer is 14cm deep with 3 1.5mm venting holes.

 
I undid my Ultimate mod. Originally I had it with the same distancer specs as the ones mentioned by you. No pad lining. But as I said, I disassembled it. At the moment I am just using the grey-black V4's in RS1-clone zebrawood cups and G-cushs, without any distancer. I found that combo better, since the G-cushs kind of enhance the higher frequencies in the otherwise recessed grey-black V4's. Bass is also nice. Yet, as with the Ultimates, you will have to crank up the volume a little to achieve the same sound level as with L-cushs.
 
 

 

[ahntorage]

Quote:

 
Here you go! I forgot to mention that I lost one of the black tips on the adjustment rod so I went to the hardware store and replaced them with orange ones because that's all they had...but I think it looks cool!

I'm heading to the hardware store today. I like the little orange on there, reminds me of the Omega planet ocean watch.
 
 

 

[ahntorage]

Quote:

If you are talking about using the Jaben cups, I don't recommend it. While it increases the soundstage everything else is thinned out. The highs become a touch more sibilant while the bass looses some of it's heft.
But if you do want to try it, I will give you a good deal on my cups and a mahogany inner sleeve (which you need to house the drivers).


 

For movies, I liked the jaben cups the best compared to wood or stock cups. I would have kept a jaben set just for movies with the soundstage, but they are just too heavy. I thought I could man up and use them...but with a bad neck it was just too much. 

 

[fs454]

I've been trying to pull the trigger on some Martin Custom cans with magnum v4s in them but I really wish I could try the drivers out before I commit. Having never owned a Grado or other high end headphone, I'm unsure of what I want and there aren't any dealers within an hour radius of here. I just bought the Maverick Audio Tubemagic D1 DAC/amp. So what I'm looking for, I guess, is comparisons. How do they compare to high-end closed headphones like the Denon D7ks, or even some LCD-2s? Can these compete quality-wise with cans of that price range? How's the bass, is it really much less than the d7ks, or more balanced?
 
 
And crapshoot, but any magnum users in the Ithaca, NY area? 

 

[thelostMIDrange]

fwiw, after listening to many v4 sets from fully burned in grey's to brand new black mesh, i feel it's almost futile to try and categorize versions, nail down or even talk about what a magnum driver sounds like. There is so much variation just within the v4's. I have sets that range from super dark and smooth right out of the gate to broken in sets that are too edgy to be useful ........and the color mesh is meaningless. it doesn't correlate to anything directly I can guarentee that. because i've heard black drivers that sound just like the greys....

 

[rawrster]

So I got my v2.5 back and having both the v4 and v2.5 I have to say that these are some real nice drivers. They sound a bit different but more similar than different but they are many differences such as drivers for starters but also wood used and cable for the believers. The work done by Martin for my v2.5 is stunning however.
 
I'm going to have to pick up another one of the headbands from headphone lounge since they are very comfortable and at a good price with good customer service via email. 

 

[thelostMIDrange]

rawster, in what ways are they similar sounding?

 

[Mullet]

Quote:

I don't feel the grey-mesh V4's lack in resolution and detail retrieval. Of all the Magnum drivers I own I consider them the best. Although I have to add that I do not own any of the all-black V4's. The first-batch V4's, however, the ones with the grey ring and black mesh, seem to be slightly recessed in the higher frequencies, though. The V3.5's are noticeably brighter than any of the V4's, a tad shoutier in the upper mids and have less bass body and extension.
 
I can confirm what thelostMid has stated about the effect of cup materials on sound. Wood species, cup length and geometry all do have an effect, to my ears the effects are not really that dramatic, though. Maybe my ears are not trained as well as thelostMid's. If I only owned a set of drivers in wood and I liked what I heard, I would not start worrying and think of finding out if there was more to it. You can only detect these slight variations if you own more sets of drivers, more wood and alu cups and when you carefully and thoroughly A/B your setups.
 
There also is driver variation between batches. But isn't that what people are finding out about other manufacturers as well? Just have a look at Tyll's article on innerfidelity on LCD-3 variations. And people have often mentioned that no RS1 sounded really the same as another one. It is only when you A/B several drivers of the same manufacturer and series that you will notice the differences.

I'm finding that the mahogany / v4 black mesh black drivers that I have are quite bright but detailed. Too bright in fact with some recordings. My coworkers listened to them a bit today and confirmed I'm not crazy. I've got more than 100 hours and should be getting closer to that 200 hour mark. I could be off by 50 or so hours though. I'm just not keeping track that well.
 
I would say thelostMIDs findings with mahogany and the v4s match my impressions. Mid highs are shouty and louder than they should be. I don't mean to be a naysayer, but I don't really see these losing that edge all that too much. I'm typically of the camp that says burn in is baloney, but I'm trying to give these drivers the benefit of the doubt. I've tried rolling tubes in my CTH to take the edge off and while some tubes help they don't really attenuate those ~10k frequencies. Guess I need a good equalizer.
 
It's a little bit of a bummer that there is driver variation because one persons impressions most likely will differ from another persons. There isn't enough consistency to make concrete impressions across the board. Unless, those variations are so small to begin with that it's hard to tell a difference.
 
Building or buying a woody magnum mod is a tough cookie... You might have to work to get the right combination that satisfies your needs. Plus, it's not same as what Rhydon initially intended with his mod.

 

[thelostMIDrange]

exactly, the drivers were never meant for wood cups. Like you seem to be doing, you guys need to trust your ears, they never lie. What you are hearing is real. I have heard some super hard, bright, strident magnum driver/cup combos and some super dark/smooth driver/cup combos. After hundreds or hours and dollars, I'd recommend people buy 2 or 3 sets of drivers (maybe at different times) and the aluminum cups and just pick which sounds nicest and be done with it. Wood is a whole can of worms imo and much more potential for nasty sounds and waste of $. Takes alot of care and/or luck to get natural sounds from wood. That being said, I've heard the alum cups with the brighter v4's and it was not to my liking, but another driver set in those cups might have been just right. Hence the need to try a few.

 

[thelostMIDrange]

and I agree with strat that the variation is likely not unique to magnums and in no way should be seen as some unique fault. I'm sure if anyone was hardcore enough to buy 12 sets of any headphone, as I have done, and a/b them. there would be a range of sounds. And those manufactureres are controlling and duplicating all the other variables (cup, cable etc)..... to think of all the different applications the magnum driver is being put into- the range of sounds we all must be hearing is enormous..............as to the drivers, I would guess grado drivers vary as well, except what they do is set them aside into sr/rs/hf 225/325 etc and batch them that way. creative marketing. big part of why i loathe grado. But in the end, it's not that one driver is 'better', it's about the whole dish, the sum of the parts, the ingredients are parts of a whole.

 

[Mullet]

Guys and gals (if you're Magnum listeners) please do me a favor and listen to Arcade Fire's The Suburbs... You will most likely hear some sibilance to begin with.  Does the sibilance hurt your ears and sound almost grating? If not, then you most likely have the "laid-back" v4s. If you can't bear to make it through that opening track, then you have the sibilant v4 drivers.

 

[prabha71]

Finally got all the bits together.
1. Cable - Canare L-4E6S & L-2T2S with a Neutrik NYS minijack
2. Earpads (Will have to do something about the colour though)
3. Wooden Cups (Generously given to me by meltdown100 aka Sylvan) and available at ohrenholz.com
4. The Magnum Drivers.
5 Cheap Headband..
 
Now all I have to do is get someone competent to put them all together.

 
Special Thanks again to Sylvan(meltdown100) for the cups & Wje(Wayne) for the shout out & advice.
 
Prabha