[Stillhart]

Okay more bass and less treble, yes.  But it's also doing something weird to the presentation. It feels more closed with less separation and imaging.  Even though the overall sound is more closed, the treble feels like it's coming from far away... recessed I guess would be the word.
 
Anyways, I think at this point I'm pretty decided that these aren't going to do it for me on the HE-4.  While they sound fantastic with EDM, they're not to my liking for most other stuff.  I'll be trying them on the HP100 at work and maybe breaking them in a little.  I'll try again in a few days to see if anything changed.  I want to like them... they're really comfortable!

 

[Makiah S]

  Okay more bass and less treble, yes.  But it's also doing something weird to the presentation. It feels more closed with less separation and imaging.  Even though the overall sound is more closed, the treble feels like it's coming from far away... recessed I guess would be the word.
 
Anyways, I think at this point I'm pretty decided that these aren't going to do it for me on the HE-4.  While they sound fantastic with EDM, they're not to my liking for most other stuff.  I'll be trying them on the HP100 at work and maybe breaking them in a little.  I'll try again in a few days to see if anything changed.  I want to like them... they're really comfortable!

*high fives for hp 100*
 
I liked that headphone quiete a bit 

 

[Thujone]

Yeah, I think the dust cover on the 1540 pads is contributing to just about all of the characteristics you're hearing. The bass is going to hit harder since the driver is squished closer to your ear but the treble and openness are going to decline due to the thickness of the dust cover. If you really loved the comfort and wanted to make the sound work, cut the cover out and add a piece of pantyhose to the bottom of the ring for a cover. The thinner material you use, the better. For me, the treble is a little too intense in stock form and the midrange weirdness caused by removing the star felt is slightly subdued with dampening material (felt or otherwise) in front of the driver.

 

[mrscotchguy]

For me, the biggest reason to pad roll is the sound of the stock velours felt as if music was from is obscure wall of sound. The pads changed it for me and became a bit more natural. Cues have no single focal point but more positioning than before. This also gives me a sense of natural micro detail that felt a touch robotic before. Overall, just more engaging.

It's funny, I though Grados were picky about pad rolling, but these HE-4s seem to change with any little tweak. If you don't have both versions of the mounting rings, be sure to buy the new ones. Even putting tape on the mounting ring vents changed the sound for me... Endless possibilities.

 

[Thujone]

For me, the biggest reason to pad roll is the sound of the stock velours felt as if music was from is obscure wall of sound. The pads changed it for me and became a bit more natural. Cues have no single focal point but more positioning than before. This also gives me a sense of natural micro detail that felt a touch robotic before. Overall, just more engaging.

It's funny, I though Grados were picky about pad rolling, but these HE-4s seem to change with any little tweak. If you don't have both versions of the mounting rings, be sure to buy the new ones. Even putting tape on the mounting ring vents changed the sound for me... Endless possibilities.

 
It's weird how orthos are affected more easily by dampening materials. I wish I understood the physics involved with that...

 

[Rinx7]

Project ember is supposed to be just as good if not better than the lyr. Did schiit change anything for the lyr2?

The Lyr 2 should be better than the Ember. It has way higher voltage going to its tubes meaning that they should amplify with lower distortion than the Ember. The main issue with the Lyr was the power supply to the tubes was causing noise because it was AC. Schiit changed it to DC and made some improvements to the MOSFET's delivery system as well. They also made some other tweaks to the amp design to improve sound, added a gain switch, and reworked the pre-amp. If that doesn't put it on the top of the pile as far as hybrid amps go I don't know what will.

 

[manbear]

  The Lyr 2 should be better than the Ember. It has way higher voltage going to its tubes meaning that they should amplify with lower distortion than the Ember. 

Interesting. I prefer 6V tubes to 12V tubes on the Ember. Maybe I like distortion? LOL. 

 

[Rinx7]

 
Interesting. I prefer 6V tubes to 12V tubes on the Ember. Maybe I like distortion? LOL. 

The 6V and 12V is referring to the heater voltage. The 200V I referenced is the actual plate voltage. The Lyr runs its heaters at a standard 6V just like the Ember. The plate voltage of the Ember, however, is a meager 48V which isn't enough for most tubes to perform optimally (most tubes have specifications for a plate voltage between 150-200 volts).

 

[manbear]

  The 6V and 12V is referring to the heater voltage. The 200V I referenced is the actual plate voltage. The Lyr runs its heaters at a standard 6V just like the Ember. The plate voltage of the Ember, however, is a meager 48V which isn't enough for most tubes to perform optimally (most tubes have specifications for a plate voltage between 150-200 volts).

I see. Thanks for explaining. 

 

[Thujone]

  The 6V and 12V is referring to the heater voltage. The 200V I referenced is the actual plate voltage. The Lyr runs its heaters at a standard 6V just like the Ember. The plate voltage of the Ember, however, is a meager 48V which isn't enough for most tubes to perform optimally (most tubes have specifications for a plate voltage between 150-200 volts).

 
Do you know if the supercharger upgrade makes a difference?

 

[hemipowered007]

Angle the alcantaras you say? Just took two hifiman foam rings from a pair of velours i sacrificed back when i made jergpads for the he400.  So i trimmed them down, angled the cut, cut them in half then trimmed the exterior innner and outter to fit inside the alcantaras. Trying to get a feeling of the sound, 11 hour day at work, hard day too. So not the best condition for critical listening( which by now we all know im not great at). It seems i gained imaging, but im losing treble energy, not detail, but that smack from a cymbal, its rolling off in the highs it seems. But, i have a deeper soundstage for sure, i wonder what itd be like, if i sliced open these pads, and put the alpha pad angled padding inside, thatd be almost sacrificing 2 $45 pads though. Theyre really, really warm now, kind of nice and relaxing actually, but not something id want all the time. 
 
Edit:
Removing the rings, its definitely rolling off the treble, quite a bit, which i like, but really dont. Thing is, it gives you this warm, airy, sound, with the combined better sense of imaging, and deep soundstage, its cool, i just need to find a middle ground. What if i removed this felt and replaced with sheer pantyhose, or the material from the velours? Any other ideas?

 

[Stillhart]

I might try the pantyhose thing.  The change in sound I felt on the HE-4 was very similar on the HP100 (increased bass at the expense of treble).  I don't really like it much on either can.  Maybe thinning out the material will give me the bass without the hit to treble...

 

[mrscotchguy]

Angle the alcantaras you say? Just took two hifiman foam rings from a pair of velours i sacrificed back when i made jergpads for the he400.  So i trimmed them down, angled the cut, cut them in half then trimmed the exterior innner and outter to fit inside the alcantaras. Trying to get a feeling of the sound, 11 hour day at work, hard day too. So not the best condition for critical listening( which by now we all know im not great at). It seems i gained imaging, but im losing treble energy, not detail, but that smack from a cymbal, its rolling off in the highs it seems. But, i have a deeper soundstage for sure, i wonder what itd be like, if i sliced open these pads, and put the alpha pad angled padding inside, thatd be almost sacrificing 2 $45 pads though. Theyre really, really warm now, kind of nice and relaxing actually, but not something id want all the time. 

Edit:
Removing the rings, its definitely rolling off the treble, quite a bit, which i like, but really dont. Thing is, it gives you this warm, airy, sound, with the combined better sense of imaging, and deep soundstage, its cool, i just need to find a middle ground. What if i removed this felt and replaced with sheer pantyhose, or the material from the velours? Any other ideas?

Cool idea! I like where you're going with that direction...

But my experience with T50rp mods showed me that stuffing foam underneath the pads to create angle or extra distance always had some sort of compromise.

You may want to try cottonballs, teased and then reformed. But I bet you'll find a similar situation.

For a slight , angle... the good ole rolling pin technique has always treated me well. Just don't let the misses see you using her baking tools on your headphones!!!

 

[Thujone]

Alright, this will be fairly quick since I don't enjoy pad rolling very much. I just end up wanting to listen to music and getting upset that there are so many pads to try!
 
Impressions before measurements (all compared to stock velour):
 
FocusPad - Roomy, comfy, very spacious, bass is slightly lacking, treble is more intense, great imaging.
 
FocusA - Not as roomy, really comfy, slightly less spacious/more intimate, great bass/maybe slightly more prominent due to driver proximity, treble seems about the same, better imaging.
 
Alacantara 1540 - Roomy, really really comfy, less spacious/more intimate, best bass, treble is less of an issue but still sufficient (IMO), not as great with imaging.
 
All pads - Great instrument separation and fairly consistent midrange.
 
 
Measurements (all compared to stock velour):
 

FocusPad vs. Velour
 

FocusA vs. Velour
 

Alcantara 1540 vs. Velour
 
 
Comments: The treble on the FocusPad is pretty intense for my tastes but it does provide for some great air. The angle also helps for staging/imaging. FocusA's are really great. They have the angle for staging but they don't magnify the treble. This reduces the sense of air, plus they are closer to your ears than the FocusPad which decreases the sense of space, but overall they are a great all-rounder. If you wanted to replace the velour in favor of a more comfy pad, the FocusA is probably the best choice. The 1540's are so squishy that the bass is in your face. The HE-4 is an incredibly spacious headphone, let's not think that it isn't, but these are probably the least spacious out of the bunch (1540 HE-4 still blows a stock HE-400i out of the water though in terms of space, FYI). Most importantly, the 1540 pads attack that stupid 8-9k treble spike that I tend to EQ out. Granted, said treble spike also creates a better sense of air.
 

 

[Stillhart]

Interesting.  I thought the 1540 pads just killed the treble in general.  The difference seemed much more pronounced to me.  Were yours new or broken in?