[MrMateoHead]

Quote:

 
No kidding.. the one (other) thing that HeadFi has done (besides regularly liquidate my wallet), is enlighten me to the world of poorly mastered recordings (a world that's busting at the seams, apparently).  I still enjoy the music.. but now having gear which resolves that much more definitely makes the listening experience (with those recordings) a bit less enjoyable.
 
It's startling how many musicians respect their (recorded) art so much.. but let it get delivered to out ears in such shabby, lazy ways.

I assume that the artists aren't as deeply involved in the final cut as they could be. Then again, maybe they are, but how they don't hear their own distortion is beyond me.
 
Try Metallica's "Death Magnetic". I pretty much can't listen to it (on anything), because it is clipped right to hell. Its actually quite sad.
 
Why is the music biz able to do this?

 

[jerg]

Quote:

I assume that the artists aren't as deeply involved in the final cut as they could be. Then again, maybe they are, but how they don't hear their own distortion is beyond me.
 
Try Metallica's "Death Magnetic". I pretty much can't listen to it (on anything), because it is clipped right to hell. Its actually quite sad.
 
Why is the music biz able to do this?

There's a guitar hero version of Death Magnetic on the internet though, where the dynamic range is much better. Obviously not even close to the dynamic range of Metallica's earlier works but at least it is tolerable.

 

[FlySweep]

One more thing regarding the HE-500 vs HE-400 fit.. I didn't have a sizeable issue with the HE-500's weight (I did mod it for comfort by adding a Senn headband to the stock padding.. which was quite nice).. but I can definitely appreciate the lighter weight of the HE-400.  It's been a while since I had the HE-500.. so my neck/head forgot what that kind of weight felt like.  As a result, I had some lower neck pain after wearing the HE-400 for about three hours straight last night.  This morning, my muscles seem to have responded as I don't feel that fatigue with extended wear anymore: I've been wearing the 400 for about five hours (straight) w/o any problems
 
Also, I had been listening with the pleathers since last night.. and I actually quite liked the way the 400 sounded.. switched to the velours today.. and I hear the difference.  Slight but distinguishable.  The 1-8K mids aren't as recessed.. treble sounds cleaner, more linear, and better extended.  Interestingly enough, it didn't increase in quantity.. which was nice.  Bass sounds cleaner & more linear too.. but a touch less punch.  For now, I favor the velours.. but I can appreciate the pleathers too.  Looking forward to seeing what the J$ pads can do.  If it can blend the pleathers' slightly more punchy bass and the velours' portrayal of the mids and treble, we've got a winner.

 

[jerg]

Quote:

One more thing regarding the HE-500 vs HE-400 fit.. I didn't have a sizeable issue with the HE-500's weight (I did mod it for comfort by adding a Senn headband to the stock padding.. which was quite nice).. but I can definitely appreciate the lighter weight of the HE-400.  It's been a while since I had the HE-500.. so my neck/head forgot what that kind of weight felt like.  As a result, I had some lower neck pain after wearing the HE-400 for about three hours straight last night.  This morning, my muscles seem to have responded as I don't feel that fatigue with extended wear anymore: I've been wearing the 400 for about five hours (straight) w/o any problems
 
Also, I had been listening with the pleathers since last night.. and I actually quite liked the way the 400 sounded.. switched to the velours today.. and I hear the difference.  Slight but distinguishable.  The 1-8K mids aren't as recessed.. treble sounds cleaner, more linear, and better extended.  Interestingly enough, it didn't increase in quantity.. which was nice.  Bass sounds cleaner & more linear too.. but a touch less punch.  For now, I favor the velours.. but I can appreciate the pleathers too.  Looking forward to seeing what the J$ pads can do.  If it can blend the pleathers' slightly more punchy bass and the velours' portrayal of the mids and treble, we've got a winner.

The J$ puts the HE400 bass punch to overdrive, much better bass than either pleather or velours. In terms of mids and treble it more blends the attributes of how the two stock earpad types sound like.

 

[BrokeStudent]

Quote:

The J$ puts the HE400 bass punch to overdrive, much better bass than either pleather or velours. In terms of mids and treble it more blends the attributes of how the two stock earpad types sound like.

Where can a simple canadian find such pads? If it gives it more bass it may be exactly what I am looking for. 

 

[wje]

Apparently, my Beyerdynamic leather pads left Canada today and headed for my destination in the U.S.  I've since gone back to the HifiMAN pleather pads on my HE-400, too.  I made the change a few weeks back when another member made me feel guilty about the lint that was on my velour pads.  Those comments stuck in my head and made me uncomfortable when I'd listen with the velour pads on the headphones.  

 

[cheuh]

Quote:

You can EQ on your laptop whatever amp or headphone you use. In fact even with FiiO products that have hardware EQ, it might still be better to use software EQ because you can better control where exactly you want to EQ up or down.
 
 
 
The J$'s take the HE400's airiness to the next level and beyond 

 It is so open and clear-sounding with these pads that I can honestly say the finesse of these cans are on par with the HE500s.

 
Wait, wut?
 
Does it improve the instrument separation at all?

 

[FuzzyD]

What about the Lawton Audio pads? They are expensive but they are available and should be basically the same as the J$ right?

 

[jerg]

Quote:

Where can a simple canadian find such pads? If it gives it more bass it may be exactly what I am looking for. 

It doesn't give more bass, it just tightens it without losing any of the intrinsic bass quantity (so the bass quantity of the pleathers + the tightness and texture of the velours)...well I guess that counts as more perceived bass.
 
They used to be sold by J$ Audio, but since the company closed it's hard to get in touch with the owner. Wje and YGuyG may be helping the owner distribute what is left of the remaining J$ stock soon, we'll have to wait and see.
 
I got a pair because I ordered them a few weeks ago back when the J$ guy still had time.

 

[chewy4]

Hopefully I'll be getting my J$ pads soon, I think he shipped mine out last Friday.
 
I'll still be hanging on to my pleathers regardless of how much I like them though, as it may be too hot in the summer for leather. Winter I should be fine though, my apartment is pretty cold.

 

[jerg]

Quote:

What about the Lawton Audio pads? They are expensive but they are available and should be basically the same as the J$ right?

No no no, we are not talking about J$ Denon pads here, those will not work well with Hifiman headphones because their openings are oval and would make the resulting sound wonky. It is J$ Beyer pads only, and I don't think Lawton makes pads that shape.
 
 
 
 

Apparently, my Beyerdynamic leather pads left Canada today and headed for my destination in the U.S.  I've since gone back to the HifiMAN pleather pads on my HE-400, too.  I made the change a few weeks back when another member made me feel guilty about the lint that was on my velour pads.  Those comments stuck in my head and made me uncomfortable when I'd listen with the velour pads on the headphones.  

 

You mean the bulk shipment of pads from Jeremy? Or some other stock Beyers you ordered?

 

[Scyy]

Been listening to a lot of MF DOOM recently and I still can't get enough of how much better his stuff sounds compared to the crappy headphones I used to have even just a year ago.  Anyone who's into hiphop and hasn't heard of him have to check him out, one of the best in the underground.
 
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6S5vaHVD2-w

 

[Scyy]

Quote:

No no no, we are not talking about J$ Denon pads here, those will not work well with Hifiman headphones because their openings are oval and would make the resulting sound wonky. It is J$ Beyer pads only, and I don't think Lawton makes pads that shape.
 
 
 
 

 
You mean the bulk shipment of pads from Jeremy? Or some other stock Beyers you ordered?

I haven't had any issues using the denon stock pads which have an oval opening.  I think it's more the added depth of the J$ and lawton pads that causes the off sound because fearless who has tried all three found the denons to retain the best sound signature.

 

[chewy4]

Quote:

Been listening to a lot of MF DOOM recently and I still can't get enough of how much better his stuff sounds compared to the crappy headphones I used to have even just a year ago.  Anyone who's into hiphop and hasn't heard of him have to check him out, one of the best in the underground.
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6S5vaHVD2-w

DOOM is really the only rap I listen to, he's so damn clever. Not to mention I love the instrumentals on his songs.

 

[earphiler]

Yeah wje if you have any J$ pads leftover, I might be interested in a pair.