[jerg]

Quote:

The mids on my ATH-M50 are not recessed. ATH-M50 might have other minor defects but not recessed mids.
 
This is of course my opinion and is based on the following listening conditions:
 
Analog: Rega Planar 3 + Denon DL110 Cart  -> Musical Fidelity V-LPS Phono -> Creek Evolution Integrated
Digital 1: EAC/FLAC data + Foobar2000/Wasapi -> HRT Music Streamer II DAC -> Creek Evolution Integrated
Digital 2: EAC/FLAC data + Foobar2000/Wasapi -> iBasso D2+
Digital 3: Marantz CD6000OSE headphone jack
Digital 4: Sansa Clip + Fiio E5
 
Other headphones I own/have owned for comparison: Alessandro MS-1, Beyerdynamic DT880 600ohm, AKG K240 MKII, Koss Porta Pro, Sennheiser PX100. The mids on the ATH-M50 are slightly worse than those on the DT880, comparable to those on the AKG, better than all the rest.
 
Cheers

A lot of people base "M50 has crap mids" based solely on the mechanically measured frequency response curve over (how it has a slight V shape) on headphone.com, it's really quite a weak basis.

 

[jerg]

After a few days of listening to the modded M50, I really like the new sound. Tried swapping back to the foamed cushions and it sounded muddy and closed-in, the removal of the foams really opened up the M50's sound, without actually physically making a hole on them.
 
The only thing is that the hard plastic still touches my ear rims and over time it might be a bit itchy / painful.

 

[Optimus Praim]

O.k guys i tried the mod by pilling the foam off very gently and slowly..
First thoughts are extremely positive...
The sound opened a bit and became noticeable detailed,sharp and analytical.
I can now hear some tiny sounds that i couldn't catch before and also at a few low quality tracks i can hear more clear the hiss behind them..
There is a slight difference on the bass enough to change it's signature.
I am a lucky guy having small ears that do not touch the plastic so comfort is still present...
I think this mod is better than having the foam,i recommend you to start peeling off..

 

[Obify]

I just tried removing the foam off the back of the earpad and I found that it definately made the sound a bit sharper and unleashed the last final bit of detail the M50 has to offer.
 
Referring to removing the white damping material behind the driver, I would only reccomend doing this if you're going to open your m50's. When i removed it to test out the sound it added reverb to the sound and some echo-ey sounds to the voices. UNLESS - you open your m50's like I did here: http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/542218/ath-m50-open-mod/15#post_7346032 in which you would take the white damping material and cut it and paste it around the headphone casing like I did. This will open the soundstage drastically and overall make the sound clearer. 
 
So just to recap, removing earpad foam - recommended. Taking off foam behind driver - not recommended, UNLESS you're doing the open mod.

 

[M1K3Z0R]

Yeah, I figured that it definitely served a purpose. AT would not just throw it in there to artificially cripple their product
 
Quote:

 
So just to recap, removing earpad foam - recommended. Taking off foam behind driver - not recommended, UNLESS you're doing the open mod.

 

 

[Player1josh46]

How do you remove the foam on the back of the pads without ripping them, because they seem pretty glued to the pads.

 

[jerg]

Quote:

How do you remove the foam on the back of the pads without ripping them, because they seem pretty glued to the pads.

They are only secured to the pads via a thin circular ring of adhesive strip; just use a non-abrupt but constant and even force to tear it out and it should not rip, like peeling off a pricetag.

 

[Player1josh46]

Quote:

They are only secured to the pads via a thin circular ring of adhesive strip; just use a non-abrupt but constant and even force to tear it out and it should not rip, like peeling off a pricetag.

 Yeah that didnt work. it was so tight on there that i had no choice to rip it off unfortunately. there is still some pieces on the pads themselves left over around the edges that i couldnt take off but i took out the center so the mod was successful i just cant put it back if I want. I hope youre right about this mod improving clarity. I come back to tell you soon.
 
 

 

[Optimus Praim]

Quote:

 Yeah that didnt work. it was so tight on there that i had no choice to rip it off unfortunately. there is still some pieces on the pads themselves left over around the edges that i couldnt take off but i took out the center so the mod was successful i just cant put it back if I want. I hope youre right about this mod improving clarity. I come back to tell you soon.
 
 

Just let your ears adapt to the new sound..
I think you will like it...
 

 

[jto168]

I'm wondering if this mod is still applicable, because seeing as how the OP stated his M50s were defective the mod helped with the recessed mids.
 
For functional and non-defective M50s, does this mod have any noticeable benefit and difference?
 
I just got a pair of M50s last week and have been burning them in (PC -> FiiO E7 -> M50) and so far they sound great!

 

[jerg]

Quote:

I'm wondering if this mod is still applicable, because seeing as how the OP stated his M50s were defective the mod helped with the recessed mids.
 
For functional and non-defective M50s, does this mod have any noticeable benefit and difference?
 
I just got a pair of M50s last week and have been burning them in (PC -> FiiO E7 -> M50) and so far they sound great!

You can read my impressions in earlier posts in this thread. My M50's are perfectly fine, and the mod made a noticeable improvement in clarity and instrument separation as well as treble extension.
 

 

[Optimus Praim]

Quote:

You can read my impressions in earlier posts in this thread. My M50's are perfectly fine, and the mod made a noticeable improvement in clarity and instrument separation as well as treble extension.
 

+1..same for mine too
 

 

[jto168]

Quote:

You can read my impressions in earlier posts in this thread. My M50's are perfectly fine, and the mod made a noticeable improvement in clarity and instrument separation as well as treble extension.
 

 


Quote:

+1..same for mine too
 

 


Quote:

After a few days of listening to the modded M50, I really like the new sound. Tried swapping back to the foamed cushions and it sounded muddy and closed-in, the removal of the foams really opened up the M50's sound, without actually physically making a hole on them.
 
The only thing is that the hard plastic still touches my ear rims and over time it might be a bit itchy / painful.

Thanks for the quick replies, gentlemen.
 
I'll give this a shot and report back as well.

 

[jto168]

Removing Foam Layer - My Impressions, So Far
 
After carefully removing the foam layer from the left ear pad and testing the headphones with mismatched pads, the left side definitely sounded different.
I wasn't able to determine if this was a good different so I took off both pads and reversed the orientation.

It wasn't just in my head or my ears playing tricks. The sound was different.
After about 30 minutes listening to various genres of music - I have come to the conclusion that this is a good different.

 
To echo the the other users that have performed this mod, I began to hear things I could not otherwise hear with the foam on. Mids began to rise from the grave and the overall experience is much better.
 
 
 

 

[jerg]

Quote:

Removing Foam Layer - My Impressions, So Far
 
After carefully removing the foam layer from the left ear pad and testing the headphones with mismatched pads, the left side definitely sounded different.
I wasn't able to determine if this was a good different so I took off both pads and reversed the orientation.

It wasn't just in my head or my ears playing tricks. The sound was different.
After about 30 minutes listening to various genres of music - I have come to the conclusion that this is a good different.

 
To echo the the other users that have performed this mod, I began to hear things I could not otherwise hear with the foam on. Mids began to rise from the grave and the overall experience is much better.
 
 
 

Next thing you know some people might just cut out everything in the middle of the pads ultimate clarity and lack of material muffling sound conduction between the driver and ear haha.