[xXZexxMooreXx]

Youtube video of the pads I'm talking about: 
 
www. youtube.com/watch?v=wp9z71PCZHA

 

[OldDude04]

  The M55X came up black with red in the center, these were solid red.  I would post a picture but they probably think I could be a domestic terrorist with their restrictions.  

 
Are you talking about these pads? It might be my pic you'd seen before. These are Brainwavz HM5 Replacement pads.
 

 

[xXZexxMooreXx]

   
Are you talking about these pads? It might be my pic you'd seen before. These are Brainwavz HM5 Replacement pads.
 

 
Those are the ones!  Thanks for posting that Dude.  What are the pros/cons of those pads?  

 

[OldDude04]

The pros are that they are vastly more comfortable and they actually open up the sound stage a bit due to placing your ear further away from the driver. As for cons, I haven't really found one. Others have said they take away a bit of bass, but if they do, it's a very minimal amount.

 

[xXZexxMooreXx]

  The pros are that they are vastly more comfortable and they actually open up the sound stage a bit due to placing your ear further away from the driver. As for cons, I haven't really found one. Others have said they take away a bit of bass, but if they do, it's a very minimal amount.

I've never really used anything other than cheap headphones from wal-mart, so these are extremely comfortable to me in comparison.  However, those pads look really nice and I won't resist.  
 
So, how much damage does slight distortion do the headphones?  I've distorted them if only slight on just a few occasions.  

 

[OldDude04]

Distorted them in what way? What amp are you using with them?

 

[xXZexxMooreXx]

  Distorted them in what way? What amp are you using with them?

I'm using the Fiio E12.  
 
Distort them when turning them up to loud.  Mostly happens when listening to decaf stuff.  I suppose too much for some headphones.  

 

[Pharmaboy]

   
Are you talking about these pads? It might be my pic you'd seen before. These are Brainwavz HM5 Replacement pads.
 

 
Here the red ones are on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OLKV5LI?psc=1
 
The black versions on Amazon have the Brainwavz chart showins the pads are ~4.35" Long X 3.55" Wide X 1.2" Thick.
 
I bought 2 pairs of "HM5 Extra Thick" pads. (image below--pads I bought are shown on right):
http://www.mp4nation.net/brainwavz-hm5-thick-memory-foam-earpad-suitable-for-large-over-the-ear-headphones-1pc
 
Just measured mine, and they're definitely 30mm thick--which is what you want for the JVC's--plus they're a full 4.5" Long X 3.55" Wide (must be the same pads as those shown in Amazon/Brainwavz chart). Again, all good for the JVC's, which are very large earcups/faceplates.
 

 
My JVC HA-SZ1000's are still burning in. I'll put the black Extra Thick HM5 pads on them tomorrow. I listened to them very briefly w/stock pads before burn-in started, thought the stock pads were terrible.
 
I put these same Extra Thick HM5 pads on one other pair of headphones, the Takstar HD6000's, which I had found to be rather bass-shy and bright w/stock pads (very uncomfortable stock pads), even after burn-in. The HM5 pads definitely improved the HD6000's sound: deepened/tightened the bass, reducing the treble glare, and increasing soundstage from "absolutely none" to "somewhat more."
 
Not sure what these pads will do to the JVC's, which I didn't listen to much at all w/stock pads before burn-in. But I feel confident that A. I couldn't live 10 minutes w/those stock pads, so they had to go; and B. The HM5 Extra Thick pads are so much more comfortable and made such a difference in sound on the HD6000's, that I just trust they'll do the same on the JVC's.
 
Other people in this string have commented favorably on improvements in sound these pads made in their JVC's.

 

[StarTreker]

Through extensive testing of my 1000's, I distorted them several times and pushed them to crackle a few times figuring out the gain position that I needed. I even pushed unwanted feedback through them for a split second or two figuring out the power output situation on the headphone jack volume of the speaker system output. My headphones are still fine. As long as you don't distort, crackle, overdrive them for too long, they should be ok. Also, your cans are not going to perform their full potential right away until burn in, your cans will struggle as mine did at high volumes until they are properly burned in, then they will struggle less to vibrate the **** out of your skull.
 
Since you seem new, or at least new to me, I am going to repost my EQ settings, as well as explain volume positions. First and formost, if your sound source is your computer, don't expect your sound to be amazing without purchasing a DAC. However, in my situation I am not using a USB DAC, I am plugging straight through HDMI ouput source. With the notebook output running through tv, it exits a fiber optic cable into a DAC which converts it to anolog.
 
That analog signal then passes through a badass hardware equalizer, then from their outputs to my speakers system, you know, incase I wish to listen to my 5.1 system instead. Then if I want to listen to my headphones, I have the amp connected to the speaker system's headphone jack. The volume on the computer is set to 100%, the volume on the speaker system can't be set above 50% otherwise unwanted feedback is pushed into the cans. I use the volume on the amp like you would a remote control so whatever power is needed, I use. But I have the bass boost set to ON, on my Fiio A3 amp.
 
These can's can actually take a lot of EQ, but not as much as the 2000's, and again, until your cans have burned in, try to be careful with them for the first 30 hours, then crank them up more after 30 hours of use. And then you will notice a complete improvement around 300 hours. Here is a picture of my EQ settings. This is what works for me. Yes you can also do these with a software equalizer, but then your in a whole other situation where you are using your computer's DAC to try and amplify, and since computer DAC's suck balls, you run the risk of distortion faster then farting in your chair.
 
Word of caution, when razing your EQ settings, weather software based or hardware based, make sure you drop the gain down to -16 to -20 DB, if you don't, you will distort and crackle the crap out of them until they pop like a virgin adventure on a Saturday night!
 

 

[johnnyyukon]

  He said he EQ'd them using what he read on the forums.  However, that doesn't mean he was any good at it.  Also, I think his judgment was on them not being "worldly" better as he put it compared the M55x's.  
 
I tried them earlier with some DJ Billy with the amp and windows 50hz Bass Boost to 18db.  They don't vibrate my head, but they do tickle my ears a little lol.  With that said, I don't know anything about EQing.  I believe what you guys say about them, but I'm not exactly on your level with audio knowledge.   
 
What I'm interested in is knowing that those pads are I see in google search.  They are solid red and look sweet on the black.  

 
Your pal must be converted.  His soul is at risk.
 
 
MY guess on them pads is these:   https://www.amazon.com/Brainwavz-Replacement-Memory-Foam-Earpads/dp/B00OLKV5LI . Just Brainwavz red pleather, I think.

 

[xXZexxMooreXx]

  Through extensive testing of my 1000's, I distorted them several times and pushed them to crackle a few times figuring out the gain position that I needed. I even pushed unwanted feedback through them for a split second or two figuring out the power output situation on the headphone jack volume of the speaker system output. My headphones are still fine. As long as you don't distort, crackle, overdrive them for too long, they should be ok. Also, your cans are not going to perform their full potential right away until burn in, your cans will struggle as mine did at high volumes until they are properly burned in, then they will struggle less to vibrate the **** out of your skull.
 
Since you seem new, or at least new to me, I am going to repost my EQ settings, as well as explain volume positions. First and formost, if your sound source is your computer, don't expect your sound to be amazing without purchasing a DAC. However, in my situation I am not using a USB DAC, I am plugging straight through HDMI ouput source. With the notebook output running through tv, it exits a fiber optic cable into a DAC which converts it to anolog.
 
That analog signal then passes through a badass hardware equalizer, then from their outputs to my speakers system, you know, incase I wish to listen to my 5.1 system instead. Then if I want to listen to my headphones, I have the amp connected to the speaker system's headphone jack. The volume on the computer is set to 100%, the volume on the speaker system can't be set above 50% otherwise unwanted feedback is pushed into the cans. I use the volume on the amp like you would a remote control so whatever power is needed, I use. But I have the bass boost set to ON, on my Fiio A3 amp.
 
These can's can actually take a lot of EQ, but not as much as the 2000's, and again, until your cans have burned in, try to be careful with them for the first 30 hours, then crank them up more after 30 hours of use. And then you will notice a complete improvement around 300 hours. Here is a picture of my EQ settings. This is what works for me. Yes you can also do these with a software equalizer, but then your in a whole other situation where you are using your computer's DAC to try and amplify, and since computer DAC's suck balls, you run the risk of distortion faster then farting in your chair.
 
Word of caution, when razing your EQ settings, weather software based or hardware based, make sure you drop the gain down to -16 to -20 DB, if you don't, you will distort and crackle the crap out of them until they pop like a virgin adventure on a Saturday night!
 
 

 
Would random popping sounds be considered crackling?  Sometimes I think sound device and other times the actual head phones.  

 

[Pharmaboy]

   
Would random popping sounds be considered crackling?  Sometimes I think sound device and other times the actual head phones.  

 
It's getting a little hard for me to keep track of who has which equipment driving their JVC's. Star Treker has an unusually long chain of devices connected from initial signal to headphones (and seems to be doing OK w/it). Can't tell if yXZexxMooreXx has a system that complicated or not.
 
I noticed elsewhere in this lengthy JVC string that some listeners chain together quite a few devices...more than I'd feel comfortable doing. Because the more devices are linked together, the greater the odds of signal mishaps, whether it's clicks, pops, hum, random noise, whatever. It gets harder and harder to isolate any sound anomaly to the headphones themselves, vs one of the boxes earlier in the chain.
 
Just an opinion. Then again, I do all my listening in a home office w/headphones connected to one of 3 headphone amps, driven by 1 of 2 DACs (no computer soundcard, ever)--and rarely equalize, though I'll have to do some w/the JVC's. It's a real vanilla set-up. I'm not a mobile phone/mobile device person; I don't have to deal with the situations many others do to get their JVC's working "on the move."
 
Update: after 200+ hrs of burn-in, I finally have my JVC HA-SZ1000's connected to one of my computers the simplest possible way (for me), w/FiiO E10K driving them. No funny noises, no misbehavior. I'm pretending these aren't legendary basshead cans and just listening to low-volume jazz, singers, classical, etc--music that helps me hear "into" the headphones and tells what they can do tonally & in terms of resolution & soundstaging (or not do). This kind of low-volume music is actually a torture test for high-impact headphones like the JVC's, which want to be pushed all over the place (that'll come later, after I get a baseline feel for them).
 
The point is--so far, at least, these JVC's are extremely well behaved. And w/Brainwavz HM5 Extra Thick pads on instead of stock, they're about as comfortable as they get.

 

[johnnyyukon]

   
It's getting a little hard for me to keep track of who has which equipment driving their JVC's. Star Treker has an unusually long chain of devices connected from initial signal to headphones (and seems to be doing OK w/it). Can't tell if yXZexxMooreXx has a system that complicated or not.
 
I noticed elsewhere in this lengthy JVC string that some listeners chain together quite a few devices...more than I'd feel comfortable doing. Because the more devices are linked together, the greater the odds of signal mishaps, whether it's clicks, pops, hum, random noise, whatever. It gets harder and harder to isolate any sound anomaly to the headphones themselves, vs one of the boxes earlier in the chain.

 
The rabbit hole of headphone (or speakers) boosting software-audio plugins, built-in EQs, audio plugin-EQs, plugin-in hosts, VSTs, Compressors, Limiters, etc etc, isn't really a rabbit hole at all.....it's an Abyss.

 

[johnnyyukon]

Impression #34:
 
Me, catching a glimpse of the SZ!000s on my head in a mirror,
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

[StarTreker]

Are you crazy! You can't amp those cans to 1.21 jigawatts! What the hell is a jigawatt? Marty don't plug into the amplifier just yet, its not quite ready yet. Plugs into amplifier, cranks everything up to full like an idiot. Plucks one cord, the destabilization of the universe is now complete. Doc comes back from the future and says, Marty now I know why you keep saying the word heavy all the time, your an idiot. Sorry Doc I just had to. Ya and if I told you to kiss your mother back in 1955 would you say you just had to as well? **** doc your right, Ima perve. Well we all knew that a year ago!