[Lan647]

  Portable full size closed category in particular requires repeat demo for extended wearing fit and comfort. Typical smaller tighter sizing versus home full size cans really comes into play. The P7 would be my expectation to win for compromise between fit, stayability and comfort for most people imo. The M500 are light but slide around so would you even want to be running for the platform? Hmm. Also M500 cup dimensions and design does not do enough to isolate commuter environmental noise imo
 
Back to sound, if you cannot hear the "bigger" sound as I have described there is not a lot I can respond with. Perception is individual. If you cannot then consider it £70 saved (or however much the price difference is in your home market). Emphasise certainly did not want to like the P7 as M500 purchased only earlier this year. P7 ticked more boxes as a travel can *sigh*

 
I didn't think much about the soundstage, all I could hear was a treble that was too bright and a midrange which lacked fullness. I did want to like them, they were beautiful and the fit was great. But they just didn't sound good, no matter what music I played with them. It was not slightly worse than the m500, it was not in any way comparable. Burn-in can change a headphone's sound a bit, but not so much it would make that P7 I heard on par or better than the M500 I compared directly to. All positive impressions leaves me with only one logical conclusion: that P7 I heard was faulty. 
 
As soon as I get a chance I will try them again.

 

[LFC_SL]

I have yet to hear any harshness or brightness in KEF / Senn / B&W [insert model] demoing. So probably personal tolerances and/or fitting
 
Assuming we are using properly ripped from decently mastered CD test tracks. Bad lossy files = bright. Badly mastered studio CDs = shouty

 

[Lan647]

I have yet to hear any harshness or brightness in KEF / Senn / B&W [insert model] demoing. So probably personal tolerances and/or fitting

Assuming we are using properly ripped from decently mastered CD test tracks. Bad lossy files = bright. Badly mastered studio CDs = shouty

I use only high quality recordings when demoing headphones. I do have low tolerance as far as brightness goes, but as I seem to be the only one who found the P7 bright, I say again that I think the model I tried was faulty.

 

[robm321]

I was completely unimpressed with the P5 and to a lesser degree, the P7. The M500 did impress me more than I expected. I guess it comes down to what you like. But the P5/7s are very nice looking.

 

[trunolimit]

 
I am having such a hard time choosing between these two.
 
In terms of portability the Kef win hands down. The keff are so beautiful, feel amazing, and are so damn comfortable. The case is half the size of the sennheiser's. I freaking love the Kef M500.
 
Sound wise they sound great but they are too bright. Rock music to me sounds pretty bad. Music like Panic at the Disco, My Chemical Romance, and All American Rejects have choruses with a lot of guitar play in the background. These parts of the songs just sound like noise on the M500. There is a slight lack of fullness with the M500. I used the FiiO e17 with settings of treb 2 and bass at 10 to kind of even out the sound. the FiiO really does wonders with the sound. I like to listen to my Momentums on treb 6 and bass 8.
 
The Kef are brighter than the Sennheisers. The Sennheisers have a better sound. It's got more body. Although I've had a few people listen and it's interesting, some say the kef has more bass. I guess it really is all about the anatomy of your ears. people really do hear things differently. Some people have more hair fibers and different canal shapes.
 
With the right amount of tweaking in the EQ I can make both sound very similar so I think it will come down to choosing the kef because they are so much more beautiful, easier to carry around, and comfortable. 
 
I have a real sophie's choice here.

 

[Lan647]

 
 
I am having such a hard time choosing between these two.
 
In terms of portability the Kef win hands down. The keff are so beautiful, feel amazing, and are so damn comfortable. The case is half the size of the sennheiser's. I freaking love the Kef M500.
 
Sound wise they sound great but they are too bright. Rock music to me sounds pretty bad. Music like Panic at the Disco, My Chemical Romance, and All American Rejects have choruses with a lot of guitar play in the background. These parts of the songs just sound like noise on the M500. There is a slight lack of fullness with the M500. I used the FiiO e17 with settings of treb 2 and bass at 10 to kind of even out the sound. the FiiO really does wonders with the sound. I like to listen to my Momentums on treb 6 and bass 8.
 
The Kef are brighter than the Sennheisers. The Sennheisers have a better sound. It's got more body. Although I've had a few people listen and it's interesting, some say the kef has more bass. I guess it really is all about the anatomy of your ears. people really do hear things differently. Some people have more hair fibers and different canal shapes.
 
With the right amount of tweaking in the EQ I can make both sound very similar so I think it will come down to choosing the kef because they are so much more beautiful, easier to carry around, and comfortable. 
 
I have a real sophie's choice here.

 
The Momentum does have more body but it has a little too much! The KEF is very very close to neutral in it's bass to midrange balance. About the treble, I can understand you. It's not really bright but it has a slight unnatural edge to it, similar to what you'll find on KEF speakers. But this is slight, and if your rock music sounds like crap then it's badly recorded music (lots of rock is, unfortunately). 

I personally tried my Momentum last night after having only used my Audeze's and the KEF M500 for quite some time. The Momentum just doesn't match the KEF. It's not as clean, the bass isn't as well controlled and the treble does not have enough presence. This is probably why you find the M500 bright, because the Momentum is so rolled-off it takes time to get used to the KEF. But the KEF (while not the absolute last word in neutrality) is much more true to life than the Momentum is. 

 

[robm321]

The Momentums roll the highs off which might be good if you listen mostly to badly recorded music (which is usually etched in the highs). This list of bands pretty much shows that to be the case. They also have excessive mid bass which can be confused as more body. That can be good with some recordings but overwhelming with others. 
 
There is a bit of an aggressive nature to the Kef's upper midrange if you turn the volume up too high but overall, they are much more accurate and uncolored, so it is a tough call for your situation. It was easier for me, the Kefs were neutral and natural. The Senns unnatural and kind of mid-fi sounding but warm and lush on some music. 

 

[trunolimit]

Unfortunately subpar recording techniques seems to be an epidemic. Fortunately there is much old school Rock that I have yet to discover so it's all good. 
 
I'm choosing the kef because I realized that before the M500s I barely used my momentums because they were a hassle to carry around. I stuck to my m200s and the denon AH-C400 before that. I would bring out the Momentums once in a while. But now with the M500s I carry them around everywhere because they fold up and fit inside my side pocket on my bag. I will miss the sound of the Sennheiser but with my FiiO I have a ton of flexibility. 
 
Next stop, craig's list.

 

[Tom22]

 

 
this might have been answered already but how is the isolation on these m500s? they look absolutely gorgeous and fold up and flat (their hinges look sturdy) the whole build looks sturdy and classy
 
you have to show it off!! =) does it isolate enough for commuting purposes (bus/subway)
 
i find it weird that the cable plugs in at the back, even though its 3.5mm i think, its gonna look so weird if i uses  different cable (it the event the original breaks)

 

[MacedonianHero]

   
this might have been answered already but how is the isolation on these m500s? they look absolutely gorgeous and fold up and flat (their hinges look sturdy) the whole build looks sturdy and classy
 
you have to show it off!! =) does it isolate enough for commuting purposes (bus/subway)
 
i find it weird that the cable plugs in at the back, even though its 3.5mm i think, its gonna look so weird if i uses  different cable (it the event the original breaks)

Sorry, that's their biggest issue IMO. With that, they'd be the "total package".

 

[Tom22]

   
this might have been answered already but how is the isolation on these m500s? they look absolutely gorgeous and fold up and flat (their hinges look sturdy) the whole build looks sturdy and classy
 
you have to show it off!! =) does it isolate enough for commuting purposes (bus/subway)
 
i find it weird that the cable plugs in at the back, even though its 3.5mm i think, its gonna look so weird if i uses  different cable (it the event the original breaks)

it uses a flat l shape in the input to the headphones soo weirdd... seeing that on headphones> on smartphones, media devices

 

[Darknet]

The isolation isn't that great. I haven't used it on a subway or bus or anything of the sort yet but from general use and other people's impressions. Actually wait thinking back I've used it on a bus once so I can't comment that much but from what I remember its ok and you'll be able to hear your music fine,but you may not want to turn it up to those volumes. 
 
Also, the cable is actually 2.5mm to 3.5mm not 3.5mm to 3.5mm. The side which plugs into your headphones is a 2.5mm jack. I was considering building a cable for these, but I don't think its going to work because not only is it a 2.5mm cable, which is doable, but the 2.5mm jack is also somewhat recessed.

 

[trunolimit]

just curious. What is everyone's thought on flat wire vs round wire.

 

[zachgraz]

Question to M200 owners:
 
Can the hook that goes over the ear be completely removed without breaking the earphones or voiding the warranty ?
 
I have tried them today with Hifiman bi-flanges and they sound terrific but I find this hook annoying !
 
 
Thanks
Guenther

 

[denis]

Question to M200 owners:

Can the hook that goes over the ear be completely removed without breaking the earphones or voiding the warranty ?
I have tried them today with Hifiman bi-flanges and they sound terrific but I find this hook annoying !
Thanks
Guenther

In my experience, the hooks are purely cosmetic. Regarding the warranty, You should ask to the dealer you will order to.