[waynes world]

  Indeed they are quite good.  My initial impression is only meant to bring them in perspective and offer a balanced description.  I do prefer them over the Momentums because they are just as versatile and feel "faster", more authentic, less subdued with good body.  The soundstage for a portable I am sure is quite good and I prefer them over the other phones listed, as everyone else seems to.
 
I am happy with them so far and will give a small update as I continue to listen and test out their isolation.

 
+1 to your bolded words. Wonderful body. Very full sound. No veil, and never sounding muddy, boomy, honky, sibiliant or fatiguing to me. Just very engaging. And for on ears, I can't believe how comfortable they are.

 

[trunolimit]

I have the m200. They keep falling out of my inner ears. I feel this is due to the plugs. I think foam plugs would stay in better. Anyone have an idea of a mod or professional outfit that sells foam tips that fit these.

Also is everyone serious about the m500 > momentums ?

 

[spindex]

I have the m200. They keep falling out of my inner ears. I feel this is due to the plugs. I think foam plugs would stay in better. Anyone have an idea of a mod or professional outfit that sells foam tips that fit these.

Also is everyone serious about the m500 > momentums ?

 
I prefer them and it seems many others do too.  But I only used Momentums for 2 hours and I've used the M500s for a good 12 hours now. I'd like to do a side-by-side comparison.
 
They're definitely as versatile as Momentums. For me, Momentums' little bass bump sounds odd/silly in an otherwise laid back and subdued soundscape.  I think I prefer soundstage on the Momentums over the M500s; a bit more room to breathe especially with an over-ear design, but the imaging on M500s is faster and exciting with great separation.  For that reason many will prefer their sound despite the graceful character of Momentums.
 
For M500s, the highs are aggressive but don't drown out much, and I like that.  The bass is killer and at the perfect level. My one complaint is the Mids feel "hot" to me: there's a thickness which on certain tracks makes the mix less than transparent.  Some people may like the center to feel chunky like that; my preference is for a colder sound, and sacrifice no transparency. Still one of the best portables you will find.
 
I also want to add I did test these cans out in the subway and they performed fine.  Was their isolation "great" like an IEM?  No, but good enough to enjoy in a noisy environment as any quality pair of cans would.
 
Would anyone else who has listened to both care to defend the Momentums?

 

[MLee]

I also had the Momentums for a time and prefer the M500s.  In my experience the Momentum had a smoother, softer signature while, like others have said, the M500 has a bit of an edge, brighter, sound.  I can see where one or the other would appeal to someone depending upon their personal preference.  No way one or the other would please everyone, their differences would prohibit that.  The Momentum isolation was better, but they didn't fit my ears quite right.  The Momentum sound was nice, the M500 is more realistic and able to reproduce live recordings better to me.

 

[MacedonianHero]

  I also had the Momentums for a time and prefer the M500s.  In my experience the Momentum had a smoother, softer signature while, like others have said, the M500 has a bit of an edge, brighter, sound.  I can see where one or the other would appeal to someone depending upon their personal preference.  No way one or the other would please everyone, their differences would prohibit that.  The Momentum isolation was better, but they didn't fit my ears quite right.  The Momentum sound was nice, the M500 is more realistic and able to reproduce live recordings better to me.

 
I generally agree with this and for portable (non-NC) headphones, the M500s and Momentums are my 2 favourites:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/672743/comparisons-psb-m4u2-momentum-mdr-1r-qc15-beats-executive-dt1350-ue9000-beats-studio-2013-kef-m500-and-skullcandy-aviators

 

[DigitalMonkey]

+1 for Kef M500 sound. I have both Momentum and M500 at around the same time - been listening to them with equal amount of hours. Every time I picked up M500 and listened to it - It just makes me smile of how good the sound is. When you have them to compare day in and day out, the differences are very distinct. You just don't think about what's wrong with the M500, you just listen and enjoy the music.  Momentum is good but just not as good - I just found Momentum sounds a little tubby overall.  Strange enough, I found myself pick up Momentum more. I think it has to do with its look and how it fits my head more secure VS M500 seems to slide off my big head a little too easy. 

 

[egokun]

Would anyone else who has listened to both care to defend the Momentums?

I will.

I find it very odd that virtually everyone says the M500 are balanced, when the shoutiness of female vocals on it is undeniable. To me, this is very quickly fatiguing at "normal" listening volume.

In the bass region, the M500 is capable of producing a very deep bass rumble, the kind you feel in your throat more than you perceive with your ears. However, the M500 lacks punch and body. I listen to a variety of chiptune music from old video games. The M500 simply can't give body to that kind of music. The result is a bright, metallic, petulant sound, with virtually no bottom end. I used to think the Audio Technica AD2000 was shouty and honky. I don't anymore: the M500 is worse in that department.

The Momentum has more recessed vocals and less detailed highs, but to me, its overall sound is much more coherent, engaging and satisfying than the M500's. With the Momentum, I can turn up the volume without having my brain drilled by shouty vocals. With the Momentum, my music has body and impact from top to bottom. I don't think the Momentum has too much bass (that's V-Moda's territory).

These are the reasons why my M500 is for sale on Head-Fi, while the Momentum is staying.

 

[Beagle]

Seems you just prefer a certain coloration that the Momentum provides, nothing wrong with that. Many of us just welcome a neutral, balanced response that eschews the bloated bass and sunken midrange. That is the M500.

 

[Lan647]

  Seems you just prefer a certain coloration that the Momentum provides, nothing wrong with that. Many of us just welcome a neutral, balanced response that eschews the bloated bass and sunken midrange. That is the M500.

 
I do agree with him about one thing. The M500 does have kind of a shouty tone to it's upper frequencies. I consider it to be slight though, and not a deal breaker. 

Also wouldn't say the Momentum has a sunken midrange. It has very good presence, it's just that the upper mids are a little laid-back and the bass is a little forward. 

 

[RandomNumber]

As a Sennheiser fanboy, it pains me to say... but M500 is just better than Momentum, and I have heard the portable bunch : UE6000 ,MDR 1, M4U1, etc etc and I prefered Momentum over the rest....
 
But there is one thing from reaching the M500 just yet : the fit, that is if you have a small head like me. Honestly, that thing is just like a soap bar at a prison, the moment you tilt a bit of your head it almost fell off, and this is just sitting down. I can't imagine walking around with these and definitely not banging my head with my rock collection with these.... 
 
Is there any kind souls to help the fit situation 

...

 

[blueangel2323]

As a Sennheiser fanboy, it pains me to say... but M500 is just better than Momentum, and I have heard the portable bunch : UE6000 ,MDR 1, M4U1, etc etc and I prefered Momentum over the rest....

But there is one thing from reaching the M500 just yet : the fit, that is if you have a small head like me. Honestly, that thing is just like a soap bar at a prison, the moment you tilt a bit of your head it almost fell off, and this is just sitting down. I can't imagine walking around with these and definitely not banging my head with my rock collection with these.... 

Is there any kind souls to help the fit situation 

...

 
Speaking from personal experience?

 

[egokun]

  Seems you just prefer a certain coloration that the Momentum provides, nothing wrong with that. Many of us just welcome a neutral, balanced response that eschews the bloated bass and sunken midrange. That is the M500.

 
Well, I've seen Head-Fiers describe the V-Moda M-100 as "neutral", if you can believe that.
 
That's why I think that calling the M500 "neutral" and "balanced" is misleading. Sound perception is so incredibly subjective and personal. I simply cannot believe it when some people say some cans aren't sibilant while all I can hear is "s"s, but hey, that's what they hear. On the other hand, I think that "bloated bass" is something very different from the bass reproduction of the Momentum. Emphasized? Yes. Bloated? Hell no!
 
Fact is, I'm not sure I've ever heard a sound signature that I'd call "neutral and balanced", but I have an idea of what that signature should be. And the M500 doesn't fit my idea

 
And this is why, whenever I can, I prefer to describe the sound of a headphone compared to another's, rather than using absolute definitions. I bought the M500 because of the comments I read here. My expectations were very, very wrong.
 
Of course, nothing wrong in liking a certain sound signature. Everyone here is looking for what they like best, not for some fabled "absolute best"

 

[Beagle]

Also wouldn't say the Momentum has a sunken midrange. It has very good presence, it's just that the upper mids are a little laid-back and the bass is a little forward.

 
I think you summed it up better than I did.
 

   
Well, I've seen Head-Fiers describe the V-Moda M-100 as "neutral", if you can believe that.
 
That's why I think that calling the M500 "neutral" and "balanced" is misleading. Sound perception is so incredibly subjective and personal. I simply cannot believe it when some people say some cans aren't sibilant while all I can hear is "s"s, but hey, that's what they hear. On the other hand, I think that "bloated bass" is something very different from the bass reproduction of the Momentum. Emphasized? Yes. Bloated? Hell no!
 

 
I have read a lot of odd things on Head-Fi.
 
Some people are sensitive to sibilants....I am too, somewhat. Most of the time I blame the recording.
 
Bloated and emphasised can be synonymous. To me, any excess low end sounds bloated. Whichever word you choose to use, there is still too much for my tastes, on a given day. Some find a bit of bass boost a good thing.

 

[spindex]

I wouldn't call the bass for Sennheiser Momentums bloated either.  Just "obvious" to my ear when I try to EQ.
 
Neutral, Balanced, etc. are very subjective with such an imperfect technology as portable headphones, and I couldn't agree more.  I'll just say the M500s feel more versatile than most portables I've tried.
 
I agree the highs on the M500s can be a little overwhelming.  For instance try listening to ABBA at a high volume with them.  In about 15 minutes you will feel like Chewbacca in that torture chamber on Cloud City. But I enjoy intense highs more than a thicker upper bass, so I am content to work with and around them.  At the end of the day I do think I hear a bit more detail in the M500s though.
 
While we are on the issue of comfort: I am beginning to notice that over time my left ear experiences noticeable stress/pain while the right ear remains perfectly comfortable.  I think this has something to do with the design of where the hole to fit the cord goes?
 
It could be a peculiarity with the size of my ear, head and the length I've adjusted the bar, but has anyone else noticed this pain and found a way to adjust it? The comfort/build quality on these phones are phenomenal in most respects, I'd hate to have such an issue ruin the experience.

 

[Beagle]

  I wouldn't call the bass for Sennheiser Momentums bloated either.  Just "obvious" to my ear when I try to EQ.
 

 
I suppose I could categorise excess bass as "punchy" when it is tight and "bloated" when it is loose. So to my ears, the Momentums bass is on the loose side and the V-Moda M-100 is more the punchy variety. The M100 has more than the Momentum but seems like less because it is better defined?
 

While we are on the issue of comfort: I am beginning to notice that over time my left ear experiences noticeable stress/pain while the right ear remains perfectly comfortable.  I think this has something to do with the design of where the hole to fit the cord goes?
 
It could be a peculiarity with the size of my ear, head and the length I've adjusted the bar, but has anyone else noticed this pain and found a way to adjust it? The comfort/build quality on these phones are phenomenal in most respects, I'd hate to have such an issue ruin the experience.

 
Yes, it could be the cord weight putting some pressure on the left ear, due to the light clamping force. I haven't had this problem thus far.