[Nirvana1000]

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This, well it just seems to vary depending on source too. I think for example they sound quite crappy directly out of onboard Realtek soundchip for example but it sounds a lot better from my android phone comparatively and neither is any powerful sources but still it sounds noticeably better from the phone but still that's no comparision to how it sounds properly amped either. It does scale well with amping for sure.

Which android phone?

 

[RPGWiZaRD]

Quote:

Which android phone?

 
An entry-lvl 119 EUR smartphone, Samsung Galaxy Pocket. I don't know why but I'm positively suprised by the output quality of this phone, it's much better than I expected, expected much worse but at least it significantly beats the slightly "amped" version of Realtek ALC889A chip. But the volume levels are obviously poor and full volume on the phone with Q40 is just a bit higher than what I'd normally listen with while I'd use 43~45% unamped on Realtek but with the phone it has more of that amped Q40 sound, more fullbodied, forward midrange especially.
 
I'm still waiting for my Soundblaster ZxR to arrive, can't wait to try these Q40 with that card, I think it will be a pretty good match for my taste.

 

[Oregonian]

Quote:

 
This, well it just seems to vary depending on source too. I think for example they sound quite crappy directly out of onboard Realtek soundchip for example but it sounds a lot better from my android phone comparatively and neither is any powerful sources but still it sounds noticeably better from the phone but still that's no comparision to how it sounds properly amped either. It does scale well with amping for sure.
 
These don't have XB500 bass quantity but it's not that far away but when you hear the beautiful punchy textured and pretty well controlled bass you will realize exactly how poor the bass quality of XB500 is in comparision, you won't be missing that extra quantity of bass cuz it's just a muddy mess in comparision. In short these pack good "slam"/punch to it that you feel well that you also do with XB500 for example but the difference is that Q40's bass sounds accurate and doesn't have this "extra layering" of soft/uncontrolled bass that XB500 packs, it just output the bass in a more solid way, it's like you scale off that unrealistic extra bass that isn't supposed to be there but you keep the nice "punchy" impact that you can also feel of XB500 so to speak.

 
After listening to Q40's I can't even use my XB500's any more.  May have to sell them or donate them to a budding head fi-er. 
 
XB700's I can still listen to since they sound pretty good but Q40 beats them for sound quality. 

 

[Oregonian]

Update on "pad rolling adventures".

Got the Shure 840 pads from Amazon today. Swapped them out, fit nicely with the caveat that they reach OVER the cups and don't tuck down in the tiny gap. Pic might help you understand, but it made the swap very fast and easy and even with the stitching they look good. Comfort is way betterbthan stock and the bass is all there. NO paper towel or rope under the pads at this point and not sure i will need it.

I'm on my iPad and can't add pics so ill do that on my laptop later.

 

[My3uka]

Giving my  DT770 velour earpads -  just 5 euro for the postage

 

[Oregonian]

Update on pad rolling adventures.............
 
So after putting on the Shure pads and listening for a day, I ended up adding a smaller diameter rope to the underside of the pads just to get a bit of spacing away from the cloth pad that touched my ears a little.  This is the size difference from before.
 

 
Installed view of the Shure pads - remember they go over the cups entirely and you see stitching but it does not look bad in person.
 

 
So these are sounding great, and the comfort over stock is much better.  Then yesterday my HiFiMan leather pads showed up.............and on to rolling pads again this morning.  Pic below is Shure on left, HiFiMan on right.  Diameter of HiFiMan is larger as is the inside diameter so for those with Dumbo ears this is the answer. 
 

 
Another view of the underside.

 
And finally with the HiFiMan pads installed.  Remember the ring on these goes OVER the cup as well on these as the Shure and they look even better since there is no stitching. 
 

 
I'll listen to these as is no rope under the pads and really don't need since the depth of these pads is adequate to keep the material away from your ears.  I'll likely try the rope trick just because I want to test every combination but that'll be in a few days. 

 

[quisxx]

Those look beautiful with the hifiman pads on. Do any of those pads you tried give more bass, or at least not decreSe frome stock levels? Just want to know so when the day comes that the stock pads wear out, I know which pads to get as a replacement. Seemd the beyer velours were the popular choice but those are out the door for me since people say that those decrease the beautiful bass.

 

[Oregonian]

Quote:

Those look beautiful with the hifiman pads on. Do any of those pads you tried give more bass, or at least not decreSe frome stock levels? Just want to know so when the day comes that the stock pads wear out, I know which pads to get as a replacement. Seemd the beyer velours were the popular choice but those are out the door for me since people say that those decrease the beautiful bass.

 
Beyer velours - from my testing it killed the bass but made the phones super comfy.  Not worth it TO ME.
Both leathers definitely lost NO bass.  It seems the HiFiMan pads made the mids wake up a bit (not that I feel the Q40 is bad in the mids) but that's a snapshot impression from three songs. 
 
They sound awesome and now the comfort is on par with the sound.  I'll feed back more when I get some more time listening on them.
 
Guys - for sure this was well worth doing.  For $40ish for both sets of pads it was worth it to me.  I just put my Shurs on my DT770 Pro LE 32ohm phones that I have up for sale and am going to give them a listen tomorrow.  May end up keeping them as I really want three separate go to phones for three different listening areas (main in family room, computer, work office setup). 

 

[quisxx]

Beyer velours - from my testing it killed the bass but made the phones super comfy.  Not worth it TO ME.
Both leathers definitely lost NO bass.  It seems the HiFiMan pads made the mids wake up a bit (not that I feel the Q40 is bad in the mids) but that's a snapshot impression from three songs. 

They sound awesome and now the comfort is on par with the sound.  I'll feed back more when I get some more time listening on them.

Guys - for sure this was well worth doing.  For $40ish for both sets of pads it was worth it to me.  I just put my Shurs on my DT770 Pro LE 32ohm phones that I have up for sale and am going to give them a listen tomorrow.  May end up keeping them as I really want three separate go to phones for three different listening areas (main in family room, computer, work office setup). 

When you say both leathers, you are referring to the hifiman and the shures?

 

[Oregonian]

Quote:

When you say both leathers, you are referring to the hifiman and the shures?

Yesssir.   The Shure's are from model 840 and the HiFiMan is leather for all HE versions.  You just have to take out a plastic ring that I assume snaps into the HE units. 
 
Let me know if you or anyone else reading need the exact part number.  I got them from Amazon.  2 day Prime available. 

 

[blueangel2323]

Is any bass lost with the Hifiman velours?

 

[Thujone]

Free head massage:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-srWbc8h6Jg

 

[RPGWiZaRD]

I just placed an order for the Hifiman leather pads, 24 EUR with shipping from UK so a bit on the expensier side for a pair of pads but meh, the much enjoyment I've gotten out of these headphones clearly is worth it.
 
The old pads has developed a crack in the pleather on one of the pads so figured it would be time to replace those stock pads. The stock pads seems to be the typical low quality pleather which only lasts like 2-3 years of use.

 

[Oregonian]

I just placed an order for the Hifiman leather pads, 24 EUR with shipping from UK so a bit on the expensier side for a pair of pads but meh, the much enjoyment I've gotten out of these headphones clearly is worth it.

The old pads has developed a crack in the pleather on one of the pads so figured it would be time to replace those stock pads. The stock pads seems to be the typical low quality pleather which only lasts like 2-3 years of use.

I think you'll really like them. I went back and forth between them and the Shure 840 pads and think I've settled on the Shures for now.

Spent four hours on Friday with the Q40's on working in the yard with zero comfort issues. Never thought I'd say that.

 

[RPGWiZaRD]

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I think you'll really like them. I went back and forth between them and the Shure 840 pads and think I've settled on the Shures for now.

Spent four hours on Friday with the Q40's on working in the yard with zero comfort issues. Never thought I'd say that.

 
Oh, you like the Shures more? Any specific reasons for that? I would rather get the best of the best sound wise.