[waynes world]

  I honestly think that the stock will be superior to the mods...but who knows. I don't really feel like experimenting with something that is already very balanced and coherent right now. Also only at around 30hrs right now lol.

 
That is an understandable sentiment - they are fantastic in their stock form, and I was feeling unsure about going ahead with the mods as well considering that I only have the one pair. But the hole exposure mod does indeed transform them into different beasts. As Lors has said, it's like transforming them from bookshelf speakers into full floor speakers. And as Pataburd said "With the headband tubes closed off, you lose a lot of spatial sense--soundstage shrinks and gets less 3-D, the mids become shallow and the treble gets fatiguing.". It's hard to believe those words when you've only listened to them in their (awesome) stock form, but it's true.
 
If you only have a stock pair, then it might not be worth the time and risk of modding them. But if you have a couple of pairs, it's worth trying, especially knowing that you can get a modded pair back to stock again if you want to.
 
Edit: strikeout above due to my having used Pataburd's comment in the wrong context. Explanation in following posts.

 

[Nimzerz]

   
That is an understandable sentiment - they are fantastic in their stock form, and I was feeling unsure about going ahead with the mods as well considering that I only have the one pair. But the hole exposure mod does indeed transform them into different beasts. As Lors has said, it's like transforming them from bookshelf speakers into full floor speakers. And as Pataburd said "With the headband tubes closed off, you lose a lot of spatial sense--soundstage shrinks and gets less 3-D, the mids become shallow and the treble gets fatiguing.". It's hard to believe those words when you've only listened to them in their (awesome) stock form, but it's true.
 
If you only have a stock pair, then it might not be worth the time and risk of modding them. But if you have a couple of pairs, it's worth trying, especially knowing that you can get a modded pair back to stock again if you want to.

Are they closed off in the stock form? Is there a mod that won't change the FR much but will benefit the HP in other ways? I don't think I'd break the wires as I know how to be careful :3 so if there's anything that you GUARANTEE will benefit the HP especially in imaging (where I think it is not very good at at all) then I'm ALL EARS (no pun intended haha)

 

[waynes world]

  Are they closed off in the stock form? Is there a mod that won't change the FR much but will benefit the HP in other ways? I don't think I'd break the wires as I know how to be careful :3 so if there's anything that you GUARANTEE will benefit the HP especially in imaging (where I think it is not very good at at all) then I'm ALL EARS (no pun intended haha)

 
I thought that Pataburd was talking about stock versus modded, but as you have pointed out, he is talking "headband tubes closed off". Obviously I failed at "reading 101" lol. 
 
To answer your questions:
 
> Are they closed off in the stock form?
 
No, they are not closed off in stock form.
 
> Is there a mod that won't change the FR much but will benefit the HP in other ways?
 
I don't know. 
 
> I don't think I'd break the wires as I know how to be careful :3 so if there's anything that you GUARANTEE will benefit the HP especially in imaging (where I think it is not very good at at all) then I'm ALL EARS (no pun intended haha)
 
I had a weird "left driver producing more bass than right driver" thing going on, so I didn't experience the proper benefits of the mods. But I heard the light enough to know that I like it.
 
The imaging for sure is changed quite a bit. There is more separation, air and layering between the instruments - a more 3D like quality. I assume that is what you are talking about with the imaging?
 
Whether or not from your point of view there would be other aspects that get degraded, I can't say. Therefore, no guarantees from me! Maybe Lors or Pataburd will guarantee it for you 

 

[Nimzerz]

   
I thought that Pataburd was talking about stock versus modded, but as you have pointed out, he is talking "headband tubes closed off". Obviously I failed at "reading 101" lol. 
 
To answer your questions:
 
> Are they closed off in the stock form?
 
No, they are not closed off in stock form.
 
> Is there a mod that won't change the FR much but will benefit the HP in other ways?
 
I don't know. 
 
> I don't think I'd break the wires as I know how to be careful :3 so if there's anything that you GUARANTEE will benefit the HP especially in imaging (where I think it is not very good at at all) then I'm ALL EARS (no pun intended haha)
 
I had a weird "left driver producing more bass than right driver" thing going on, so I didn't experience the proper benefits of the mods. But I heard the light enough to know that I like it.
 
The imaging for sure is changed quite a bit. There is more separation, air and layering between the instruments - a more 3D like quality. I assume that is what you are talking about with the imaging?
 
Whether or not from your point of view there would be other aspects that get degraded, I can't say. Therefore, no guarantees from me! Maybe Lors or Pataburd will guarantee it for you 

Not necessarily... but the other qualities are welcome
 
Imaging meaning pinpointing instruments within the soundstage/better center imaging (hard to explain this one).

 

[Nimzerz]

I think I just hit the 30 hr mark / whatever point it first changes significantly because that pink floyd song reference that I have definitely sounds MUCH more natural.

 

[elvergun]

  I think I just hit the 30 hr mark / whatever point it first changes significantly because that pink floyd song reference that I have definitely sounds MUCH more natural.

Wait and see what a difference 20 more hours will make...

 

[Nimzerz]

So... why don't companies burn in the headphones themselves?

 

[elvergun]

  So... why don't companies burn in the headphones themselves?

 
It is easier and cheaper to get them out the door and just instruct owners to burn them in themselves.  
 
I'm not even convinced that burn in is real (vs the illusion of burn in)...all I know is that I think that they got better after 50 hours.

 

[Nimzerz]

   
It is easier and cheaper to get them out the door and just instruct owners to burn them in themselves.  
 
I'm not even convinced that burn in is real (vs the illusion of burn in)...all I know is that I think that they got better after 50 hours.

Well lets see objectively. From my ears I hear a BIG dip at 2.5khz and a HUGE peak at 3.5-4khz and another peak at 6.5-7khz. Little peaks at 1, 8, 16 and 18khz. There are small peaks after that at around 9-10khz but nothing as significant. Let's see if that changes at all later. From 20-1000hz it seems fairly linear.
 
In comparison, the HE500 is linear from 30-1000hz, increasing peak from 4-5.7khz, tiny peak at 7khz, HUGE dip at 7.6-7.9khz, HUGE increasing peak from 8-11khz, and a BIG dip at around 12.8khz. (off of my iPod)

 

[waynes world]

 
Well lets see objectively. From my ears I hear a BIG dip at 2.5khz and a HUGE peak at 3.5-4khz and another peak at 6khz. Little peaks at 16 and 18khz. There are small peaks after that at around 9-10khz but nothing as significant. Let's see if that changes at all later. From 20-1000hz it seems fairly linear.

 
How do you determine these dips and peaks?

 

[Nimzerz]

   
How do you determine these dips and peaks?

Tone Generator app (of course, I only have my ipod touch 5g currently to power these. But my cousin might bring his E11 soon to use with it), and I slowly went up the frequencies and judged the peaks/dips. It's all relative though. Either way, off of the same source, it'll show if the burn in is actually affecting the headphone.

 

[skeptic]

Thank you guys for your comments, just 2 more things:

have you tried playing games with them, how is their sound stage ? 
What cheap audio cable do you recommend me to purchase with them to emphasize the bass, can you link me to amazon or ebay ? 

Thanks again  

Atraf - cable upgrades really don't impact frequency response. Unfortunately, there is a lot of misinformation on this topic, and cables may well impact certain aspects of sound quality that are not within the standard array of measurements used in the audio world. If cables really did bring out treble or boost bass (or sound distinctly warmer or brighter than one another), that would be easily measured, even if the effects were well below the threshold of audibility. Reputable cable makers actually acknowledge that short run cables (assuming that there is not something terribly wrong with them), do not impact sound in such a simple manner.

If you want to bring out the bass, amp them well, eq them, or plan to mod them. I have been thoroughly enjoying my Mikros with a mini3 for the last couple of evenings. It lends some real kick to the bottom end. Frankly, I'm not sure I want bass above and beyond what I'm hearing, and I am certainly not a treblehead.

 

[Trunks159]

Mikros Minimod: For added comfort, and an easier seal:

Turn the pads inside out for velour!

 

[Trunks159]

Slightly darker sound, slightly larger soundstage?

 

[pataburd]

   
Yup, I gotta get mine modded again to get them back up to M500 levels 

  

 

Are we talking UPgrade or DOWNgrade?