[bixby]

There's no problem with replacement cables for these, they are just standard jack connections. Use whatever you want!

not really, 3 cables I have with standard Neutrik mini phone plugs will not seat all the way into the cup jack on the NAD.  If you look closely at the connector on the NAD cable you will see a white plastic insulator forming a tapered type of nipple collar right before the metal barrel.  This fits into the jack opening of the NAD perfectly and connectors without this taper down do not.
 

 

[bixby]

  Would a Wolfson WM8741 based DAC be maybe not the best pairing for these HP50's ? As they are both on the warm side ?

I would not be so concerned about dac chips but the overall signature of the dac and or amp.  NADs definitely can tell the difference between what is in front of them.  They sound different on all 3 dac amps in my house.

 

[Lohb]

  Thanks a million for taking it apart. Yours look exactly like mine except for the bar code sticker. I'll have to let my ears make the decision later.

Thanks for the link for the HP50's on Taobao.com catchup.
For $150 they cannot be beaten ! I'll hold off in case you think they are not genuine.

 

[andyDiamond]

I doubt that a MSRP $299 quite new headphone would be really sold new for just half a price.
Think it's some asian fake

 

[catchup]

A friend of mine bought a pair too. He compared them with his K702 and decided they are genuine. http://forum.xitek.com/pics/201402/1039/103966/103966_1392854285.jpg
 
After listening to them for 10 hours, I am also pretty sure mine are genuine.
 
Beside, in that online shop, you could find other "cheap version" hps, some of which were even on shelf before its official release! There is no way to fake hps in advance. So I think only someone who has a connection with the OEM factory could do that. The shop owner used to sell these on ebay. But the deal was over.
 
I can not rule out the possibility that some of these hps might be defected. And you'd better be careful of focal hps, they are pretty fragile and the first batch of spirit one was defected as I know.
 
Anyway, it's still very risky to buy cheap stuff from Taobao. Our Chinese people are too good at counterfeiting

 

[catchup]

MunkyNuts, You are welcome.
 
A friend of mine bought a pair too. He compared them with his K702 on D50 and decided they are genuine. I put an offsite link of a photo of his hps and hopefully the administrator will let it to be shown later.
 
After listening to them for 10 hours, I am also pretty sure mine are genuine.
 
Beside, in that online shop, you could find other "cheap version" hps, some of which were even on shelf before its official release! There is no way to fake hps in advance. So I think only someone who has a connection with the OEM factory could do that. The shop owner used to sell these on ebay. But the deal was over.
 
I can not rule out the possibility that some of these hps might be defected. And you'd better be careful of focal hps, they are pretty fragile and the first batch of spirit one was defected as I know.
 
Anyway, it's still very risky to buy cheap stuff from Taobao. Our Chinese people are too good at counterfeiting

 

[Koolpep]

  MunkyNuts, You are welcome.
 
A friend of mine bought a pair too. He compared them with his K702 on D50 and decided they are genuine. I put an offsite link of a photo of his hps and hopefully the administrator will let it to be shown later.
 
After listening to them for 10 hours, I am also pretty sure mine are genuine.
 
Beside, in that online shop, you could find other "cheap version" hps, some of which were even on shelf before its official release! There is no way to fake hps in advance. So I think only someone who has a connection with the OEM factory could do that. The shop owner used to sell these on ebay. But the deal was over.
 
I can not rule out the possibility that some of these hps might be defected. And you'd better be careful of focal hps, they are pretty fragile and the first batch of spirit one was defected as I know.
 
Anyway, it's still very risky to buy cheap stuff from Taobao. Our Chinese people are too good at counterfeiting

 
Well, there are fakes and "fakes". Been to China a few times and my company produces ourselves some stuff in China. Very often the factory that produces your product produces a few pieces more (which is illegal) and "distributes" them directly. Of course, as they have no R&D, Marketing etc. to recover, they can sell cheap. However, sometimes they replace certain parts of the product with lower quality ones to increase the profits and to mask what they are doing.
 
If you are lucky, you get an identical product (without the strict quality assurance and warranty though) and if you are unlucky, you get a semi-fake or full fake.
 
That's why a lot of brands only give you warranty/service if you sell through "certified dealers".
 
Cheers,
K

 

[PJDubyaM]

  Thanks a million for taking it apart. Yours look exactly like mine except for the bar code sticker. I'll have to let my ears make the decision later.

To put your mind at ease: I tried to register my HP50s at the NAD website, and I was asked for a serial number. I couldn't find anything other than the code associated with the barcode on the packaging. I dropped their customer service a line, and they said that I must have an example of an early production run, which has the serial number under the ear pad (I'm not brave enough to remove mine!). They said that later examples have the serial number somewhere on the packaging rather than under the ear pad.
 
So the fact that one example has an under-earpad sticker and the other doesn't just means they're from different production runs, rather than anything more menacing.
 
Great headphones, by the way. But only recently discovered that my chunky plastic glasses (which I have to wear constantly) are messing with my earcup seal. Markedly different with and without glasses. The rational thing to do is to return them and get IEMs, but I ain't rational. Too attached to the damn things.

 

[James-uk]

To put your mind at ease: I tried to register my HP50s at the NAD website, and I was asked for a serial number. I couldn't find anything other than the code associated with the barcode on the packaging. I dropped their customer service a line, and they said that I must have an example of an early production run, which has the serial number under the ear pad (I'm not brave enough to remove mine!). They said that later examples have the serial number somewhere on the packaging rather than under the ear pad.

So the fact that one example has an under-earpad sticker and the other doesn't just means they're from different production runs, rather than anything more menacing.

Great headphones, by the way. But only recently discovered that my chunky plastic glasses (which I have to wear constantly) are messing with my earcup seal. Markedly different with and without glasses. The rational thing to do is to return them and get IEMs, but I ain't rational. Too attached to the damn things.

Or get contact lenses ?

 

[catchup]

Thank you for the information. The earpads could be easily removed, use a little force and they will come off. You could put them back on bit by bit along the edge.
 
I also wear glasses but HP50 doesn't bother me too much.
 
I'm quite happy with its vocal performance. My previous cans are DT235, the treble and bass of which are strong, but vocal is thin and lack of definition, often covered by bass. HP50 is quite balanced in comparison. It's not only good for music listening, also very suitable for movie.

 

[catchup]

   
Well, there are fakes and "fakes". Been to China a few times and my company produces ourselves some stuff in China. Very often the factory that produces your product produces a few pieces more (which is illegal) and "distributes" them directly. Of course, as they have no R&D, Marketing etc. to recover, they can sell cheap. However, sometimes they replace certain parts of the product with lower quality ones to increase the profits and to mask what they are doing.
 
If you are lucky, you get an identical product (without the strict quality assurance and warranty though) and if you are unlucky, you get a semi-fake or full fake.
 
That's why a lot of brands only give you warranty/service if you sell through "certified dealers".
 
Cheers,
K

 
Yeah, you are right.
 
Usually the factory has to produce more, for test, possible defected ones or other reasons. Sometimes workers could steal some parts out and then put them together. But there are definitely some bad people who sell totally or partly fake ones under the name of OEM.
 
I think I got lucky this time, for HP50 is very balanced and has a roomfeel, which makes it hard to fake. But I wouldn't recommand others to buy the cheap version, for it's still very risky, especially for oversea buyers.

 

[s0ckpupp3t]

Has anyone tried to bend the headband into a more rounded shape?
 
I just got these today I'm feeling a lot of pressure on the top of my head, even with the headband fully extended.  I don't think my head is particularly long or pointy so this is perplexing.  Then again, I don't have a Herman Munster shaped head either (I bet the HP50s would be a perfect fit for him).

 

[yoyowiggle]

A few of my favorite things...

 

[Shawn71]

A few of my favorite things...

so you use your HP as ear muffler while shoot sessions? jk!

 

[yoyowiggle]

so you use your HP as ear muffler while shoot sessions? jk!

Haha! Virtual AR15 sound check... it sounds so real on the hp50! Snicker...
actually when I go to the range I always double up on protection with ear plugs and REAL over ear... gotta protect that hearing!