[JML]

It looks to be a DoubleHelixCable offering.

 

[FangsNTail]

Did you try bending the dismantled iron/metal headband? if the wire is fragile in the connector ends, does it mean we can bend it? Could you try for us?

Bear with me, English is not my first language, but I'll give an explanation a stab...


Here is an illustration representing the original state.   Metal headband (orange), ear cup arms (purple), and wire (green) are all aligned in a squary arc.  Notice the clips (light blue) that anchor the arms to the headband.



... here's a pic of the parts.  Notice the small metal tubes (pointed by yellow arrow),... the wire connecting the left cup to the right passes through those metal tubes.



Now, when you bend the headband, this is the tendency...



.... the earcup arms (purple) and the headband (orange) would separate (at the encircled points) because the arms are non-pliable plastic and the metal tubes are rigid; the tiny clip (light blue) will get unhooked from the headband or worse, it could break.  

The wire has enough slack to tolerate a little bend on the headband top, but it will reach a snapping point if you bend the headband too much.  Even if the wire does not snap, if it becomes too snug you cannot pull the ear cups down anymore (like this, see pic below), because there will be no more remaining slack.  Force it and the wire snaps.


 

Now, let's go back to the break point (encircled) ...


While you are bending the headband, it will keep springing back to original form because the metal tubes are rigid, and the leather wrapped around the headband will have an ugly bulge.  The ear cup arms (purple) will create a bulge in the leather under the headband.  If the clip (light blue) gets unhooked from the headband, good luck hooking it back, because you can't see it as it is inside the leather.  If it breaks, creak galore!

Bottom line?  Leave it the "f" alone    if you are not ready to replace the headband altogether.

Hope this helps.

 

[Captain Howdy]

 
It looks to be a DoubleHelixCable offering.

 
Damn, at those prices, a soup can better sound great when stuck on the end of one of their cables.

 

[shabta]

I am curious if anyone has tried an after market cable that works with android? I have a galaxy note 4 and would love to find a cable that works...

 

[SSandDigital]

AKG K553 headphone should be arriving soon.  Hopefully AKG addressed some glaring problems K550 had. 

 

[virgopunk]

AKG K553 headphone should be arriving soon.  Hopefully AKG addressed some glaring problems K550 had. 

Wrong thread I think.

 

[SSandDigital]

Wrong thread I think.

 
Could be perceived that way, but plan to compare the K553 to these since I hope what HP50 excels at, AKG took notice to fix the K550, but kept their far superior airy sound;soundstage.

 

[virgopunk]

conceded 

 

[diamondears]

Could be perceived that way, but plan to compare the K553 to these since I hope what HP50 excels at, AKG took notice to fix the K550, but kept their far superior airy sound;soundstage.

Nice gimmick. Why bash others to advertise your own is really beyond me.

The NAD is a game changer...so good luck...

 

[hakushondaimao]

Anyone with HM5 and HP50 out there? Am receiving the HM5 this week, but am also interested in the NAD down the road. Would love A/B impressions on the two, if you'd be so kind.

 

[YamaVega]

I have auditioned the HM5.  The HM5 is neutral, unlike the HP50 which is balanced.  Difference? to me, neutral means the frequency is flat out flat... so to speak  while balanced means the frequency is not flat, but nothing stands out making a cohesive sound.  Technicality and details wise, the HM5 does not belong to the HP50's league, but for the price it really makes a great listen. 

 

[hakushondaimao]

  I have auditioned the HM5.  The HM5 is neutral, unlike the HP50 which is balanced.  Difference? to me, neutral means the frequency is flat out flat... so to speak  while balanced means the frequency is not flat, but nothing stands out making a cohesive sound.  Technicality and details wise, the HM5 does not belong to the HP50's league, but for the price it really makes a great listen. 

Perfect! Thanks for the input. Got the HM5 based on @Brooko's recent "revisit" review, and am looking forward to giving them a whirl. I keep reading about what a game-changer the NAD is though, and really want to give it a try as well. To me it's good that they're different as then I won't have to deal with choosing between similar sound sig's.

 

[diamondears]

I have auditioned the HM5.  The HM5 is neutral, unlike the HP50 which is balanced.  Difference? to me, neutral means the frequency is flat out flat... so to speak  while balanced means the frequency is not flat, but nothing stands out making a cohesive sound.  Technicality and details wise, the HM5 does not belong to the HP50's league, but for the price it really makes a great listen. 

On headphones, where the driver is millimeters from your ears, a flat frequency response in a graph would sound very bright. So a flat frequency response is IMO shouldn't be called neutral. Harman curve (downwards tilt to the right) is what should be called neutral or balanced. Since hearing Paul Barton and reading Tyll Herstens explain this, it all makes sense why most HPs sound on the bright side.

 

[shabta]

Funny how most albums are mixed with either very linear response type headphones or very linear response nearfield monitors. That means if you want to hear the music the way it was intended, speakers or headphones that have a similar response curve would be best. The point of the harmon curve is to make headphones that sound more like speakers in a room. Which for lots of people will sound more natural, unless of course the recording is of acoustic instruments, then it will sound like acoustic instruments played through speakers instead of natural. Over here in Europe a lot of small audiophile labels making classical recordings use Sennheiser HD800s. I wonder if that is an indication what people who listen to and record music for a living think about what sound natural? 

 

[diamondears]

Funny how most albums are mixed with either very linear response type headphones or very linear response nearfield monitors. That means if you want to hear the music the way it was intended, speakers or headphones that have a similar response curve would be best. The point of the harmon curve is to make headphones that sound more like speakers in a room. Which for lots of people will sound more natural, unless of course the recording is of acoustic instruments, then it will sound like acoustic instruments played through speakers instead of natural. Over here in Europe a lot of small audiophile labels making classical recordings use Sennheiser HD800s. I wonder if that is an indication what people who listen to and record music for a living think about what sound natural? 

Do they use the HD800 to hear the real thing, or to be able to hear every detail and just compensate/adjust for the added treble to come out with the real thing (or close to it)?