[audionewbi]

Maybe have a look at the new audio technica lineup, athwp900 looks good.

 

[Gu Sensei]

I have had these beauties (without musical tuning service) for just about two months and absolutely love them. They are definitely on the 'musical' side of the spectrum and so much fun to listen to. The bass is prominent and will likely turn off a lot people, but I only occasionally find it a little too much. Mids are present, clean, and very clear. They are not prominent like on the typical AT's and other Japanese tuned phones. Treble is smooth and even with no noticeable peaks to my ears. No harshness at all. They are definitely not bright headphones but I personally would not call them dark. The soundstage is quite good though not quite at the level of some of the Denon's. The detail retrieval and imaging are superb-- truly a holographic presentation.

Comfort is excellent. They have a tight grip that is perfect for on-the-go listening but I do not find it uncomfortable at all and can listen for hours at a time. There is nothing awkward about the fit at all and they are not at all finicky about getting the placement right. Build quality is superb. They are gorgeous to look at up close and very understated from a distance. I am using them in my office and don't ever get a second glance. I wish they did not use the suede type material for the underside of the headband as it can't be wiped down. I am using an aftermarket headband cover to protect it.

I like to listen to ambient electronic chill type music and movie soundtracks (Alexandre Desplat, Cliff Martinez) when I am working at my desk and these are phenomenal for that kind of music. Pretty much anything with heavy use of synthesizers is sublime. My alternative, new wave, and big 80's stuff... all fantastic. I like to use Van Halen's 1984 title song as a test track and I have never heard it sound better. I really dislike dry headphones like the HD800s and these are basically the opposite-- smooth liquidy goodness that is completely engaging. They are all-rounders to my ears, but again, the bass likely will be trouble for some.

I listened to a lot of closed headphones including most of the top flagships over about six or seven months before settling on these. It took a few auditions before I caught on that there was something special going on. I found the Focal Stellias to be a little lacking in the bass and uneven and peaky up top. Never mind looking like you have a couple of Fabrege eggs stuck to your head. The top ATs just too forward and bright with a lot of music I like. I have never been able to get into the planar sound, the top Audeze and Mr Speakers are great but just a little too distant to me. The Sony flagship is just too uneven to my ears and I find the Fostex to be too harsh. The Denons were close, but I feel they took a step in the wrong direction from the D7000s. I brought home both the Cascades and Neumann NDH20s and really like them both, but not enough to stop me from hunting for something better. I just never got too excited to put either of them on. The WM90s just cross that threshold from excellent to elite.

I never owned the old JVC DX1000s. I tried them a few times and liked them, but I was a card-carrying D7000 nut back in the day. I suspect that if you were into either of those phones, these will be the modern take you have been looking for.

Japan is great place to try headphones and I also checked out all the biggie open phones and prefer the JVC's to anything I heard. I had the Focal Utopias and would rate them as the overall best headphones I have encountered, but I sold them to fund the JVCs, which give up the wonderful open soundstage and the nice balanced frequency response but give a lot more joy in return. I don't regret the swap for a second.

The price is bonkers, no doubt. I am not sure what the point of that submerged wood is but if it is somehow connected to what makes these special, then super. It would be nice if they released a version with these drivers and some more mundane ground-growing trees at a lower cost. I suspect they would be pretty good. I just couldn't swallow the retail price and held out for a second-hand pair. Still crazy expensive but much more palatable. In the end, I feel very, very satisfied with what I got in return for my hard-earned money.

 

[john1711]

I have had these beauties (without musical tuning service) for just about two months and absolutely love them. They are definitely on the 'musical' side of the spectrum and so much fun to listen to. The bass is prominent and will likely turn off a lot people, but I only occasionally find it a little too much. Mids are present, clean, and very clear. They are not prominent like on the typical AT's and other Japanese tuned phones. Treble is smooth and even with no noticeable peaks to my ears. No harshness at all. They are definitely not bright headphones but I personally would not call them dark. The soundstage is quite good though not quite at the level of some of the Denon's. The detail retrieval and imaging are superb-- truly a holographic presentation.

Comfort is excellent. They have a tight grip that is perfect for on-the-go listening but I do not find it uncomfortable at all and can listen for hours at a time. There is nothing awkward about the fit at all and they are not at all finicky about getting the placement right. Build quality is superb. They are gorgeous to look at up close and very understated from a distance. I am using them in my office and don't ever get a second glance. I wish they did not use the suede type material for the underside of the headband as it can't be wiped down. I am using an aftermarket headband cover to protect it.

I like to listen to ambient electronic chill type music and movie soundtracks (Alexandre Desplat, Cliff Martinez) when I am working at my desk and these are phenomenal for that kind of music. Pretty much anything with heavy use of synthesizers is sublime. My alternative, new wave, and big 80's stuff... all fantastic. I like to use Van Halen's 1984 title song as a test track and I have never heard it sound better. I really dislike dry headphones like the HD800s and these are basically the opposite-- smooth liquidy goodness that is completely engaging. They are all-rounders to my ears, but again, the bass likely will be trouble for some.

I listened to a lot of closed headphones including most of the top flagships over about six or seven months before settling on these. It took a few auditions before I caught on that there was something special going on. I found the Focal Stellias to be a little lacking in the bass and uneven and peaky up top. Never mind looking like you have a couple of Fabrege eggs stuck to your head. The top ATs just too forward and bright with a lot of music I like. I have never been able to get into the planar sound, the top Audeze and Mr Speakers are great but just a little too distant to me. The Sony flagship is just too uneven to my ears and I find the Fostex to be too harsh. The Denons were close, but I feel they took a step in the wrong direction from the D7000s. I brought home both the Cascades and Neumann NDH20s and really like them both, but not enough to stop me from hunting for something better. I just never got too excited to put either of them on. The WM90s just cross that threshold from excellent to elite.

I never owned the old JVC DX1000s. I tried them a few times and liked them, but I was a card-carrying D7000 nut back in the day. I suspect that if you were into either of those phones, these will be the modern take you have been looking for.

Japan is great place to try headphones and I also checked out all the biggie open phones and prefer the JVC's to anything I heard. I had the Focal Utopias and would rate them as the overall best headphones I have encountered, but I sold them to fund the JVCs, which give up the wonderful open soundstage and the nice balanced frequency response but give a lot more joy in return. I don't regret the swap for a second.

The price is bonkers, no doubt. I am not sure what the point of that submerged wood is but if it is somehow connected to what makes these special, then super. It would be nice if they released a version with these drivers and some more mundane ground-growing trees at a lower cost. I suspect they would be pretty good. I just couldn't swallow the retail price and held out for a second-hand pair. Still crazy expensive but much more palatable. In the end, I feel very, very satisfied with what I got in return for my hard-earned money.

Did you buy it used from e-earphone? ¥288,700?

 

[Benny-x]

I have had these beauties (without musical tuning service) for just about two months and absolutely love them. They are definitely on the 'musical' side of the spectrum and so much fun to listen to. The bass is prominent and will likely turn off a lot people, but I only occasionally find it a little too much. Mids are present, clean, and very clear. They are not prominent like on the typical AT's and other Japanese tuned phones. Treble is smooth and even with no noticeable peaks to my ears. No harshness at all. They are definitely not bright headphones but I personally would not call them dark. The soundstage is quite good though not quite at the level of some of the Denon's. The detail retrieval and imaging are superb-- truly a holographic presentation.

Comfort is excellent. They have a tight grip that is perfect for on-the-go listening but I do not find it uncomfortable at all and can listen for hours at a time. There is nothing awkward about the fit at all and they are not at all finicky about getting the placement right. Build quality is superb. They are gorgeous to look at up close and very understated from a distance. I am using them in my office and don't ever get a second glance. I wish they did not use the suede type material for the underside of the headband as it can't be wiped down. I am using an aftermarket headband cover to protect it.

I like to listen to ambient electronic chill type music and movie soundtracks (Alexandre Desplat, Cliff Martinez) when I am working at my desk and these are phenomenal for that kind of music. Pretty much anything with heavy use of synthesizers is sublime. My alternative, new wave, and big 80's stuff... all fantastic. I like to use Van Halen's 1984 title song as a test track and I have never heard it sound better. I really dislike dry headphones like the HD800s and these are basically the opposite-- smooth liquidy goodness that is completely engaging. They are all-rounders to my ears, but again, the bass likely will be trouble for some.

I listened to a lot of closed headphones including most of the top flagships over about six or seven months before settling on these. It took a few auditions before I caught on that there was something special going on. I found the Focal Stellias to be a little lacking in the bass and uneven and peaky up top. Never mind looking like you have a couple of Fabrege eggs stuck to your head. The top ATs just too forward and bright with a lot of music I like. I have never been able to get into the planar sound, the top Audeze and Mr Speakers are great but just a little too distant to me. The Sony flagship is just too uneven to my ears and I find the Fostex to be too harsh. The Denons were close, but I feel they took a step in the wrong direction from the D7000s. I brought home both the Cascades and Neumann NDH20s and really like them both, but not enough to stop me from hunting for something better. I just never got too excited to put either of them on. The WM90s just cross that threshold from excellent to elite.

I never owned the old JVC DX1000s. I tried them a few times and liked them, but I was a card-carrying D7000 nut back in the day. I suspect that if you were into either of those phones, these will be the modern take you have been looking for.

Japan is great place to try headphones and I also checked out all the biggie open phones and prefer the JVC's to anything I heard. I had the Focal Utopias and would rate them as the overall best headphones I have encountered, but I sold them to fund the JVCs, which give up the wonderful open soundstage and the nice balanced frequency response but give a lot more joy in return. I don't regret the swap for a second.

The price is bonkers, no doubt. I am not sure what the point of that submerged wood is but if it is somehow connected to what makes these special, then super. It would be nice if they released a version with these drivers and some more mundane ground-growing trees at a lower cost. I suspect they would be pretty good. I just couldn't swallow the retail price and held out for a second-hand pair. Still crazy expensive but much more palatable. In the end, I feel very, very satisfied with what I got in return for my hard-earned money.

Any further updates? Do you still have them? What amps are you using? And what did your pay for them on the used market? Did you get them from Fujiya Avic?

I've got the DX1000s and sure figured these looked like a Fostex/Foster OEM job for JVC. The gimbals look super similar to the Denon D7200 and D9200 ones, and the cups are shallow, less JVC like. The headband is totally different, though, more like Sony's Z1R.

Anyway, you're the only guy who's heard them, so almost 1.5 years later, let's get some more feedback

 

[Libertad]

My gawd actual listening impressions!

 

[nick n]

The drivers from what images I have seen resemble the HA-MX100Z or HA-MX100V

 

[Libertad]

Whats the difference from the MX100Z and 100V? I own the MX10s

 

[Feilong4]

Whats the difference from the MX100Z and 100V? I own the MX10s

Just cosmetic according to this site: https://www.phileweb.com/review/article/202011/27/4088.html

Google translated:

"As many of you may have noticed from the model number and appearance, this is a renewal of the JVC "HA-MX100-Z" released in March 2016, and there are no major changes in the content. The only noticeable change is that the housing has the mark of Nipper, the dog that is the symbol of the Victor brand.

Because the studio monitor is the standard machine at the production site. The standard sound quality and usability should not change significantly in a few years. Therefore, rather, it is a model that it is worth noting that it has not changed.

Then, I wonder why you are worried about the renewal. In fact, from 2018, JVC KENWOOD started the strategy of "giving the Victor brand to the products, services, and solutions created from" creating discerning sounds "" and "further utilizing Victor Studio as a brand." That's exactly what happened, and that's why the headphones have undergone a brand transition from JVC to JVC."

 

[Libertad]

oh good. Looking back at the wiring it's not to hard to convert them to balanced

 

[Infoseeker]

I have had these beauties (without musical tuning service) for just about two months and absolutely love them. They are definitely on the 'musical' side of the spectrum and so much fun to listen to. The bass is prominent and will likely turn off a lot people, but I only occasionally find it a little too much. Mids are present, clean, and very clear. They are not prominent like on the typical AT's and other Japanese tuned phones. Treble is smooth and even with no noticeable peaks to my ears. No harshness at all. They are definitely not bright headphones but I personally would not call them dark. The soundstage is quite good though not quite at the level of some of the Denon's. The detail retrieval and imaging are superb-- truly a holographic presentation.

Comfort is excellent. They have a tight grip that is perfect for on-the-go listening but I do not find it uncomfortable at all and can listen for hours at a time. There is nothing awkward about the fit at all and they are not at all finicky about getting the placement right. Build quality is superb. They are gorgeous to look at up close and very understated from a distance. I am using them in my office and don't ever get a second glance. I wish they did not use the suede type material for the underside of the headband as it can't be wiped down. I am using an aftermarket headband cover to protect it.

I like to listen to ambient electronic chill type music and movie soundtracks (Alexandre Desplat, Cliff Martinez) when I am working at my desk and these are phenomenal for that kind of music. Pretty much anything with heavy use of synthesizers is sublime. My alternative, new wave, and big 80's stuff... all fantastic. I like to use Van Halen's 1984 title song as a test track and I have never heard it sound better. I really dislike dry headphones like the HD800s and these are basically the opposite-- smooth liquidy goodness that is completely engaging. They are all-rounders to my ears, but again, the bass likely will be trouble for some.

I listened to a lot of closed headphones including most of the top flagships over about six or seven months before settling on these. It took a few auditions before I caught on that there was something special going on. I found the Focal Stellias to be a little lacking in the bass and uneven and peaky up top. Never mind looking like you have a couple of Fabrege eggs stuck to your head. The top ATs just too forward and bright with a lot of music I like. I have never been able to get into the planar sound, the top Audeze and Mr Speakers are great but just a little too distant to me. The Sony flagship is just too uneven to my ears and I find the Fostex to be too harsh. The Denons were close, but I feel they took a step in the wrong direction from the D7000s. I brought home both the Cascades and Neumann NDH20s and really like them both, but not enough to stop me from hunting for something better. I just never got too excited to put either of them on. The WM90s just cross that threshold from excellent to elite.

I never owned the old JVC DX1000s. I tried them a few times and liked them, but I was a card-carrying D7000 nut back in the day. I suspect that if you were into either of those phones, these will be the modern take you have been looking for.

Japan is great place to try headphones and I also checked out all the biggie open phones and prefer the JVC's to anything I heard. I had the Focal Utopias and would rate them as the overall best headphones I have encountered, but I sold them to fund the JVCs, which give up the wonderful open soundstage and the nice balanced frequency response but give a lot more joy in return. I don't regret the swap for a second.

The price is bonkers, no doubt. I am not sure what the point of that submerged wood is but if it is somehow connected to what makes these special, then super. It would be nice if they released a version with these drivers and some more mundane ground-growing trees at a lower cost. I suspect they would be pretty good. I just couldn't swallow the retail price and held out for a second-hand pair. Still crazy expensive but much more palatable. In the end, I feel very, very satisfied with what I got in return for my hard-earned money.

Any updates ? Have they become obsolete over time?

 

[Infoseeker]

New owner of these pups.

Really comfortable headphone. For quick first impressions, great subbass extension. Needs source help for slam. Upper-mids is polite. Great treble extension with no peaks, really smooth. I am not trying to indirectly say they are dark, they are not dark, just they really managed to make the FR that smooth. Could be unengaging to some people.

Really great tonality feat, being peak-less as a closed back.

These are the dynamic driver equivalent of a Rosson Rad-0.

 

[Benny-x]

New owner of these pups.

Really comfortable headphone. For quick first impressions, great subbass extension. Needs source help for slam. Upper-mids is polite. Great treble extension with no peaks, really smooth. I am not trying to indirectly say they are dark, they are not dark, just they really managed to make the FR that smooth. Could be unengaging to some people.

Really great tonality feat, being peak-less as a closed back.

These are the dynamic driver equivalent of a Rosson Rad-0.

Congrats on picking them up. And much appreciated for making your way here and sharing some real details on them.

Could you make any more comparisons to the other headphones you have? Even if open back, most of them are more common, so it's be easier to relate your impressions.

I have the JVC HP-DX1000s, so I'm always wondering how these compare. I'd love to find out some day.

These look to me a lot more like Audio-Technika's line of premium, portable headphones; ES-W9, ES-W10, etc., but any sort of feedback or release details don't slot them into that portable category at all. They certainly aren't sticking out off your head like 2 coconuts on a string like the DX1000s were...

 

[Infoseeker]

The advantage of being a dynamic, responds really well to portable gear.

Using with my iFi Gryphon.

This combo with the Presence-boost for the borderline polite upper-mids.
Then xBass for subbass and slam.

This is an amazing end-game combo, that I didn't expect portably.

 

[Jackie He 12345]

Wood cans have always a soft spot in my heart

 

[alexrosson]

New owner of these pups.

Really comfortable headphone. For quick first impressions, great subbass extension. Needs source help for slam. Upper-mids is polite. Great treble extension with no peaks, really smooth. I am not trying to indirectly say they are dark, they are not dark, just they really managed to make the FR that smooth. Could be unengaging to some people.

Really great tonality feat, being peak-less as a closed back.

These are the dynamic driver equivalent of a Rosson Rad-0.

Wow! I haven't been on headfi in a while but just had to share.... So I see these headphones on eBay and immediacy kicked myself for not knowing what they were. Intrigued I goog'd my way over to this thread and begin to enjoy learning more about this submerged wood drip of of a headphone. After two impressions I thought to myself. hmmmm that sounds like my kind of can! and then I read the last line in your post and was shook... so here I am writing to share this moment and say thanks..

If anyone has these would be interested in letting me try them to reciprocate I'd gladly send you a headphone to try out.