[demodan23]

I've ordered these
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001874082387.html?spm=a2g0o.9042311.0.0.7bbd4c4drkWrzl
Now, looking forward to the 'upgrade'.
If it's not what I hoped for, then I've got another 20 headphones waiting in line to try these pads out too

And of course, I will make measurements once it arrives.


I certainly hope so!

Those should work great. They look a little smaller inside than the Brainwavz but the most important parts are the perforated pleather and the boxy design that keeps the driver clear. Hopefully they sound great! I am excited to hear about what you hear! Best of luck and thank you!

 

[GREQ]

Well... these aftermarket hybrid pads are a pretty big disappointment for me.
Definitely not the kind of sound I'm looking for at all.
I suspect these pads might be using really cheap foam, instead of more expensive memory foam, which usually has better acoustic properties.
They just sound harsh and wonky.

Stock:


Hybrid:


Aftermarket SRH840 pads:


I stocked up again on some aftermarket SRH840 pads, and these sound OK
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002937944182.html?spm=a2g0o.9042311.0.0.5ee64c4dPKTiap
Bass is a bit congested though.

 

[demodan23]

Well... these aftermarket hybrid pads are a pretty big disappointment for me.
Definitely not the kind of sound I'm looking for at all.
I suspect these pads might be using really cheap foam, instead of more expensive memory foam, which usually has better acoustic properties.
They just sound harsh and wonky.

Stock:


Hybrid:


Aftermarket SRH840 pads:


I stocked up again on some aftermarket SRH840 pads, and these sound OK
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002937944182.html?spm=a2g0o.9042311.0.0.5ee64c4dPKTiap
Bass is a bit congested though.

Would you want me to ship you a pair of the Amazon pads?

I really am a firm believer in the sound I'm getting from the Brainwavz and am wondering if the aliexpress ones are really that bad or if our ears are just different!

 

[demodan23]

I also would like to ask, aside from the tuning and poor foams, did you notice any clarity differences from the pads completely opening up around the ear and not blocking the drivers?

 

[Roderick]

@GREQ

Any change to get brief comparison between "Wood" and JVC ha-mx100z?

 

[GREQ]

Would you want me to ship you a pair of the Amazon pads?

I really am a firm believer in the sound I'm getting from the Brainwavz and am wondering if the aliexpress ones are really that bad or if our ears are just different!

That's a generous offer, but I think I'd be worried they're just wasted on me.
I would only consider it if you were seriously in it for contributing to the measurement database I've got going.
In any case, it's likely not worth shipping them over from US to Germany.

Just for some basic kind of 'reference'..... this is the SW01 with the fake hybrid pads (RED) compared to Sennheiser HD650 (GREEN).
It's just all kinds of wonky.
So, I'm pretty sure it's a case that these fake pads suck.
It's very likely your ears are fine, and the real Brainwavz pads are just different.

I also would like to ask, aside from the tuning and poor foams, did you notice any clarity differences from the pads completely opening up around the ear and not blocking the drivers?

YES.
I was actually impressed with the improved sense of space and 'air' that the pads gave.
Going back to the stock pads it felt a little claustrophobic and 'intimate'.
I'm a very big fan of soundstage which is something the pads DO give.

@GREQ

Any change to get brief comparison between "Wood" and JVC ha-mx100z?

Absolutely.

The drivers appear to be modified versions of the driver used in the JVC HA-MX100-Z (and both HA-MX10-B and HA-MX100-V).
So in this case, I would consider these headphones to VERY MUCH be siblings.
Not just technically, but also from the sound.

To be clear, my MX100-Z's use aftermarket MDR-Z1000 pads, which mostly improves comfort and elevates the bass response to a more harman-neutral level.
To compare the two directly, the MX100-Z is just a studio-detail monster, while the SW01 is more 'whiskey and fireplace' relaxing and warm kind of sound.
A/B'ing between the two, you can tell they're related.
The level of detail is the same, but MX100-Z gives the impression of being MORE detailed because the sound is always full-on in-your-face and impactful with a more balanced treble response.
I guess that's just the psycho-acoustics of headphones with stronger treble... they always appear to be more detailed at first.

SW01 is smoother and more relaxed in every single way including build/ergonomics and comfort. It's just a very much grown up matured version of MX100-Z.

Also, I would say SW01 is the polar opposite of DX1000
SW01 has an intimate sounstage while the DX1000's is huge.
SW01 is warm and fatigue free, while DX1000 has is just 'turned to 11'.

SW01 = BLUE
MX100-Z (+Z1000 pads) = RED

For whatever reason... perhaps my aging ears, the 8kHz peak doesn't bother me in the slightest no matter what music I throw at it.
I'm just not sensitive to 8kHz peaks, only usually 9-12kHz peaks.
Anyhow, it's not louder than the rest of the music, so I don't exactly consider it a peak as such.

 

[GREQ]

The stock damping in this headphone is nuts...

- 3 Pieces of wood hidden behind a very fibrous damping material. Looks like rockwool but thinner - very similar to the yellow 'biscuit' damping found in old orthodynamics and very similar to the material found in the HA-MX100-Z.
- 2 small pieces of the same damping material where the cup-rear exit vent is located (seen just above the main piece of damping material)
- 3 concentric pieces of driver rear damping material
- wood compression ring around driver
- metal compression ring around front of driver diaphragm
- ear-side of baffle has 2 layers of fabric; white on the vents and black over that and around the vents
- fabric gasket to perfectly seal baffle to cup - i've NEVER seen this before on any headphone. Very cool.

By far, this is the most detailed and interesting stock damping configuration I've ever seen.
2nd place would be JVC HA-MX100-Z, with it's fancy bass tube thingy.

The attention to detail in this headphone build is the real deal. It's a seriously high-end product.

 

[demodan23]

The stock damping in this headphone is nuts...

- 3 Pieces of wood hidden behind a very fibrous damping material. Looks like rockwool but thinner - very similar to the yellow 'biscuit' damping found in old orthodynamics and very similar to the material found in the HA-MX100-Z.
- 2 small pieces of the same damping material where the cup-rear exit vent is located (seen just above the main piece of damping material)
- 3 concentric pieces of driver rear damping material
- wood compression ring around driver
- metal compression ring around front of driver diaphragm
- ear-side of baffle has 2 layers of fabric; white on the vents and black over that and around the vents
- fabric gasket to perfectly seal baffle to cup - i've NEVER seen this before on any headphone. Very cool.

By far, this is the most detailed and interesting stock damping configuration I've ever seen.
2nd place would be JVC HA-MX100-Z, with it's fancy bass tube thingy.

The attention to detail in this headphone build is the real deal. It's a seriously high-end product.

Awesome stuff!

This headphone is an enigma... baffles me even more why they put on pads that muddy the actually amazing stock sound and soundstage.... just like how they connect a cast aluminum part to a plastic one. It's perhaps the fanciest "mid tier" headphone ever, except it doesn't sound anything like a "mid tier" headphone and has perhaps the best tuning of anything I've ever heard- and unique too. I for one am happy that they cared so much, it seems that the employees were extremely passionate but were working on a tight budget and figured they would do their best with what they had to make the sound and appearance the best and cut costs where needed elsewhere. Even the anti-noise plugs are insane as they do exactly what they say. I don't use them anymore since I go balanced but am not upset when I do or would need to. I know you don't have a balanced setup but these headphones only improve with that, really a noticeable difference. They love power and yet are super efficient....

A complete enigma and I'm proud to own them Almost want to buy another for the future...

 

[GREQ]

I can solidly recommend these aftermarket replacement ear pads:
https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B07PKNK7B9/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

So far I havn't found any genuine pads, but these add a little extra bass and it doesn't screw up the treble.
I thought they might make the sound a bit more 'closed' but it's fine. It's overall quite close to stock tuning.

Red/Blue = new aftermarket pad
Grey/Grey = stock JVC pads

Dip at 4kHz is the usual miniDSP EARS artefact that should be ignored.

 

[Supreme_Emperor]

A very late unboxing that nobody asked for...












And perhaps the only somewhat reliable measurement of these headphones on the whole internet:

These were quite difficult to measure accurately.
Bass is definitely a touch less rolled off than what is shown in the graph - it sounds more linear... so imagine the graph on the left side doesn't dip much, if at all.
The dip at 3-4kHz is certainly a miniDSP EARS artefact, as it is not audible in tone generator sweeps.
The dip going down up to 2kHz is real, but it does not continue dipping.



I've only had them for 2 days, so impressions will come later.
Despite that, I already know these aren't going anywhere.

I am very interested in this headphone, but im not sure where to buy it from. I have a very tricky headshape, so that fit is always hit or miss. That's why the ability to send the item back if need be, is very important for me. If i may ask, where did you buy this headphone? I am situated in Germany as well and as far as i know it is not readily available in Europe. The different names for this headphone are not helping either :/​

​

Thank you very much in advance!​

 

[GREQ]

I am very interested in this headphone, but im not sure where to buy it from. I have a very tricky headshape, so that fit is always hit or miss. That's why the ability to send the item back if need be, is very important for me. If i may ask, where did you buy this headphone? I am situated in Germany as well and as far as i know it is not readily available in Europe. The different names for this headphone are not helping either :/​

​

Thank you very much in advance!​

I bought it from Japan via eb@y... I calculated import fees in advance, which I had to pay to the courier upon delivery.
There was no other way for me to get it new.
Even getting it 2nd hand would have very likely been through Japan, via Yahoo auctions.... and then very likely import fees would have been applied anyway.

Frustratingly, this thread was named EXTREMELY poorly and should probably be changed.... "wood 01 and 02" is a very bad name for this thread -_-

There's only TWO names you need to worry about:
• HA-SW01
• HA-SW02
They're practically identical.
The only differences are the 01 has a few more wooden pieces hidden inside the cups.
They also have slightly different finishes on the exterior wooden surface and headband cover. The 01's wood is more subdued and smooth/matt. The 02 is more vibrant/grainy and shows off the wood layers more aggressively.
In terms of sound..... I can't say, as I've not heard the 02. Some reviews suggested the 02 might be slightly bassier... but since there's only a few tiny pieces of wood difference between them (??? citation needed), I'm skeptical of those claims.

With regards to headshape - I also have a VERY particular (larger/wider) size head.
I find these ALMOST uncomfortable. I have to wear them a little further forward on my head than I usually prefer. I normally prefer wearing headphones over the 'crown' of my head.
As long as I wear it like that, it's fine, but it's not perfect, unfortunately.
For context, the only modern headphone I've ever not been able to wear due to the fit/comfort was the Magnat LZR980... it's a German headphone, although I'm not sure this helps you much

 

[Endeejay]

I find these ALMOST uncomfortable. I have to wear them a little further forward on my head than I usually prefer. I normally prefer wearing headphones over the 'crown' of my head.
As long as I wear it like that, it's fine, but it's not perfect, unfortunately.

I just got mine last week! And I have the same exact fit issue. I'm going to try out some Dekoni Nuggets to see if those improve the comfort, for me it just generates a little hotspot on my crown if I put it there.

Also to contribute to the pad talk that was going on a little before. I found the original pads pretty comfortable, but I couldn't get a good seal. I had some Yaxi pads from my Sony MDR-M1ST and decided to do a little swap and see what happened, and the seal issue was completely fixed! But the bass was almost completely removed. Like legit chopped in half quantity wise, and while it did sound more "balanced" to my ear thats not what I was exactly going for. Doing some digging it looks like all the ST pads from Yaxi will fit the HA-SW01 so I'm likely gonna pick those up and see which ones give me the proper seal I want without completely annihilating the low end.

The pads are kinda pricey but imo its worth it on more expensive headphones I suppose haha.

 

[GREQ]

I just got mine last week! And I have the same exact fit issue. I'm going to try out some Dekoni Nuggets to see if those improve the comfort, for me it just generates a little hotspot on my crown if I put it there.

Also to contribute to the pad talk that was going on a little before. I found the original pads pretty comfortable, but I couldn't get a good seal. I had some Yaxi pads from my Sony MDR-M1ST and decided to do a little swap and see what happened, and the seal issue was completely fixed! But the bass was almost completely removed. Like legit chopped in half quantity wise, and while it did sound more "balanced" to my ear thats not what I was exactly going for. Doing some digging it looks like all the ST pads from Yaxi will fit the HA-SW01 so I'm likely gonna pick those up and see which ones give me the proper seal I want without completely annihilating the low end.

The pads are kinda pricey but imo its worth it on more expensive headphones I suppose haha.

Good point.
The original pads, while they sounded the best, also were a bit trickier to get a perfect fit.
Both of the other pads I posted about were slightly deeper, increasing the comfort and seal considerably and increasing the bass slightly.

Thankfully my noggin doesn't need any extra cushioning on the headband. No nugs required for me.

 

[demodan23]

I just got mine last week! And I have the same exact fit issue. I'm going to try out some Dekoni Nuggets to see if those improve the comfort, for me it just generates a little hotspot on my crown if I put it there.

Also to contribute to the pad talk that was going on a little before. I found the original pads pretty comfortable, but I couldn't get a good seal. I had some Yaxi pads from my Sony MDR-M1ST and decided to do a little swap and see what happened, and the seal issue was completely fixed! But the bass was almost completely removed. Like legit chopped in half quantity wise, and while it did sound more "balanced" to my ear thats not what I was exactly going for. Doing some digging it looks like all the ST pads from Yaxi will fit the HA-SW01 so I'm likely gonna pick those up and see which ones give me the proper seal I want without completely annihilating the low end.

The pads are kinda pricey but imo its worth it on more expensive headphones I suppose haha.

I highly recommend the hybrid brainwavz pads for these!!!! The seal is excellent and they do not scoop out the low end like the YAXIs. I've tried two different YAXIs and while the fit and finish is great they really do not play to the strengths of these headphones. With easy Amazon returns definitely try the brainwavz and get your money back if my advice proves ill-fated!

 

[GREQ]

In case anyone is looking for good quality replacements for the stock pads.

I just got these aftermarket 'Leather MDR-V6/MDR-V900ST' pads from aliexpress, they are perfect replacements.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/400....order_list.order_list_main.29.122e1802OALMMY

These pads are more comfortable than stock.
They're likely more durable... I'm not 100% convinced they're leather, but it seems more durable than pleather, and mine do smell like leather.
Also they provide a slight bass lift, which I like.