[kwerdenker]

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Did you find the s500 for 35€ including shipping?

Not really, no. I have a friend in Japan who will be returning shortly and she agreed to bring some stuff along. The S500 are currently 3500Yen on amazon.co.jp which corresponds roughly to 35€. Directly ordering from amazon.co.jp is rather costly though, since they add 3000Yen for shipping to europe.
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I'm a big s500 fanboy, and Doc will be putting them back to #1 spot again some day lol! So you know that my answer to your question is "yes". If you get them though, get the ath pleather pads as well which really balances out the sound and also are more comfortable than the stock pads (although I'm sure not as comfy as the uptown's pads).

The comfort is the thing that's making me think about getting the S500 or not. Also I'm not so sure about the folding stuff because it's seems liable to breaking. Especially since I plan to use the headphones more stationary then mobile, I wouldn't need the folding.
On the other hand I hear only the highest praises around the forum for these and this is a unique opportunity to get them this cheap... *argh* head-fi.org, why do you tease me so much

 

[waynes world]

Quote:

The comfort is the thing that's making me think about getting the S500 or not. Also I'm not so sure about the folding stuff because it's seems liable to breaking. Especially since I plan to use the headphones more stationary then mobile, I wouldn't need the folding.
On the other hand I hear only the highest praises around the forum for these and this is a unique opportunity to get them this cheap... *argh* head-fi.org, why do you tease me so much

 
I find that I can listen to the s500 with ath pleathers for as long as I like. The only discomfort I get is if my eye-glass arms are between my ear and head, but then I just raise the arms a bit higher, and I'm good to go.
 
I haven't had enough experience with headphones (folding or non-folding) to comment on the durability. They seem pretty durable for home use though (I can't see breaking mine unless I sit on them or something). The cable is really nice and thick and seems quite durable.
 
If you do get the s500 and end up wanting to sell it, I'm sure that somebody on head-fi would buy them from you to spare themselves the hassle of buying through ebay. I think there is (and will continue to be) some demand for these phones. Heck, some people are wanting two pairs just so that they can go nuts modifying one of them lol.

 

[Doc-holliday]

Ya he has got a point on the S500. You could prolly easily make your money back trading or selling them back if you don't like them.

Honestly they are for sure brighter than the uptown which is a more laid back high end. The bass is a bit loose on the uptown as well which is prolly what you don't like. Comfort wise, the S500 are harder to get a good position on your head to achieve a good seal. They don't particularly clamp hard or anything.

I have taken the S500 apart in just about every piece you can disassemble them into . they are pretty durable. You don't want to sit or stand on them but they should be fine folded up in your bag as an example.

Easy to take apart. If, heaven forbid, you even yanked out one of the cables, they are super easy to fix. In fact if you aren't into soldering and all that, you could send them my way and I wouldn't mind doing it for ya real quick for free.

To me, I am thinking you are looking for a more mid-centric headphone than either one. Maybe there are other great deals out there you could try like maybe one of JVC's flagship models or those new iems for real cheap.

 

[kwerdenker]

Quote:

 
I find that I can listen to the s500 with ath pleathers for as long as I like. The only discomfort I get is if my eye-glass arms are between my ear and head, but then I just raise the arms a bit higher, and I'm good to go.
 
I haven't had enough experience with headphones (folding or non-folding) to comment on the durability. They seem pretty durable for home use though (I can't see breaking mine unless I sit on them or something). The cable is really nice and thick and seems quite durable.
 
If you do get the s500 and end up wanting to sell it, I'm sure that somebody on head-fi would buy them from you to spare themselves the hassle of buying through ebay. I think there is (and will continue to be) some demand for these phones. Heck, some people are wanting two pairs just so that they can go nuts modifying one of them lol.

Hmm... the resell value does indeed seem to be quite good for these. I guess vsls would be one of the first in line for them

Quote:

Ya he has got a point on the S500. You could prolly easily make your money back trading or selling them back if you don't like them.
Honestly they are for sure brighter than the uptown which is a more laid back high end. The bass is a bit loose on the uptown as well which is prolly what you don't like. Comfort wise, the S500 are harder to get a good position on your head to achieve a good seal. They don't particularly clamp hard or anything.
I have taken the S500 apart in just about every piece you can disassemble them into . they are pretty durable. You don't want to sit or stand on them but they should be fine folded up in your bag as an example.
Easy to take apart. If, heaven forbid, you even yanked out one of the cables, they are super easy to fix. In fact if you aren't into soldering and all that, you could send them my way and I wouldn't mind doing it for ya real quick for free.
To me, I am thinking you are looking for a more mid-centric headphone than either one. Maybe there are other great deals out there you could try like maybe one of JVC's flagship models or those new iems for real cheap.

I'm not sure I would say "mid-centric". In general I would consider myself an "audiophile basshead" (stole the term from somewhere, because it fits so well), which is why I also got my friend to get me the sony XB90EX . Currently I'm also breaking in the MH1Cs and I must say I do like their signature. Which I think is more V-shaped than mid-centric? Don't know if this is right. I'm still trying to get my head around the different stuff and lingo one has to understand in this forum. Up until now I knew "i like it" and "i don't like it"

.
Also thanks for the soldering offer but I work as an embedded system engineer and I'm lucky to have a rather good soldering lab at my workplace

Thank you both for your input! This is why I like it here so much: people trying to help one another in finding the right stuff!
 
[EDIT] Just asked my friend if I could add an item more to the list. If she says yes, I'll get the S500. The price is just to good not to try them. @WAYNENUMM Do you have some links for these alternative pads you were talking about?

 

[Doc-holliday]

Which I think is more V-shaped than mid-centric?

Yea ok the S500 sounds like it is for you you are correct. Just kinda puzzled since the highs of the uptown are a bit relaxed. In any case give em a whack. Yea you got it, I meant centered more about mid presentation. I don't think it is really even a word, It just kinda communicates

Good luck. Let us know how things work out.

 

[kwerdenker]

Quote:

Yea ok the S500 sounds like it is for you you are correct. Just kinda puzzled since the highs of the uptown are a bit relaxed. In any case give em a whack. Yea you got it, I meant centered more about mid presentation. I don't think it is really even a word, It just kinda communicates

Good luck. Let us know how things work out.

It could be that I got a somewhat faulty model. I bought them from Amazon Warehouse Deals which normally is their returned goods stuff. Never had a problem with that, since it gets checked on return. But after giving them some more listening, I  think they have a left-right imbalance in volume. If that's so, there might be something else wrong with them and I don't get to listen to their real sound. After seeing the price for the S500 though, I don't think trying to get them exchanged is worth it.

 

[waynes world]

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Originally Posted by kwerdenker /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
Which I think is more V-shaped than mid-centric? Don't know if this is right. I'm still trying to get my head around the different stuff and lingo one has to understand in this forum. Up until now I knew "i like it" and "i don't like it"

.

 
I've given up on the lingo. I think you will like lol! 
 
With the stock pads, the s500's are more V-shaped. With the ath pleather pads, well, I'll let dsnuts provide the appropriate lingo...
http://www.head-fi.org/t/621063/the-new-jvc-ha-s500-40mm-carbon-nanotubes/2340#post_8788091
and
http://www.head-fi.org/t/621063/the-new-jvc-ha-s500-40mm-carbon-nanotubes/2475#post_8804292
 
Quote:

[EDIT] Just asked my friend if I could add an item more to the list. If she says yes, I'll get the S500. The price is just to good not to try them. @WAYNENUMM Do you have some links for these alternative pads you were talking about?

 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/621063/the-new-jvc-ha-s500-40mm-carbon-nanotubes/2445#post_8797830

 

[vsls]

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Hmm... the resell value does indeed seem to be quite good for these. I guess vsls would be one of the first in line for them

I could certainly be Although I'm already planning to buy them from Japan. Including shipping they cost around 50 euros but I think they're worth it, since all that praise around here. I think that I will abandon the Uptowns idea (sorry Doc) since they don't seem to fit to my tastes as the s500, also the only competing price that I found for them was through amazon.de warehouse and after reading kwerdenker's experience I'm a bit worried too. I still can't accept that JVC launched s400 in Europe for 40 euros and keeps s500 for a Japanese only product.

 

[Doc-holliday]

I think that I will abandon the Uptowns idea (sorry Doc).

What's to be sorry about? S500 is in my recommended list and I spent a lot of time telling you about them and the S400 in the JVC thread almost a month ago now. I think the only thing to be sorry about is if you DONT FINALLY BUY SOMETHING

 

[vsls]

Quote:

What's to be sorry about? S500 is in my recommended list and I spent a lot of time telling you about them and the S400 in the JVC thread almost a month ago now. I think the only thing to be sorry about is if you DONT FINALLY BUY SOMETHING

You're absolutely right

I must pull that trigger asap!

 

[Doc-holliday]

Updated to add Sony MHC1 to #1 on my personal list.

 

[waynes world]

Quote:

Updated to add Sony MHC1 to #1 on my personal list.

 
Good call. Looking forward to the s500's crawling back onto it someday. Also, how are you still liking the 40's? Even with the foam tips (which was a great tip btw), they continued to be too bright for me. I'm a bit surprised they are still on your list tbh!

 

[warrenpchi]

Quote:

Updated to add Sony MHC1 to #1 on my personal list.

 
Seriously?  It's that good? 

  I may need to check this out for myself.

 

[safer]

Nice thread, no one now can stop me getting a pair of the Sony MH1C!

 

[safer]

And is the philips uptown as good as Denon 1001?