[Bob A (SD)]

Unlike my HD580 and HD600 which have raised dimples just above the left driver exterior mating to the headband slider to assist in orienting the cans the correct way on your head, the SHP9500 relies on visual cues in the form of large L and R letters on the driver backs.  Being an old retired f**t I appreciate easy ways to tell which side is which.  Bottom line is that I don't find the markings all that objectionable and have no intentions of adulterating them. 

    Obviously YMMV.

 

[Primus2112]

Unlike my HD580 and HD600 which have raised dimples just above the left driver exterior mating to the headband slider to assist in orienting the cans the correct way on your head, the SHP9500 relies on visual cues in the form of large L and R letters on the driver backs.  Being an old retired f**t I appreciate easy ways to tell which side is which.  Bottom line is that I don't find the markings all that objectionable and have no intentions of adulterating them.      Obviously YMMV.

I hear ya Bob, part of my reason for blacking them out is to blend them in with most of my other headphones in the perhaps, vain attempt to conceal such new acquisitions from loved ones. #audiophile #junkie

 

[DangerClose]

  Unlike my HD580 and HD600 which have raised dimples just above the left driver exterior mating to the headband slider to assist in orienting the cans the correct way on your head, the SHP9500 relies on visual cues in the form of large L and R letters on the driver backs.  Being an old retired f**t I appreciate easy ways to tell which side is which.  Bottom line is that I don't find the markings all that objectionable and have no intentions of adulterating them. 

    Obviously YMMV.

 
The cable goes on the left.

 

[Bob A (SD)]

   
The cable goes on the left.

 
Duh    Guess that just reaffirms that I'm an old retired sod eh?  Quit counting "senior moments!"  hahahahahahaha

 

[Kerry56]

My set came in yesterday and I've been trying lots of different music with these Philips headphones.  So far I've been pleased with them, but they haven't displaced my Creative Aurvana Live! as my go to headphones for the types of rock that I normally listen to.  They aren't as bass light as I feared they might be however, and are certainly a capable set of headphones, more lively and less dry and distant than my AKG K240 MKII.  Haven't tried them with a movie yet, but that is the next step.
 
I do have a few nit picks however, probably nothing that hasn't already been mentioned in this long thread.  The cups are big and even my large ears fit within them, but the material isn't particularly comfortable where they do touch the ears and the sides of my head.  They are also slightly warmer (physically) than my AKG K240's with velour pads.  It will take me some time to get used to the way that the cord is situated, I think I prefer the AKG in this regard with the removable cord.  Also the adjustment on each side moves very, very easily, and this could become a concern over time.  I might have to wedge something in there next to the metal if it starts to loosen.
 
I'm not normally concerned with the top band of a headphone, none of my current ones, nor many of the others I've tried over the years have bothered me much, but because these Philips headphones fit so loosely on my ears, the padded band does come into play, and it will eventually bother me enough to take them off, along with the irritation from the cloth pads.  They don't wear me down like my previous Grado SR60i's, from sonic fatigue, but I find I can't wear these for more than an hour, so this could be an issue for watching movies.
 
And now for the sound coming out the backs!  Wow.  These broadcast sound like mad in your environment, so you'd best not have anyone else within ten feet of you.  In my experience these are pushing out more sound than my Grado's ever did from their open back.
 
Nit picks aside, for those who can live with the really open backs, this is a pretty good choice in the $50-70 price range.  If push came to shove, I'd still pick the Creative Aurvana Live! as a superior sound for my taste, but its not bad to try different presentations now and again.

 

[speaktobrett]

Have you guys EQ'd the SHP9500's? 

If so, would you mind showing me your EQ settings please?

I am currently using the below settings, but still find that they are giving me ear fatigue with the high treble in FPS games.
(PLEASE NOTE: I AM A EQ'ING NOOB! This is my first time) -

 
Filter 1:     Fc   40 Hz    Gain  2.5 dB   Q  0.8 / BW 1.7
Filter 2:     Fc  200 Hz   Gain -3.5 dB   Q  0.5 / BW 2.5
Filter 3:     Fc 1900 Hz   Gain  2.5 dB   Q  2.0 / BW 0.7
Filter 4:     Fc 3300 Hz   Gain  3.0 dB   Q  4.8 / BW 0.3
Filter 5:     Fc 5000 Hz   Gain -6.5 dB   Q  2.4 / BW 0.6
Filter 6:     Fc 7400 Hz   Gain  4.5 dB   Q  4.8 / BW 0.3
Filter 7:    Fc 11000 Hz  Gain -11 dB   Q  1.4 / BW 1.0

 

[rendyG]

  Have you guys EQ'd the SHP9500's? 

If so, would you mind showing me your EQ settings please?

I am currently using the below settings, but still find that they are giving me ear fatigue with the high treble in FPS games.
(PLEASE NOTE: I AM A EQ'ING NOOB! This is my first time) -

 
Filter 1:     Fc   40 Hz    Gain  2.5 dB   Q  0.8 / BW 1.7
Filter 2:     Fc  200 Hz   Gain -3.5 dB   Q  0.5 / BW 2.5
Filter 3:     Fc 1900 Hz   Gain  2.5 dB   Q  2.0 / BW 0.7
Filter 4:     Fc 3300 Hz   Gain  3.0 dB   Q  4.8 / BW 0.3
Filter 5:     Fc 5000 Hz   Gain -6.5 dB   Q  2.4 / BW 0.6
Filter 6:     Fc 7400 Hz   Gain  4.5 dB   Q  4.8 / BW 0.3
Filter 7:    Fc 11000 Hz  Gain -11 dB   Q  1.4 / BW 1.0

Just try using some felt or if you can´t find any, toilet paper will serve.
EQ-ing is beneficial when you want to reduce some spikes or dips.
This is not the problem with SHP9500 imho, they just have treble which should be reduced just a bit if you have young sensitive ears
 
Only thing I´d is the 2k-3k region, bass can be increased by using a rubber ring under the pad, as mentioned earlier in this thread.

 

[speaktobrett]

  Just try using some felt or if you can´t find any, toilet paper will serve.
EQ-ing is beneficial when you want to reduce some spikes or dips.
This is not the problem with SHP9500 imho, they just have treble which should be reduced just a bit if you have young sensitive ears
 
Only thing I´d is the 2k-3k region, bass can be increased by using a rubber ring under the pad, as mentioned earlier in this thread.

As in, put the felt inside the earcup?
And you glued the felt in place?

 

[rendyG]

Yes, between ear and the driver, like you can see here: http://www.head-fi.org/t/717690/lightbox/post/11326749/id/1303872
I wouldn´t use a glue, it´s unnecessary.
You can either cut the felt to smaller diameter so you don´t have to put it under the pads, because they are glued from the factory.
If you don´t mind undoing the glue as shown in the picture, then you can cut the felt to bigger diameter so the pad will hold it better. 
Bear in mind that if you undo the glue, then you will probably have to play with the original felt to keep it in place, so it doesn´t come out like in the picture i posted.
 
Anyway, try to experiment with different felt materials, toilet paper is more drastical (in reducing treble) than thin felt.

 

[luedriver]

you guys know that the ear pads can come off with bit of effort not to break the clips inside
 
I had posted pics in this thread if you want to see them
 
I think a bit of felt (2mm thick) put between the actual driver and the pad on top is the easiest solution 

 

[Bob A (SD)]

  I think a bit of felt (2mm thick) put between the actual driver and the pad on top is the easiest solution 

Totally concur which is what I've done given my sensitivity to bright treble.  Very effective and easy.

 

[luedriver]

  Totally concur which is what I've done given my sensitivity to bright treble.  Very effective and easy.

 
 
I was indirectly quoting you and the site that you had mentioned earlier in a post
 
the mod mentioned above (first posted by magikman) seems like too much trouble and there are no replacement pads (that I know of) that are on sale for this headphone

 

[djmuzi]

Which is better:
Sennheiser Amperior or the 9500 (I know different worlds but still...)

 

[MarcoGV]

  Which is better:
Sennheiser Amperior or the 9500 (I know different worlds but still...)

Truly different worlds!  Sennheiser Amperior is the easy answer, but here is a personal anecdote that may clarify the difference.  Last summer, I went to a store to try out a CD receiver, which I ended up buying.  (It is a Teac CR-H260.)  I brought both the Amperior and the 9500.  The Amperior is much more efficient, isolates better, and lets you hear instruments more clearly and distinctly than the 9500.  However, when I played Beethoven's Sixth in the store, I enjoyed it more through the 9500. 
 
I use the Amperior as my bedside headphone and a travel headphone.  I do not use the 9500 any more because I find the AKG Q701 (bass modded) and the Beyer DT880 Pro to be superior for the kind of music for which the 9500 is better than the Amperior.

 

[pbeg7]

Truly different worlds!  Sennheiser Amperior is the easy answer, but here is a personal anecdote that may clarify the difference.  Last summer, I went to a store to try out a CD receiver, which I ended up buying.  (It is a Teac CR-H260.)  I brought both the Amperior and the 9500.  The Amperior is much more efficient, isolates better, and lets you hear instruments more clearly and distinctly than the 9500.  However, when I played Beethoven's Sixth in the store, I enjoyed it more through the 9500. 

I use the Amperior as my bedside headphone and a travel headphone.  I do not use the 9500 any more because I find the AKG Q701 (bass modded) and the Beyer DT880 Pro to be superior for the kind of music for which the 9500 is better than the Amperior.

I own both. There is no way the amperior seperates instruments more distinctly than the 9500. There is no chance that the amperiors are clearer than the 9500's. heads up potential buyers.