[pahhhoul]

Finally finished modding my set. My ears aren't the best these days, but the aesthetics with the cups makes me laugh joyously!
 

 

 

 

 

[SomeTechNoob]

Nice pair of shpboobs you got there.

 

[kazekaeru]

SHP 9500S @ Newegg for $ 54.99 for the next 7 days. Get 'em while their hot!
 
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826138190

 

[ezil71]

I just picked up the shp9500s from newegg after getting tired of my ATH  M50 and am impressed.
 
 
For background, I'm been a musician for a long time and have very good ears.  I was never impressed with any headphones I'd tried but I hadn't gotten into trying anything beyond the low/mid tier.
 
Long story short, I'm hooked.
 
My setup right now is:
 
shiit magn 2 uberi/modi 2 uber stack with pre-amp out to a bravo audio v2 (switch back and forth on the amp depending on source material)  - all fed from an optical from my HT setup.  Very clean sound.
 
I currently own SHP 9500S, Grado 80's (originals), ATH M50's and various IEM's
 
The SHP 9500s sound excellent with my ****t stack as pre-amp to the bravo 2, even with the stock tube (which mellows the highs just right IMO).  
 
I have a GT tube as well but while that is a cleaner sound, it doesn't have much of a tube sound to it by comparison to the stock.  I know the stock tube gets a lot of crap, but given a clean signal I actually think it is pretty decent (especially for the price).
 
I recently picked up some 598's because I was looking for a bit different sound stage, but I'm not impressed with them at all.  Very muddy, although with the amp on high gain a little better.  Lacking the mids  and clarity of the 9500.  I can appreciate why some might like them, but to me they don't have the clarity and it feels like some of the mid range is just missing.  It's just muddy and not as clear as the 9500's.
 
I feel the same about the M50's - reasonable clarity on lows/highs when amped but the V shape curve just ruins them.  I wish I had gotten the 40's instead and I really don't understand why this is such a popular option.
 
Same with the Grado 80's - the upper mids and highs are great, but so much is missing in the other frequencies to my ear that I just can't listen to them.  very bright and harsh (a bit better with different pads but still not to my liking).
 
The one area I am looking to improve on with the 9500's is the sound stage and I'd love suggestions.  
 
While I like the 9500's in most all areas, I'd like to have a sound stage that is more "a few rows back" rather than sounding like you are right on stage (or even that you are the singer, which is how the 9500's are to my ear at times).
 
Nothing too distant or airy (like the grado's, which I don't care for).
 
I'm going to try to demo the 600's and 650's just so I know their signature for comparisons, and hopefully some DT880's and AKG 712's too, which seem like they could be what I am looking for.
 
In any case, I think the 9500's are remarkable for the price, they have definitely earned a place in my stable.

 

[SHAMuuu]

  I just picked up the shp9500s from newegg after getting tired of my ATH  M50 and am impressed.
 
 
For background, I'm been a musician for a long time and have very good ears.  I was never impressed with any headphones I'd tried but I hadn't gotten into trying anything beyond the low/mid tier.
 
Long story short, I'm hooked.
 
My setup right now is:
 
shiit magn 2 uberi/modi 2 uber stack with pre-amp out to a bravo audio v2 (switch back and forth on the amp depending on source material)  - all fed from an optical from my HT setup.  Very clean sound.
 
I currently own SHP 9500S, Grado 80's (originals), ATH M50's and various IEM's
 
The SHP 9500s sound excellent with my ****t stack as pre-amp to the bravo 2, even with the stock tube (which mellows the highs just right IMO).  
 
I have a GT tube as well but while that is a cleaner sound, it doesn't have much of a tube sound to it by comparison to the stock.  I know the stock tube gets a lot of crap, but given a clean signal I actually think it is pretty decent (especially for the price).
 
I recently picked up some 598's because I was looking for a bit different sound stage, but I'm not impressed with them at all.  Very muddy, although with the amp on high gain a little better.  Lacking the mids  and clarity of the 9500.  I can appreciate why some might like them, but to me they don't have the clarity and it feels like some of the mid range is just missing.  It's just muddy and not as clear as the 9500's.
 
I feel the same about the M50's - reasonable clarity on lows/highs when amped but the V shape curve just ruins them.  I wish I had gotten the 40's instead and I really don't understand why this is such a popular option.
 
Same with the Grado 80's - the upper mids and highs are great, but so much is missing in the other frequencies to my ear that I just can't listen to them.  very bright and harsh (a bit better with different pads but still not to my liking).
 
The one area I am looking to improve on with the 9500's is the sound stage and I'd love suggestions.  
 
While I like the 9500's in most all areas, I'd like to have a sound stage that is more "a few rows back" rather than sounding like you are right on stage (or even that you are the singer, which is how the 9500's are to my ear at times).
 
Nothing too distant or airy (like the grado's, which I don't care for).
 
I'm going to try to demo the 600's and 650's just so I know their signature for comparisons, and hopefully some DT880's and AKG 712's too, which seem like they could be what I am looking for.
 
In any case, I think the 9500's are remarkable for the price, they have definitely earned a place in my stable.

Is that headband not driving you mad??
 

 
"oh no it fell off"
 
lol

 

[ezil71]

Nope.  I find them very comfortable.  I can see why people have issues, it is much less clamp than my other headphones but just enough to be OK for me.

 

[HotIce]

Same here. The most comfortable HP is ever used, on top of great sound.
Considering you can get it for less then sixty bucks, it is literally a steal.

 

[cratz2]

 

[MisterMudd]

Nice pictures. How do you like the v-moda cable?

 

[cratz2]

I like it a lot more than the included cable, that's for sure!

One weird thing is the V-Moda cable doesn't fit in my 6' Belkin extension cable. Not sure if that's the fault of V-Moda or Belkin as that's the only incompatibility that I've found with either cable.

 

[allaces305]

Beautiful pictures!!!! everytime i see how beautiful these headphones look i fall more and more in love....and not to say that they sound amazing no matter what the price point is. 

 

[SHAMuuu]

  Beautiful pictures!!!! everytime i see how beautiful these headphones look i fall more and more in love....and not to say that they sound amazing no matter what the price point is. 

Seeing those i wish i didn't mod them now , which killed the weight

 

[Music Alchemist]

So...I think the SHP9500 is actually more comfortable than the HD 800 for me overall.
 
But the Koss KTXPRO1 is still more comfortable for me, since it's so light and small. Sometimes I hardly notice I'm wearing it.

 

[HotIce]

For me the SHP9500 climbed to n.1 in the comfort list.
Too bad I can't use it in the office.

 

[fuzun]

  So...I think the SHP9500 is actually more comfortable than the HD 800 for me overall.
 

What about sound ?