[Doctordoom16]

Mine fine .not sure where it is painted ? It seems it's either aluminum, magnesium or padding w the only small piece of black plastic. I don't see any painted parts

 

[Sonic Defender]

Mine fine .not sure where it is painted ? It seems it's either aluminum, magnesium or padding w the only small piece of black plastic. I don't see any painted parts

Same here, totally fine. Now I don't use mine heavily as time for music with my return to full time university at 50 years of age has greatly diminished.

 

[sunni]

Mine fine .not sure where it is painted ? It seems it's either aluminum, magnesium or padding w the only small piece of black plastic. I don't see any painted parts

It's just the black layer on the back of drivers. Sorry I haven't bought SEM5 so I don't know what material it is exactly. Honestly, since no one mentioned this (could-be-obvious) problem here, and according to your and Sonic Defender's reply, I think SEM5s are fine. Maybe the user on my local forum got some wonky unit...

Thanks for your reply!

 

[Doctordoom16]

That is magnesium on the cups. I hope they aren't painted! But doesn't look that way .

 

[Benz-Fi]

Mine is still perfect.. I keep it cased up though and take extra care of my stuff. Are there any pictures of this oxidation?

 

[sunni]

I took a second look a the picture, and I just realized the headphones that guy has might not be legit, they look weird (yes, I'm in China, where things can be more dodgy). And the pictures are kinda gross, but since you wanted to see...

Spoiler: Pictures of the "oxidation"

 

[Doctordoom16]

Looks like they beat the crap out of them! Or they poured acid on them . Doesn't look like normal wear .
I don't think they paint the aluminum which is the silver parts and no way they painted the ear cups which are magnesium .

 

[Sonic Defender]

Absolutely, those were stored in some kind of very humid environment, probably in a tightly enclosed container. Some people treat their gear like crap and wonder why it doesn't hold up like an assault vehicle.

 

[Doctordoom16]

Absolutely . Why bother spending that kind of money to destroy a delicate instrument! So dumb

 

[sunni]

Based on your description, I think the back of the headphones is like anodized aluminum? not covered by paint? especially look at the silver parts, there are like corroded... Honestly I guess that pair I showed might used some non-original parts, since people could steal some parts out of the factory and then assemble and sell them for money.

 

[Doctordoom16]

the black ear cups on back are magnesium and the silver parts are anodized aluminum. but I guess if a corrosive material was put on them they could show signs of corrosion?

 

[Svatopluk]

My early production SEM5 still looks new. The pair in the photos look as if they were stored under an open shed or carport. The humidity is pretty high around here most of the year, the SEM5's stay indoors all the time.

 

[Doctordoom16]

good God, they aren't BEATS! lol which are a piece of plastic trash!
The SEM5 need to be respected!

 

[axle_69]

Not a review, just some impressions. These are clearly underrated, but like its competitors (T5p 2nd, Elegia, K872, etc.) if you don't get it at discounted price it's clearly overpriced (just think that you can get a pair of good monitors for the same price, 999 GBP). It is very well built but the headband could have been better designed. Tone improves after 30-40 hours and seems more balanced with the synthetic leather earpads at a small expense of soundstage. It is very source revealing and scales well, have been using it mostly directly from a Mojo (take to the office solution).
The engineering (double chamber, magnesium alloy base and housing, etc.) seems to have paid off, bass is present and it's very well controlled, no noticeable distortion, perceived frequency response seems close to flat, just lacking a bit of sub-bass, very detailed and not open back level but good soundstage for closed back. It seems to dip a bit too much at 2 and 4 kHz, makes the upper midrange sound more analytical, just a bit of EQ and sounds more lifelike.
Would be very interested in opinions about the upper mids, I have seen in some reviews (mostly German) and forums, people preferring it to the AKG K872 and T5p 2nd because of the way bass is handled and not bloating over the lower mids, but some people find the upper mids not as natural as they wished. Presence and brilliance regions seem to be spot on.
This in the context of closed back, compared with the similarly priced Stax L-700 (only 20% more at full price) the SE-Monitor 5 is rubbish (same goes for the other crazy priced closed backs).

 

[Doctordoom16]

i love my sem5's. I currently have the focal elegia, akg 872 and focal clear (as well having had the senn 800s, senn 820, Beyer t5p 2nd gen, sony mdr z1r, z7 gen1). The sem5 are more natural/organic sounding compared to elegia as well as more spacious. The elegia is way more mid forward and as such sounds closed in and in your face. The opposite of the sem5 which have the feeling of being in a small concert hall. The AKG872 is very nice and a bit more layed back compared to elegia. The sem5 are more spacious compared akg and the whole presentation seems more organic and natural sounding than akg. The clears are the most resolving of all my headphones but they are missing an element that makes me reach for the sem5 everytime. The sem5 are more open and spacious despite not being on the same level of technicality as the clear. The clear has a way of being able to separate each and every note of every instrument so that the seperation is amazing. The sem5 may be a step behind in that seperation but beats the clears in soundstage and openess despite the clear being open back
I am selling all of them, except the sem5. I just ordered the ether c flow and if they dont beat out the sem5, then the sem5 is my last closed purchase. I am going back to the senn hd800s as i feel the openess and resolving power combined beat out the clear on every level. so the sem5 as my closed back, senn hd800s as my open, and my UE 18+pro gen 3 as my ciem. I think ive got my bases covered. as well the new hiby r6 pro w a 4.4 balanced cable for all my headphones (except maybe the senns, in that case i still have my chord mojo to power them).
my 2 cents