[SteveSatch]

I would not be happy if I were you.  You paid extra for shipping and you get them a week after everyone else in the States who got free shipping and had them mailed out from Amazon.
 
Quote:

Do you happen to have any impressions worthy of sharing?  I thought I saw the cups available for sale on a site - not a custom builder's site.  Though, I suspect I'd probably feel that in this case, the wooden modification's cost would outweigh its benefit.
 
BTW, I just received my shipping notice from Hong Kong.  It looks like they should arrive here in the U.S. on Thursday via FedEx.  Just in time for next weekend - should be good.
 

 

 

[TheJT]

ups says mine are arriving today and i payed free shipping, though I ordered last minute on sunday XD

 

[KG Jag]

Quote:

Do you guys think the price of these is likely to stay $139.50 as offered by MP4 Nation/at Amazon?

My guess is that it will (or at least something very close to it)--for now.  Thus far these cans are issued in batches.  When they sell out, there is a wait of a few months with no product before the next batch arrives.  During those times look for for a clone (or from which these were cloned).  When the the current inventory starts to run out, the price could increase.

 

[TheJT]

You could always get a pair of fa-003 for around 160 or a pair of lindy hi fis for 120 (all usd prices).  In my opinion, MP4Nation had the best deal for the HM5 at 100-120 (I paid 113 because I used a coupon) not only because of the price but because it's the only brand that offered a short cable for portable use.  There's also a pair by yoga called the cd-990 if you're really desperate.  I'm not sure how to get them.
 
They've arrived and I've been listening to them for the past hour or so.  Compared to the harx-700, I'm not impressed yet although imaging, soundstaging, and bass are substantially better.  I'll see what I think when they get burned in.  Also, the head clamp force is crazy and there is an initial veil over the sound for the first half hour.

 

[keanex]

Quote:

Do you guys think the price of these is likely to stay $139.50 as offered by MP4 Nation/at Amazon?

That's the standard price for them, if anything it will go lower in the future, not higher.

 

[SteveSatch]

I'd buy a used pair from this forum or wait for the next preorder when they will be $120 again.

 

[wje]

Quote:

I would not be happy if I were you.  You paid extra for shipping and you get them a week after everyone else in the States who got free shipping and had them mailed out from Amazon.
 

 
They were shipped a few days ago out of Hong Kong.  The estimated delivery day for me is this Thursday.  They explained to me that since I chose the FedEx option, they couldn't route my order to Amazon and have them ship them to me.  So, for the extra $17.00, I have a more worldly and well-traveled pair of headphones.  I guess it could be a unique feature.  Maybe, if I were to sell them for some reason, I could just tack on an extra $17.00 and explain what makes them a bit more "valuable" than a regular pair.  

 

[kingpage]

Has anyone flown with these yet?  Is the isolation decent enough for music and in flight movies?

 

[elecsheep9]

Have not flown, but have worn them on the NYC subway.  They are ok at isolation.  Certainly better than the open-backed HD650s I had been using (yes, I am crazy.)
 
You can still hear some of the rumble, but it is relegated to the background.  For the most part, I don't find it interferes with the music enjoyment.
 
Still trying to wrap my head around the sound.  Amped through the JDS labs CMOY, I do find the sound to be very neutral, and I can understand comparisons to the 650s in signature.  However, with about 5 hours on them, they seem very -- loud.  Not sure if that's the best way to describe it.  Maybe I should say a bit "congested".  It doesn't feel as "rounded" as the 650s.  Of course, I don't think its a fair comparison.

 

[129207]

Quote:

Still trying to wrap my head around the sound.  Amped through the JDS labs CMOY, I do find the sound to be very neutral, and I can understand comparisons to the 650s in signature.  However, with about 5 hours on them, they seem very -- loud.  Not sure if that's the best way to describe it.  Maybe I should say a bit "congested".  It doesn't feel as "rounded" as the 650s.  Of course, I don't think its a fair comparison.

I think they've been compared to the HD600, not the HD650. Since you own the HD650 and the HM5, it would make for an interesting insight though. I have been comparing my HD580/HD600 to the HM5 and, while generally impressed by the HM5's relative neutrality, dont think they have much in common. 

 

[manveru]

Also haven't used them on a plane, but I did use them in a car on the freeway. It's true that they actually boost some midbass-ish frequencies from outside when you wear them, but overall still enjoyable enough. The bass gets kind of sucked out of course, but not 100% gone like some other headphones IIRC. I should mention that I didn't turn the volume up very much at all, as I was afraid of damaging my hearing.

 

[elecsheep9]

The HM5 definitely are not as warm as the 650s.  But they both have a very smooth, non-fatiguing treble, but not so rolled off that you feel you are missing out on detail.
 
No doubt the 650s are the more refined of the two -- but that shouldn't even be a question.

 

[Klewer]

I just got my pair! This is my first real set of full sized headphones, so I don't have a whole lot to compare them to soundwise except my Ety MC5s, but first impressions on the headphones is that they're very well built and really nice looking...the brushed aluminum finish on the cups looks better in person than in pictures IMO. On my head, the clamping force is pretty high, but they fit very well.
 
I can't wait to spend more time with these...what methods do you guys recommend for headphone burn-in?

 

[manveru]

 
Quote:

I can't wait to spend more time with these...what methods do you guys recommend for headphone burn-in?

I say just listen and enjoy. 

 

[TheJT]

Quote:

Have not flown, but have worn them on the NYC subway.  They are ok at isolation.  Certainly better than the open-backed HD650s I had been using (yes, I am crazy.)
 
You can still hear some of the rumble, but it is relegated to the background.  For the most part, I don't find it interferes with the music enjoyment.
 
Still trying to wrap my head around the sound.  Amped through the JDS labs CMOY, I do find the sound to be very neutral, and I can understand comparisons to the 650s in signature.  However, with about 5 hours on them, they seem very -- loud.  Not sure if that's the best way to describe it.  Maybe I should say a bit "congested".  It doesn't feel as "rounded" as the 650s.  Of course, I don't think its a fair comparison.

Yeah i agree, the sound is very "filled in" compared to what I'm used to.  It feels like there are no empty spaces, places where there is no sound.
 
But anyways, I'm just very curious about these headphones.  If anyone just knows in general.  After taking the earpads off by turning it 90 degrees counter clockwise, you see the driver with holes around it covered by some sort of thin fiber.  What might happen to the sound if this fiber were to be removed?  What purpose might the fiber hold in terms of how it affects the sound?