[Lorspeaker]

Where do you get velour M50x pads, the only ones I know of are leather?

https://www.massdrop.com/buy/ath-m50x-velour-earpads

Comes in brown or black..wait for the next drop.

 

[msiekkb]

HiFiMAN velour pads are good. Pandory get more air between instruments, a highs a little more, but on Pandora IV kick no strong.

 

[thor777]

Won't velour pads cause sound leakage? 

 

[NZtechfreak]

Someone earlier was asking for measurements, no idea about the veracity of these, but came across them at one review:
 

 

[msiekkb]

  Won't velour pads cause sound leakage? 

Yes, cause a strong kick. I want check hybrid pads, maybe there are good. I love in Pandora IV kick.

 

[Frederick Wang]

I wonder if anyone had an experience with both HP6 and ATH-A2000X could make a comparison between these two? 

 

[NZtechfreak]

At this point I'm really interested in the comparison to the production EL-8 open and closed. I listened to the proto EL-8 open at Addicted to Audio when in Melbourne a few weeks back, and felt the Hope VI easily saw off the EL-8.

 

[Tykal]

Pulled the trigger on these, thanks guys. Also have the X2s coming. Kind of rooting for the VI, but we'll see. I'll explore the pad issue if I keep them, but what's the cost of buying spare stock cables?
 
And wondering if I should throw an HE-400i in the mix?

 

[AlterSack]

Welcome to the club

!!
 
Haven't seen any place to buy the cables but directly from Final Audio. Also haven't seen any after market cables for it yet.
I guess there are not a few who wait for a balanced cable.
I also have the He 400i - Not bad, but I put it back in its box almost Brandnew after burn in. It doesn't give me the pleasure as the Hope VI. Will sell it again and keep the Hope.   

 

[jellofund]

  Pulled the trigger on these, thanks guys. Also have the X2s coming. Kind of rooting for the VI, but we'll see. I'll explore the pad issue if I keep them, but what's the cost of buying spare stock cables?
 
And wondering if I should throw an HE-400i in the mix?

 
Unless the X2 is a massive improvement over the X1! then I know which 'phone my money would be on. Be interested to hear how you get on  
 
(*not knocking the X1 as I did like them, just not in the same league)
 
I'm actually considering the HE-400i at the moment myself as an open backed 'phone to compliment the Pandora. Had the 560i in the past which was wonderful and whilst that would be my first choice my budget dictates otherwise....
 
In Europe a replacement Pandora cable will set you back approx. 50 euros for the 1.5m version and 55 euros for the 3m. I'd imagine a 1:1 conversion rate would apply Stateside so around 50 bucks mark at a guess.

 

[AlterSack]

   
Unless the X2 is a massive improvement over the X1! then I know which 'phone my money would be on. Be interested to hear how you get on  
 
(*not knocking the X1 as I did like them, just not in the same league)
 
I'm actually considering the HE-400i at the moment myself as an open backed 'phone to compliment the Pandora. Had the 560i in the past which was wonderful and whilst that would be my first choice my budget dictates otherwise....
 
In Europe a replacement Pandora cable will set you back approx. 50 euros for the 1.5m version and 55 euros for the 3m. I'd imagine a 1:1 conversion rate would apply Stateside so around 50 bucks mark at a guess.

If You are interested in the He400i - shoot me a PM.  I am thinking of selling mine. (practically brand new ... )

 

[Tykal]

   
Unless the X2 is a massive improvement over the X1! then I know which 'phone my money would be on. Be interested to hear how you get on  

 
Thanks for the info fellas. Anyone have a link to the cable sale sites? Google is not my friend on the topic. I'm pretty rough on my cables so I'll need a couple extras.
 
Will post impressions later, though I'm tempted to ship the X2 back unopened. Don't know what it is, but I have a feeling the VI will be all I need. I recently bought the first loudspeaker that I didn't find on the street, a pair of B&O Beolab 8000s, and needed to step it up on the portables. Always used $20-$120 IEMs in the past, but I get ear pain with those whenever I listen to my favorite type of music (jungle), so off to 'phones it is.
 
I was hoping to spend no more than $200-350, but after trying the Senn, Beyer, Audio Tech and Sony options in that range (except the DT-150), and then trying the HP50, M4U1, P7, MH40 and Focal Pro, none of them quite cut it. The Focal Pro might contend if it was an over-ear with better build quality, likewise the HD-25 aluminum, and I liked the sig of the MH40, but not much else. Don't care for the HD800 sound. Something about the Beyer sound could work for me, but I don't think I'd be satisfied till I got the T1 and an upper tier amp, and I'd have to cut a hole in my pockets to find that kind of depth.
 
Tried the HE-1000s yesterday, and my jaw is still coming back into place (liked them better than the Audeze), hence my curiosity over the 400i, but really, coming from a closed back history, using these mainly for portable applications, and being a semi-bassnerd, I doubt they'll work.
 
Luckily my wife is of the opinion that it's worth exceeding my budget for a higher build quality, to avoid the amp hassle, and to skip upgraditis, so if the VI works, the cost is unshamably authorized--fingers and ear-hairs crossed.
 

 
Interested in DAC recommendations in the $50-175 range if anyone has found great synergy. Especially interested if something can double as a line-in while recording vinyl too, but I don't know if (m)any products work both ways.

 

[jellofund]

 
If You are interested in the He400i - shoot me a PM.  I am thinking of selling mine. (practically brand new ... )

 
Cheers AlterSack!
 
I'm still weighing up a couple of options buy will definitely keep them in mind. tbh my most pressing need is some new IEMs but I'm finding it hard to muster much enthusiasm for in-ears.....there's just something so much more desirable about full size headphones I think. Who says size doesn't matter?  

 
 
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@ Tykal - I bought my spare pads / cables from these guys: http://finalaudio.nl/en/webshop.html
 
They're based in the Netherlands but do ship internationally. If you can't see your country listed when ordering send them an e-mail them and they'll add it for you. Shipping costs were pretty reasonable from memory.
 
There is one place that makes aftermarket cables. Can't remember their name but there is a link somewhere in this thread - I do remember them being very expensive though ($300 ish I think).
 
If you find the ear cups sliding down the metal 'arms' on the headband then I'd recommend wrapping a rubber band underneath them to anchor them in place. Initially I found the Pandora could sometimes sound great and other times mediocre. Eventually realised that when they slipped down it meant the tips of my ears were poking out the top mucking up the seal. Pads are so soft it was only when I caught my reflection in the window I noticed it.
 
I find that positioning is important with these and it takes some experimentation to find your sweet spot (nb. cups also have some rotation)  but when you do they really shine. The bands are no means aesthetically pleasing but do the job well.
 
If you bought new do you know which pads you got? There are two versions; the original 'limited time' pads (really shallow, soft & supple feeling) and the newer Hope IV pads (deeper, denser and with a more coarse pleather). If in doubt, if they sound like the reviews you most likely got the originals but if they sound somewhat bright, raw and brash you probably got the new ones. 
 
 
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Been using some HM5 pads (original non-memory foam version) on these for a while now and very happy with them. Far more comfortable, relatively inexpensive and to my ears little or no difference to the sound sig. If there is a change then it certainly isn't anything like the night & day difference I experienced with the IV pads.
 
They do addd about 1.5 inches to the width so make an already big headphone look even bigger. This also means a bit more clamping force (feel quite similar on the head to the HE-560 from memory) but that's not a bad thing as they felt a tad loose with stock pads.

 

[Tykal]

   
@ Tykal - I bought my spare pads / cables from these guys: http://finalaudio.nl/en/webshop.html
 
If you bought new do you know which pads you got? There are two versions; the original 'limited time' pads (really shallow, soft & supple feeling) and the newer Hope IV pads (deeper, denser and with a more coarse pleather). If in doubt, if they sound like the reviews you most likely got the originals but if they sound somewhat bright, raw and brash you probably got the new ones. 
 

 
Thanks for the link and the tips. I have read through the whole thread, but really appreciate the recap. I'm not sure about the pads; they don't seem that shallow and I don't feel grill discomfort--I'll take a couple pics later and post them. I guess my ears are large because they sit partially on-ear for me. Do the HM5 pads increase the size of the ear cavity?
 
Also, I thought they came with both the long and short cable, but after looking again, did I correctly receive only one cable? And was there any type of seal on your boxes? Wondering if there's a way to ensure I didn't get an open box item listed as new.
 
Sound impressions forthcoming--burning them in and testing over a few days first.

 

[jellofund]

   
Thanks for the link and the tips. I have read through the whole thread, but really appreciate the recap. I'm not sure about the pads; they don't seem that shallow and I don't feel grill discomfort--I'll take a couple pics later and post them. I guess my ears are large because they sit partially on-ear for me. Do the HM5 pads increase the size of the ear cavity?
 
Also, I thought they came with both the long and short cable, but after looking again, did I correctly receive only one cable? And was there any type of seal on your boxes? Wondering if there's a way to ensure I didn't get an open box item listed as new.
 
Sound impressions forthcoming--burning them in and testing over a few days first.

 
I'm not too sure if I'll be able to tell from pics as they look near identical in terms of appearance. Differences are more easy to detect when you have them side-by-side as you can see a slight difference in depth and notice the in terms of how they feel & how much they compact when pressed.
 
Measuring mine from the outside the IV pads are approx. 2cm deep whereas the VI pads are approx. 1.5cm so that would be one way to check. 
 
Another would be how they sound. If they sound quite prominently v-shaped and raw then it's likely you got the newer pads whereas if they sound relatively even-handed and musical then I'd expect them to be the original pads.
 
The HM5 pads have a more oval shaped ear cavity, which is quite a bit taller but also slightly narrower than the stock pads. I measure them to be approx. 7cm tall x 5.5cm wide whereas stock are 6cm x 6cm.
 
They do only come supplied with a single cable in the box (1.5m) so you're not missing one.My Pandora came in a black hexagonal presentation box (no seal) with a white foam 'sleeve' round it, then bubble wrapped and shipped in a brown 'Pandora Hope VI' shipping box (sealed with clear tape). Cable should have come in a plastic bag with foam covers slipped over the jack plugs to protect them. 
 
Hope this helps and that you're enjoy the Hope IV! Edit: meant VI - grrr...FAD and their silly numbering convention!!