[osiris1]

recently, I changed to these pads - Brainwavz Sheepskin Leather Earpads.
on the initial listen, my immediate thoughts were the soundstage was wider but I lost some bass. however, upon longer and more critical listening sessions, everything is there.
these pads have a larger diameter and are thicker, and probably contributes to the wider stage. to me, they are also comfy and can be worn long, if where you listen is not too warm to begin with.
I previously used the velour M50 pads recommended here.

 

[MIR05LAV]

recently, I changed to these pads - Brainwavz Sheepskin Leather Earpads.

I am using exactly same pads. Best for me and they look better than oval hm5 on Pandoras VI

 

[monsieurfromag3]

... and for people like me who’d rather stay with Final, either to avoid a Frankenstein monster of a headphone or to be absolutely sure of the pads’ compatibility (or maybe even out of brand loyalty), I’ll point out that the C pads from the Sonorous VIII/X alleviate every issue most users encounter with the VI. They go from ear-killers to perfectly comfortable. Treble peaks are attenuated just so.

As Final state the overall effect is of a quieter signature; as if more at peace. I’m torn about this, as the excessive nature of the VI with the original B pads is a huge part of their appeal. But as I’d grown loath of the pain of wearing them, and the agressive treble compounded this and made the prospect of extended sessions unappealing, I was considering replacing them anyway. No need, the C pads twist the VI into exactly what I was longing for.

Many alternatives have been offered throughout the thread, with an insistence that leaves this option oddly little publicized. I’m sure these more exotic propositions have merit, but would nudge towards the C pads as an obvious first port of call.

 

[jwbrent]

I have on loan the final silver coated copper cable for the D8000 and the Sonorous line. I expected I would like this upgrade on my D8000, and I do, but I’m actually more thrilled with how it sounds with my VI. It retails for $500, so not cheap, but it really elevates the VI to a new level.

I’ll be posting a review next week with my thoughts ...

 

[nhoclesnar]

recently, I changed to these pads - Brainwavz Sheepskin Leather Earpads.
on the initial listen, my immediate thoughts were the soundstage was wider but I lost some bass. however, upon longer and more critical listening sessions, everything is there.
these pads have a larger diameter and are thicker, and probably contributes to the wider stage. to me, they are also comfy and can be worn long, if where you listen is not too warm to begin with.
I previously used the velour M50 pads recommended here.

Are these pads really that good? Would you say they're better than the official type C pads?

 

[osiris1]

Are these pads really that good? Would you say they're better than the official type C pads?

Don't have the type C pads to compare...

 

[nhoclesnar]

Don't have the type C pads to compare...

Thanks. Do you know what kind of pads would tame the high a bit? The high on these are kinda piercing at times. How would a pair of fenestrated sheepskin pads do?

 

[monsieurfromag3]

Thanks. Do you know what kind of pads would tame the high a bit? The high on these are kinda piercing at times. How would a pair of fenestrated sheepskin pads do?

As just stated the C pads do exactly that. But I don’t have fenestrated sheepskin pads to compare

 

[osiris1]

I don't find the highs harsh with the brainwavz pads. that's just me though and i am tolerant of highs. they are however not sibilant with the pads, which i cannot tolerate.

 

[Berdugo]

Hi,

Are the Sonorous VI true balanced headphones ? I own them, but I never had asked myself that question. But now that I have a fully balanced DAC / amp with an XLR output I'm not using yet, I was thinking of replacing the stock headphone cable with Atlas Zenos with a balanced termination. Would all that constitute a fully balanced configuration ?

 

[jwbrent]

Hi,

Are the Sonorous VI true balanced headphones ? I own them, but I never had asked myself that question. But now that I have a fully balanced DAC / amp with an XLR output I'm not using yet, I was thinking of replacing the stock headphone cable with Atlas Zenos with a balanced termination. Would all that constitute a fully balanced configuration ?

Yes, the VI is capable of using balanced cables. final now sells silver OFC cables for the D8000 and the Sonorous line with the exception of the X.

Some of the benefits of balanced drive may not be apparent on the VI. One of the advantages of balanced drive is typically greater voltage output to drive higher impedance, less sensitive headphones ... clearly not an issue with the VI with its 8 ohm impedance. If you decide to go forward, please report back your findings, I’ll be interested in what you have to say.

 

[Berdugo]

Yes, the VI is capable of using balanced cables. final now sells silver OFC cables for the D8000 and the Sonorous line with the exception of the X.

Some of the benefits of balanced drive may not be apparent on the VI. One of the advantages of balanced drive is typically greater voltage output to drive higher impedance, less sensitive headphones ... clearly not an issue with the VI with its 8 ohm impedance. If you decide to go forward, please report back your findings, I’ll be interested in what you have to say.

I guess that if there is an improvement it will be hard to say where it comes from : the better quality cable, using the balanced output of my amp, both ? Either way, I will report here and let you know in a few days when I get my Zeno cable

 

[jwbrent]

I guess that if there is an improvement it will be hard to say where it comes from : the better quality cable, using the balanced output of my amp, both ? Either way, I will report here and let you know in a few days when I get my Zeno cable

The other difference in balanced drive which your VI will benefit from is reduced crosstalk/noise between the left and right drivers. Since the VI is so easy to drive, it will reveal any common noise between the two channels, including distortion. So, your experiment with a new cable will potentially be a good thing, and yes, whether this can be attributed to balanced drive, the cable, or the balanced circuit on your amp ... who’s to know? If it sounds better, then the upgrade was worthwhile.

 

[jwbrent]

Just thought I’d add a link to my review on the new silver cables from final for both the D Series and the Sonorous series. Towards the end of my review, I spoke about how this cable works with the VI, and in my view, the sound is elevated quite a bit with the better cable. For me, I can’t go back to the stock cable. Luckily, I can share this cable between my VI and my D8000, and that allowed me to justify the expense.

 

[jwbrent]

The D8000 case works nicely with the VI.