[cam94z28]

Yeah, my luck with budget cans isn't very good lately. Remember where I said my CV185's had bass disappear as well? Thankfully that was an easy fix. The screws on one of the drivers had either vibrated loose, or were loose to begin with. I did take the left earcup off the dhp-ii's, and found a loose strand of wire. I thought it may have been touching one of the others causing a partial short in that side. No such luck. There was no difference after plucking the strand out with a pair of pliars. It's sad, because otherwise they have very good sound quality. The bass that is actually coming the right side is sometimes so loud/deep it sounds like it's filling in the left. I can only imagine how they'll sound working properly.
 
JR says all warranty is done through the manufacturer in their terms. We'll see what they say if they reply on Monday. From what I've read maxell is NOT easy to get ahold of.
 
Also, the packaging for the dhp-ii's lists a spec like (channel variation) or something similar as "3dB" If one driver was 3dB down compared to the other, could it cause the lack of bass at low/moderate volume? I tried cranking just the left side way up, and still never heard any deep bass. Only upper bass.
 
I have the HD555's coming any day now, and I have a feeling, exchanged or not, I won't be listening to these much any more anyway.

 

[ljokerl]

If I were you I'd still try J&R assuming that you're within the 30-day return window. They may want to have you handle returns through the manufacturer but I believe they are responsible for a damaged product within the open return period.
 
Also, a 3dB mismatch would be noticeable but only just - and it wouldn't affect particular frequencies. In fact, I think a mismatch would be hardest to hear down low and easiest to hear in the vocal range. 

 

[cam94z28]

Vocals and mids actually sound about the same out of both sides. I emailed them on Friday. We'll see what they say on Monday. I really want to hear these things in all their glory.

 

[kendric]

I suddenly remember the Fischer Audio Cans! The FA series (002,003 etc). So far my decision is 003 based on the reviews, haven have a chance to go down for an audition yet. Would really love to see ljokerl's reviews on them, Since some fellow head-fiers has commented that the Open-Backed 002 sounds more like the Closed-Back Type Sound Sig while things were other way round for the Closed-Back 003 such as its wide soundstage compared to other fellow closed-backs on the market.
 
And yes i asked so many questions that i forgot the shower the praise i was supposed to, Really Bravo Superb Reviews ljokerl ! Bet it have been a arduous and tiring process browsing and reviewing through THESE MUCH headphones on our behalf. A big big kudos to you!

 

[Olimoronio]

Quote:

Would be interested on your comments on Shure SRH-840, Was thinking of going for cans ranging from $100~250 too but hmm, shall see how adding an SRH840 to your collections will tip the scales (and my final decisions) =)

If you like your phones to be boring, flat sounding, non-musical and with bloated bass then... GO FOR IT!!!
 
 
 


 
Quote:

Quote:

My DhpII's sounded pretty good out of the box, deep punchy bass. After 24 hours it almost sounds like one of the drivers are out of phase. Actually, I just changed the balance between sides when playing a bass track. "Pure Silicon" from USAC Bass: SPL shootout album

" width="1" />" class="bbcode_smiley" height="" src="http://files.head-fi.org/images/smilies//smily_headphones1.gif" title="

" class="bbcode_smiley" height="1" src="http://files.head-fi.org/images/smilies//smily_headphones1.gif" title="

" width="1" />" width="" />. This verified there is basically no bass coming from the left driver. The right side sounds normal, and the left side doesn't sound blown. Just throwing it out there for consideration. Quality control might not be that great on these things.

Ouch. I'm guessing this would be one of those times when you'd exercise the warranty or just get a replacement from the seller. 
 
Perhaps the fact that mine are still working perfectly after 2.5 months is more the exception than the rule. Lucky lucky.

Not at all. Several other Head-Fi members and I have owned them for months with no problems. You're just always going to have a lemon in the batch if you know what I'm saying.

 

[Armaegis]

Quote:

If you like your phones to be boring, flat sounding, non-musical and with bloated bass then... GO FOR IT!!!

Funny that, because I found the 840s to be more enjoyable in sound compared against the Q40 and much lauded M50s. I preferred their warmer mids and laid back presentation, did not find them boring at all, and felt the bass was actually quite tame compared to the other two.

 

[cam94z28]

 
Quote:

Not at all. Several other Head-Fi members and I have owned them for months with no problems. You're just always going to have a lemon in the batch if you know what I'm saying.

I wasn't trying to judge their overall reliability. I was just "throwing it out there" that I got a bad pair. They seem to be decently built otherwise. If I removed the driver I may have found more shorted wiring, but I didn't want to void the warranty.
 
and ljokerl,
They did ended up issuing an RMA. Hopefully the next pair will show me what i was missing.

 

[ljokerl]

Quote:

I suddenly remember the Fischer Audio Cans! The FA series (002,003 etc). So far my decision is 003 based on the reviews, haven have a chance to go down for an audition yet. Would really love to see ljokerl's reviews on them, Since some fellow head-fiers has commented that the Open-Backed 002 sounds more like the Closed-Back Type Sound Sig while things were other way round for the Closed-Back 003 such as its wide soundstage compared to other fellow closed-backs on the market.
 
And yes i asked so many questions that i forgot the shower the praise i was supposed to, Really Bravo Superb Reviews ljokerl ! Bet it have been a arduous and tiring process browsing and reviewing through THESE MUCH headphones on our behalf. A big big kudos to you!

 
I'd definitely like to try the Fischer Audio cans in theory but the company is too small/poor to be able to afford to send me samples and I'm too poor to buy my own! I'll see what direction I want to go in once I finish up with my current crop of reviews. IEM thread keeping me too busy lately to update this one 

And thanks, encouragement is always appreciated 

 
 
Quote:

and ljokerl,
They did ended up issuing an RMA. Hopefully the next pair will show me what i was missing.

Great, doesn't sound like Maxell's CS is as horrible as some other big brands'. Hope the next DHP-II impresses!

 

[tdockweiler]

I think you should stick to reviewing smaller headphones, but whatever you feel like doing. It just seems weird throwing in say the SRH-840 and M50 with all these other portable headphones.
Those two are not even really all that portable.
 
One thing that would be interesting to see is a review of a full modified SR-80 or SR-60. I was never a huge fan of my SR-80 for about 4 years until I modded it. Now i'm extremely impressed. I can now tolerate them for hours and they now have a lot of bass.
 
I don't know if the Audio Technica ATH-ES7 is on your list, so i'll have to check. If not, maybe that'd be a good one.
 
Koss Pro DJ 100 as I suggested earlier would be cool. I opened it up to see the driver and it's almost identical to the driver in my SR-80, but is titanium. Sounds similar to my Grado too, but no harsh highs. I posted a picture of the driver in the SR-60 mod thread. It even has 10 holes around the driver! Same size and everything. Feels like a closed grado. Love that headphone so much that I'm going to recable it this weekend.
 
Hopefully my Maxell DHP-II will arrive soon too!
 

 

[cam94z28]

 
Quote:

Great, doesn't sound like Maxell's CS is as horrible as some other big brands'. Hope the next DHP-II impresses!

Oops, I should have been more clear. I meant JR issued a RMA. I would definitely prefer doing it through JR vs Maxell. I'd probably have to send them to china

 

[Olimoronio]

Quote:

Funny that, because I found the 840s to be more enjoyable in sound compared against the Q40 and much lauded M50s. I preferred their warmer mids and laid back presentation, did not find them boring at all, and felt the bass was actually quite tame compared to the other two.

I am glad you like them - I thought they sucked ass.
 
 
 
 


 
Quote:

 

I wasn't trying to judge their overall reliability. I was just "throwing it out there" that I got a bad pair. They seem to be decently built otherwise. If I removed the driver I may have found more shorted wiring, but I didn't want to void the warranty.
 
and ljokerl,
They did ended up issuing an RMA. Hopefully the next pair will show me what i was missing.

I meant that comment more towards ljokerl's statement about his pair lasting being some kind of anomaly or something.

 

 

[Olimoronio]

Hey ljokerl, I have a question for you. Knowing my affinity for the Maxell's (i.e. their sound signature is damn near perfect to my ears) what phones would you recommend as an upgrade?
 
One of the only things I would want more of is a bit more refinement to the sound. I LOVE the highs, the mids are great and I love the way the bass is presented - it could reach a touch lower though.
 
So what say you? I actually really like the Grado [size=x-small]SR325i's I heard recently (not bright AT ALL) and I'm thinking of getting them I was just wondering if you had any other suggestions that I might want to look into..[/size]

 

[kendric]

Quote:

If you like your phones to be boring, flat sounding, non-musical and with bloated bass then... GO FOR IT!!!
 
 
 


 


Not at all. Several other Head-Fi members and I have owned them for months with no problems. You're just always going to have a lemon in the batch if you know what I'm saying.

Haha maybe not, Since my original intention is to find a closed-back can for their isolation but possessing soundstage comparable or leaning towards the leagues of open-back, thought there wasn't one that fits the bill and my wallet until i heard the waggings on the Fischer Audio's FA-003, And i shall give them a listen myself soon. IF they really have that good soundstage + zero sound leakage + decent timbre + good holographic positioning (making it gaming-compatible) as fellow head-fiers has commented, BLast! Those shall be my choice ^_^

 

[ljokerl]

Quote:

I think you should stick to reviewing smaller headphones, but whatever you feel like doing. It just seems weird throwing in say the SRH-840 and M50 with all these other portable headphones.
Those two are not even really all that portable.
 
One thing that would be interesting to see is a review of a full modified SR-80 or SR-60. I was never a huge fan of my SR-80 for about 4 years until I modded it. Now i'm extremely impressed. I can now tolerate them for hours and they now have a lot of bass.
 
I don't know if the Audio Technica ATH-ES7 is on your list, so i'll have to check. If not, maybe that'd be a good one.
 
Koss Pro DJ 100 as I suggested earlier would be cool. I opened it up to see the driver and it's almost identical to the driver in my SR-80, but is titanium. Sounds similar to my Grado too, but no harsh highs. I posted a picture of the driver in the SR-60 mod thread. It even has 10 holes around the driver! Same size and everything. Feels like a closed grado. Love that headphone so much that I'm going to recable it this weekend.
 
Hopefully my Maxell DHP-II will arrive soon too!
 

 
To be honest I've never considered Grados portable on any level but from week one of this thread people had been suggesting that I add some so in they went. Same with the M50, Denon HP700, and all of the other large DJ cans I've been meaning to add. I did review the ES7 but wasn't a huge fan - certainly didn't think they could compete with the HD25 or MS1 or M50. Plus the (dis)comfort was off the charts. I'll have to try the DJ100. I've been curious - how much of it is actually metal? I hope it's not just a huge glob of silver-colored plastic...
 
Quote:

Oops, I should have been more clear. I meant JR issued a RMA. I would definitely prefer doing it through JR vs Maxell. I'd probably have to send them to china

Ah, no surprise there, then 

 
Quote:

Hey ljokerl, I have a question for you. Knowing my affinity for the Maxell's (i.e. their sound signature is damn near perfect to my ears) what phones would you recommend as an upgrade?
 
One of the only things I would want more of is a bit more refinement to the sound. I LOVE the highs, the mids are great and I love the way the bass is presented - it could reach a touch lower though.
 
So what say you? I actually really like the Grado [size=x-small]SR325i's I heard recently (not bright AT ALL) and I'm thinking of getting them I was just wondering if you had any other suggestions that I might want to look into..[/size]

I used to own the SR325i but found them a little too fast for their own good. The transients were amazing but sometimes it didn't feel like they were holding a note long enough. I ended up swapping them for an MS2i and have been happier since but if you like the speed of the SR325i, they're the ones for you. By the way I think you'd really like the ATH-SQ5. Not a major upgrade to the Maxells but slightly better and just surprisingly competent in general. Wasn't expecting that from an ATH-**5 headphone since they like to keep all of their model numbering uniform.

 

[Olimoronio]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kendric /img/forum/go_quote.gif




Haha maybe not, Since my original intention is to find a closed-back can for their isolation but possessing soundstage comparable or leaning towards the leagues of open-back, thought there wasn't one that fits the bill and my wallet until i heard the waggings on the Fischer Audio's FA-003, And i shall give them a listen myself soon. IF they really have that good soundstage + zero sound leakage + decent timbre + good holographic positioning (making it gaming-compatible) as fellow head-fiers has commented, BLast! Those shall be my choice ^_^

 
Do me (yourself maybe) a favor and go down to RadioShack and get a pair of Auvio 33-279 Concert Class headphones.[size=9pt][/size]
 [size=9pt][/size]
When you get them home grab the pads an pull straight out and the whole pad and pad frame will just pop right off. Then use a box cutter (it's important to use a wide blade here that is too wide to reach the driver because one slip with an Excacto knife and your driver will be sliced) to cut the horrible, thick felt from the grill holes. DO NOT remove the cloth on the pads once you do this or they become much too bright. [size=9pt][/size]
 [size=9pt][/size]
If you like the sound of them after doing the mods then great - you just got a nice pair of phones for $50 - if not simply return them for a full refund. And don't feel guilty about the mod - they never check behind the pads and believe me you're doing the next guy who buys them a huge favor.[size=9pt][/size]
 [size=9pt][/size]
If you do end liking them there are a couple other mods you can do to improve them even further...[size=9pt][/size]
 [size=9pt][/size]
Disassemble them and tape the sides of the cups, the wires and the drivers with masking tape and spray with Cascade VB-1S Pro Quiet Kote (SKU# 268-250) from Parts Express. Then you just want to let the stuff dry for a good, long while - like several days. [size=9pt][/size]
 [size=9pt][/size]
If you don't want to go through the hassle of taping and spraying then just get a couple of Lightweight Vinyl Damping Sheets (SKU# 268-030) and damp the cups with that. The damping sheets are pretty cool in that, when heated with a blow dryer, they mold to pretty much any shape.[size=9pt][/size]
 [size=9pt][/size]
Then all you need do is fill the cups loosely (key word loosely) with some kind of stuffing. I like wool but you can use all kinds of things. Since they are completely closed you can even use fiberglass insulation or pillow stuffing or whatever. Just don't cram it in there. Fluff it up and place it inside the cup cavity loosely.
 
[size=11pt]The only mod that is completely necessary though is the first one I mentioned - the removal of the thick, hard felt over the grill holes.[size=9pt][/size][/size]
[size=9pt] [/size]
[size=9pt] [/size]
 
[size=11pt]Happy listening.

[/size]
 
 
 
 
 
[size=11pt]     Quote:[/size]

[size=11pt]Originally Posted by ljokerl /img/forum/go_quote.gif[/size]

[size=11pt]I used to own the SR325i but found them a little too fast for their own good. The transients were amazing but sometimes it didn't feel like they were holding a note long enough. I ended up swapping them for an MS2i and have been happier since but if you like the speed of the SR325i, they're the ones for you. By the way I think you'd really like the ATH-SQ5. Not a major upgrade to the Maxells but slightly better and just surprisingly competent in general. Wasn't expecting that from an ATH-**5 headphone since they like to keep all of their model numbering uniform.[/size]

[size=11pt] [/size]
[size=11pt] [/size]
This is why I think it's always a good idea to have another set of well trained ears to go with you when auditioning. He may notice something that you overlooked or were or maybe you were just too excited about one aspect of the phone/speaker to notice. I usually take my brother with my but he was too busy that day so I'm going to have to have another listen. I think I was focusing really hard on the highs trying to find the bright sibilance everyone speaks of and not finding it to a proper audition. Did you find them to be bright?
 

 
[size=11pt][size=9pt][/size][/size]
[size=11pt]Anyway, thanks for the suggestions, I'll certainly look into them.[size=9pt][/size][/size]
 
[size=9pt][/size]