To those who were looking forward to my JVC HA-DX3/Sennheiser HD497 showdown review, I have to disappoint you. I found out yesterday that my JVC's aren't being sent out from the US Priority Mail, they are being sent from Japan Priority Mail. And I have already received the money for my HD497's, so I feel obligated to ship them off to chych. But, I will do a review comparing them with my new Sony MDR-W08L Vertical Headphones, which although lacking bass, do sound better than the HD497's. In other words, I don't think it would have been a fair contest anyways. It would have been like comparing the 497's with a pair of HD600's. That's the class of headphones that the JVC's are supposedly in. Although I haven't heard a HD600 in my life, I'll know if they are in that class if they sound so good that I haven't heard anything like them. It's like I have a built-in high-end sound detector in my head. I just KNOW when a headphone has high-end sound. BTW, I auditioned the HD280's a couple days ago, and they sound great. They sound kind of like refined HD497's, with a less aggressive sound. They have a little more bass, and a little wider soundstage. But, they are a lot more comfy. And the isolation is amazing. But the bass cuts out on even strong portables like my Sony D-141 Discman. These are definitely made for at least headphone jack on a home product. Or better yet, a portable amp. I think they are a good candidate for a step up for the 497. I have a feeling my JVC's are going to need a home deck or an amp even more than the HD280's. But, my high-end sound detector didn't quite go off when I was listening to these headphones. But I would recommend these over the 497's any day for home use. They reveal a slight grain in the sound of the 497's. You have to do a comparison to hear it. It is in the midrange. While the midrange of the HD280 was silky, the HD497's sounded like canvas. Not to mention the HD280's are actually made well. I can see them lasting through the 2 year warranty period, while with the 497's, I doubt it. And to think it is only $40 more. Just two more weeks of saving up, and you can have a better-sounding, better-made headphone that actually looks like a Sennheiser. And the pleather is wonderful. It imitates leather beautifully. It's thick, soft, and nothing like the fake pleather on the 497. I would have bought one if I had the money. But all my money is going towards the JVC's. So, I'll post my initial impressions on the JVC's when I get them, then a full review when they are broken-in. I have a feeling they will be a good alternative to the HD580/600. People already use it for such, it's just they haven't given much detail on it's sound quality. I'll go in depth.
