Ynot1
500+ Head-Fier
For $33 shipped, a variant of the famed Brainwavz HM-5 in an Open Back version, the Spadger CD990 is available now as an Amazon Lightning deal after checking the $15 coupon on the listing page. These are so far as I can tell identical to the Monoprice HR-5 Headphones except that they come with 2 pairs of protein leather pads instead of one each pair of PL and cloth. $48-$15 coupon for Prime members shipped. I bought a pair a couple of years back and can confirm they are the same headphones. At the time they came with the giant squishy padded case, I expect they still do.
If you search this deal thread for Spadger or Aizer you will find discussion of these phones including a link to a positive review of the Spadger by the sometimes right and frequently entertaining Zeos.
These are quite nice phones for $33...which is the cheapest I have seen any of the HM-5 variants. Note, open back, but they sound very similar to the closed versions.
The pivot points can squeak pretty uncomfortably, but a little lithium grease can solve that in no time. Just need lithium grease and tooth pick. But I'm sure others can chime in with a better way.
I'm thinking of pad change to reduce head clamp, maybe v6 or m50 pads.
M50 pads just barely fitted with hours of tugging, and the firm with thinner pads still had a strong head clamp; so it's on the stretcher.
The sound is open and has the sansa house sound which is very pleasing and comforting. Detail retrieval I think is pretty good.
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