[Achmedisdead]

Quote:

Okay, before I do this, is there anyone on here that has noticed NO DIFFERENCE after burn in (no this question is NOT for you dsnuts, I already know what you are going to say! LOL). I mean im listening to these things right now and loving them, is it really, actually true that they are only gunna get better if I burn them?

 
I put a little over 100 hours altogether on mine, and between out of box and then there was a difference. Was it night and day? No....but there was a noticeable improvement, enough of one that I stopped the burn and just used them normally from then on.

 

[Ralox]

I just received my JVC HA-S500s today, how might I burn them in?

 

[Doc-holliday]

Dunno but I think I didn't do it right:

 

[cel4145]

Quote:

Dunno but I think I didn't do it right:

 

 
 

 

[Doc-holliday]

I just received my JVC HA-S500s today, how might I burn them in?

Easy answer:

Play bassy, aggressive music through them all day for days.

Not so easy answer:

read this: http://www.head-fi.org/t/625840/controlled-burn-in-with-predictable-results-for-headphones

 

[Ic3M0nk3y]

Alright so i found another potential answer to burning in these cans. 
 
http://www.jlabaudio.com/burn.php
 
It does white noise and pink noise in 20-20,000Hz Sweeps, 10-30,000Hz frequency sweeps, and 20-200Hz Frequency Sweeps. It also has a minute of silence between sweeps to give your cans a rest. Dunno if this a good alternative to Drum n' Bass burn in method or not. 
 
~Ice

 

[sfwalcer]

Quote:

Alright so i found another potential answer to burning in these cans. 
 
http://www.jlabaudio.com/burn.php
 
It does white noise and pink noise in 20-20,000Hz Sweeps, 10-30,000Hz frequency sweeps, and 20-200Hz Frequency Sweeps. It also has a minute of silence between sweeps to give your cans a rest. Dunno if this a good alternative to Drum n' Bass burn in method or not. 
 
~Ice

I used that before to burn my FX101s/ FX40s but it doesn't seem to work that well, esp with these carbon nanotubes.  The Drum n' Bass link on this threads 1st post works much better. These carbon nanotubes need a good licking to get the best sound.  Bjaardker's advice is that the AAC or WMA streams are the best audio quality, so I would go with that. Anyone tried analogdudes burning method, seems too complex and not sure if it will really work. LoL @ some of the peps on head-fi calling him out for it.  ha
 
http://www.bassdrive.com/v2/

 

[cel4145]

Quote:

I used that before to burn my FX101s/ FX40s but it doesn't seem to work that well, esp with these carbon nanotubes.  The Drum n' Bass link on this threads 1st post works much better. These carbon nanotubes need a good licking to get the best sound.  Bjaardker's advice is that the AAC or WMA streams are the best audio quality, so I would go with that. Anyone tried analogdudes burning method, seems too complex and not sure if it will really work. LoL @ some of the peps on head-fi calling him out for it.  ha
 
http://www.bassdrive.com/v2/

 
I would think it would be impossible to predict what works well and what doesn't because different headphones with their different driver composition might respond differently to the same burn-in method. One would have to have multiple pairs of the same headphones and try the different methods to know for sure. 
 
So I've just been running the S500s with an EDM heavy bass playlist one day, heavy mid-range guitar music another, pink noise for another. Just switching it around, although with more weight to the bass heavy music in the rotations since that will make the driver move a lot. I'm certain that they will get there eventually 

 

[Ghostfit]

Quote:

Okay, before I do this, is there anyone on here that has noticed NO DIFFERENCE after burn in (no this question is NOT for you dsnuts, I already know what you are going to say! LOL). I mean im listening to these things right now and loving them, is it really, actually true that they are only gunna get better if I burn them?

My burn in experiences with the JVC CNT headphones are as follows:
 
HA S500 - Out of box was remarkably underwhelming, it was not "throw it into the dustbin" bad but there was nothing special about them.
50hrs of burn in later, the sound started improving (especially the bass), my pair of S500 has somewhat stabilised after 200hrs+ and I don't hear any changes anymore.
 
HA S400 - Out of box was spectacular, sound pretty close to a well seasoned pair of FX40, put them on the burn and 50hrs later the sound has changed for the worst, like the S500 out of box. 
Burning them up to the 100hrs mark sees a great improvement, sounds even better than on open box, the tones are all filled out.

 

[Ghostfit]

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Ding it Ghost why, WHY!!!? JVC is truly devious with their devil nanotube technology.

 
Thought for sure these S500s are better than their little sibling in all aspects but no, they have to be all unique damn now I have to buy the S400s for sure.  Just like their amazing FXD series sigh. Poor wallet!!!

 
I had the same thoughts too, how could the cheaper S400 sound better, but my ears are saying otherwise.
We are all unique and we all have different sonic preferences so there will most certainly be guys who would prefer the S500 over the S400.
It's just like the FXD IEMs, some guys prefer the FXD70 signature over the higher end FXD80.
 
Althought I love the S400, I'm in no way selling off my S500, they have a place and purpose in my arsenal.

 

[Ghostfit]

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Yes but here is my thought on this. For the guys that haven't tried other pads on the HA-S500. You must try out the ATH velours..I know what Ghost is talking about.  It isn't that there is much of a sound difference as there is a difference in size of CN driver in the same sized cups. What I mean is this. The 40mm driver in the HA-S500 has less room to freely flow the sounds having somewhat of a restricted sized on ear smaller housing.. So how do you open up the sounds of the HA-S500.
 
Simple. Try out the ATH velour pads. The stock pads and as well as the HD25 pads somewhat restrict and channel the sounds throwing out more bass as a result. The ATH velours and or wider pads will effectively open up the sounds. With the ATH velours there is no restriction on the drivers so the drivers breath freely giving out a much higher end sound more highs and more mids and opens up the bass end to neutral levels..The stage also opens up as well. Try out the velours it will completely surprise you guys. The HA-S400 has 30mm driver so there is much more clearance from the pads and is more of a proper driver size to the headphone pads and cups therefore probably less restricted. 

 
YES !  ...DSnut, you've nailed what I couldn't put my finger on about the sounds I'm hearing out of the S500, the restrictive size of the cans are having a small impact on the overall sound coming out of them S500, its like all the goodness is being cramped together.
 
I ordered 3 pairs of them ATH velour pads (they do wear out, right ?)

when I read your recommendation, they are fantastic for comfort but I soon went back to the stock pads due to isolation and too much of a change in sound signature, I also have to raise the volume by about 3 notches in order to hear the same volume as the stock pads
 
IMO, JVC did the S400 just right, the sound tuning are perfect to my ears and I wouldn't mind sticking with the stock pleather pads. 
 

 

[analogsurviver]

Quote:

 
YES !  ...DSnut, you've nailed what I couldn't put my finger on about the sounds I'm hearing out of the S500, the restrictive size of the cans are having a small impact on the overall sound coming out of them S500, its like all the goodness is being cramped together.
 
I ordered 3 pairs of them ATH velour pads (they do wear out, right ?)

when I read your recommendation, they are fantastic for comfort but I soon went back to the stock pads due to isolation and too much of a change in sound signature, I also have to raise the volume by about 3 notches in order to hear the same volume as the stock pads
 
IMO, JVC did the S400 just right, the sound tuning are perfect to my ears and I wouldn't mind sticking with the stock pleather pads. 
 

About my experience with original and ATH velour pads with HA-S500 echoed. I found that bass region(s) are affected by the output impedance /damping factor of the amplifier driving them as well - the lower output impedance/higher damping factor gets, the less bass and vice versa. But not enough to have it right with either stock pads and ultra tight amp (still the bass is too prominent) or with a loose amp and ATH velours ( still the bass is a smidge too weak ). I might or might not decide to get the leather pads first mentioned by cute to use with the HA-S500, but for sure a pair of HA-S400 will be making another hole in the purse...

 

[Doc-holliday]

Ive been burning my since yesterday. I guess I can take a sneak-peak tonight? Or should I just be patient and leave them another day?

-Doc

(thot so before but now I'm certain I must really be doing something wrong... is it hot in here to y'all?)

 

[Ralox]

Thanks guys! I am going to use the JLab Audio with the bassdrive thing and a playlist with techno to burn them in constantly for 100 hr+. Will that be fine?
 
Also, I am planning on changing out the stock ear pads for the velour ones from the Sennheisder HD 25, how do I remove the earpads?

 

[jwong]

The old pads pull right off. Putting the HD 25 velours on took me a little longer because I didn't know what I was doing. When I realized I should just flip the entire lip of the pads up around the velours, put them on and then bring it back down around the edge on the phones, things went pretty easy.
 
I love how my S500s sound with the HD-25 velours, but now the troublemakers in this thread have me thinking I should be buying the other velours and leather pads just to experiment.