[7S Cameron]

hi guys. i had a jvc ha s400 which i broke yesterday by mistake. do you guys think buying a jvc s500 will be an upgrade?
could you guys recomend me on ear headphone with good sound signature. my budget is $70.
i dont like Grado or koss since grado is open and i am im looking for on ear headphones only. thanks

I'm a little behind on the thread so I apologize if you have already made a decision. For your price range the S500 is definitely your best bet. In my opinion, the S400 doesn't even come close. There are a few members that like it better, but to me the S500 is a definite upgrade.

 

[mib91]

Just wondering how would Soundmagic P21 is going to stack up against S500. They're priced at same range.

 

[SHAMuuu]

Waiting to see how these stack up to dtx350. Japan imports take forverrrrrrrr.
 
These CNT hype got me all crazzzy
 
I would be impressed if they do beat the dtx350
 
The shp9500 hype was true, so hopefully these will be too
 
...hey that rhymes

 

 

[SHAMuuu]

...continued...
 
After the s500 vs dtx350,
 the dtx350 IMO is the better bargain
 
Both float around 30US, so one could pick up both.
 
I will "burn in" these CNT for the 500+ or w/e, but i dont think any amount of burn in will make these better than the dtx, and i would recommend dtx350 which has better clarity, balance, and richer bass. To my ears anyway FWIW
 
On the plus side, they do look cool with gun metal, and feels more solid than i imagined. More than dtx350, which feel more delicate.
 
The CNT rigidity seems to add a bit of "thump" (relative to this price point) which is fun.
 
I wouldn't mind these for on the go like a train, bus etc.

 
 
 
 
 
 

 

[SHAMuuu]

Switched pads (350 on s500, vice versa)
 
s500 very nice
 
Guess the hype died
 
Should start a dtx350 hype thread... someone? ..

 

[penmarker]

The hype died because my nephew killed my headphones. He borrowed it to listen in the car on a long road trip and then next morning one channel died and the pads peeled off.
I can own it for 2 years with no problems and he managed to destroy it in one night.
 
Anyway I left it back at my hometown and my family must've thought they're broken so I can't find it anymore unless I go dumpster diving.
Its a shame, I wanted to repair it too.

 

[SmOgER]

The hype died because my nephew killed my headphones. He borrowed it to listen in the car on a long road trip and then next morning one channel died and the pads peeled off.
I can own it for 2 years with no problems and he managed to destroy it in one night.

Anyway I left it back at my hometown and my family must've thought they're broken so I can't find it anymore unless I go dumpster diving.
Its a shame, I wanted to repair it too.

What you mean? Given the price they go for... http://www.ebay.com/itm/Victor-JVC-Kenwood-Closed-type-Headphone-Folding-Black-HA-S500-B-/201693156690?hash=item2ef5d95552:g:8r8AAOSwpLNYBENr

As for hype from my side, I've got a deal on CAL!2 that I couldn't resist. They are objectively better than S500, but when it comes to best bang for the buck with fun yet detailed sound signature (present mids) nothing beats the S500 for the price. CALs are better but not even close to being as much better as the price might suggest. Don't get me wrong, both offer great value for the money, but S500 here is just OFF THE CHARTS!!..

 

[penmarker]

Nah, I have several pairs of headphones now and I don't think I'll need any more. Plus I have a 2.0 speaker setup on the way too.

 

[SHAMuuu]

What you mean? Given the price they go for... http://www.ebay.com/itm/Victor-JVC-Kenwood-Closed-type-Headphone-Folding-Black-HA-S500-B-/201693156690?hash=item2ef5d95552:g:8r8AAOSwpLNYBENr

As for hype from my side, I've got a deal on CAL!2 that I couldn't resist. They are objectively better than S500, but when it comes to best bang for the buck with fun yet detailed sound signature (present mids) nothing beats the S500 for the price. CALs are better but not even close to being as much better as the price might suggest. Don't get me wrong, both offer great value for the money, but S500 here is just OFF THE CHARTS!!..

Yeah it defo is great for its price.
 
The thing is there are plenty of great bang for bucks nowadays, which has its pros and cons. B/c you want to try them all. But picking up 4 great bangs for bucks, sometimes better just to get one that is better
 
But in saying that, this is a fantastic portable. I put the dtx350 pads and its 10x more comfy. I dont know if this pad can be gotten seperately,
 
I forget if the hd25 pads fit on here, i swear i thought came across it on this thread somewhere
 
post #2094 says hd25 velours were used so i guess so! and this pic
 

 

[7S Cameron]

I still love my S500! I always go back to it for reference because it was the first audiophile grade headphone purchase I made. For the price it is still the best sound you can get IMO. I love the stock pads too!! 

 

[visiblink]

Bought a set of these based on the comments in this thread. I haven't burned them in, but I'm really enjoying them. Thanks to everyone who wrote up their impressions!

 

[aafanatic]

I bought the S400s for the same reason: I read tons of incredible praise; luckily I ended up in the S500 thread and ordered those as well. They came from Japan on the slow boat, so I had plenty of time to read up on them for the three weeks they took getting here. On paper they sounded similar; in reality they don't.
 
              Why do these cheap, plasticy, uncomfortable, ancient headphones sound SO damn gooood?
 
I don't think that it is just the drivers. I have the S660 and they are very comfortable ; still plasticy, but comfortable. What they are not is the S500. The sound is just sloppy in comparison. I thought that perhaps I could transfer the S500 driver into another set of cans. (EM-U Walnut) I don't think it is that simple or easy. I think that there is a synergy that transcends math that sometimes occurs, and the S500 is a case of that. 
   I am going to get a couple pair and try some experiments, but I doubt I will be able to better the actual sound; a chimp with a banana and a rock could better the comfort. The E-MU Walnut could better the build for $100, but I am betting that I won't be able to do any better than the humble and overlooked S500.

 

[phillipwareham]

Can anyone tell me if there is a way to replace the headband pads? I'm going to replace the ear pads, and the headband one just look a bit gross. Useable, but peeling and dirty.

 

[dauhak]

Hi,

My Pair of S500 is broken, and looking for an upgrade.

Please suggest.

I am looking at (ATH M50X/WS55/SONY950BT) or any other.

Requirement :

Budget : Less than $300
Bass : Similar or more Sub-bass than S500 or XB950BT (Deeper lows, less mid bass)
Mids : Thick vocals(forward or laid back) doesn't matter
Highs : Smooth without sibilant or edgy or Bright
SoundStage : Wide as possible, atleast more than S500




My Dream Headphone : (Clarity & quality of M50X, Sub bass of Sony xb950bt & Soundstage of DD770 & Highs of S500)

Thank You,

 

[yabai]

I am looking at (ATH M50X/WS55/SONY950BT) or any other.

Requirement :

Budget : Less than $300
Bass : Similar or more Sub-bass than S500 or XB950BT (Deeper lows, less mid bass)
Mids : Thick vocals(forward or laid back) doesn't matter
Highs : Smooth without sibilant or edgy or Bright
SoundStage : Wide as possible, atleast more than S500

 
 
V-Moda M100