Just got my S500's in the mail this morning. I wanted a pair of portable phones that I could take with me around the city, and didn't cost a whole lot so I wouldn't feel too badly should anything happen to them. I should note that while i ordered the black, the model i got was the very dark gunmetal shade that is in the first post here. I couldn't care less, and i actually think these look prettier.
First impressions:
Punch, clarity, and presence. I've been using my sennheiser hd280s almost exclusively for the past 6 months (not by choice) and they have a very neutral sound. In comparison, the S500s have much more punch, clarity, and presence. As supraaurals they can't really be compared with the circumaural hd280s which have amazing seal and isolation. Will have to see how they do on the metro. I have a big head so they are a little uncomfortable if I don't set them properly, but if this persists i'll consider getting those larger pads recommended here to get a better seal and more comfort.
I tested them with my ipod classic (thick 80gb model), no dac or amp. All lossless files.
These Foolish Things by Ella Fitzgerald: I was immediately struck by how clear and forward her voice was. no comparison with the hd280 - this song is much more fun and involving to listen to on the s500s.
Solitude/Night and Day by Billie Holiday: I found Holiday's voice to be much less forward than ella's in the previous track. I would conjecture that this is due to the supposedly "V" profile to the s500's sound that i've read about, but I will return to this point momentarily. The S500s did really well with both tracks otherwise and i was very impressed.
Nightmares by Clipse: Did not like the way the snare stick sounded on this track. It sounded nasally and out of place. Everything else sounded like what i would come to expect by now from my brief time iwth the s500 - punchy, clear, and engaging. Vocals were good, bass was good, no complaints except with that damn snare stick.
At this point I went to the ipod's eq setting and found an eq that had an inverse V shape. Spoken Word and Lounge were the two that fit this bill. Either one of them made a huge difference in the sound. The sound was even more engaging without being louder. Also, that nagging snare stick was ameliorated, although it still felt a little out of place. Relistened to all four of the previous tracks and found the experience to be even more enjoyable than before. I should add that the Spoken Word setting makes Holiday
sing, but because the frequencies are raised relatively more than the lounge setting, it tends to distort when she hits higher registers.
My premature conclusion at this point? The s500s are keepers. They are fun, portable phones to listen to. I haven't even burned them in yet for anywhere close to the recommended amount but I'm still enjoying them as they are. The cable seems a little short but i don't have an equitable baseline for comparison.
I'd write more but i'd rather go enjoy my new headphones
edit: On the track Late by Kanye West the bassline sounds a bit flabby and all over. Also, I just wanted to add that that the cable seems really durable and i'm glad that JVC took the extra steps to do this.