[rickdohc]

i own both,  XB500 and S500.
 
If you want more details and dont mind sacrifice some bass,  you are in the right direction, S500 is a good choice.  Problem with the S500 is comfort,  i can sleep and stay all day with my XB500,  after more than 15 minutes with the S500 i want to take them off.

 

[dakanao]

My HA-S680 sound slightly veiled compared to the Ostry KC06a IEMs, but they still have more clarity. It's hard to explain, it's like voices are clearer on the HA-S680 (but the Ostry's come close) but the rest of the music sound clearer on the Ostry KC06a.

 

[LaPierre]

 

  I never could find a direct 1v1 vs the s500's and the s680's PLEASE COMPARE THEM.

 


From what I know S680 is bassier and more comfy, but boomy at times, and it's slightly controversial HP (reports of one version sounding different to another, mixed opinions, etc...)
Personally I decided to play it safe and went for a S500s (ordered several days ago). I figured if I'll need more bass I will just EQ them, since carbon nanotubes are quite cable in the low end.

PS. This is what EQ settings I'am using paired with FiiO E6 for my XB500s:

I like bass, but I'am not hardcore basshead, I want to hear the details, not muddiness or overhelming bOoOM bleeding to the mids

The settings above work very well, but obviously XB500 is too big for portable use...

Controversial? Perhaps. I'm not willing to spend another 60$ - 70$ to see if there's significant variation (not that that'd be effective, since I've heavily modded mine) but I'm willing to bet it's more of a matter of people's 'reference' sound being better or worse than the 680 and being biased by price. The only thing that I think would contradict my theory is people saying the S680 sounds better than the S500, because I think the S500 is notably better. (though, their signatures are almost opposite with the S500 being pretty v-shaped with a 10khz peak and the S680 being pretty warm with a big upper bass hump and less treble. I have the Skullcandy Slyr, AKG K612 and JVC FX850 (the latter two are leagues above the S500 and S680) and the Slyr is about equal to the S500 (I extensively compared before selling the S500). The S680 has a little less resolution than the S500 and S680 but it has a little bit more soundstage. Bass is flabbier and lacks extension, but comfort is better. I wish I still had the S500 for direct comparison, but unfortunately I can't.

 

[dakanao]

  Controversial? Perhaps. I'm not willing to spend another 60$ - 70$ to see if there's significant variation (not that that'd be effective, since I've heavily modded mine) but I'm willing to bet it's more of a matter of people's 'reference' sound being better or worse than the 680 and being biased by price. The only thing that I think would contradict my theory is people saying the S680 sounds better than the S500, because I think the S500 is notably better. (though, their signatures are almost opposite with the S500 being pretty v-shaped with a 10khz peak and the S680 being pretty warm with a big upper bass hump and less treble. I have the Skullcandy Slyr, AKG K612 and JVC FX850 (the latter two are leagues above the S500 and S680) and the Slyr is about equal to the S500 (I extensively compared before selling the S500). The S680 has a little less resolution than the S500 and S680 but it has a little bit more soundstage. Bass is flabbier and lacks extension, but comfort is better. I wish I still had the S500 for direct comparison, but unfortunately I can't.

I always thought the HA-S680 sounded amazing, until I got the Ostry KC06a. The HA-S680 without EQ sounds clearly veiled and recessed in the midrange if you compare them directly to the KC06a. Even when I EQ'ed them, the instruments sounded slightly veiled in comparison. But the HA-S680 is NEVER harsh, and the KC06a can get a little harsh sometimes. Vocals sounded better than the KC06a though with EQ.
 
But the HA-S680 has a clearly better soundstage and imaging than the KC06a, so I'll use them for competitive gaming, and the KC06a for everything else.

 

[LaPierre]

  I always thought the HA-S680 sounded amazing, until I got the Ostry KC06a. The HA-S680 without EQ sounds clearly veiled and recessed in the midrange if you compare them directly to the KC06a. Even when I EQ'ed them, the instruments sounded slightly veiled in comparison. But the HA-S680 is NEVER harsh, and the KC06a can get a little harsh sometimes. Vocals sounded better than the KC06a though with EQ.
 
But the HA-S680 has a clearly better soundstage and imaging than the KC06a, so I'll use them for competitive gaming, and the KC06a for everything else.

It's one of the least impressive <100$ headphones I've heard, but it does have a lot modding potential (I've yet to properly get it out of them). That only matters to a very small few though, most use it stock. EQ can help (usually a slightly treble boost) It's been awhile since I've heard them, but I distinctly remember enjoying the RX700/900 more than the S680 as well. 

 

[SmOgER]

Controversial? Perhaps. I'm not willing to spend another 60$ - 70$ to see if there's significant variation (not that that'd be effective, since I've heavily modded mine) but I'm willing to bet it's more of a matter of people's 'reference' sound being better or worse than the 680 and being biased by price. The only thing that I think would contradict my theory is people saying the S680 sounds better than the S500, because I think the S500 is notably better. (though, their signatures are almost opposite with the S500 being pretty v-shaped with a 10khz peak and the S680 being pretty warm with a big upper bass hump and less treble. I have the Skullcandy Slyr, AKG K612 and JVC FX850 (the latter two are leagues above the S500 and S680) and the Slyr is about equal to the S500 (I extensively compared before selling the S500). The S680 has a little less resolution than the S500 and S680 but it has a little bit more soundstage. Bass is flabbier and lacks extension, but comfort is better. I wish I still had the S500 for direct comparison, but unfortunately I can't.

 


I can't quite take you seriously after this statement, but I'am gonna let that slide...

I wouldn't describe the S500s being V shaped, in fact it's midrange peak is above the peak for highs:

It has a dip in 500-600Hz which seperates the lower mids and mids(and prevents muddiness in some cases I guess), but that's about it. And the dip at 2k is quite common even among high end headphones like HE-500. Frankly, I'am gonna go as far as to say that S500s are no more V shaped than HiFiMAN:

Couldn't find any S680 graphs though...

 

[LaPierre]

Good sir, check again. JVC HA-S500 is 10db more recessed than the H500 in the midrange and I guess you're a little right about the peak not being at 10khz but rather at 7khz (still fairly high, even if technically midrange it will sound very bright when elevated). I mean the Slyr is equal in sound quality, not FR if that's what you were objecting with. I'm rather familiar with flatness and V-shaped, my two primary 'phones are the FX850 (very v-shaped) and the K612 (fairly neutral). A dip in 500-600hz is likely unintentionally, just a characteristic of the driver. That region only causes bloat when accentuated, neutral it won't be a problem unless the headphone itself is bloaty sounding (the 680 is).

 

[LaPierre]

Wait, do you object in that you think the Slyr is superior or inferior to the S500? I mean, resolution-wise they're fairly equal --- the Slyr has more bass and a bigger soundstage and less recessed mids, but it is no more or less detailed (comfort is definitely in favor, though).

 

[dakanao]

  It's one of the least impressive <100$ headphones I've heard, but it does have a lot modding potential (I've yet to properly get it out of them). That only matters to a very small few though, most use it stock. EQ can help (usually a slightly treble boost) It's been awhile since I've heard them, but I distinctly remember enjoying the RX700/900 more than the S680 as well. 

I think it's a really good <100$ headphone. To me, the mids and highs sound better than the Sennheiser Momentum. The Momentum comes over as less recessed in the midrange, because the bass isn't as accentuated and boomy like the HA-S680. But when you EQ the bass down on the HA-S680, they sound a lot clearer than the Momentum.

 

[SmOgER]

 




Well the 3khz is more recessed than on HE500, but what I was implying that HE500 has the treble (8k and 12k) spikes higher than the whole midrange, which in turn is recessed in respect to treble and bass. Whereas S500 has the stronger spike in the 1khz than in 6.5k, and it doesn't have that spike at 10k+ at all (if it had it would be surely V shaped in respect to 3khz). So yeah, I wouldn't call it more V shaped than HE500 and wouldn't say that it has recessed midrange.

 

[SmOgER]

A dip in 500-600hz is likely unintentionally, just a characteristic of the driver. That region only causes bloat when accentuated, neutral it won't be a problem unless the headphone itself is bloaty sounding (the 680 is).

I think if that region wasn't recessed there could be a problem, it would have the whole 20hz-1khz range very much emphasized from the rest of the spectrum. When you think of it, it's actually more like the bass is emphasized than 500hz recessed, it's quite complex and interesting graph I must say. It's neither neutral nor 'V' nor 'W' shaped.

 

[dakanao]

I think if that region wasn't recessed there could be a problem, it would have the whole 20hz-1khz range very much emphasized from the rest of the spectrum. When you think of it, it's actually more like the bass is emphasized than 500hz recessed, it's quite complex and interesting graph I must say. It's neither neutral nor 'V' nor 'W' shaped.

The HA-S680 has the 20hz-1khz range emphasized.

 

[SmOgER]

The HA-S680 has the 20hz-1khz range emphasized.

 


Well that's possibly why there are reports of them being boomy then. If there was a dip somewhere around 300-600Hz, it would stop the bass from bleeding into the midrange and give them more clarity I believe.

Can you post their graph here?

 

[dakanao]

 

  The HA-S680 has the 20hz-1khz range emphasized.

 


Well that's possibly why there are reports of them being boomy then. If there was a dip somewhere around 300-600Hz, it would stop the bass from bleeding into the midrange and give them more clarity I think.

Can you post their graph here?

Can't find a graph of them, but I hear it with my ears. Because if I boost those frequencies down, they sound a lot less veiled.

 

[LaPierre]

We shouldn't assume too many things about the exacts of the FR, but I do agree with modification of some sort that the S680 can become really good. I'm thoroughly convinced the earpads make the biggest difference, though I have managed to fix the bass boominess I can't quite fix the treble (once the bass is tamed a little you can hear a upper mid/treble spike, which is kind funny). The S680 isn't totally bad, but in its stock form it's hard for me to recommend even at 50$. For 10$ more you can get the Audio Technica M35 which is pretty alright, and for 80$ you can get the M-Audio Q40 which is a better value if you don't mind the bass. I'm gonna give the S680 a thorough listen again and properly evaluate it against the Slyr and A900x I have.

*edit* by the 'with modification' part I'm implying the drivers are very capable, they're just limited greatly by their earcup design and earpads.