[Tom22]

  So right now I'm listening with the K81 pads. Compared to stock, the forward midrange took clearly a step back in the presentation, the 500 and 1000Hz spike isn't there anymore, they have more bass, separation is better, but they're less clear and lack details compared to stock pads.
 
With stock pads, they were quite detail monsters and sometimes had a VERY clear sound to them. That magic sound they had sometimes, is gone now for a less detailed, less clear, less midrange fatiguing sound.
 
The perfect sound would be inbetween the K81 pads and the stock pads.
 
I don't understand how people thought they were better than stock in terms of clarity and detail?

did you use the foam in the pads? i heard even on the akgs once their foam is removed they were much clearer and the bass was less bloated

 

[BenF]

  Just got a pair of 400s in. Out of the box they sound pretty good. 

 I have a question, do they really use carbon nanotubes? What's the real deal with that anyway? Has it been proven any real difference at all to normal drivers?

The CNTs are the real deal, and make quite a difference in similar headphone - S660 (no CNT) is nowhere near as good as S680(with CNT).
They do require longer than usual burn-in though.

 

[dakanao]

  did you use the foam in the pads? i heard even on the akgs once their foam is removed they were much clearer and the bass was less bloated

No, I just used the AKG pads as how they are supossed to.
 
But how do I use the foam in the pads? Can you explain that to me please? 
 
Maybe with pics aswell?

 

[Tom22]

U

No, I just used the AKG pads as how they are supossed to.

But how do I use the foam in the pads? Can you explain that to me please? 

Maybe with pics aswell?

The cover/fabric layer covering the drivers when the earpads are on. U dont put it on, u leave the drivers exposed, theres no covering

 

[dakanao]

U


The cover/fabric layer covering the drivers when the earpads are on. U dont put it on, u leave the drivers exposed, theres no covering

What is the best way to remove them without screwing it up?

 

[Tom22]

What is the best way to remove them without screwing it up?

Uh.. Its just an extra insert u put on, when u take off the earpads u just dont put it in.

Is urs permanently attached to the earpads??? I swear their suppose to separate

 

[dakanao]

Uh.. Its just an extra insert u put on, when u take off the earpads u just dont put it in.

Is urs permanently attached to the earpads??? I swear their suppose to separate

Yeah, its permanently attached to the earpads.. Should I just use a knife and cut them out or something?

 

[Tom22]

Yeah, its permanently attached to the earpads.. Should I just use a knife and cut them out or something?

Uhhh i dun want u do something irreversible. Where did u get the pads?

This is how it should look like (not the right headphone, but the speaker grill should be exposed compare to the stock on top (not my picture credit the owner)

 

[dakanao]

Uhhh i dun want u do something irreversible. Where did u get the pads?

This is how it should look like (not the right headphone, but the speaker grill should be exposed compare to the stock on top (not my picture credit the owner)

I got them from tonecontrol.nl, a dutch headphone website.
 
If it SURELY makes the sound better, I'm willing to cut the foam open with a knife.

 

[Tom22]

I got them from tonecontrol.nl, a dutch headphone website.

If it SURELY makes the sound better, I'm willing to cut the foam open with a knife.

No guarantees lol, i seen a fellow try them on their akgs not the s400. I cant vouch, maybe someone else would be better to advise u

 

[enkoo]

Thanks for the respone! I was planing on getting the S680 but PayPal isn't supported in my country, nonetheless I am quite happy with my new pair of HPs. They sound really neutral, I am very calm while listening to them even at max volume. Indeed they don't have that wow factor out of the box, I really hope they improve with more use. 

 Comfort and build quality are perfect as far as price range goes. I just bought a cheap 5$ extension cable since the stock one is way too short for PC use. I tested it and it doesn't degrade the sound in any way so far (I hope so). 

 
The CNTs are the real deal, and make quite a difference in similar headphone - S660 (no CNT) is nowhere near as good as S680(with CNT).
They do require longer than usual burn-in though.

 

[dakanao]

I like the stock pads more than the AKG pads. The AKG pads lose out too much detail in the midrange, because they recess the midrange.

 

[dakanao]

Hey guys, I have the S400 now for over 3 weeks, and I'm noticing a comfort problem with them.
 
The thing is, they need to be placed in a sweetspot on your ears for them to sound best, otherwise they don't sound that good on most good recordings (1Khz heavily emphasised on most good recordings)
 
And I noticed that when I have them on my sweetspot, my head and the inside of my ears start to hurt REALLY bad after sometime, and it LITERALLY makes me sick these last few days.
 
I got sick on last Sunday when I listened to them, got better until Wednesday, and on last Wednesday and Thursday I didn't listen to them, so they obviously didn't me sick.
 
But I listened to them today again, and I'm sick again right now.
 
 
But here's the thing: If I put them on the ''normal'' spot on my ears and head, they don't sound good. They lack clarity and everything sounds congested. Until I obviously put them back on the ''sweetspot'' on my ears, then all of a sudden they have a wonderful clarity and spacious image and A LOT of details.
 
How can I get rid of these really annoying problems, and make them sound good without putting them on the sweetspot on my ears and head? I tried the AKG K81 pads, but I didn't like the sound of that. They lost too much clarity and everything became too recessed for my taste.

 

[Louis8ball]

  Hey guys, I have the S400 now for over 3 weeks, and I'm noticing a comfort problem with them.
 
The thing is, they need to be placed in a sweetspot on your ears for them to sound best, otherwise they don't sound that good on most good recordings (1Khz heavily emphasised on most good recordings)
 
And I noticed that when I have them on my sweetspot, my head and the inside of my ears start to hurt REALLY bad after sometime, and it LITERALLY makes me sick these last few days.
 
I got sick on last Sunday when I listened to them, got better until Wednesday, and on last Wednesday and Thursday I didn't listen to them, so they obviously didn't me sick.
 
But I listened to them today again, and I'm sick again right now.
 
 
But here's the thing: If I put them on the ''normal'' spot on my ears and head, they don't sound good. They lack clarity and everything sounds congested. Until I obviously put them back on the ''sweetspot'' on my ears, then all of a sudden they have a wonderful clarity and spacious image and A LOT of details.
 
How can I get rid of these really annoying problems, and make them sound good without putting them on the sweetspot on my ears and head? I tried the AKG K81 pads, but I didn't like the sound of that. They lost too much clarity and everything became too recessed for my taste.

I don't own a pair of these (yet), but I'll chime in anyway.
 
By any chance did you happen to try any burn-in before making your determination about the SQ? I know I read somewhere on here (I believe from a recent post) that these require more burn-in than non-CNT's ...
 
 
Also (for anyone (else) who might know the answer...)  ...  Could someone please tell me why one would need to change the earpads on these. I apologize, but I really don't want to have to sift through nearly 100 or more pages of random posts to find the answer. Don't you think that JVC would have already figured out that the stock pads are crap? Either that, or maybe they just don't care (but I find this hard to believe).
 
Thanks.

 

[dakanao]

  I don't own a pair of these (yet), but I'll chime in anyway.
 
By any chance did you happen to try any burn-in before making your determination about the SQ? I know I read somewhere on here (I believe from a recent post) that these require more burn-in than non-CNT's ...
 
 
Also (for anyone (else) who might know the answer...)  ...  Could someone please tell me why one would need to change the earpads on these. I apologize, but I really don't want to have to sift through nearly 100 or more pages of random posts to find the answer. Don't you think that JVC would have already figured out that the stock pads are crap? Either that, or maybe they just don't care (but I find this hard to believe).
 
Thanks.

So far I burned them in about, I would say 30 hours. The difference I noticed from 0 burn in to now, is that when they had zero burn in, they had more clarity, but at the same time the treble was less defined.
 
I know I should burn them in more, but it's really annoying finding that sweet spot over and over again on your ears for them to sound at their best.
 
And I tried the AKG pads and some other pads I had here from old headphones, and they definitely sound best with the stock pads imo. 
 
The AKG pads makes them sound too unnaturally hot.