[Ghostfit]

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dang ghost, I really didn't want to buy the S400's but since I mainly listen to music with my headphones, I might have to give these a shot.  Thanks for sharing all your impressions since I've been very curious about these for awhile.  

 
Lol, I have to give something back to the Head Fi' community for emptying my w ...giving me all these wonderful Audio gears.

 
We both tried the CKM300 after hearing the CKM500 (thanks to DSnuts) although nice, they were not really comparable to the CKM500, but the S400 are different, they're definately a side grade to the S500 and exceeding them in certain areas, I would highly recommend them for musical listening.
 
Looking forward to your impression of them.

 

[Ghostfit]

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I am wondering Ghost if you are using the stock pads on both headphones right? If so somehow I have a feeling the HAS400 would sound similar to using the ATH velours on the HA-S500. The velours opens up the sounds of the HA-S500 quite a bit. The mid bass is reduced to neutral levels and opens up the highs and mids more so than stock or the HD25 pads..From your description that is what I am hearing from just using my ATH velours on the HA-S500. It makes sense as the 30 mm drivers have much more clearance from the pads. The ATH velours I feel people should try out on the HA-S500. It gives a much higher end sound to the HA-S500. I have been listening to my music this way and it gives the best overall sound I have heard on the HA-S500. Not to mention the ATH velours are more circum aural vs on ear for medium sized ears.  I will get a pair of HA-S400 to try out and will compare but I have a feeling it will be very similar.
 
Another point of the ATH pads is the stage is also more open deeper and wider using them. $10 completely worth the money for the velours. I wonder what these velours will do for the HA-S400. Probably opens them up as well.

 
I got 3 pairs of the ATH velours you recommended and tried them on both headphones, they changed the sound signature competely for both phones. On the S500, they were pretty much as you have describe, the soundstage opened up, the bass tamed down and mids got a little boosted, however the sound is not comparable to the S400 with stock padding and non amped DAP.
On the S400, I listen to one track and changed them back to stock immediately, the S400 lost all it's magical qualities with the ATH velours.
 
I did spend a few days listening to the S500 with the ATH velours but switched back to stock due to:
 
1) I am listening to a totally different signature, there is no hint of the JVC carbon nanotube dynamics.
2) That lovely deep, deep sub bass that is only possible with Carbon nanotube (and possibly she3580) has been reduced together with the mid bass.
3) Totally un-useable in a moderately noisy environment due to the very poor isolation (Hey, I've got kids running around the house 24/7)
4) Am waiting for the Fire Pheonix to arrive, meanwhile it sucks not having the headroom on my DAPs to play these phones at the proper volume without distortation setting in.
 
I look forward to your take on these S400 and especially so with them plugged into that Fire Pheonix DA02.
Playing them phones thru a serious amp is so totally different from just an Iphone.
 

 

[Ghostfit]

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LoL, along with the S400s, think I'm gonna have to buy all them pads as well. ha Soon................. damn these JVCs are crazy!
 
Ghost you have just justified my future purchase of the white S400s THANKS!

 
I'll be ordering a pair of them whites too !   ...just to have the complete collection

 
As for the pads, I would be searching for one that will retain the SQ of the the S400 but have more comfort.

 

[Ghostfit]

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Love the looks of those silver ones! 

 
As promised here are the photos of them silvers

 

 

 
In the evening....

 

[Achmedisdead]

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As promised here are the photos of them silvers

 

 

 
In the evening....

They are very nice! 

 

[slothcompanion]

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Looks like the carbon nanotube hype train is revving up it engines all over again. Them white sexy S400s come to papa!!! Damn their lowish $50 price tag on ebay are so tempting, sigh.
 
Hey did anyone notice that JVC released 2 different packaged versions of these for Asia? The one selling/ shipping from Jpn are packaged like the S500/ S400s that Ghost has. But the ones from Hong Kong sellers are differently packaged, hope they are not knock offs since I am kinda suspect of anything shipping from China/ HK.  The seller seems legit though so.....
 

 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/JVC-HA-S400-WHITE-Over-the-Head-Foldable-Headphones-Earphones-NEW-Free-Shipping-/230848226007?pt=US_Headphones&hash=item35bfa062d7

I was wondering this too, but they look legit since I found them on the jvc hong kong website. They show this exact package.

 

[Dsnuts]

I highly doubt there will be any dupes of these headphones. They are too cheap to make any profit from. Plus they are some of the newest headphones to come out. If I was gonna make dupes I would make dupes of well known and established headphones to make some money off the effort of duping. I have seen JVC package their earphones and headphones differently for different regions. Probably different for Japan and Hong Kong. I wouldn't worry much about dupes for anything under a $100.

 

[Ghostfit]

I doubt they are dupes too !   ...it seems the packaging from the HK sellers are of the tamper proof variety, i.e. you have to cut the packaging in order to get at the contents as compared to the easily opened packaging of the Japaness export.
 
DSnut, can't wait for you to received yours and hear your take on these. I'm listening to them playing straight out from my laptop as I type and for certain they sound really good at 30% to 40% volume level. The energy and details are several notches above compared to feeding them off a mobile phone or DAPs like the Sansa Clip at 60% levels, I can only imagine the eargasm if they were feed thru an audiophile grade Amp.
 
I am really digging how these S400 immerse me totally in the music, Listening to Jason Mraz's 'I'm Yours' now and it sounds almost live, every sound is distinct and at the same level yet the vocals are clearly defined from the instruments, even the lead singer's voice is clear against the background support vocals, this layering is giving me a great sense of depth. The width is not huge but somehow it doesn't seems like it's lacking for the sound they're pumping out.
 
I should stop sharing my S400 sonic utopia so as not to cloud or raise any false expectations, I don't want anyone ordering a pair and be underwhelmed because they read my posts so I'll leave it to the more experienced Head Fiers to share their takes. 

 

[Dsnuts]

I ended up getting the white ones. I have too many black headphones so I got something a bit different. And I ordered something that might be the topic of the next discovery on the discovery thread. We will see.

 

[sfwalcer]

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I highly doubt there will be any dupes of these headphones. They are too cheap to make any profit from. Plus they are some of the newest headphones to come out. If I was gonna make dupes I would make dupes of well known and established headphones to make some money off the effort of duping. I have seen JVC package their earphones and headphones differently for different regions. Probably different for Japan and Hong Kong. I wouldn't worry much about dupes for anything under a $100.

@ Ghost the flower is nice touch.

 
LoL, you would be surprised to see how many cheapo JVCs get knock-offed in China cuz JVC is a respected brand name.  For example I was gonna tell my cousins to get me these FX3Xs on taobao for 128 Yuan, Chinese currency and when you do the conversion to dollars it's only about $20 bucks.  Well it turns out that these are fakes, they even have fake FX101's there, smh.  When it comes to knock-offs don't ever underestimate China. ha
 
http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=13661966518
 
Oh yeah this seller on ebay is selling defective or knock offs IEMs on ebay and is trying to pass them as "genuine." So be careful buying from this "artistic. life" seller cuz I remember reading postings of his defective ATH CKS77s that had some quality control issues or something. If it sounds too good to be true it probably is..............
 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Genuine-JVC-HA-FX3X-Xtreme-Xplosives-Inner-Ear-Headphones-Earbuds-Deep-Bass-Port-/160880791716?pt=US_Headphones&hash=item25753e10a4
 
P.S. It's truly scary how "real" these fakes look. I don't think you can tell if they are fakes based on looks, only the sound quality would show you its true colors. BUT anyways the seller of the S400s on ebay seems legit enough. 

 

[sfwalcer]

Alright just a heads up, jwong from the S500 thread got the latest 411 that the S400s are gonna be released in the states next month, so hold your horses for now if you are thinking of copping these. 
 
Source: http://newsroom.jvc.com/category/news-blog/

 

[BloodyPenguin]

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Alright just a heads up, jwong from the S500 thread got the latest 411 that the S400s are gonna be released in the states next month, so hold your horses for now if you are thinking of copping these. 
 
Source: http://newsroom.jvc.com/category/news-blog/

 
AWESOME find!  Got to get me a pair of those white ones!  Thanks so much for the link!

 

[bjaardker]

They're listed on the JVC site. So at this point I think they're just waiting for production to get shipped. 

http://av.jvc.com/product.jsp?modelId=MODL029132&pathId=135&page=1

 

[Ghostfit]

Great !   ...can't wait to hear more impression of them S400 from you guys.

 

[rickdohc]

I am buying a White pair  "for my wife" as soon these get realesed at the states.