Mini review:
My JVCS400s with HM5 pads over stock pads. I think it looks great!!
Guys, this is definitely my favorite headphone sound now. The difference this pad mod made is night and day. This is the HM5s over the stock pads. I stitched them together at the back so that the HM5 would cling to the stock pad.
The bass is still there but the midbass has been toned down, and sounds a LOT more natural. The treble and mids come forward and the smooth treble sparkles with a LOT of definition and refinement. It is still warm, but doesn't sound bloated at all... The note thickness is just perfect, it's clearly a little embellished with more midbass but it's not half as apparent as it used to be.
I think this is the sound that every consumer headphone aspires to be: warm with great sub-bass, lush but smooth and effortless mids. Dare I say the sound signature reminds me to the LCD2 on a Red Wine amp??
But there's more: I wondered for a little while, what was making these sound so different and good, and I realized that it's SOUNDSTAGE. This is some seriously good soundstaging coming out of an otherwise intimate-sounding can, and it's like someone opened the windows for some fresh air. It's better than the FA-003 (HM5) was. Very enveloping and 3D on good tracks. Instrument separation is also really good.
I think the S400 has demonstrated that its drivers are clearly very capable, the sound across the frequency range is extremely textured and detailed.
Comfort is now 6/5. Comfort alone makes these pads worth it. Most comfortable headphones I've ever worn, more than the HD555 and the FA-003. The HM5 pads are real pillows.
I just can't say enough good things about this! I haven't been this excited about cans since I got my first PX100s, haha.
Sound, Comfort, Looks are all A++ now.
Mini review:
My JVCS400s with HM5 pads over stock pads. I think it looks great!!
Guys, this is definitely my favorite headphone sound now. The difference this pad mod made is night and day. This is the HM5s over the stock pads. I stitched them together at the back so that the HM5 would cling to the stock pad.
The bass is still there but the midbass has been toned down, and sounds a LOT more natural. The treble and mids come forward and the smooth treble sparkles with a LOT of definition and refinement. It is still warm, but doesn't sound bloated at all... The note thickness is just perfect, it's clearly a little embellished with more midbass but it's not half as apparent as it used to be.
I think this is the sound that every consumer headphone aspires to be: warm with great sub-bass, lush but smooth and effortless mids. Dare I say the sound signature reminds me to the LCD2 on a Red Wine amp??
But there's more: I wondered for a little while, what was making these sound so different and good, and I realized that it's SOUNDSTAGE. This is some seriously good soundstaging coming out of an otherwise intimate-sounding can, and it's like someone opened the windows for some fresh air. It's better than the FA-003 (HM5) was. Very enveloping and 3D on good tracks. Instrument separation is also really good.
I think the S400 has demonstrated that its drivers are clearly very capable, the sound across the frequency range is extremely textured and detailed.
Comfort is now 6/5. Comfort alone makes these pads worth it. Most comfortable headphones I've ever worn, more than the HD555 and the FA-003. The HM5 pads are real pillows.
I just can't say enough good things about this! I haven't been this excited about cans since I got my first PX100s, haha.
Sound, Comfort, Looks are all A++ now.
hey mosshorn, since you mentioned one of your S400 drivers got destroyed from your little semi-open operation, I might be able to make good on the agreement. Doc might trade me his S400s, so those might end up going toward your experimentation. Just waiting for doc to give me the latest news and we might finally get this thing in the bag. Will let you know soon, but looks like you already had tons of fun without my contribution.
That would be awesome, thank you a ton! ^_^ I haven't got to try much more than the 4 hole as of late (actually finishing up my ps1 CDP tomorrow), but I was gonna keep going up in holes until it was fully open. The only issue I see from it being totally open is flabby bass, but I got a bunch of T50RP mats that I can use to help with that
The Hip. Your parents have very good taste! But that ain't soft music.. that's rock and roll
