[warp08]

Quote:

The new ear pads really did improve the performance of the Edition 10 by quite a margin. IMO, there is a 20% to 50% improvement in terms of sound quality as compared to the Edition 10 with defective ear pads. From my short listening experience since I received the Edition 10 with new ear pads, I can say that classical and acoustical music has the least improvement as the Edition 10 already sounded very good for those genres. Pop and rock music has the most improvement in terms of music quality. More details are revealed than before. Cymbals improved the most from the ear pad change, followed closely by vocals and the bass. I reckoned that the Edition 10 does reveal the faults of badly mastering recordings quite clearly.
 
Another area that improves is the so-called S-logic sound, which many dismiss as a marketing gimmick. For those who are familiar with Ultrasone phones will find that the S-logic is more noticeable with new ear pads. It gives a more 3D effect to the sound scape, closer to that experienced in speakers. You can pinpoint the local of the various instruments in a 3D space (with depth and width) rather than in a straight line extending from left to right. Before the ear pad change, the sound seems to be positioned from left to right in a straight line. The superior clarity from the new ear pads also allows the instruments to be easily identified and takes its unique position in the sound scape. Maybe those with Edition 10 can verify that. Have a pleasant day ahead!

Interesting observation.  So far, the only headphones in my inventory with a 3D-like (spherical) soundstage--I should say soundscape--are the TWagged Qualias.  The Edition 10s I have listened to so far--both with defective earpads--had an extremely wide soundstage and recabled version had more depth than the stock, but nothing that would approach the uniqueness of the way the Qualias' presentation.

 

[John2e]

Quote:

The new ear pads really did improve the performance of the Edition 10 by quite a margin. IMO, there is a 20% to 50% improvement in terms of sound quality as compared to the Edition 10 with defective ear pads. From my short listening experience since I received the Edition 10 with new ear pads, I can say that classical and acoustical music has the least improvement as the Edition 10 already sounded very good for those genres. Pop and rock music has the most improvement in terms of music quality. More details are revealed than before. Cymbals improved the most from the ear pad change, followed closely by vocals and the bass. I reckoned that the Edition 10 does reveal the faults of badly mastering recordings quite clearly.
 
Another area that improves is the so-called S-logic sound, which many dismiss as a marketing gimmick. For those who are familiar with Ultrasone phones will find that the S-logic is more noticeable with new ear pads. It gives a more 3D effect to the sound scape, closer to that experienced in speakers. You can pinpoint the local of the various instruments in a 3D space (with depth and width) rather than in a straight line extending from left to right. Before the ear pad change, the sound seems to be positioned from left to right in a straight line. The superior clarity from the new ear pads also allows the instruments to be easily identified and takes its unique position in the sound scape. Maybe those with Edition 10 can verify that. Have a pleasant day ahead!

X2 with regards to everything.    I also perceive sounds that emanate from behind me and below.  Even prior to the pad change I started enjoying these, specifically with acoustic music. As you said rock music was intolerable until the pad swap. I also feel the 10's are more source dependent than amp dependent.  You could spend just a grand on a decent amp to drive these to their potential and than get a great dac.   If I were building a system around this that's how I'd do it. As always YMMV 

 

[DannyB]

As Billy Crystal would say, "Marvelous, just marvelous".
 
That, IMHO, best describes the factory "repadded" ED10 which I recently received back from Ultrasone USA. Cymbals actually now sound like cymbals on Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band's "Swinging for the Fences", an amazing CD sonically and musically if you enjoy big band music.
 
Bela Fleck's "Flight of the Cosmic Hippo" has excellent low end as demonstrated on this long time audiophile favorite. Pat Barber sounds scrumptious vocally and instrumentally. Lyle Lovett sounds as good as possible as does his Big Band and back up singers. I also have a copy of a studio demo of Peggy Lee singing "Fever" and John Lennon doing a couple of demo songs in the studio with no sound processing on either; just voice and single instrument/guitar.
Simply breathtaking!
 
One small sidebar is that it is ever so slightly bright, which I don't mind and is nothing I would consider abnormal for a headphone that is not yet fully burned in. This is more of an observation than a criticism, as others have noted, and I am listening to it on an all solid state system at this time. A little more burn in (about 150 hours so far), and/or tubes in the signal path, should make it as perfect as it can be which I would suggest places it in the upper most tier of the finest headphones available. I am curious, however, on Laszlo's observations regarding the new pads with his recabled version that he has. It's hard to think that recabling could improve it significantly but anything is possible, especially in audio.
 
In short, the ED10 has "arrived".
 

 

[John2e]

Quote:

 It's hard to think that recabling could improve it significantly but anything is possible, especially in audio.
 
 
 

I'll let you know my humble opinion soon 

 

[warp08]

Quote:

As Billy Crystal would say, "Marvelous, just marvelous".
 
That, IMHO, best describes the factory "repadded" ED10 which I recently received back from Ultrasone USA. Cymbals actually now sound like cymbals on Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band's "Swinging for the Fences", an amazing CD sonically and musically if you enjoy big band music.
 
Bela Fleck's "Flight of the Cosmic Hippo" has excellent low end as demonstrated on this long time audiophile favorite. Pat Barber sounds scrumptious vocally and instrumentally. Lyle Lovett sounds as good as possible as does his Big Band and back up singers. I also have a copy of a studio demo of Peggy Lee singing "Fever" and John Lennon doing a couple of demo songs in the studio with no sound processing on either; just voice and single instrument/guitar.
Simply breathtaking!
 
One small sidebar is that it is ever so slightly bright, which I don't mind and is nothing I would consider abnormal for a headphone that is not yet fully burned in. This is more of an observation than a criticism, as others have noted, and I am listening to it on an all solid state system at this time. A little more burn in (about 150 hours so far), and/or tubes in the signal path, should make it as perfect as it can be which I would suggest places it in the upper most tier of the finest headphones available. I am curious, however, on Laszlo's observations regarding the new pads with his recabled version that he has. It's hard to think that recabling could improve it significantly but anything is possible, especially in audio.
 
In short, the ED10 has "arrived".
 

Glad to hear your enthusiasm at the rebirth of your Ed.10s, Danny.  I don't have mine yet back from Craig, but feel free to bring your pair with you on you planned visit in May so that you can A/B them yourself and prove or disprove, whether I'm full of hot air...LOL.  Enjoy them!
 
Regarding your last sentence; it's one of the best quotes I've seen on Head-Fi.

 

[arnaud]

Seems like Ultrasone got it right with the new pads, I'd be very curious to hear the Edition10 again. I am also wondering what Skylab is going to write about in a few weeks? After such hardship for all, you deserve a good sounding Edition 10, congratulations!

 

[Skylab]

I've received no news about when I will be able to purchase the "fixed" Edition 10, although I was told that it might be a while before a pair would be available.

 

[29029]

Quote:

I've received no news about when I will be able to purchase the "fixed" Edition 10, although I was told that it might be a while before a pair would be available.

Anyone know how we would know whether the pair is "fixed" that might be on sale in the UK? with some dealers here being a bit (insert your own choice of word) - if you ask them, they will of course say it is a fixed pair - but how could someone tell?

 

[warp08]

Quote:

Anyone know how we would know whether the pair is "fixed" that might be on sale in the UK? with some dealers here being a bit (insert your own choice of word) - if you ask them, they will of course say it is a fixed pair - but how could someone tell?

Not until Ultrasone releases the serial number range affected will anyone know for sure.  It's reasonable to assume that any pair manufactured from this point on would be checked for this particular defect, but in worst case you're still covered by whatever warranty terms Ultrasone extends to your region.

 

[Dynamic74]

Quote:

Anyone know how we would know whether the pair is "fixed" that might be on sale in the UK? with some dealers here being a bit (insert your own choice of word) - if you ask them, they will of course say it is a fixed pair - but how could someone tell?

If I remember correctly, the old pads have uneven density in the foam. If you press the ear pads, certain portions are very soft while other portions are more dense. The new ear pads are firm throughout the circumference. Hope that helps. Have a nice day ahead!
 

 

[DannyB]

If cymbals sound ear bleeding bright on a good recording then you likely have an original set. It they sound slightly bright, consistent with new headphones not yet burned in you're probably fine. The difference is not subtle. One is unlistenable the other is WOW, unless you have a significant high frequency hearing loss, then all bets are off.

 

[musicman59]

Well, the new pair of Ed10 has now over 264 hours of burn-in. Unless there is a miracle in the next 300-400 hours I don't think these will be for me. Compared to any of my other cans TO ME these still sound unnaturally metallic. Don't get me wrong there is a clear difference and improvement over the original pair received but in comparison to my T1, HD800, HE06, etc they just don't sound right yet.
 
I guess another 12 or so days to find out.

 

[warp08]

My replacement earpads from Ultrasone USA still hasn't reached Whiplash Audio in the past nearly two weeks.  Craig is trying to call them again.  Not cool.

 

[jamato8]

Quote:

Well, the new pair of Ed10 has now over 264 hours of burn-in. Unless there is a miracle in the next 300-400 hours I don't think these will be for me. Compared to any of my other cans TO ME these still sound unnaturally metallic. Don't get me wrong there is a clear difference and improvement over the original pair received but in comparison to my T1, HD800, HE06, etc they just don't sound right yet.
 
I guess another 12 or so days to find out.

What amp are you using?
 

 

[jpelg]

Quote:

If I remember correctly, the old pads have uneven density in the foam. If you press the ear pads, certain portions are very soft while other portions are more dense. The new ear pads are firm throughout the circumference. Hope that helps. Have a nice day ahead!
 

Unfortunately, there may be no way of knowing definitively on our own. Even with a pair with which to compare, it's probably a crapshoot as to whether you can tell the difference. This seriously inhibits the used market, which in turn, inhibits the new sales.