[TidalWave]

With some more tweaking, I've discovered that significant "StereoX Gain" increase in the hidden Tone settings in PowerAMP (Android app) really helps with the feeling of presence for classical music, in addition to increasing upper mids and high frequencies slightly with the equalizer. Really beautiful sound for me now. A moderate increase in Stereo X Gain is also good for other music as well, as it subtly creates a feeling of being more present inside the sound, rather than the sound being inside the headphone space.

Only issue I now have with the headphones is the headband. It seems to have pretty high clamping pressure on my particular unit. I've been trying to stretch it out by leaving the headphones overnight stretched over large diameter objects, and it has helped a little, but not enough. Anyone have tips on decreasing the curvature of the headband? It's super flexible and has memory to return to whatever state it remembers, so changing the shape is challenging. I wonder if this is the reason XL pads are recommended, but I feel like the underlying problem is the headband clamping force.

 

[stuck limo]

With some more tweaking, I've discovered that significant "StereoX Gain" increase in the hidden Tone settings in PowerAMP (Android app)

How to access? am using stock skin, Alpha Build 703

 

[TidalWave]

How to access? am using stock skin, Alpha Build 703

Oh, you don't need anything special to access that extra menu. Go to the "Tone/Vol" tab of the sound properties in PowerAMP, then long-press on the "Stereo X" label next to the small circular Stereo X knob. A new window will open with various obscure options. Stereo X Gain will be the largest knew knob on the bottom right (at least on my version). Too much of that setting can result in too much of an echo chamber effect for some music, so I tweak it to taste depending on what a particular piece seems to benefit from. Most of my classical recordings I've tried so far benefit from a lot of the gain, whereas a lot of more modern rock benefits from just a little.

 

[stuck limo]

Oh, you don't need anything special to access that extra menu. Go to the "Tone/Vol" tab of the sound properties in PowerAMP, then long-press on the "Stereo X" label next to the small circular Stereo X knob. A new window will open with various obscure options. Stereo X Gain will be the largest knew knob on the bottom right (at least on my version). Too much of that setting can result in too much of an echo chamber effect for some music, so I tweak it to taste depending on what a particular piece seems to benefit from. Most of my classical recordings I've tried so far benefit from a lot of the gain, whereas a lot of more modern rock benefits from just a little.

I need a pic, because I'm not find that function or setting. I see "Stereo Expand" but not "Stereo X" or "Stereo X Gain".

 

[TidalWave]

I need a pic, because I'm not find that function or setting. I see "Stereo Expand" but not "Stereo X" or "Stereo X Gain".

I don't know if something is renamed in the alpha version (Stereo X probably refers to Stereo Expand), but this is what I'm referring to:

This new screen will appear, and the setting I'm referring to is the large knob bottom right:

 

[stuck limo]

These are the options I'm seeing. I'm not finding a secret button when I press around.

 

[TidalWave]

I'm not sure, sorry. I'm on 2.0.10-build-588-play Full Version build, which is the latest release. Maybe you're on the 3.0 Test Build and options are all shuffled around and changed there. You could try Stereo Expand dial and see if it does anything beneficial for you. Maybe see if you can long-press on "Stereo Expand", if a new menu comes out.

 

[stuck limo]

I'm not sure, sorry. I'm on 2.0.10-build-588-play Full Version build, which is the latest release. Maybe you're on the 3.0 Test Build and options are all shuffled around and changed there. You could try Stereo Expand dial and see if it does anything beneficial for you. Maybe see if you can long-press on "Stereo Expand", if a new menu comes out.

I got nothing. Maybe someone else knows?

 

[KinGensai]

With some more tweaking, I've discovered that significant "StereoX Gain" increase in the hidden Tone settings in PowerAMP (Android app) really helps with the feeling of presence for classical music, in addition to increasing upper mids and high frequencies slightly with the equalizer. Really beautiful sound for me now. A moderate increase in Stereo X Gain is also good for other music as well, as it subtly creates a feeling of being more present inside the sound, rather than the sound being inside the headphone space.

Only issue I now have with the headphones is the headband. It seems to have pretty high clamping pressure on my particular unit. I've been trying to stretch it out by leaving the headphones overnight stretched over large diameter objects, and it has helped a little, but not enough. Anyone have tips on decreasing the curvature of the headband? It's super flexible and has memory to return to whatever state it remembers, so changing the shape is challenging. I wonder if this is the reason XL pads are recommended, but I feel like the underlying problem is the headband clamping force.

As far as the clamping force goes, you have to bend the headband something fierce to get it to change shape. Bend it almost past flat and test the fit until you are happy. I had to get the XL pads and paper towel mod those before the headphone started to feel comfortable.

 

[TidalWave]

Thanks, I'll try that! I've been stretching the band nightly over a large ball and every day I feel like there's gradual improvement. At this point they are *almost* good.

 

[waynes world]

Thanks, I'll try that! I've been stretching the band nightly over a large ball and every day I feel like there's gradual improvement. At this point they are *almost* good.

Which pads do you have? The deeper ones are more comfy.

 

[TidalWave]

Which pads do you have? The deeper ones are more comfy.

The default small pads. I actually don't mind the default pads at all. It's the clamping pressure from the band. But I can try the XL pads, just don't want to change the sound I've come to like from M-100.

 

[TidalWave]

So, interesting development. After stretching the band over a ball for a week every night and just general listening for a few weeks, I now find my M-100 super comfortable with stock pads! I almost gave up on the headphone during the first week and thought the “XL pads are a must” advice was going to be true for me. I’m glad I persevered in stretching the headband to fit me better, as now I have no problem wearing the headphone for a long time nor have interest in getting XL pads. I sometimes wish the mids were more immediate and had the clarity of my Audeze Sine, but the more relaxed and quite spacious sound of M-100 vs Sine allows me to listen to them for much longer without fatigue from too much noise overload at moderate volume. So not a perfect headphone but a really great one in its own right. And the passive noise isolation helps a lot when listening outside. I have a Cayin C5 amp arriving tomorrow; curious how it will affect the sound.

 

[KinGensai]

I describe the M-100 in a few different ways, but spacious is not one I'd attribute to it. I'm surprised you find the M-100 has more soundstage than an open back planar magnetic, both my HE-400S and DSR9BT have a better sense of space and imaging precision than either my M-100 or CF2W with XL pads. It's not incompetent at either soundstage or imaging, but it's definitely not breaking average in those regards IMO, even within the price bracket. It's especially apparent in electronic music that really manipulates spatial information (what I hear as a stationary pulsing sound on V-Moda stuff I hear as a horizontally and vertically spiraling sound on both the other cans, and the improved soundstage reveals overlaid vocal tracks I never heard on the M-100 or CF2W).

 

[TidalWave]

I describe the M-100 in a few different ways, but spacious is not one I'd attribute to it. I'm surprised you find the M-100 has more soundstage than an open back planar magnetic, both my HE-400S and DSR9BT have a better sense of space and imaging precision than either my M-100 or CF2W with XL pads. It's not incompetent at either soundstage or imaging, but it's definitely not breaking average in those regards IMO, even within the price bracket. It's especially apparent in electronic music that really manipulates spatial information (what I hear as a stationary pulsing sound on V-Moda stuff I hear as a horizontally and vertically spiraling sound on both the other cans, and the improved soundstage reveals overlaid vocal tracks I never heard on the M-100 or CF2W).

Audeze Sine are not open, they are closed back planar. As much as I'd like to use open back headphones, they are completely impractical for me either at home (I don't live alone) or outside (I live in a busy city and commute using public transportation). So I look for a good budget-friendly closed-back headphone I can be out and about with and not worry about too much. I've read lots of super rave reviews about Audeze Sine and was excited to get my hands on them, but unfortunately they did not blow me away after my M-100. Yes I can hear the difference, and each has its strengths, but ultimately M-100 just sounds better, more spacious, and less fatiguing to me. It's also a lot more comfortable to wear for a long period of time. My M-100 has noticeably better soundstage vs my Sine. I'm new to good headphones and didn't think I'd care so much for this aspect, but now that I can hear the difference, I'm always a bit disappointed going back to Sine and losing that spacious feeling. I keep thinking something must be wrong with me that I think Sine is not as good, but after all, I'm the one who'll be listening to the headphones.

I finally got a Cayin C5 amp today from Amazon, and it makes a major difference for both headphones: a noticeable improvement. I really love what the amp does for both in high gain mode (though with M-100 I stick with bout 2-3 on the volume knob at high gain, ~50% phone volume to avoid amplifying noise). The sound is fuller, more spacious, more lively--just subjectively better. I think the Cayin C5 certainly improved Audeze Sine sound over the stock Audeze Cipher amp/DAC cable, but overall I just can't say that the price difference between my M-100 and Sine is worth it for me in terms of the sound improvement. In many ways I actually prefer the sound out of M-100. I will continue listening to both and will settle on one to keep, and the other will go on classifieds. For reference, the music I listen to most is rock, various alternative, various electronic (from trance to retro-new wave), some relative avant-guard stuff, and classical (especially violins and piano). I don't listen to jazz, rap, and any number of styles where one or the other headphone might be vastly preferable.

(I would actually prefer to like the Sine more, as I am not a huge fan of how my M-100 looks and find Audeze Sine nicely discrete. But in the end I'll go with comfort and sound.)