[Evshrug]

To everybody, I just read a bit from the previous page about "bass overemphasis," well I'm here to say a little negative EQ is less SQ damaging than a boost, and definitely worth a try during home use. If you make some modest negative EQ cut based on an M-100 frequency graph, brining the bass a bit closer to a neutral 0 dB response, you'll get to hear how much the bass affects the mids.

Just worth trying.

 

[danny93]

I really dont think the bass is overpowering at all...
 
For genres like dubstep and DnB it could actually do with a little more bass tbh...both sub and mid bass, but then these genres do sound better when the bass is overpowering I guess
 
Im not really sure why people would buy the M100 to mostly listen to genres where bass isnt one of the most important aspects in the song, or prefer a neutral sound signiture...what Im trying to say is I dont see any reason to purchase a M100 if all your going to do is EQ down the bass and listen to acoustic music...although I think it sounds great but im sure there are other cans out there that could do it better
 
On another note I did the pad mod where you put some wound dressing/bandage in the upper and lower portion of the cups, I noticed that the whole spectrum sounded better to my ears as I think my ears were positioned better in the cups...this is because I have a small head and use the M100 on the smallest headbnd setting and the cups could do with being 1-2mm higher on my head, but with the mod my ears are directly in the middle and so i noticed if I pushed the cups on my head closer to my ears there was no audible difference whereas if I pushed the cups with no padding the bass became stronger
 
I noticed no clear reduction in bass, but the mids did sound more forward, and it was easier to pick out details...it might depend on how much you put in but ATM im very happy with the sound and dont really wish for anything more in a headphone apart from a tad more bass at times but an EQ pretty much sorts this out! 
 
One thing to note is that if anyone is using a GS3 as a source then root your phone...install this :http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2002197
And chose only Walkman player, in settings check ClearAudio+ 
 
This sounds much better in everyway to my ears compared to poweramp!
 
EDIT: I take back what I said about the sub bass not being enough...I just listened to "James Blake - Limit To Your Love" loud with the sub bass boosted and when that bass kicked in I nearly shat myself lol 

 

[musical-kage]

Did someone delete my last post? Or didn't I press submit?.... weird..

 

[tinyman392]

Quote:

thanks for the response.  yeah may end up trying the M100s first only problem is i most likely will have to get them through Amazon as i have some credit there so probably can't take advantage of the trial period.  i assume i can always try it within the 30 days from Amazon.  i'm also leaning to it because of the folding capability, over-ear design, and just cause it's something new and i like being on bandwagons also wouldn't mind a fun headphone to join my current (meager) stable.

 
Amazon has a 30-day return policy, so yes, you do have 30 days.  I'll be getting an M100 eventually (no clue exactly when).  At this point in time, I'm not sure which is more portable.  

 

[miceblue]

Quote:

Quote:

The theory is that letting the headphone's drivers "burn-in" with music will let the drivers "loosen-up" similar to how a new pair of shoes will loosen-up from when you first wear it. Having the drivers loosen-up supposedly alters the sound of the headphone a bit, though every once in a while I will see posts that claim there is a pretty large difference in sound. Pink noise is commonly used as a "burn-in" track because it carries all of the frequencies in the sound spectrum within human limits and each octave has the same amount of noise power.
 
It's a debatable thing and I believe there's a huge discussion for it in the Sound Science forums. I gave the M-100's a try out-of-the-box and wrote down my impressions. I then let it burn-in with pink noise for a whole week, non-stop, at a high volume level (a level I would listen to on a noisy public bus), without listening to any other headphones/earphones, and gave them another listen and I didn't notice anything different. So for me, for the time being (AKG K 701 arriving on Monday, will find out for sure with that headphone since it's infamous for being a headphone that "requires" a lot of burn-in time) burn-in is still a myth.
 
Tyll at Innerfidelity has a few articles about it as well:
Part 1: http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/evidence-headphone-break
Part 2: http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/break-part-deux
Part 3: http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/measurement-and-audibility-headphone-break

 
There has to be a reference point in which you compare the "burning in" headphone from time A to time B to time C.  So if you keep in reference with another relatively stable headphone, you might actually hear differences.  
 
As for Tyll's findings.  They still remain unconclusive.  There changes in the midrange of the AKG can be audible (tested using EQ) as they increment by 1 dB over a range.  It's still highly debatable though, and all measured data so far has resulted inconclusive regarding driver burn in.  We actually don't know what specifically will burn in.  Could it be the pads?  Remember, any change in the pads can adjust sound, and as pads age, they adhere better to your head leading to a better seal = better overall sound (for the majority of us).  Could it be other things?  Cable?  I'll stop there though, I haven't tested cable burn in, but the theory does make sense, but may not be audible: as cables burn in (copper ones) they will oxidize creating a layer of copper-oxide on the outside.  This reduces the radius of copper for electricity to run through and increases resistance.  Increase in resistance can create change in sound.
 
So even if there is burn in somewhere, we don't know what specifically will burn in.  The reason why I burn in?  Well, first, I do hear change over time, but second (as a reviewer), anyone else who believes in it will get mad if you don't burn in, so take the safe road and do it if you're writing a review.  

Ah, you've got a good point there. That didn't even come to mind.
And yup I agree about the reviewing part. No burn-in = non-legitimate review. >
 
 
Quote:

Quote:

From memory:

1. the Amperior has more of a "peak" (as opposed to broad) bass response such that the bass is more punchy and doesn't have the same extension
2. I keep saying that I find the M-100's mids to be laid-back, the Amperior's are more forward; on the other hand, tonally I find the M-100's mids to be pretty accurate for the most part, far more so compared to the Amperior
3. the Amperior has more treble energy, extension, and is definitely more forward, so it's probably more preferable for rock music
4. yowzees that sibilance is such a problem for me with the Amperior, not so with the M-100

If you really like the Amperior, you might find the M-100 disappointing since the aggressive treble is gone, the mids are more laid-back, and the bass isn't quite as punchy. The M-100's bass is more like the "rumble of thunder" (lower-bass) whereas the Amperior's is more of the "clubbing" type of bass (mid to upper-bass).

Personally I much prefer the M-100 to the Amperior as I didn't like the Amperior upon my first listen to them, and again a few weeks later. The sibilance was really a detraction for my musical tastes.

Miceblue,
I can't help but wonder how you would enjoy your M-100 with my current tube-amp setup here. I was listening to Andrew Bird's "Armchair Apocrypha" CD (heh) yesterday on my Q701 (didn't have the money back in may-June for a VTF), the signature exhibited all the advantages you listed for the Amperiors with (IMO) none of the cons. When I swapped in a Sylvania JAN 6DJ8 tube, tonally the bass stayed the same but the mids were lifted up into balance, but even more impressive and exciting was the way the amp/tube really dug into the texture and expanded the dynamic range of punch in the music. I've been especially sensitive to harsh highs lately, yet even with the sparkle and "light cast on the music," I found it to be on this side of sweet and not fatiguing at all, though I distinctly felt my ears adjust after about like 30 minutes.

Interesting, which tube amp are you using? I tried the M-100's on a Schiit Lyr/Bifrost combo and I didn't really like the sound coming out of it vs the O2/ODAC (things weren't as crisp and clear-sounding).
 
 
Quote:

To everybody, I just read a bit from the previous page about "bass overemphasis," well I'm here to say a little negative EQ is less SQ damaging than a boost, and definitely worth a try during home use. If you make some modest negative EQ cut based on an M-100 frequency graph, brining the bass a bit closer to a neutral 0 dB response, you'll get to hear how much the bass affects the mids.

Just worth trying.

I agree that a bass-reducing EQ can help. On the other hand, the mids are still laid-back for me even with a high-pass filter enabled. Simply reducing the bass doesn't really help bring the midrange more forward if the mids are laid-back in the first place; the bass is certainly less in-your-face, but the mids still sound some distance away.
 

 
 
 

I really dont think the bass is overpowering at all...
 
For genres like dubstep and DnB it could actually do with a little more bass tbh...both sub and mid bass, but then these genres do sound better when the bass is overpowering I guess
 
Im not really sure why people would buy the M100 to mostly listen to genres where bass isnt one of the most important aspects in the song, or prefer a neutral sound signiture...what Im trying to say is I dont see any reason to purchase a M100 if all your going to do is EQ down the bass and listen to acoustic music...although I think it sounds great but im sure there are other cans out there that could do it better
 
On another note I did the pad mod where you put some wound dressing/bandage in the upper and lower portion of the cups, I noticed that the whole spectrum sounded better to my ears as I think my ears were positioned better in the cups...this is because I have a small head and use the M100 on the smallest headbnd setting and the cups could do with being 1-2mm higher on my head, but with the mod my ears are directly in the middle and so i noticed if I pushed the cups on my head closer to my ears there was no audible difference whereas if I pushed the cups with no padding the bass became stronger
 
I noticed no clear reduction in bass, but the mids did sound more forward, and it was easier to pick out details...it might depend on how much you put in but ATM im very happy with the sound and dont really wish for anything more in a headphone apart from a tad more bass at times but an EQ pretty much sorts this out! 
 
One thing to note is that if anyone is using a GS3 as a source then root your phone...install this :http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2002197
And chose only Walkman player, in settings check ClearAudio+ 
 
This sounds much better in everyway to my ears compared to poweramp!
 
EDIT: I take back what I said about the sub bass not being enough...I just listened to "James Blake - Limit To Your Love" loud with the sub bass boosted and when that bass kicked in I nearly shat myself lol 

As I mentioned in a previous post, I joined this thread and received replies that the M-100 was going to be similar to the M-80 in sound signature, and given the many many positive reviews for the M-80 with multiple, not necessarily bass-oriented music genres, I bought-in to the M-100.

 

[musical-kage]

If anything, over time the trebles seem to get stronger... but not in a more revealing way. i.e, you can't really hear cymbals any more defined.
I found myself for example lowering the trebles in EQ. The bass hasn't really cleaned up either, and the mids have stayed constant.
 
How do I go about sending them back? Do I need to pack everything including the faders, etc and ask for a box? Or box them up myself?
Would I have to pay for the delivery again?
 
I just don't find myself warming up to them, and that is a shame
 
Maybe its my fault though that I expected something different, and ignored the negative reviews because I wanted to believe the positive ones more.
In the end, the sound signature doesn't appeal to me with every genre I listen to, and perhaps its the closed back design as well.
I'm not sure I like the fact I can't hear much of the outside world now I have them. Considering all my other headphones have been open ones, this could explain quite a lot.
 
I'm considering buying a home set, and having a cheaper portable set for outdoor use now.

 

[danny93]

I just posted a comparison between the M100 and my Beyer DT770 Pro 80 and the basshead thread http://www.head-fi.org/t/573826/the-basshead-club/3885#post_8984376 
 
Really love these cans, and can confidently say that if you listen to Dubstep, Hip Hop, House, DnB, Trance...pretty much any type of EDM you will LOVE these cans too! Other Genres sound great too like indie and 80´s but for £300 there may be a better can out there for your money, not sure as I havent looked into it. Every song I have listened to on the M100 has literally put a smile on my face

 

[kskwerl]

I just posted a comparison between the M100 and my Beyer DT770 Pro 80 and the basshead thread http://www.head-fi.org/t/573826/the-basshead-club/3885#post_8984376 

Really love these cans, and can confidently say that if you listen to Dubstep, Hip Hop, House, DnB, Trance...pretty much any type of EDM you will LOVE these cans too! Other Genres sound great too like indie and 80´s but for £300 there may be a better can out there for your money, not sure as I havent looked into it. Every song I have listened to on the M100 has literally put a smile on my face

This is good to hear i cant wait to get mine

 

[Evshrug]

Miceblue, the amp is a Sidjosae-based design that I believe I mentioned before, but the different tube made a big difference... It's a Sylvania JAN 6DJ8, as compared to the Amperex I had before that in the same amp sounded (overly?) warm and smooth.

 

[Emospence]

Don't think I'll be getting mine before Christmas

 

[329161]

Just got mine today in time for Xmas.
I got the custom shields and the design didn't turn out as nice as I was hoping. A little tip- bold and white or black colours will probably turn out best. I didn't get my allen-key, or extra screws either, so I'll need to take a trip to the hardware shop. 
 
My first impression is that it doesn't really live up to the hype and expectation that was whipped up on this forum (let's face it, what headphone could?). As mentioned by others, the bass is pretty big, and the mids are recessed. For some reason, however, it sounds really nice, punchy, and better balanced, when paired with my Hisound Studio V 3rd Anniversary player, which I also received today. Other players produce a slightly "hollow" sound , slightly lacking in the mid range.
The M-100 is NOT an M-80 with bigger bass, as many were hoping for. However, I do like the sound, and I'm happy with the purchase. The M-100 is what the LP and LP2 should have been. I think DJ's would be very happy using it. 
Anyway, as always,these are my personal opinions. 

 

[danny93]

Quote:

Just got mine today in time for Xmas.
I got the custom shields and the design didn't turn out as nice as I was hoping. A little tip- bold and white or black colours will probably turn out best. I didn't get my allen-key, or extra screws either, so I'll need to take a trip to the hardware shop. 
 
My first impression is that it doesn't really live up to the hype and expectation that was whipped up on this forum (let's face it, what headphone could?). As mentioned by others, the bass is pretty big, and the mids are recessed. For some reason, however, it sounds really nice, punchy, and better balanced, when paired with my Hisound Studio V 3rd Anniversary player, which I also received today. Other players produce a slightly "hollow" sound , slightly lacking in the mid range.
The M-100 is NOT an M-80 with bigger bass, as many were hoping for. However, I do like the sound, and I'm happy with the purchase. The M-100 is what the LP and LP2 should have been. I think DJ's would be very happy using it. 
Anyway, as always,these are my personal opinions. 

I really dissagree that the mids are recessed, they are not forward compared to the bass but by no means are they recessed! If you want to hear recessed mids listen to the DT770

 

[AnakChan]

Just got mine today in time for Xmas.
I got the custom shields and the design didn't turn out as nice as I was hoping. A little tip- bold and white or black colours will probably turn out best. I didn't get my allen-key, or extra screws either, so I'll need to take a trip to the hardware shop. 

My first impression is that it doesn't really live up to the hype and expectation that was whipped up on this forum (let's face it, what headphone could?). As mentioned by others, the bass is pretty big, and the mids are recessed. For some reason, however, it sounds really nice, punchy, and better balanced, when paired with my Hisound Studio V 3rd Anniversary player, which I also received today. Other players produce a slightly "hollow" sound , slightly lacking in the mid range.
The M-100 is NOT an M-80 with bigger bass, as many were hoping for. However, I do like the sound, and I'm happy with the purchase. The M-100 is what the LP and LP2 should have been. I think DJ's would be very happy using it. 
Anyway, as always,these are my personal opinions. 

Thank you for your impressions. I gather this is first thoughts straight out of the box?

I highly recommend letting it burn in.

 

[329161]

Quote:

Thank you for your impressions. I gather this is first thoughts straight out of the box?
I highly recommend letting it burn in.

Yes, although I'm a little skeptical of the benefits of burn in on perceived listening quality, I am hopeful that they will improve with time. As it stands, I do think they are an enjoyable headphone- just not as good as all the build-up on Headfi made them out to be. 

 

[AnakChan]

Quote:

Yes, although I'm a little skeptical of the benefits of burn in on perceived listening quality, I am hopeful that they will improve with time. As it stands, I do think they are an enjoyable headphone- just not as good as all the build-up on Headfi made them out to be. 

 
Curious, if you're skeptical about burn-in but hopeful that they'll improve, what's the explanation of the improvement? Actually I know if you ask Val, he'll say it's the pad moulding to your ears rather than driver burn-in. But what are your thoughts?
 
By the way, at least in my opinion, all of audio is "perceived" .