[scrypt]

Here's why I'm posting:  
 
For those who want to match the shields to the cable on the matte-black M-100:
 
I just received a pair of orange shields as replacements for my scratched matte-black pair. 
 
No, the orange isn't exactly the same as that of the cable, but seeing the orange shields made me remember the fashion principle I'd forgotten: 
 
You can get away with different shades of the same color if the texture is different enough.  And in this case, the texture and look of the orange kevlar cable is markedly different from that of the shiny orange shields -- so much so that the two do work together.
 
The color works so well that I'd have liked to ask to have them etched if the request were fair (which it wouldn't have been -- I already have an etched pair in matte black).
 
A friend of mine saw the orange shields and fell in love, fairly begging me to install them right there.  I told him I'd do so after my multi-head screwdriver arrived, because enough people on Head-fi have reported issues with the included L-wrench to make me not want to risk creating cosmetic flaws.
 

* * * *​

 
Still listening to the M-100s, which I've decided not to comment on as a kind of late modernist diarist. This isn't because I'm following Anak-Chan's directive (never comment on headphones' sound unless you've heard them over time) but because I'm in the unusual sitch of listening to them at length only after I've been up for twenty hours straight.  I need the extra time to check for those odd conclusions that are the result of fatigue's logical dyslexia.  Besides which, I find it annoying when people raise issues which aren't a matter of correctness but rather consensus of opinion.  I've been a studio musician for most of my life and it's never appreciated in that environment when someone tells you there's only one way to listen. 

 

[IBeN8]

So i just tried the FiiO E6 with my M-100 and...i don't it....i would never need to listen to a volume over 100% on my ipod and i don't need the bass boost because it has enough bass already plus i find it makes the overall sound less detailed and more like my friends beats pro. i guess i was under the impression that an amp would improve the sound quality not just make it louder.
 
so maybe i'm just a noob, but someone tell me. what is the point of an amp? cause i don't see any point to it with my M-100 since i can only handle ~80% full volume anyway

 

[kidd]

I am terribly anxious to get my pair shipped! May the sound God be with me!

 
I have this urgency to check back on the thread to see if Val came back from vacation or had an update of the shipping or stock levels. I keep going back and forth to the V-moda website order status page expecting something to come up and say "just calm your **** brah, they'll get there!"

 

[miceblue]

Quote:

So i just tried the FiiO E6 with my M-100 and...i don't it....i would never need to listen to a volume over 100% on my ipod and i don't need the bass boost because it has enough bass already plus i find it makes the overall sound less detailed and more like my friends beats pro. i guess i was under the impression that an amp would improve the sound quality not just make it louder.
 
so maybe i'm just a noob, but someone tell me. what is the point of an amp? cause i don't see any point to it with my M-100 since i can only handle ~80% full volume anyway

From the Merriam Webster's Dictonary:

1. Amplifier (noun): one that amplifies; specifically : an electronic device (as in a stereo system) for amplifying voltage, current, or power
2. Amplifies (verb):  to make larger or greater (as in amount, importance, or intensity) : increase

In other words, an uncoloured amp should in fact only "make it louder". Most amps aren't uncoloured though.
 
 
From an older post I wrote:
Quote:

Amping theoretically helps a headphone perform at its best. It's hard for me to describe it specifically so I'll give you a classic example.
 
Plug in the AKG K/Q 701 into your iPod and you get "meh" sound quality at a quiet listening level even on max volume on the iPod.
Plug in the AKG K/Q 701 into a Schitt Asgard amp and you can fully appreciate the sound the K/Q 701 can produce at a much higher listening level.
Why? The K/Q 701 is notorious for being a headphone that's hard to drive properly, I think due to its high impedance rating. The higher the impedance rating is, the more power you need to feed your headphones. An iPod doesn't have enough power to drive the headphones properly so you get relatively poor sound out of the K/Q 701.

So although you can drive your M-100's at ~80% volume on your iPod, there may be a specific frequency that the iPod can't drive very well.
Take the M-80 for example. Its impedance is not just one impedance, but rather a variation of impedance ratings for different frequencies:

 
The taller pink humps at around 50 Hz and the rising impedance at the end might indicate that you need more power to "drive" those frequencies. Say an iPod can only drive 32 ohm headphones well, then the higher impedance at 50 Hz and 20 kHz need more power to be driven and thus through an iPod, those frequencies won't sound as they're supposed to.
 
 
This is all generalizing and I'm sure my terminology is wrong in some parts, so anyone can chime in.

 

[IBeN8]

so if the M-100 sounds really good to me at 80% on my ipod that that mean that it's easy to drive?...or does that just mean i don't understand amps? lol

 

[Leon Dota]

Quote:

I think it's safe to say the padding the cups mod gives the sub bass a slight cleaner sound and makes the bass sound like it's been reduced a couple of decibels. Overall effect is a cleaner effect causing the mids to sound like it's taken a small step forward especially in the lower mids
 
@ miceblue
@Leon Dota
@Curly21029 (man I love that handle)
 
OK, me miceblue and Leon all seem to be hearing the same, generally speaking of coarse. Curly not so much so. Since we're all experimenting I want you guys to try the following out. Yank out all your padding and I do mean all of it. From there rewrap 4 smaller pads about a third the size of the full wraps we've all been using. Make sure you wrap them round tight and make it thick to the point it's really snug once you insert them under the pad. Now whatever you do DO NOT pad the side of the pads only pad the very top and bottom of the pads so that roughly only half of the inside pad has padding. If you have the padding sized right and stuffed tight enough the sides of the pads will be elevated and clear of any blockage. I repeat the flat side portion of the pads should remain completely clear of any padding. Try and make the sizing so that the padding stops at the very last bend of the triangular tips on the top and bottom of the cup.
 
Now, throw them on and fire up a test tune you've listened to a million times. Be sure it's also a tune you've listened to with the M-100 before any mods were applied. Once you've given the song a good listen get back to me on thread concerning your findings specifically on sub bass and highs. I've already done this mod and I'm not going to say anything more until I've heard from anyone else.

 
Leon Dota, reporting in with findings on alt. paper towel mod M-100.
 
I think I understood why you asked of this before I actually went and did it. Miceblue's first mod covered up just a bit of the drivers on the left and right sides of the headphone. By limiting the modification to the top/bottom of the cushions, we are opening up the drivers and, thusly, allowing the headphone to both work at full strength and our ears are still a comfortable distance from the drivers. Essentially, the best of modded and unmodded.
 
Impressions
The bass seems smoother, a little more controlled, even. Soundstage is still impressive. Highs received a touch more sparkle to them. Mids stayed about the same, that is to say, just a bit recessed, but more than good. On a particular track of mine ripped from vinyl, the faint hiss, crackles, and pops of the record come through very pleasantly. Overall, not a monumental difference, but just enough for me to keep them modded this way.
 
Thank you for that, DigitalFreak.

 

[miceblue]

Quote:

I think it's safe to say the padding the cups mod gives the sub bass a slight cleaner sound and makes the bass sound like it's been reduced a couple of decibels. Overall effect is a cleaner effect causing the mids to sound like it's taken a small step forward especially in the lower mids
 
@ miceblue
@Leon Dota
@Curly21029 (man I love that handle)
 
OK, me miceblue and Leon all seem to be hearing the same, generally speaking of coarse. Curly not so much so. Since we're all experimenting I want you guys to try the following out. Yank out all your padding and I do mean all of it. From there rewrap 4 smaller pads about a third the size of the full wraps we've all been using. Make sure you wrap them round tight and make it thick to the point it's really snug once you insert them under the pad. Now whatever you do DO NOT pad the side of the pads only pad the very top and bottom of the pads so that roughly only half of the inside pad has padding. If you have the padding sized right and stuffed tight enough the sides of the pads will be elevated and clear of any blockage. I repeat the flat side portion of the pads should remain completely clear of any padding. Try and make the sizing so that the padding stops at the very last bend of the triangular tips on the top and bottom of the cup.
 
Now, throw them on and fire up a test tune you've listened to a million times. Be sure it's also a tune you've listened to with the M-100 before any mods were applied. Once you've given the song a good listen get back to me on thread concerning your findings specifically on sub bass and highs. I've already done this mod and I'm not going to say anything more until I've heard from anyone else.

Quote:

 
Leon Dota, reporting in with findings on alt. paper towel mod M-100.
 
I think I understood why you asked of this before I actually went and did it. Miceblue's first mod covered up just a bit of the drivers on the left and right sides of the headphone. By limiting the modification to the top/bottom of the cushions, we are opening up the drivers and, thusly, allowing the headphone to both work at full strength and our ears are still a comfortable distance from the drivers. Essentially, the best of modded and unmodded.
 
Impressions
The bass seems smoother, a little more controlled, even. Soundstage is still impressive. Highs received a touch more sparkle to them. Mids stayed about the same, that is to say, just a bit recessed, but more than good. On a particular track of mine ripped from vinyl, the faint hiss, crackles, and pops of the record come through very pleasantly. Overall, not a monumental difference, but just enough for me to keep them modded this way.
 
Thank you for that, DigitalFreak.

 
 
Interesting interesting.
 
Same track used: Fourplay - Chant (FLAC EAC CD rip)
MacBook + Audirvana Plus (integer mode, exclusive access mode, use max I/O buffer size, best quality sample rate conversion) + FiiO E7 (volume level 05, bass boost 0)

Spoiler: Raw%20notes%2Fscribbles

DigitalFreak Modded
very good instrument separation
drum up front, mid-stage
lots of bass pedal punch
bass guitar in front of drums, very prominent, well-defined notes
cymbals ts ts ts ts audible
vocals up closer to front stage
good L/R imaging
bass guitar in front (dun dun dun dun dun sound), cymbals behind vocals
piano slightly in front of bass guitar, drumset behind
guitar takes front stage, bass guitar behind, piano behind bass guitar, drumset behind that
3:29 very clear cymbals and drums, vocals slightly in front, bass guitar behind vocals
5:50 cymbal ting ting ting ting present, next to bass guitar, vocals in front, piano slightly behind

Unmodded
ok instrument separation
drum further back
more bass pedal punch
bass guitar in front, VERY prominent (I can feel it rumbling my gut), slightly slurred notes
cymbals ts ts ts ts barely audible (bass guitar/pedal overshadows)
vocals next or slightly behind bass guitar
OK L/R imaging
bass guitar in very front (dun dun dun dun dun sound), cymbals next to vocals
piano in front of drums, behind bass, vocals slightly in front of piano
guitar takes front stage next to bass guitar, piano behind both, cymbals barely audible
3:29 cymbals sound lacking in higher ring, vocals next to or slightly behind drumset
5:50 cymbal ting ting ting ting back on stage, vocals slightly in front, piano next to vocals, bass guitar slightly behind vocals/piano

miceblue Modded
excellent good instrument separation (lots of air between instruments)
drum up front, mid-stage
least bass pedal punch, still good though
bass guitar slightly in front of drums, prominent, well-defined notes
cymbals ts ts ts ts is audible
vocals closer to front stage
very good L/R imaging
bass guitar in front (dun dun dun dun dun sound), vocals very slightly behind, drums slightly behind vocals
piano in front stage, bass guitar behind, vocals slightly in front of bass guitar
guitar in front stage, piano slightly behind, bass guitar behind in front of drumset
3:29 very clear cymbals and drums, vocals in front of drumset, bass guitar slightly in front of drumset
5:50 cymbal ting ting ting ting present very clear, vocals in front, piano slightly behind bass guitar next to drums

 
Overall impressions, DigitalFreak's mod is mid-way between miceblue's mod and not modded. miceblue's mod seems to have better instrument separation and stage width, but at the loss of some bass impact/presence, sounds more balanced overall. DigitalFreak's mod still retains the M-100's signature bass but is more clearly defined/cleaner and the midrange is brought more forward as well as having clearer treble.
 
Given the slight differences between mods, I could actually go for either! They both sounded good to me for that particular track. I like DigitalFreak's mod a little more than mine since it retains the signature M-100 sound for the most part and is easier to put in/out. My mod on the other hand seemed to change the sound a lot and was much more cumbersome to put the long and short pieces in.
 
Very nice suggestion DigitalFreak!

 
And of course, I need to take photos. XD

Spoiler: Photos

 

 
 

 

[DigitalFreak]

Alright good to know I wasn't suffering from placebo and my ears were working the way they were supposed to be. The big tip off for me when I tried that mod was I noticed the treble had maybe a slight hint more sparkle and the bass rumble was a small smidgen more then with the full mod. From there I just sat back and gave it a listen for most of the day. I'm thinking either mod will work for most people it's just a slightly different flavor for people who might want something a tad closer to the V-MODA vision.
 
You gentlemen are welcome and thanks for helping out with the experiment

 

[Leon Dota]

Quote:

Alright good to know I wasn't suffering from placebo and my ears were working the way they were supposed to be. The big tip off for me when I tried that mod was I noticed the treble had maybe a slight hint more sparkle and the bass rumble was a small smidgen more then with the full mod. From there I just sat back and gave it a listen for most of the day. I'm thinking either mod will work for most people it's just a slightly different flavor for people who might want something a tad closer to the V-MODA vision.

Yeah, bud, thanks for pointing it out! Sorry my notes were so short and a hell of a lot more vague than what Miceblue gave you. I guess I was giving overall impressions verses listening to every single instrument separately for nuances between them. Er. Audiophilia. ANYWAY.
 
I'll likely be putting up a review video on YouTube sometime next week. These things with my ZO2 are nothing short of heaven. My highest compliments to V-MODA for this most excellent can.

 

[miceblue]

Not related to moddinig, but has anyone experienced their fabric cables fraying?

 
I've only used this cable outside of my home for two days. >.>
This part of the cable rubs against the collar of my cotton/polyester jacket so I guess it's doing its toll to the fabric cable. :/

 

[AnakChan]

Quote:

Still listening to the M-100s, which I've decided not to comment on fluidly. This isn't because I'm following Anak-Chan's directive (never comment on headphones' sound unless you've heard them over time) but because I'm in the unusual sitch of listening to them at length only after I've been up for twenty hours straight.  I need the extra time to check for those odd conclusions that are the result of fatigue's conceptual dyslexia.  Besides which, I find it quite annoying when people raise issues which aren't a matter of correctness but rather consensus of opinion (again Anak-Chan).  I've been a studio musician for most of my life and it's never appreciated when someone tells you there's only one way to listen.
 
Here's why I'm posting:  
 
For those who want to match the shields to the cable on the matte-black M-100:
 
I just received a pair of orange shields as replacements for my scratched matte-black pair. 
 
No, the orange isn't exactly the same as that of the cable, but seeing the orange shields made me remember the fashion principle I'd forgotten: 
 
You can get away with different shades of the same color if the texture is different enough.  And in this case, the texture and look of the orange kevlar cable is markedly different from that of the shiny orange shields -- so much so that the two do work together.
 
The color works so well that I'd have liked to ask to have them etched if the request were fair (which it wouldn't have been -- I already have an etched pair in matte black).
 
A friend of mine saw the orange shields and fell in love, fairly begging me to install them right there.  I told him I'd do so after my multi-head screwdriver arrived, because enough people on Head-fi have reported issues with the included L-wrench to make me not want to risk creating cosmetic flaws.

 
Personally, although I'm anxiously waiting for your impressions, I'm also quite patient. Yours is one I feel is worth my wait at least.

 

[M49P13]

Val, question:
I was going to order the matte black M-100s with brushed black metal for the extra shields but I don't see it in the options any longer... Any chance that'll be added back to the pre-order page soon? If not, is it at all possible to have them sent later?
I really want that combo. I'm not even going to engrave them, just the simplicity of that brushed texture against the matte base would be uber-sexy! 

 

[Kirin]

Quote:

Val, question:
I was going to order the matte black M-100s with brushed black metal for the extra shields but I don't see it in the options any longer... Any chance that'll be added back to the pre-order page soon? If not, is it at all possible to have them sent later?
I really want that combo. I'm not even going to engrave them, just the simplicity of that brushed texture against the matte base would be uber-sexy! 

I wanted that combo too. But I think they are using all the brushed metal shields on the Shadow ones. I guess we will be able to order them sometime later on though...

 

[M49P13]

Bummer. It's getting tough to wait now, haha.
Oh well, it can't be helped.

 

[Curly21029]

Quote:

I think it's safe to say the padding the cups mod gives the sub bass a slight cleaner sound and makes the bass sound like it's been reduced a couple of decibels. Overall effect is a cleaner effect causing the mids to sound like it's taken a small step forward especially in the lower mids
 
@ miceblue
@Leon Dota
@Curly21029 (man I love that handle)
 
OK, me miceblue and Leon all seem to be hearing the same, generally speaking of coarse. Curly not so much so. Since we're all experimenting I want you guys to try the following out. Yank out all your padding and I do mean all of it. From there rewrap 4 smaller pads about a third the size of the full wraps we've all been using. Make sure you wrap them round tight and make it thick to the point it's really snug once you insert them under the pad. Now whatever you do DO NOT pad the side of the pads only pad the very top and bottom of the pads so that roughly only half of the inside pad has padding. If you have the padding sized right and stuffed tight enough the sides of the pads will be elevated and clear of any blockage. I repeat the flat side portion of the pads should remain completely clear of any padding. Try and make the sizing so that the padding stops at the very last bend of the triangular tips on the top and bottom of the cup.
 
Now, throw them on and fire up a test tune you've listened to a million times. Be sure it's also a tune you've listened to with the M-100 before any mods were applied. Once you've given the song a good listen get back to me on thread concerning your findings specifically on sub bass and highs. I've already done this mod and I'm not going to say anything more until I've heard from anyone else.

 
My apologies for creating confusion, but I believe that, purely in terms of tonal balance, we all experienced similar results with the pad stuffing.  I had originally written that the lower-midrange, like the bass, lost "presence."  What I should've scribed was that they lost tonal weight.  This was an error that I made out of haste as I made my contribution just before going to bed. (as I'm writing now before rushing out to work)
 
To recall my formerly used crude illustration:
 
Stock: BASS - MIDRANGE - TREBLE
 
Modded: BASS - MIDRANGE - TREBLE
 
I would say that there's a bit of excess treble energy, (by my own standards) but post-modification it is an overall more balanced sounding frequency response.  However, as I had previously written I would give the clarity, articulation, and timbre nods to the stock configuration.  Those are three areas of performance that I value highly, but others may prioritize differently depending on both their needs and complimentary equipment.
 
In regards to your request, DigitalFreak, I'll give it a go tonight.