JVC HA-S400 Headphones- the $27 wonder?

Folsom · « **Reply #120 on:** 23 Jan 2013, 05:50 pm »

I let them play overnight, much better now.

WireNut · « **Reply #121 on:** 23 Jan 2013, 09:24 pm »

Got mine today ($37 delivered/amazon).
What are you guys using for a longer cord?
Are you staying with the 90 degree connector or cutting it off and replacing it with a straight one?

Folsom · « **Reply #122 on:** 24 Jan 2013, 05:09 am »

Some of you guys are covering up the air vents on these headphones with your duct tape. I don't recommend it because it allows more air into the headphone, kind of like a ported speaker allowing a smaller cabinet.

I doubled the sock layers in mine, good improvement. I used two half-thick sock pieces. Then if you got something to surround the driver holder on the back with it helps a lot. Rope caulk, cut in half or quarter, would be probably better than the stuff I used. The tape mod on the surface works well but really you only need to apply it around the ports (not on) and not at the screws. If you got super, super, fancy you'd cut it small enough to build up two layers of tape on the driver grate. You are trying to dampen the ringing of the plastic and also stop it from flexing (the same thing really). It doesn't take much. Just a bit is enough to be able to get the headphones farther from your ear and not lose effectiveness.

Overall they are still a bit bass heavy for my taste of absolute preference. But for cheap headphones they sound great.

charmerci · « **Reply #123 on:** 24 Jan 2013, 06:10 am »

Quote from: Destroyer of Smiles. on 24 Jan 2013, 05:09 am

Some of you guys are covering up the air vents on these headphones with your duct tape. I don't recommend it because it allows more air into the headphone, kind of like a ported speaker allowing a smaller cabinet.

The vents you're talking about are only those three holes already lightly covered up by the white factory tape, right?

Folsom · « **Reply #124 on:** 24 Jan 2013, 08:49 am »

Quote from: charmerci on 24 Jan 2013, 06:10 am

The vents you're talking about are only those three holes already lightly covered up by the white factory tape, right?

Yes, but look at how porous the tape happens to be; I think it is meant to breath.

Nick77 · « **Reply #125 on:** 24 Jan 2013, 01:28 pm »

I think i might agree about taping the vents, i feel i have lost a lot of air. Sound after taping was a little muffled and less open.
When i get around to it i think i will try more backing and remove tape. It did seem to tighten up the bass so I'm not sure yet of best compromise.

rodge827 · « **Reply #126 on:** 24 Jan 2013, 01:40 pm »

DOS your right about the vents!

I just removed the tape covering them and the "air" is back with a more realistic sound.
With the vents covered the bass would decay rather quickly and drop off severely.
With the vents open there is more space around the notes, and sound more natural.
Thanks for the tip.

murphy11 · « **Reply #127 on:** 24 Jan 2013, 02:12 pm »

Quote from: rodge827 on 24 Jan 2013, 01:40 pm

DOS your right about the vents!

I just removed the tape covering them and the "air" is back with a more realistic sound.
With the vents covered the bass would decay rather quickly and drop off severely.
With the vents open there is more space around the notes, and sound more natural.
Thanks for the tip.

NOTE TO SELF: Stop reading this frickin thread or you will never be done modding these cans

Also, struggling to wait for HM5 pads to be shipped from China. They are stuck in Singapore for 5 days. Can't get used to waiting for stuff.

rodge827 · « **Reply #128 on:** 24 Jan 2013, 02:35 pm »

Quote from: murphy11 on 24 Jan 2013, 02:12 pm

NOTE TO SELF: Stop reading this frickin thread or you will never be done modding these cans

Removing the tape is the last mod I will do to these phones.
The tape/cotton mod took me about an hour to do and DOS hit it on the head about the "ports".
I never gave phones a thought until this thread, and in the short term circumstance has me going this route.
FWIW the mods do improve the overall sound quality and are simple to do.

Enjoying music again...very cool

murphy11 · « **Reply #129 on:** 24 Jan 2013, 03:36 pm »

Quote from: rodge827 on 24 Jan 2013, 02:35 pm

Removing the tape is the last mod I will do to these phones.

Yeah me too. Cutting out a slot to expose the ports has made everything very 'coherent' is the best way to describe what I am hearing. I considered intentionally stripping the screws this morning to ensure I am not tempted to do any future mods

rodge827 · « **Reply #130 on:** 24 Jan 2013, 04:01 pm »

Quote from: murphy11 on 24 Jan 2013, 03:36 pm

I considered intentionally stripping the screws this morning to ensure I am not tempted to do any future mods

This stuff can drive you nuts if you let it!

WireNut · « **Reply #131 on:** 24 Jan 2013, 07:06 pm »

Quote from: rodge827 on 24 Jan 2013, 04:01 pm

This stuff can drive you nuts if you let it!

I heard that.

Folsom · « **Reply #132 on:** 24 Jan 2013, 08:28 pm »

Now I'm wondering if you stuffed the cabinet with something, would it make sense to remove the factory tape we have been talking about? The tape was originally meant to provide resistive air movement, but with a stuffed body we have doubled the resistance to some degree.

The question being, would it reduce bass just a little bit?

Cheeseboy · « **Reply #133 on:** 24 Jan 2013, 10:43 pm »

THese have been across the country three times and I am very happy with the tape mod. I want to run these with the tape only before I add a square of cotton in the enclosure. The tape alone is sounding very good right now on my flight frOm Atlanta to sfo.

What other material cOuld be used to advance or decay the port.

Folsom · « **Reply #134 on:** 24 Jan 2013, 11:19 pm »

Well the port itself? I'm not sure. Whatever you got around? I can't tell what the tape they used happens to be, medical maybe? But yet I still figure the sock on the backside not only allows for a little cushion, but a massive reduction in reflection and vibration from the plastic.

I'm going bold and pulling the tape off... I think it'll relax the bass even more. It'd be like taking a small punchy box and making it a bigger more well-rounded box. If I'm wrong I'll have to fine a replacement.

Folsom · « **Reply #135 on:** 24 Jan 2013, 11:29 pm »

Perfecto... Bass is right about where it should be! Highly recommend open ports, two layers of thick sock behind the driver. The mid's and hi's now sing in the right range. Doing this could easily mitigate the Q-tip mod.

Great success!

They are pretty awesome cans now; like better than some more expensive Sennheiser I had ($150 area). If you like a little more bass then try one port at a time.

God damn... the more I listen. A$AP Rock - Hell ft. Santi Gold: The bass is articulate and still booming like how it was recorded. It goes deep too. The Vocals are the most forward, right where I want them.

charmerci · « **Reply #136 on:** 24 Jan 2013, 11:49 pm »

Quote from: Destroyer of Smiles. on 24 Jan 2013, 08:28 pm

Now I'm wondering if you stuffed the cabinet with something, would it make sense to remove the factory tape we have been talking about? The tape was originally meant to provide resistive air movement, but with a stuffed body we have doubled the resistance to some degree.

The question being, would it reduce bass just a little bit?

Did you see my post on p.5 - 4th one down? The more I filled the back cavity, the prominent the midrange became (pushing the center of the soundstage towards the center of my head.) I backed off because I don't like the midrange.

I guess I've got to open the ports to see the effect, I guess.

Folsom · « **Reply #137 on:** 25 Jan 2013, 12:00 am »

I did.

My reasoning for more stuffing was to get rid of bass primarily. I could probably go back to one piece now. But I don't find it very unbalanced now. Before the midrange and bass was too much without getting them off my ears a little (Q-tip). They were pleasing, just off for long listening.

In your case if you like less padding in the back try opening one port at a time. You wouldn't want to over-do it right? That factory tape is some weird stuff I haven't seen for sale personally. It doesn't even come off easily (I wanted to pull it off, but I had to cut it out).

charmerci · « **Reply #138 on:** 25 Jan 2013, 01:04 am »

Quote from: Destroyer of Smiles. on 25 Jan 2013, 12:00 am

In your case if you like less padding in the back try opening one port at a time. You wouldn't want to over-do it right? That factory tape is some weird stuff I haven't seen for sale personally. It doesn't even come off easily (I wanted to pull it off, but I had to cut it out).

I went whole hog and punched out the three holes.

Didn't like what I heard. So I covered them up again - and then I opened up again.

The bass may be a little tighter but it's distant and hardly there. It's much more full and the sound more balanced with all the ports covered.

(edit) I then tried it with two of the holes covered up. Much more bass than with three holes uncovered. The bass is tighter (has more initial impact) than with all the holes covered up.

Even though the bass is a bit more boomy/resonant with all the holes covered up, I prefer that because it "covers" up the midrange which I don't like in these phones.

I guess if I had to do it again, I would keep one hole open with the original white tape still on it - but I don't have that option anymore - for less than $27+ shipping!

Agree to disagree!

Folsom · « **Reply #139 on:** 25 Jan 2013, 04:04 am »

Hm, well everyone likes something different.

If I feel like everything is too extreme left and right I get bored. I like to have a little concert in my head.

Without the holes covered and double sock I find the bass is extremely talented. In fact it reveals how simple rap bass is when it isn't obliterated by all the untalented subwoofers.