I'm no good with sound clips but I'll tell you this - the HB-1 is an impressive pick-up for sure. No matter how good I feel about the sound of my S300-D (and it is most satisfying, to be sure) it doesn't have the clarity and robust sound of the HB-1. It can even be quite jarring to hear the difference!
As for the position of the pickup in the S-50, I will admit that it takes some getting used to. It can be bothersome to pick right over it because I tend to tap on it too much, so you have to learn to play either in front or behind it depending on what sound you want (darker to brighter, obviously).
