Alessandro MS1000 and MS Ultimate - DIY & modding [56K warning]

[darwinyo]

Awesome discovery. Does this change the value proposition for the MS1000s?

Originally Posted by nickchen

One thing we found out yesterday is the fact that tight sitting of the distancers is absolutely eminent. Noxters MS Ultimate sounded a bit thin compared to my MS1000, as he had fixed the distancers with only a few drops of glue, leaving gaps between the fix points. After a "proper" reglueing, the bass became as good as my MS1000 bass. All in all, the MS1000 got slaughtered by its big brother, which added monstrous resolution and real natural mids to the already nice package.

We also "rebuilt" a stock MS1 to compare it more properly to the MS1000 (last time we had left the liberators on Noxters MS1), and the differences were quite obvious. The MS1 had a bit better mids, but failed totally in every other respect - a kind of cheap PX100 charme we both did not like too much any more.

Finally, we took a closer look at the MS2000. Same impression as 1st time superficial try - It also profits from the mod, but by far not as much as MS1 or MS Pro. The bass and soundscape magic only happens to 75%, and the highs pierce a bit too much.

[nickchen]

Originally Posted by darwinyo

Awesome discovery. Does this change the value proposition for the MS1000s?

I think not - at least for us europeans. The MS1000 amounts 66€ for the MS1 plus another 35€ for Todd's GS1000 pads. I'd say that investion for this fun machine is worth every cent, and I would never ever go back to a stock MS1. I've got different cans if I'm in my (very rare) female singer/songwriter moods. On the other hand, it perfectly meets the tone for trance & electronica, I even prefer it to my CD3000 in that respect. Much better than the actual trance fon SA5000 IMO.

Of course the the pimped MS Pro is totally superior - I guess it should, if you look at the 550€ investion (propably worse with other currency exchange rates).

[shadowmoses]

Hi all, have been a stock MS1 owner for about 2 years and this thread has really piqued my interest in modding it into the MS1000. Have absolutely no experience with wood work, but thank goodness i don't have to.

Am currently interning at a chinese sofa factory. with a little luck and persuasion, i just may be able to some of the craftsmen to fashion a couple of distancers for me! i've gotten the dimensions drawn using autocad so far.

Just one question, what kind of wood would be best to use? denser woods would be best right? and is any sort of finishing (lacquer / paint) required?

[tinseljim]

Well i just put in my order for some distancers as I live in the UK. So will fill people in when they arrive. The MS1s are just too muddy for my tastes. The low mid-bass stomps over the mids and the result is well muddy. So this mod will clear that up I hope as well as improve soundstage.

As fas as wood? Some others may have to chime in.

James

[nickchen]

Originally Posted by shadowmoses

Just one question, what kind of wood would be best to use? denser woods would be best right? and is any sort of finishing (lacquer / paint) required?

Denser woods would be stronger at thinner dimensions, but hard to be worked at. Most important IMO is a homogenious wood structure, with only little differences between early wood and late wood. Ash tree propably woudn't work for that reason, and I also had some serious difficulties with the stone hard black walnut.

Linden is just perfect for such purposes. That wood was used for the medieval madonna sculpures you find often in old europe's churches. If only softer wood such as spruce is available, I'd increase "wall thickness". I make linden distancers with ~2mm, for softer wood I'd propably choose ~3-4mm.

The end result doesn't need to be bomb proof, as it does not have to bear much stress and gets stabilized by the final glueing onto the fon.

Finishing is irrelevant, as the distancer thingy vanishes completely in the GS1K pads. As long as it isn't kept rough saw...

------

Bad news for all RS1 owners, stay away from this mod. Cosmopragma has tried the mod on his new RS1, and it does not seem to work as nice there, because highs became much too shrill.

[Jelle Schrijver]

Originally Posted by NoXter

Well, here I am, the first and currently only owner of MSultimate.
After a long hearing-session with Nickchen yesterday, the MSultimate is still that 'monster' we've created!

What is it?? A modded MS-pro? Please share (with pcitures if you got them).

[Jelle Schrijver]

Originally Posted by nickchen

I doubt it. We found some german dealer who sells GS1K pads for 60ish. Looking at the actual exchange rates and the 10$ bonus Todd offers, we get them from him for 34€ incl. shipping.

Looks like your in the Netherlands. So where did you get the MS1? And why not the MS2 or MS-pro?

[nickchen]

Originally Posted by Jelle Schrijver

What is it?? A modded MS-pro? Please share (with pcitures if you got them).

Yes, Noxter's Ultimate is a modded MS Pro. See pics in #3, that is his.

Originally Posted by Jelle Schrijver

Looks like your in the Netherlands. So where did you get the MS1? And why not the MS2 or MS-pro?

No, we're ugly Krauts - Aaaaachtung!
There's only one place to get an Alessandro, and that is the manufacturer. The first thing to be modded was the MS1 because I happened to have one and started tinkering. I had the Ms2 before and sold it, and the MS Pro is ridiculously expensive.
Noxter lives 5 minutes away from me and happens to have the complete Alessandro line. That is how things got started...

[apatN]

nikchen, you really got me interested in the MS1K. I'd like to see some pics of your DIY made distancers and how you attached them. I think you would help alot of people, it will certainly help me making them. Would be really, really appreciated

[MD1032]

Wow, this is one of the craziest Grado-related threads I've seen in a while. I'd love to hear a comparison review between the MSUltimate and the GS-1000!

[darwinyo]

Great to see this thread pick up again.

Anybody know places in the US to get GS1000 pads?

[nickchen]

Originally Posted by apatN

nikchen, you really got me interested in the MS1K. I'd like to see some pics of your DIY made distancers and how you attached them. I think you would help alot of people, it will certainly help me making them. Would be really, really appreciated

Here's an extended copy of the PM I sent to apatN, maybe someone in the US gets his *** up to build some distancers for North America. I've calculated it through, shipping distancers from EU to the US would be much too expensive with the actual exchange rates and shipping costs. 60-70$ for a set would be just banana IMO.

MY WAY TO BUILD DISTANCERS

The distancers get built by means of a drill saw thingway you can buy at every DIY store. Don't let the drill run too fast, the wood gets burned as to be seen on pic 3 below. Moreover, let the drill cool down in between. I was close to blowing my drill up with these jobs.
Meanwhile, I don't use the electric drill any more, I've organized myself a super oldfashioned hand drill at Ebay which lets me work more carefully.


You work out tubes with an inner diameter of 4cm, as long as possible without destroying your drill. Later, you cut slices from that tube.


Easiest way to achieve the fold for the pad is to build a 2nd tube that is a bit thicker. You cut a slice from each tube and glue them together. Then you grind everything down until you have a total length of 1,3 cm.


You need a bit time to make everything smooth, it's worth the effort, as too rough wood surface would propably harm the pads...


You just glue the distancer to the surface, where the original pads had been fixed. Best thing for that is epoxy. Take care that the distancer sits really tight and shows no gaps.


Finally, you need a piece of felt and glue it to the inner side of the distancer - it tames the highs.

Originally Posted by darwinyo

Anybody know places in the US to get GS1000 pads?

Todd the Venyl Junkie. I've linked it in #1 of this thread.

[apatN]

Is it a good idea to use epoxy when you might want to take the distancer off?

And thanks a bunch for a great howto!

[nickchen]

Originally Posted by apatN

Is it a good idea to use epoxy when you might want to take the distancer off?

Some rests may remain on the fon after ribbing the distancers off. You propably get rid of them by means of a sharp knife or so. I personally will never go back to stock again.

Maybe silicone could serve as a more reversable alternative?

[malldian]

Hmm considering mass production... how much would people be willing to pay in US for these?