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

[apatN]

So, after getting some good tools the distancers are almost ready. Only need to get the pad-holder and the GS1K pads. I tested the 1cm ring on my MS-1 and must say I don't like it that much. Bass can be overpowering, especially on vocals. Overall sound seems a bit uncontrolled. I guess that is due to no velt in the inner ring.



But ofcourse, can't say anything about the MS1000. I just finished these 1cm rings, no velt, no GS1000 pads and no pad holders so my ears fall into the rings.

Just to let you guys know

EDIT: It reminds me of the HD595 a bit, but with more bass and overall less balanced.

[nickchen]

Yes, only the half mod without GS1000 pads and felt coating can sound ugly.

Your distancer already looks quite good, but did you chose 1cm length instead of 1,3cm? I suggest your do another attempt with 1,3cm - you can glue something like a strong copper cable outside to achieve the bulge that will hold the pads.

Leave your MS1 stock until you have GS1000 pads and thin felt at hand.

[apatN]

Originally Posted by nickchen

Yes, only the half mod without GS1000 pads and felt coating can sound ugly.

Your distancer already looks quite good, but did you chose 1cm length instead of 1,3cm? I suggest your do another attempt with 1,3cm - you can glue something like a strong copper cable outside to achieve the bulge that will hold the pads.

Leave your MS1 stock until you have GS1000 pads and thin felt at hand.

Nah, I'm currently working on the ring to hold the pads. When I got two 5-6mm rings I glue them to the 1cm rings. Then I probably gonna grind them to 9mm rings and 4mm holders. I think 3mm pad holders is just a little too thin. FYI, the rings I already made are 3mm thick, which seems a bit too thin for holding pads.

Nick.

EDIt: PIC



You can see my padholders lying underneath my finished 1cm rings. There's still a lot of work to do and I could make it faster, but hey, I'm just a beginner and I also believe this is the first time I ever used a handdrill :P In the back you can see my new drillsaw, my dad bought. It was reallly expensive, the red one (40mm) was 14(!) euros and the white came in a box containing 20mm, 29mm, 35mm, 51mm and 68mm. The box was 29,95EU. But, I don't think my dad paid the full price, he had some discount I believe. Though very expensive, highly recommended.

If my distancers turn out good, I'm also willing to make some for other head-fi members. Though, the only paying I can receive is money via bank transfer.

[nickchen]

Originally Posted by apatN

FYI, the rings I already made are 3mm thick, which seems a bit too thin for holding pads.

Yes, these dimensions don't work very good for bowls or other semi stock pads (not of interest). But together with the bulge you add later, that should work fine with GS1000 pads.

[Jelle Schrijver]

Originally Posted by apatN

Nah, I'm currently working on the ring to hold the pads. ... I'm just a beginner and I also believe this is the first time I ever used a handdrill :P In the back you can see my new drillsaw, my dad bought. It was reallly expensive, the red one (40mm) was 14(!) euros and the white came in a box containing 20mm, 29mm, 35mm, 51mm and 68mm. The box was 29,95EU. But, I don't think my dad paid the full price, he had some discount I believe. Though very expensive, highly recommended.

If my distancers turn out good, I'm also willing to make some for other head-fi members. Though, the only paying I can receive is money via bank transfer.

Wow, that is a good tip for creating perfectly round wooden rings. This opens possibilities for making a complete headphone. Thanks for sharing and I am wondering if you got more of this kind of tips...

[lisnalee]

I've just taken the plunge and ordered a pair of ms1, Nickchen has kindly offered to make me some distancers for them so all i need is the jumbo pads.

I was wondering if another UK headfi'er wanted to share shipping costs on a a pair of gs1000 pads from TTVJ. The shipping is $24 for 1 pair or $27 for 2 pairs. I would of course ship them onto to you as soon a i receive them. If your interested let me know asap as i am ordering them within next couple of days.

[shomie911]

I have a chance to trade my DT880s for SR225s with Liberators and flats. I would buy the GS1000 pads.

Do you guys think it would be worth it to trade my DT880s? I listen to alternative, rock, and some hardcore mainly (in order of the amount I listen to each genre).

My amp is a SOHA w/JISBOS which is supposed to be great with low impedence phones (currently I only have 250 ohm DT880s, and 600 ohm K260s). It was also built to tame the high frequencies and sibilance of the DT880s and the synergy carries over to the brightness in the K260s. I think this amp would be a great pairing for taming Grado sharpness, while retaining all the aggressive charm.

I used to own a pair of recabled and rescreened SR80s, I liked them a lot but in the end I chose the DT880s for the better soundstage.

If this mod does increase the soundstage (even slightly) then I think they might be better than the DT880s.

This would be a hard decision because I really like the DT880s, but I do think I might like the SR225s with this mod better.

What do you guys think?

EDIT:

Originally Posted by nickchen

The biggest change, the real sugarpiece of the MS 1000 in comparison to stock, is the enormous monstrous soundscape it provides. After almost 3 weeks of testing, I have to announce that the soundscape easely exceeds the DT880 and even of the huge caveous CD3000. The increased distance from eardrum to the driver leads to a kind of "natural crossfeed", where the usual position of the music somewhere in the head gets totally dissolved. This reminds me a bit of nearfield solutions à la K1000, it's easely one of the greatest soundscapes I ever experienced.

Consequently, we have an Alessandro which really exceeds at (!) ambient stuff or snobbish post rock and can be (at least) consulted for classical. Much better than stock. Of course, voices or brasses don't have the highend authority of a K701 or a DT880, but apart from that, it sometimes rivals or even beats my venerable CD3000 for electronica or post rock music. I guess you agree that this is a quite recognizable progression.

Comfort is great - logical. With the GS1000 pads, you get an almost circumarual wear feeling with almost no weight at all.

I just read that.

I think you just sold me on these headphones. Even if you were being generous when you said they had better soundstage than the DT880s, they seem almost impossible to resist.

[nickchen]

To be honest:

Shomie, looking at your favourite genres, you shouldn't give your DT880 away in favour of a modded SR225. Yes, you would get a better soundscape and tons of fun, but the price you pay is a less natural presentation.

Unless you are a clinical electronicahead and progrock listener, at least one natural sounding fon should be kept in reserve when having a modded Grado or Alessandro.

[shomie911]

Originally Posted by nickchen

To be honest:

Shomie, looking at your favourite genres, you shouldn't give your DT880 away in favour of a modded SR225. Yes, you would get a better soundscape and tons of fun, but the price you pay is a less natural presentation.

Unless you are a clinical electronicahead and progrock listener, at least one natural sounding fon should be kept in reserve when having a modded Grado or Alessandro.

I really wanted to get a pair of these phones.

Maybe I should sell my K260s (because they already have a Grado like sound signature) and pick up a pair of SR80s.

Then I could pay someone to make those wood extenders for me (or actually, I might be able to do it myself, I already have the tools required.)

And then all I'd have to do is buy the GS1000 pads.

That might be more economical and it would mean that I could keep both the DT880s and still get a pair of these modded Grados.

I think that the mod, plus the fact that my amp is supposedly better with low-impedence phones will make them sound great.

Remember I love Grados, but I didn't like the comfort (which is fixed with the mod) and I wanted some more soundstage.

EDIT:

What are the exact dimensions of each section of the extender.

I'm not sure from reading your description. What dimensions make up the lip (at the bottom of the extender).

And the rest of the extender is 1.3 cm thick?

[apatN]

Shomie, the only things important are 1,3cm height and 4cm inner diameter. That's the only thing but, fyi I used 4inner/5outer and 4inner/6outer all in cm ofcourse.

I don't see why you consider the SR80 since this topic is all about the Alessandros. From tests done by Nickchen and other German hi-fi Leute it works the best with Alessandros. Comfort isn't really an issue to me. My MS-1 came with the standard comfies and indeed are comfy. Bowls and (too big ) quartermodded pads may be slightly uncomfortable but still are pretty comfortable.

But tbh, I don't think it's worth it buying some low-end Grados if you got a Beyerdynamic DT880.

[cosmopragma]

Originally Posted by shomie911

Maybe I should sell my K260s (because they already have a Grado like sound signature) and pick up a pair of SR80s.

?

I guess it would be wiser to get the Alessandro MS-1s instead since they don't cost much more and it's proven the mod does work well with them.
In case you decide to go this alternative route maybe you could pass the SR225/Liberators/flat pads deal on to me.I couldn't find it in the classified ads here at head-fi so I assume it's someone you are acquainted to.
I don't have DT880s to trade but I'm sure we could deal something out ......

[shomie911]

Originally Posted by apatN

Shomie, the only things important are 1,3cm height and 4cm inner diameter. That's the only thing but, fyi I used 4inner/5outer and 4inner/6outer all in cm ofcourse.

I don't see why you consider the SR80 since this topic is all about the Alessandros. From tests done by Nickchen and other German hi-fi Leute it works the best with Alessandros. Comfort isn't really an issue to me. My MS-1 came with the standard comfies and indeed are comfy. Bowls and (too big ) quartermodded pads may be slightly uncomfortable but still are pretty comfortable.

But tbh, I don't think it's worth it buying some low-end Grados if you got a Beyerdynamic DT880.

I've had Grados before, and I love how fun they are. The DT880s are great and I love them, but sometimes I want a more aggressive headphone that still retains some soundstage.

Plus I think it would just be a cool headphone to have.

[shomie911]

Originally Posted by cosmopragma

I guess it would be wiser to get the Alessandro MS-1s instead since they don't cost much more and it's proven the mod does work well with them.
In case you decide to go this alternative route maybe you could pass the SR225/Liberators/flat pads deal on to me.I couldn't find it in the classified ads here at head-fi so I assume it's someone you are acquainted to.
I don't have DT880s to trade but I'm sure we could deal something out ......

I haven't got a PM back yet, but if I end up going in another direction, I'll pass it on to you.

[nickchen]

Originally Posted by cosmopragma

I guess it would be wiser to get the Alessandro MS-1s instead since they don't cost much more and it's proven the mod does work well with them.
In case you decide to go this alternative route maybe you could pass the SR225/Liberators/flat pads deal on to me.

Yep. Either the MS1 or a SR225 deal with Cosmopragma.

That mod might be _tried_ if someone already has a SR80 and wants to experiment a bit. But organizing SR80 just for this mod might end up in frustation if it doesn't work in the same way it didn't with the RS1.

[shomie911]

Originally Posted by nickchen

Yep. Either the MS1 or a SR225 deal with Cosmopragma.

That mod might be _tried_ if someone already has a SR80 and wants to experiment a bit. But organizing SR80 just for this mod might end up in frustation if it doesn't work in the same way it didn't with the RS1.

I can't imagine it wouldn't work, because the differences between the SR80 and SR225 are about 5% (Yes, I've heard both.)

And if it doesn't work the way I want it too, no big deal, I'll just put them up for sale.

I might have a trade setup for my K260s to a pair of SR80s plus a little money on his end. That way I can keep my DT880s and get to try out this mod. I'm pretty sure I can make the extenders myself, so all I have to do is order a pair of those GS1000 pads.