Head-Fi: Covering Headphones, Earphones and Portable Audio  

Support Head-Fi by starting your Amazon.com shopping by clicking here

Follow headfi on Twitter!

Follow Rocky Mountain Audiofest (RMAF) on Twitter!

Head-Fi Is Sponsored By:

Featured

Head-Fi's Sponsors
(Premier Sponsors bolded)

Featured

Can Jam '09
(2009 International
Head-Fi Meet)
Impressions,
Reviews, Photos


Can Jam '09 graphic
courtesy of Edwood

Click on the links below
for Can Jam '09 photos,
impressions and reviews:

blubliss 1, 2, 3
dallan 1, 2, 3, 4
santacore 1, 2
nhat_thanh 1, 2
vpivinylspinner 1, 2, 3
amb 1
augustwest 1
eaglejo 1

johnsonad 1
shellylh 1
Jon L 1, 2, 3, 4
Germancub 1
zippy2001 1
IPodPJ 1
bhd812 1
Edwood 1, 2
abellaw 1, 2
minidiscs 1

atothex 1
HighLife 1
achristilaw 1
SiBurning 1, 2, 3, 4
SiBurning 5, 6, 7
LFF 1
Iron_Dreamer 1
doping panda 1
morphsci 1
ironbut 1
shaizada 1
jasper994 1, 2
jp11801 1
Uncle Erik 1
drubrew 1



(More impressions/photos
still being added.)

 


 

Head-Fi Blogs
and Facebook

Check out Head-Fi's new
Blogs section.

Featured Head-Fi Blogs:


Jude's "Take My Word"

 From Japan - by Sasaki

Currawong's Blog

(
Start your own Blog!)

Attention
Facebook Users



Join the official
Head-Fi.org
Facebook Group


Featured

Head-Fi's Sponsors
(Premier Sponsors bolded)

Featured

  #1 (permalink)  
Old 06-24-2008, 04:59 PM
QQQ's Avatar
QQQ QQQ is offline
Headphoneus Supremus
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Eurasia
Posts: 2,554
Default Grado "Black" mod + DYI "Superbowls" on page 3.

So i've got my first Grado cans a couple of days ago, SR 80. Even though i liked their sound overall i couldn't resist an urge to tweak them a bit.
The first thing i did not like it's infamous silver lettering which are really low quality. The letter 'G" was accidentaly half-erased on the first day. Foreseeing the progression i decided to remove all of them once and for all to avoid ugliness. Also, i'm not a huge fan of plastic grills(i hoped the grill would be metall...) and buttons on grado cans, so i've installed metall grill instead. I think the result is quite nice:




But i not calling that a "Black" mod just for looks. There's something that was too much for me in Grados - their brightness. As a mostly Senn guy i found their top end to be a little harsh on some songs and bass are just a liiiiiiltle light for me. So i found the way to make them a little darker and shift the tonal balance down low for some(not big) degree. Here's how: there's an acoustic screen on the other side of the driver, which are damper for the membrane. You can alter the sound of the driver playing with damper. No damper usually means a lot of bass but rather uncontrolled; by varying density of the damper you can alter the sound. To allow a little more membrane movement and allow the bass to show up a little more just make some holes in the damber. It's basically a paper so little screwdriver and you are able to poke it. There's a plastic surface with a holes under the acoustic screen, to find where the holes are placed, just look through the driver on the light source(table lamp will be fine). Be careful and not insert the screwdriver more than couple of millimeters deep because you can damage the membrane. The more holes you poked, the more bass will show up, but, of course, it will not make AKG K81 DJ out of your Grados, it's a tweak, so changes will not be dramatic.
I started with 4 holes(as on the pic) but eventually poked all of them(10-as shown on the last pic). So you can gradually increase the quantity of holes until you satisfied with the bass. I think 5-6 holes will be enough to noticeably increase amount of bass. I've found there's too much bass with all 10 holes exposed, so i will cover some of them.


Just wanted to share...

Last edited by QQQ; 06-25-2008 at 09:10 PM.
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!Reddit!Facebook it!
Reply With Quote
  #2 (permalink)  
Old 06-24-2008, 06:04 PM
Gautama's Avatar
1000+ Head-Fi'er
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Granger, Indiana
Posts: 1,238
Send a message via AIM to Gautama Send a message via MSN to Gautama
Default

Excellent!
__________________
Cans: HD580, DT880, Ety ER4P/S, KSC75
Amp: LDII++,Mini^3
Sources: Hotrodded X-Fi, 30gb Zune
Gone: HD555, K81DJ, Sextet MP, Mylarone X3, Go-Vibe V5, SR-80 , Creative ZVM
Want to hear: RS-1, K701 'stats
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!Reddit!Facebook it!
Reply With Quote
  #3 (permalink)  
Old 06-24-2008, 06:06 PM
Wolfskie's Avatar
Junior Head-Fi'er
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Israel.
Posts: 20
Send a message via ICQ to Wolfskie Send a message via MSN to Wolfskie
Default

cool mod, these look quite a bit better than the stock sr-80.
i'm not too familiar with the grado sound having only listened to sr-225 and ms2 for a brief moment so i can't really comment about the sound and adding bass to it.
still cool, though.
also, you should add some ram to you comp.
__________________
(Home)Foobar2000 -> M-Audio Revolution 5.1 -> Audio Technica AD700
(Portable)Cowon i7 -> Koss PortaPro
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!Reddit!Facebook it!
Reply With Quote
  #4 (permalink)  
Old 06-24-2008, 06:26 PM
Enthusia's Avatar
100+ Head-Fi'er
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 449
Blog Entries: 1
Send a message via AIM to Enthusia
Default

I have to try this!
__________________
Feedback
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!Reddit!Facebook it!
Reply With Quote
  #5 (permalink)  
Old 06-24-2008, 07:05 PM
QQQ's Avatar
QQQ QQQ is offline
Headphoneus Supremus
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Eurasia
Posts: 2,554
Default

Quote:
also, you should add some ram to you comp
??
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!Reddit!Facebook it!
Reply With Quote
  #6 (permalink)  
Old 06-24-2008, 07:10 PM
1000+ Head-Fi'er
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,307
Default

The more holes you blow out the back the more bass you get but the sounds gets bloated from lack of dampening in my experience. Don't forget you can add a bit of dampening to the metal part of the driver as well.
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!Reddit!Facebook it!
Reply With Quote
  #7 (permalink)  
Old 06-24-2008, 08:37 PM
Wolfskie's Avatar
Junior Head-Fi'er
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Israel.
Posts: 20
Send a message via ICQ to Wolfskie Send a message via MSN to Wolfskie
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by QQQ View Post
??
you should add some more physical memory to your computer(sdram, ddr, rdram.. you get the idea), you had a pop-up saying the computer lacks in virtual memory.. in my experience that's caused by a lack of physical memory in the computer.
sorry if i wrote it in a way that wasn't understood.
__________________
(Home)Foobar2000 -> M-Audio Revolution 5.1 -> Audio Technica AD700
(Portable)Cowon i7 -> Koss PortaPro
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!Reddit!Facebook it!
Reply With Quote
  #8 (permalink)  
Old 06-24-2008, 08:58 PM
QQQ's Avatar
QQQ QQQ is offline
Headphoneus Supremus
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Eurasia
Posts: 2,554
Default

Quote:
The more holes you blow out the back the more bass you get but the sounds gets bloated from lack of dampening in my experience. Don't forget you can add a bit of dampening to the metal part of the driver as well.
There's no lack of dampening, it's just some "face-lift". Adding other dampening isn't necessary since they sound just fine.


Wolfskie, ok, i got it. Was in a hurry uploading pictures, haven't noticed that pop-up sneaked in there, thanks!
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!Reddit!Facebook it!
Reply With Quote
  #9 (permalink)  
Old 06-24-2008, 09:43 PM
richierich's Avatar
500+ Head-Fi'er
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Hayward, California (SF Bay Area)
Posts: 589
Default

nice mods!
__________________
Try out Songbird, an open source media player that links to your last.fm account!!
Portable Setup: Sansa Clip > Nuforce NE-7Ms

eBay feedback | head-fi feedback
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!Reddit!Facebook it!
Reply With Quote
  #10 (permalink)  
Old 06-24-2008, 10:12 PM
1000+ Head-Fi'er
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,307
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by QQQ View Post
There's no lack of dampening, it's just some "face-lift". Adding other dampening isn't necessary since they sound just fine.!
The dampening I was referring to is the paper/felt covering the holes not the badge, I found that it made the bass too "loose" for my personal taste. ymmv.

Last edited by JadeEast; 06-24-2008 at 10:15 PM.
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!Reddit!Facebook it!
Reply With Quote
  #11 (permalink)  
Old 06-24-2008, 10:21 PM
QQQ's Avatar
QQQ QQQ is offline
Headphoneus Supremus
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Eurasia
Posts: 2,554
Default

Possibly an amp issue. Bass is anything but loose. Never tried them unamped though.
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!Reddit!Facebook it!
Reply With Quote
  #12 (permalink)  
Old 06-24-2008, 10:27 PM
fatman711's Avatar
Member of the Trade:
JMoney Audio
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Kingston Ontario, Canada
Posts: 1,342
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by JadeEast View Post
The dampening I was referring to is the paper/felt covering the holes not the badge, I found that it made the bass too "loose" for my personal taste. ymmv.
x2. I did this on my old set of sr80s and I thought that they ruined the sound. All the treble left and I was left with bloated, muffled, crap bass...just my 2 cents though of course
__________________
Feedback

JMoney Audio Feedback thread (Formerly known as HeadCoverage)


DAPs: Ipod 5g 60gb with woodie Case, Kenwood HD30gb9

Amps: AMPLESS at the moment...:(

Headphones: HF1s, Sextetts LP, MS1s, Ebony Darth Beyers, Denon D2000s (coming)

Cables: Various HC cables.

Team Grado, Team Alizée
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!Reddit!Facebook it!
Reply With Quote
  #13 (permalink)  
Old 06-24-2008, 10:39 PM
QQQ's Avatar
QQQ QQQ is offline
Headphoneus Supremus
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Eurasia
Posts: 2,554
Default

How many holes did you opened?
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!Reddit!Facebook it!
Reply With Quote
  #14 (permalink)  
Old 06-25-2008, 02:30 AM
fatman711's Avatar
Member of the Trade:
JMoney Audio
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Kingston Ontario, Canada
Posts: 1,342
Default

If I remember correctly, it looked pretty similar to how your holes are spread out. Personally, I did not like it.
__________________
Feedback

JMoney Audio Feedback thread (Formerly known as HeadCoverage)


DAPs: Ipod 5g 60gb with woodie Case, Kenwood HD30gb9

Amps: AMPLESS at the moment...:(

Headphones: HF1s, Sextetts LP, MS1s, Ebony Darth Beyers, Denon D2000s (coming)

Cables: Various HC cables.

Team Grado, Team Alizée
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!Reddit!Facebook it!
Reply With Quote
  #15 (permalink)  
Old 06-25-2008, 02:36 AM
Headphoneus Supremus:
His body's not a canvas, and he wasn't raised by apes.
 
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Canada
Posts: 3,106
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by fatman711 View Post
x2. I did this on my old set of sr80s and I thought that they ruined the sound. All the treble left and I was left with bloated, muffled, crap bass
I had the exact same experience and results about 10 years ago. Took a couple of days for me to realize I had totally f--ked up my SR80.
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!Reddit!Facebook it!
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off



All times are GMT. The time now is 01:35 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2009, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
SEO by vBSEO 3.3.2
Head-Fi.org