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| Headphones (full-size) Discussion of full-size headphones. |
09-25-2009, 09:09 AM
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100+ Head-Fi'er
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Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: MEL, AU
Posts: 361
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Grado HF2 “i” DIY Mods
Ok people this mod is inspire by some of the fantastic modding threads on this forum.
The “stock” Grado HF2 is a good headphone, but it does have its negatives eg. Overkill bass, congested soundstage and the overall sound is unnatural. I’m still having a hard time getting my head around most of the positive comments about the HF2. The phone is good but not that good, must be FOTM thing….
OK let’s cut to the chase….
First Mods “GS1000 replacement pads” AKA “Jumbo/Bagels Pad”
The mod will increase the soundstage, bass is less overpowering more balanced sounding, sound is very airy and balanced. Better instrument placement, more transparent and increase depth.
The down side of this mods is the increase in treble and add sibilance to the sound. Depending on the amp and recording the sound at times can be too bright.
Too address this problem we have Mod 2, we need to place a thin fabric in front of the drive mash to tame of the brightness. This mod will retain the overall sound, only the level of brightness will change.
Examples...
(Chux wipes)
This brightness on the HF2 using this fabric on my system sounds about right.
Old cotton T-shirt
Using the cotton T-shirt, the HF2 is too dark sound very much like HD650….
Window wipes
Susan Wong vocal was too much for me, way too much sibilance.
Triple action (2 window wipes and 1 chux wipe)
Note, the thicker the fabric and the less holes it has the more it will tame the brightness.
So roll some fabric to get the right sound to suit your personal taste….
IMHO with this mods in place the Grado HF2 is worth more than what is selling now, how much that’s up to the market to decide………. 
Update 27 Sep 2009
I like to point out that this mod is not about turning your HF2 sibilance level to the same level as the HD650. The more you reduce sibilance by using thicker fabrics the more treble detail you will lose. That’s why the HD650 is call dark, veil, muddy etc etc , evening driving them balanced with plenty of power on tap. HD650 vocal has no sibilance but the overall sound also lacks treble detail, the HF2 with bagels on other hand has too much treble detail. This mod is about finding the sweet spot where sibilance is tame to a acceptable level that suits your taste in music, and not about getting rid of the sibilance on vocals.
The theory for this mods is the more sibilance you reduce, the more treble detail you rob yourself...
Last edited by cafe zeenuts; 09-26-2009 at 09:02 PM.
Reason: update
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09-25-2009, 10:34 AM
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1000+ Head-Fi'er
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Join Date: Apr 2007
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Very interesting. Does this mod address the problem of thin midrange when using the bagels?
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09-25-2009, 10:50 AM
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500+ Head-Fi'er
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Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Hawaii
Posts: 800
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lol rolling fabric. now that's a first.
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09-25-2009, 11:44 AM
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Headphoneus Supremus
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Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Fukuoka, Japan (was Australia)
Posts: 3,614
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Nice one. I am thinking to get a set of bagels, so this is very useful.
__________________
MacBook Pro → Audio-gd Reference 3+1 → Phoenix → Sennheiser HD-800, Grado HF-2, Symphones Magnums or Parasound Zamp → Paradigm Titans + Van Den Hul or DIY cabling.
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09-25-2009, 01:42 PM
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Headphoneus Supremus
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Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Markham/Waterloo, ON
Posts: 2,201
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I have got to try that when I get home tonight.
__________________
Team College
Portable: Apple iPod Touch 2G 16GB > Westone UM2, AKG K518 LE, Sennheiser PX100, Apple Premium In-Ears
Home: Foobar2000 0.9.6.9 > WASAPI > Cambridge Audio DACMagic > Millet Hybrid (12FM6, dB) > Grado HF-2 #356 (bagels), Shure SRH840
My Feedback Last.fm
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09-25-2009, 04:47 PM
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100+ Head-Fi'er
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Join Date: Nov 2007
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Quote:
Originally Posted by K3cT
Very interesting. Does this mod address the problem of thin midrange when using the bagels?
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I have never notice "thin midrange" with the bagels HF2 on my system, but then again i'm driving them by balanced tube amp....Maybe its the tubes that is doing the magic, i'm not sure just a guess......
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09-25-2009, 05:16 PM
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1000+ Head-Fi'er
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Join Date: Apr 2007
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I suppose so. This is very interesting though because as I've noted in that other thread using bagels actually produces a sound which is more balanced and airy but the sibilance is really grating.
Oh well, I gotta give a call to my friend to borrow his bagels once more to try this mod. 
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09-25-2009, 05:58 PM
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100+ Head-Fi'er
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Join Date: Nov 2007
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Quote:
Originally Posted by K3cT
I suppose so. This is very interesting though because as I've noted in that other thread using bagels actually produces a sound which is more balanced and airy but the sibilance is really grating.
Oh well, I gotta give a call to my friend to borrow his bagels once more to try this mod. |
With no tubes or without using this mod sibilance on some vocal tracks is unlistenable.
You should try this mod, its easy and cost next to nuthin to "fabric roll"
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09-25-2009, 06:05 PM
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500+ Head-Fi'er
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Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Irvine, CA
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Really glad you found something to address the sibilance, I've tried using a piece of felt to no effect. Definitely need to find some of this chux wipe stuff.
IMO the sound signature with stock bowls is very fitting. The soundstage isn't as large as jumbos but it seems more correct with me. Perhaps if sibilance was removed I'd lean towards using them.
I suppose I might as well get some putty as well as I have distancers as well that I should try w/ the HF-2
__________________
"Be curious, not judgmental."- Walt Whitman
Desktop: foobar2000 (+Crossfeed Plugin) -> USB Out -> Valab NOS '08 -> Purity Audio Caliente -> HF-2, HD280 Pro, K501, DT48A, MS-2i
Portable/Bedside: AMP3 Pro2, Sansa 4GB Clip -> RE0
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09-25-2009, 06:13 PM
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500+ Head-Fi'er
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Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Toronto, Canada
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I thought it was something innovative, but turns out this is not much different to the MS1000 mod..
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Team G R A D O
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unibook2.4, iphone3g, ipod classic 120gb
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09-25-2009, 06:25 PM
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100+ Head-Fi'er
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Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: MEL, AU
Posts: 361
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Xan7hos
Really glad you found something to address the sibilance, I've tried using a piece of felt to no effect. Definitely need to find some of this chux wipe stuff.
IMO the sound signature with stock bowls is very fitting. The soundstage isn't as large as jumbos but it seems more correct with me. Perhaps if sibilance was removed I'd lean towards using them.
I suppose I might as well get some putty as well as I have distancers as well that I should try w/ the HF-2
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You dont have to use chux wipe, i just use that as an example. Different system need different fabric to sound right...
This mods is really "horses for courses".......
So please try all sorts of different fabric till you guys find the right sound is sweet to you ears....
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09-25-2009, 06:33 PM
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Headphoneus Supremus
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Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Markham/Waterloo, ON
Posts: 2,201
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Out of curiosity: what are chux wipes?
__________________
Team College
Portable: Apple iPod Touch 2G 16GB > Westone UM2, AKG K518 LE, Sennheiser PX100, Apple Premium In-Ears
Home: Foobar2000 0.9.6.9 > WASAPI > Cambridge Audio DACMagic > Millet Hybrid (12FM6, dB) > Grado HF-2 #356 (bagels), Shure SRH840
My Feedback Last.fm
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09-25-2009, 06:36 PM
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100+ Head-Fi'er
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Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: MEL, AU
Posts: 361
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Quote:
Originally Posted by xkRoWx
I thought it was something innovative, but turns out this is not much different to the MS1000 mod..
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It was that thread that got me thinking about this mod.
Thats why in my opening on my 1st post i wrote "Ok people this mod is inspire by some of the fantastic modding threads on this forum."
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09-25-2009, 06:42 PM
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100+ Head-Fi'er
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Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: MEL, AU
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Quote:
Originally Posted by azncookiecutter
Out of curiosity: what are chux wipes?
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They are mainly use in kitchens for picking up dirt and food particles.
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09-25-2009, 08:34 PM
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500+ Head-Fi'er
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Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Hawaii
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the treble don't really bother me too much even when i'm not using a tube amp. i think it mostly depends on the recording or certain genres of music. for example, on well recorded rock music, the treble isn't a problem at all. only on certain vocal tracks, i do get that sibilance here and there.
this is very interesting though, i think i'm gonna start this fabric rolling. my guess is that it would muddy the sound a little and lose some of its details no?
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