How To Build One Of The World's Finest Dynamic Headphones (markl Denon AH-D5000 Mods) - Page 5 - Head-Fi: Covering Headphones, Earphones and Portable Audio

nnotis · #61 (**permalink**) 03-06-2008, 06:51 PM

Thanks markl! Thanks to your articulate instructions, this looks to be the DIY task that non DIY people can finish.

How would you compare the bass quality and extension of your Denon mods to those of the L3000s?

It's exciting to hear that your mods are more detailed than the R10s. How do you think they compare to the Qualias in that department?

vcoheda · #62 (**permalink**) 03-06-2008, 07:41 PM

we really need another head-fier who owns an R10 to get a hold of these modded D5000s to compare the two.

Maybe Markl could loan his pair out to some R10 owners.

kenratboy · #63 (**permalink**) 03-06-2008, 07:49 PM

You are a God among men.

Kabeer · #64 (**permalink**) 03-06-2008, 10:38 PM

I tried applying pressure to the pad and twisting counter clockwise, on my D2000, but the pad doesnt pop off :s. What's the deal?

Gradofan2 · #65 (**permalink**) 03-07-2008, 02:07 AM

I've had that problem with jar lids before. I just give 'em a good whack on the counter to loosen the seal. You might try that... or... maybe a whack with a hammer. Works every time.

(Just kidding - don't do it)

Dreadhead · #66 (**permalink**) 03-07-2008, 03:03 AM

Well I did the full markl mod (more or less) to my phones. Instead of the fiberfill in the pads I rolled up more of the foam and used that to do the turning and it worked great and you don't have to use the cups.

Also I found a trick for getting the air holes to line up: cut the firs holes that line up to the screws and then put the dynamat on the other side of the driver this will leave the air holes indented in the silver side of the dynamat for "easy" punching.

Thanks you markl. The bass is now under control and the mids and highs get to really show their stuff. Amazing.

Cheers,
Chris

arteom · #67 (**permalink**) 03-07-2008, 03:43 AM

Anyone compare the difference between a markl modded d2000 and a d5000? I would REALLY like to know if it would be worth spending the extra 300 or so hundred to upgrade to the d5000. Or are the wood cups essentially cosmetic? Especially considering the dynamat mod inside the cups.

soundfreq · #68 (**permalink**) 03-07-2008, 03:44 AM

nice one dreadhead! how long did it take you to finish the mod?

soundfreq · #69 (**permalink**) 03-07-2008, 03:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arteom

Anyone compare the difference between a markl modded d2000 and a d5000? I would REALLY like to know if it would be worth spending the extra 300 or so hundred to upgrade to the d5000. Or are the wood cups essentially cosmetic? Especially considering the dynamat mod inside the cups.

i haven't heard the d2000, but other head-fiers (read from other posts) thought the woodies are cosmetic, not like the ATs.

Nattydraddy · #70 (**permalink**) 03-07-2008, 10:47 AM

I know one who had both, D2000 and D5000 and he likes his D5000 more than the D2000. The D5000 has a more balanced sound and the D2000 has more pronounced bass and highs [for him].

I don´t know if it has something to do with the resonance of the wooden earcups. There are other ways to reconcile the sound, too.

The cups of the D2000 are realy not bad, they are not out of plastic, it´s a composite, mostly metal.

The bigger difference between the D5000 and the D2000 is in the cable. But if you do the full Markl mod, you replace the original cable anyway. And the earcups will sound the same, ´cause you put some damping material inside them.

HDen · #71 (**permalink**) 03-07-2008, 10:53 AM

I think there's a difference with the bass when comparing the d2000s to d5000s, I'm not sure if the mod will make it sound as good as the d5000s though...

Dreadhead · #72 (**permalink**) 03-07-2008, 12:34 PM

Well I didn't do the cable change (nor will I be, I'm not a re-cabling believer). The markl mod versions do sound entirely different than stock. The bass is there but now it's under control. It's interesting at first you wonder if there is any there at all because compared to the stock phones it's much less but it's there and it sounds right and seems in balance with the rest of the sound.

I can't believe that the cable is all that's different between the D5000 and the D2000. Sorry but at that price difference I don't buy it. If it is the case then rock on

I will be taking off the stock terminator tonight to put on a pair of XLR connectors to plug into my GS-X.

One thing to be careful with: I took the ear cup and drivers entirely apart when I did this mod and this meant that I had 8 screws on the table at the same time. I messed up and put the wood cup ones as the mounting screws to the head band but when I tried to correct this the holes were now too big for the slightly smaller original screws. So I had to do a switch and now the wood cup screws are mounting the driver to the head band and the other ones are in the wood cup. It works fine but it's a little different looking. I'll see if there is some way to fix this but I haven't come up with anything yet.

Gradofan2 · #73 (**permalink**) 03-07-2008, 12:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dreadhead

Well I didn't do the cable change (nor will I be, I'm not a re-cabling believer). The markl mod versions do sound entirely different than stock. The bass is there but now it's under control. It's interesting at first you wonder if there is any there at all because compared to the stock phones it's much less but it's there and it sounds right and seems in balance with the rest of the sound.

I can't believe that the cable is all that's different between the D5000 and the D2000. Sorry but at that price difference I don't buy it. If it is the case then rock on

I will be taking off the stock terminator tonight to put on a pair of XLR connectors to plug into my GS-X.

One thing to be careful with: I took the ear cup and drivers entirely apart when I did this mod and this meant that I had 8 screws on the table at the same time. I messed up and put the wood cup ones as the mounting screws to the head band but when I tried to correct this the holes were now too big for the slightly smaller original screws. So I had to do a switch and now the wood cup screws are mounting the driver to the head band and the other ones are in the wood cup. It works fine but it's a little different looking. I'll see if there is some way to fix this but I haven't come up with anything yet.

I don't know what you're working with, because I've never seen them... but... you might try this...

Take a small piece of wood (e.g. match stick, or toothpick, etc.), cut it to fit (e.g. length and thickness) and press into the empty screw hole... and... then reinsert the screw and tighten, being careful not to overtighten. The piece of wood does / should not fill the hole... but... just take up some of the space in the hole - say... about half of it, or so.

This will work... if... the screws are self-threading wood screws. If they're metal / machine screws / bolts then it may not... or... it may be more difficult. A match stick will work better because the wood is softer.

You might also use some wood filler, but that is messy and you may have to work more carefully to avoid over filling the holes, etc. Others have suggested using "Lock-tite" - I'm not sure how this would work, but it might.

Of course, you could always go to a good hardware store and see what kind of screws they might have that would be a small bit larger to replace the ones in your ear cups... to leave your headband screws free to replace in the headband. But... it will have to be a "good hardware store" that has a huge selection of hardware. They're out there... but... they're often not a chain - though you might try Home Depot, or Ace - but, I doubt they'll have enough of a selection.

And... you could even just contact the Denon support/service center online and order some headband screws to replace those.

stevenkelby · #74 (**permalink**) 03-07-2008, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dreadhead

Well I didn't do the cable change (nor will I be, I'm not a re-cabling believer).

And that's the way it will stay if you never try them!

Loctite won't work well on wood. PVA glue and/or a bit of the aforementioned matchstick works best.

Dreadhead · #75 (**permalink**) 03-07-2008, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevenkelby

And that's the way it will stay if you never try them!

Loctite won't work well on wood. PVA glue and/or a bit of the aforementioned matchstick works best.

That's True

I bought the Head Room stock balanced cable for the HD-650's but I really couldn't tell difference between it and the stock Senn cable in SE mode. I'll dig out the stock cable and give it a try again because I don't want to be close minded.

Thanks to both you and other poster. I've done the wood plug trick plenty of times before on other projects but this hole is so tiny I thought it wouldn't work but hey it's worth a swing. It's not the hole in the wood cup that's the issue it's the plastic ones and if I want a new plate I'd need to by a new driver and etc which is more trouble than it's worth to me.