Nose's Grado Post Mod w/ Shaft Collar and Rubber O Ring

[noseallinit]

okay, I got a Grado Mod that I want to share with the Head-Fi community. I have been using it for a year now and selfishly keeping it to myself. I thought I wanted to package the idea and sale it to try and purchase the equipment I cannot afford. would you pay a few bucks for it? after seeing Kees post A small extra mod/ post 15 I figured I might as well let the cat out of the bag for it looks like I will never get my idea together to put up for sale. I felt guilty for never sharing it..

it's very simple and clean, it will not alter your Grado's and cost next to nothing. the drivers will always stay where you set them at, keeping them from slipping and sliding up and down the post. it will also reduce the amount of side to side swivel and cable twisting depending on how much force you use when putting it altogether just before setting the set screws. I put force with me fingers from the top Shaft Collar till the Rubber O Rings start to squash down a bit, then set the screws. if you set your headband higher up the rod you will need to find a way to get even space on either side and then apply pressure from both Shaft Collars before setting the screws.

ya just need to go to your local dealer who deals in screws, nuts and bolts. depending on where you keep your Grado's drivers adjusted at you will need to get two or four 1/8" inside diameter Shaft Collars w/ Set Screws. you will also need at least four 1/8" inside diameter Rubber O Rings. I got me first Rubber O Rings at Lowes or Home Depot then went to a gasket supplier for some fatter O Rings.

I use two Shaft Collars and 3 Rubber O Rings per driver. I have a small head so this is just about set a bit to far up for me but almost perfect when I got me ball cap on. I could actually loose the bottom Shaft Collar and use one or two more Rubber O Rings on each side to make sure the adjustment is balanced on each side and give me a little tighter fit.

not sure how it will work with the RS2 and 1's do to the different rod used but it should solve some of the problems one may have with the 325's and MS2's. I like the idea that I can put me headphones on and they are exactly where I like to wear them.

the photo bites for it's taken with me cellphone. you should be able to see how it starts from the driver mount with an O Ring, then a Shaft Collar, then O Ring, then headband mount slips back on, then a O Ring and then the final Shaft Collar. also you can see the black Set Screws in the Shaft Collars.

[GreatDane]

That looks very clean. I still need to try the Kees mod...I never remember to buy those gaskets when I'm at Lowe's.

[noseallinit]

Originally Posted by GreatDane

That looks very clean. I still need to try the Kees mod...I never remember to buy those gaskets when I'm at Lowe's.

thanks Great Dane!

my bud Tim was doing Kees Gasket Mod when I asked him to send me the link so I could check it out. that's when I spotted his Small Extra Mod at post #15.

I had seen others this past year looking for a soultion to this driver slip on their 325's and MS2's and felt guilty for not sharing my mod. maybe the Head-Fi community can get some use out of it. I thought it was a pretty good idea, maybe not..

[Zorander]

I have also used a bit of blutak in between the plastic shell and metal rod to increase slide resistance (good enough to restore it to back-as-new state). It works wonders and there is absolutely no visual change.

Cheers!

[noseallinit]

Originally Posted by Zorander

I have also used a bit of blutak in between the plastic shell and metal rod to increase slide resistance (good enough to restore it to back-as-new state). It works wonders and there is absolutely no visual change.

Cheers!

that sounds great Zorander! I have seen your post on it before.

what did ya think about me mod?

I like the fact that it's set to where I want to wear them and it stands no chance of getting kocked out of place. it's very tight and secure! adds next to nothing in weight, does not alter the Grado's and basiclly a clean look to it.

I think I am gonna end up taking the bottom Shaft Collar out and add a O Ring or two to it. maybe use somethig else altogether for a spacer between the driver mount and headband mount. looked at Beads at one time but the Beads that I saw that would work were the same size as the Shaft Collar. maybe a couple of pieces of tubing cut to the same length for each side.

[ueyteuor]

bump this thread;

this is an awesome idea.. best one for keeping grado adjustment in place in my opinion! i just bought 4 1/8" collars, and ill be doing this to my rs2

and for who anyone else is interested, heres a link for some collars:

Du-Bro 139 DURA-COLLAR 1/8" (4)

[noseallinit]

Originally Posted by ueyteuor

bump this thread;

this is an awesome idea.. best one for keeping grado adjustment in place in my opinion! i just bought 4 1/8" collars, and ill be doing this to my rs2

and for who anyone else is interested, heres a link for some collars:

Du-Bro 139 DURA-COLLAR 1/8" (4)

thanks man! I thought it was a pretty good idea. surprised it has not got more attention.

so glad you posted the link to where you purchased your nickel collars at. I just dig on nickel!

you can also find these in Stainless and Black Oxide finish. my local dealers only had Zinc so I settled for them for the time being.

if ya got any pictures that you can post I would love to see them!

[BIG POPPA]

Cool mod, thanks for the link

[Percival]

I got fed up with my Grado headband and replaced it with one from a pair of WWI radio operator's 'phones. They have exactly the same lugs on them so the Grado drivers just pop in. The shafts have tightening screws at the top - why Grado can't do something similar I have no idea.

[lisnalee]

Originally Posted by Percival

I got fed up with my Grado headband and replaced it with one from a pair of WWI radio operator's 'phones. They have exactly the same lugs on them so the Grado drivers just pop in. The shafts have tightening screws at the top - why Grado can't do something similar I have no idea.

That sounds really cool, got any pics?

[Blutarsky]

Fantastic, thanks for posting this!

I've been looking for a little more substantial solution to my Grado rail problem that would allow for setting a sizing preference. Short of an HP1000 headband and rail assembly - this is clearly a winner.

Also thanks to ueyteuor for the link to the collars!

[MrSomeone]

Thanks for posting this, great idea!

I'm using the collars from the link that ueyteuor posted, without rubber rings:

[yukihiro]

how do you guys get the black nub off? should i heat it up first because it's not coming off with force...

i tried to do this with a 3/16" shaft collar, but it was way too thick and started to press so hard against the headband that i started to hear cracking sounds........

if i can get the nubs off, then i'll be able to use 1/8" shaft collars

[MrSomeone]

Originally Posted by yukihiro

how do you guys get the black nub off? should i heat it up first because it's not coming off with force...

Hmm... I just pulled it off. If I remember correctly, (this was quite some time ago) it didn't require much force at all. Maybe try twisting it while pulling it?

[yukihiro]

Originally Posted by MrSomeone

Hmm... I just pulled it off. If I remember correctly, (this was quite some time ago) it didn't require much force at all. Maybe try twisting it while pulling it?

i finally got them off. i tried to take off the ones on my sr80's and they were much easier than my sr325i's.

anyways, i had to use one of those gripping sheets (not sure what they're called) that you use to open cans and stuff. it took me about half an hour of pulling to get it them off lol. my fingers are all red now


btw, none of the local hardware stores in my area carry 1/8" shaft collars... smallest i found was 3/16". i guess i'm ordering from the site that ueyteuor posted..

...nevermind... shipping on that site is a rip off. $14.25 to ship 4 shaft collars the size of peas? i don't think so lol