Orthodynamic Roundup

I have a funny feeling we'll be seeing a fried one soon. Don't know why..

The same reason that made you think of it today? 

Yes. A little ninja leapt silently upon my shoulder and whispered it. Apparently.

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wualta said:

DAC, refresh my memory, please: what's the Grundig's stock sound? Was the driver tuned low (ie, a natural free-air resonance around 100-200 Hz) to begin with?

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Can't remember, it was so long ago that I tried that.... sorry....
 
Now, for some low-quality photos of the Magnat:
 
First, the open-back with vents cup design:
 

 
... but here is where they vent too far with the all-out vents concept....
 

 
... the solution is not pretty, but it does restore the deep bass...
Notice how "120" is written on the driver. On both drivers actually.
 

 
It appears that the screws are placed in the same place on all the PMB designs. Possibly, one could mix and swap parts between all their designs....

Same thing with the Dual K830.  You can see the towel through the holes surrounding the rim of the driver.
 

 
Blutak did the job.
 

 
Results astounding.

What's the deal with the Sony DR11 currently, was their mystery ever uncovered? I just bought a used pair from a local site - the price wasn't too bad even if they turn out to be "only" dynamic phones. The pictures on Wikiphonia look massively DIY...

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vid said:

What's the deal with the Sony DR11 currently, was their mystery ever uncovered? I just bought a used pair from a local site - the price wasn't too bad even if they turn out to be "only" dynamic phones. The pictures on Wikiphonia look massively DIY...

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yup was a DIY, stock its dynamic

Thanks Kabeer. Oh well, live and learn. Hopefully the owner of this pair was into DIY as well.

I don't mean to interrupt the current conversation, and if there's a better place to post this, please say so and feel free to move my post there.
 
I have a couple of YH-2's, one in perfect cond., the other with the typical multi-cracked inner headband frame.  I live in (very dry) Tucson, AZ, the home of Raytheon's Missile Division, and so we have some brilliant machinists here who are engaged in turning out top-secret prototype parts for missiles.  One of them I use to reproduce parts for turntables and other audio gear;  and he says it would be no problem to reproduce those constantly cracking Yamaha headbands on his CNC milling machine.  Would there be any interest here in purchasing them if I wanted to have him make a small run of them, rather than a few just for me?
 
NOTE:  The new ones would be made of (probably black) Delrin.  A much stronger material than the original nylon (we think it is.)  Would that be a problem for anyone?  (I still have to find a close replacement for the fabric.)
 
NOTE 2:  Many of you may not know that nylon is a hygroscopic material.  That means it absorbs moisture/water.  And therefore, it can dry out, become brittle, and break!  So . . . if your current Mario Bellini headbands (and your nylon designer sunglass frames, etc.) are still in one piece, I would strongly recommend you simply leave them to soak overnight in a bowl of cold water every six months (or more often if you live where I do) and that will restore their resiliency and keep them from cracking.
 
Anyway, as I said above, I'm willing to just have Tom (the machinest) make a few new headbands just for me;  but I'd also be willing to underwrite a small run of them, if there's any interest.  And if there is, I'd also like to know if people would/wouldn't prefer to apply their own fabric (rather than have me provide a completed article.)
 
Thanks,
 
Neil

Hi Neil, sounds like a good opportunity to make some interesting headphones , almost wish I still had a set of YH2
 
 
On a separate note. I have had an opportunity to really examine the vintage fostex drivers. They are truly fascinating when compared to the simple yamaha style or even the modern iterations. I had not read this previously but it may be common knowledge to our master. The drivers are made by etching or printing a pattern on either side of the mylar sheet. The sides are connected in the center and the contact rings pick up the trace from either side. Quite brilliant ! 
 
..dB

This may sound like a weird question but what is the most (Joe) Grado like orthos?  That is with the most forward (upper) midrange with punchy mid bass?
I wanted to like the LCD-2 (both versions) but not enough mid-bass and upper mids.
 
Thought about Fostex T50RP but reviews seem to say they are "flat, neutral, warm"... more like HD6XX.  Would love a new ortho that sounded like Magnums (or Joe Grado creations). 

All the Fostex orthos and the Yamaha orthos have more upper midrange than the LCD-2.  Treble presence depends on how you damp them.  The T50rp has a bit less upper mids than the HP1000 (which makes them more neutral in that way, because the HP1k has a bit of upper midrange shout IMO it's only real weakness).  The T20v2 has similar if a bit more upper midrange presence to the HP1k and a similar tonality and similar bass- both have well defined, punchy bass with rolled off lower bass and gorgeous vocals.  The Yamahas have warmer midrange probably due in part to more lower midrange presence than the Fostex, but they have similar upper mids to the HP1k and T20v2.  My YH3 is an exception in that it is similar to the LCD-2 in the upper mids but with more treble.  But they've got a very specific damping scheme designed for that signature. 

Thanks.  I may give the foxtex t50rp a try one day.  I was going to buy them on Amazon for $74 and than all 14 were sold out the next day. 
 
Quote:

rhythmdevils said:

All the Fostex orthos and the Yamaha orthos have more upper midrange than the LCD-2.  Treble presence depends on how you damp them.  The T50rp has a bit less upper mids than the HP1000 (which makes them more neutral in that way, because the HP1k has a bit of upper midrange shout IMO it's only real weakness).  The T20v2 has similar if a bit more upper midrange presence to the HP1k and a similar tonality and similar bass- both have well defined, punchy bass with rolled off lower bass and gorgeous vocals.  The Yamahas have warmer midrange probably due in part to more lower midrange presence than the Fostex, but they have similar upper mids to the HP1k and T20v2.  My YH3 is an exception in that it is similar to the LCD-2 in the upper mids but with more treble.  But they've got a very specific damping scheme designed for that signature. 

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I might already own the T50RP too – if they didn't cost 120 €! That's $155. It really makes no sense.
 
A local store had them for the "unbelievably low" price of 99 €, but then ran out. I asked them if they were getting any more, and they said they wouldn't, since it took them forever to sell those last few pairs. This was in December 2010, and indeed they still don't have any more in stock.

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sling5s said:

Thanks.  I may give the foxtex t50rp a try one day.  I was going to buy them on Amazon for $74 and than all 14 were sold out the next day. 
 


 

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LFF lives in soCal and has a nicely modded pair of T50rp .  I bet the T20v2 would work very nicely for you too.  I believe Nikchen here prefers the T20v2 over the T50rp.