I have an orignal set of sr325s.
So far, I just refurb'd the cable, since when I aquired them, the wires had come loose in the cans, one joint became scratchy fast. Some really weird space heater usage later, i finally got the damn things open. That metel gets HOT, so when I cleaned and put them back together, I chose to make sure the wire was secure in the plastic driver housing, and then set it up so they can be pulled apart by hand if you really try. For future work of course!
I then began to search for some way to tame some of the harsh upper mids, while adding some bass impact. I tried reversing the bowels, using the bowels to affix other pads, but I had my old broken down MDR v700s that have joints being held together with glue and twistie ties, but still could easily break if not careful, since this was the 2nd time puzzling the little joint pieces together and trying not to lose anything, The pads are nice for on the ear pads. They lasted ten years and show no real significant wear to speak of, and the rest of the headphone you can obviously tell got it's beating when I would carry it around as the portable set, or monitor some of the music I produced, seeing as they have that bass peak and fall off that is perfect for DJ queuing.
I took those, reversed them, so the leather part was what went on the attachment ring on the cans, and then I used the lip of those pads to affix pads for a denon 1001k, or, better even, pads of the Creative Aurvana Live!s. They have better pads than the denons. the only other difference besides earcup shape and material grade. (As an a-side, I ended up modding the aurvanas over the denons, with the mini d2000 mod, as they sound far better than the stock denons now, but with a little extra bass too compared to modded denons.)
So the earpads' lip fit wihin the lip of the underside of the v700 pads. Oy of all the things I have tried, and trust me, I have tried every pad from every phone I own, I have never heard them sound so good. They are far less fatiguing, and this thread gives me some ideas to reduce the original 325s issues further. These are a very respectable set of intimate listening heaphones, and I always enjoy using them. MY current favorate are Beyers, slightly modded, as the velour just sounded bad to me and akg pads seemed to do the trick. For the record, I have tried both beyer and akg pads on the 325s as the bowels will retain a lot of different types and so it can be used as a mounting ring. This is the first time I do not have the bowels on the headphones and prever it that way.
What else can be done, anyone have an original set of 325s? I want to continue to reduce fatgue. I am aware the sound is a bit colored, but that is no bother when am typing this and suddenly i pause because the sound was so real, I thought my wind chimes were actually moving in real life. I just need to tone down the edgyness of the upper mids, and maybe it can't be done, but then again, I have not looked through 70 pages yet!
If I did not have a tubed output buffer, they would probably be more ear shredding. It seems the 325s and above love tubes in the chain. Grados are so simple and yet, effective, much like a tube circuit, it is not ultramodern tech that gives them their signature sound.
I would do a button removal, but they are glued and the glue is on the other side of the grille as well.
So far, I just refurb'd the cable, since when I aquired them, the wires had come loose in the cans, one joint became scratchy fast. Some really weird space heater usage later, i finally got the damn things open. That metel gets HOT, so when I cleaned and put them back together, I chose to make sure the wire was secure in the plastic driver housing, and then set it up so they can be pulled apart by hand if you really try. For future work of course!
I then began to search for some way to tame some of the harsh upper mids, while adding some bass impact. I tried reversing the bowels, using the bowels to affix other pads, but I had my old broken down MDR v700s that have joints being held together with glue and twistie ties, but still could easily break if not careful, since this was the 2nd time puzzling the little joint pieces together and trying not to lose anything, The pads are nice for on the ear pads. They lasted ten years and show no real significant wear to speak of, and the rest of the headphone you can obviously tell got it's beating when I would carry it around as the portable set, or monitor some of the music I produced, seeing as they have that bass peak and fall off that is perfect for DJ queuing.
I took those, reversed them, so the leather part was what went on the attachment ring on the cans, and then I used the lip of those pads to affix pads for a denon 1001k, or, better even, pads of the Creative Aurvana Live!s. They have better pads than the denons. the only other difference besides earcup shape and material grade. (As an a-side, I ended up modding the aurvanas over the denons, with the mini d2000 mod, as they sound far better than the stock denons now, but with a little extra bass too compared to modded denons.)
So the earpads' lip fit wihin the lip of the underside of the v700 pads. Oy of all the things I have tried, and trust me, I have tried every pad from every phone I own, I have never heard them sound so good. They are far less fatiguing, and this thread gives me some ideas to reduce the original 325s issues further. These are a very respectable set of intimate listening heaphones, and I always enjoy using them. MY current favorate are Beyers, slightly modded, as the velour just sounded bad to me and akg pads seemed to do the trick. For the record, I have tried both beyer and akg pads on the 325s as the bowels will retain a lot of different types and so it can be used as a mounting ring. This is the first time I do not have the bowels on the headphones and prever it that way.
What else can be done, anyone have an original set of 325s? I want to continue to reduce fatgue. I am aware the sound is a bit colored, but that is no bother when am typing this and suddenly i pause because the sound was so real, I thought my wind chimes were actually moving in real life. I just need to tone down the edgyness of the upper mids, and maybe it can't be done, but then again, I have not looked through 70 pages yet!
If I did not have a tubed output buffer, they would probably be more ear shredding. It seems the 325s and above love tubes in the chain. Grados are so simple and yet, effective, much like a tube circuit, it is not ultramodern tech that gives them their signature sound.
I would do a button removal, but they are glued and the glue is on the other side of the grille as well.
Resonance is lessened a small bit and sounds are more precise and to the point, almost as if instruments sound a little more 3D or binaural. Volume sounds lessened a little though...maybe about 5-10% or so. Not sure why. Maybe less resonance and reverb within the enclosure? Pink Floyd and progressive trance sounds amazing! Of course, it's depends on the music source and recording. Overall, I like this cheap, basically free mod. 
.
