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How To Build One Of The World's Finest Dynamic Headphones (markl Denon AH-D5000 Mods) - Page 12

post #166 of 785
4/11/08 at 2:22pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gradofan2 View Post
Well... "that pretty well settles it then" - I'd always thought the HD650s might really clear up, with the right set up in balanced mode... but... it doesn't sound like it. I thought they improved a lot with my DV332, and the various "tweaks" for them (i.e. de-veiling, cable, etc.) - but, they never quite equaled my other phones.

They just aren't ever going to be as clear as a lot of other phones (e.g. AD2000s, RS-1s, D5000s, HD580/600s, etc.) - so, why persist in the pursuit of clarity with them, when we've got so many other really great phones to choose from.

May they "RIP"... HD650s.
I am NOT getting rid of my HD650s anytime soon. They are still VERY good and very balanced throughout the range. The details aren't as apparent as the D5000s but they are there. I can't say that I'm unhappy listening to them I'm just happier with the D5000s Actually sometimes when I think that maybe something is out of balance in a song I'll switch back to the 650s to make sure it's the music and not the phones I'm using.

I've never modified my HD650's other than taking out the earcup foam which I found made them cold on my ears and a little bright so I put it back in.

I'm not a cable believer (undergrad degree in physics just won't let me believe especially once I did the calculations on the filter transfer function, it's the PhD engineer in me I guess) so the D5000s are stock cables and the HD650s use the headroom "stock" balanced cable (one plus is this comes with a SE-Balanced converter).

Chris
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post #167 of 785
4/11/08 at 7:51pm
Well, I can hear the difference between stock cables and upgraded cables - so I am a witness, not just a believer - it's not like I put my faith in cables, as the changes are real to me.
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post #168 of 785
4/12/08 at 1:15am
Quote:
Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict View Post
Well, I can hear the difference between stock cables and upgraded cables - so I am a witness, not just a believer - it's not like I put my faith in cables, as the changes are real to me.
Hey if you enjoy the cables I'm all for it. I was only stating it as I see it, and explaining why I don't have any high end cables.

I'm not here to tell anyone else what to hear or not to hear.
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post #169 of 785
4/12/08 at 5:16am
I just finished following the instructions for the mod. Unfortunately, I'm getting some mid frequency rattling when I play loud sub bass. It's worse on one side. Does anyone have thoughts on what might be causing this?

Perhaps I should also have had less faith in my ability to perform this mod!
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post #170 of 785
4/12/08 at 5:20am
Quote:
Originally Posted by nnotis View Post
I just finished following the instructions for the mod. Unfortunately, I'm getting some mid frequency rattling when I play loud sub bass. It's worse on one side. Does anyone have thoughts on what might be causing this?

Perhaps I should also have had less faith in my ability to perform this mod!
How tight did you do up the screws? You want them to make contact and be firm, but no more. If you keep tightening once they are home, they will just strip right away with no extra resistance. Probably. I stop before I got to that point, but I've heard so!

Maybe the cable is loosely touching the cup?

Did you leave anything behind in there? Missing your wedding ring?
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post #171 of 785
4/12/08 at 5:25am
Or perhaps the Dynamat is not well attached to the inner of the cups or the metal plate in all its surface and it rumbles.

Rgrds
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post #172 of 785
4/12/08 at 5:29am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cool_Torpedo View Post
Or perhaps the Dynamat is not well attached to the inner of the cups or the metal plate in all its surface and it rumbles.

Rgrds
Yeah, you've got to press that stuff down firmly.
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post #173 of 785
4/12/08 at 11:00am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
I just finished following the instructions for the mod. Unfortunately, I'm getting some mid frequency rattling when I play loud sub bass. It's worse on one side. Does anyone have thoughts on what might be causing this?
Hmmm, I have not experienced this, but my suspicion is what the others have stated, it's probably some loose Dynamat somewhere. I use a tiny flat head screwdriver and press and press and work it in with the flat side of the blade. This is why the mod I do takes so long, you have to be patient and work it in. You also have to be careful and make sure you don't overly spread the Dynamat so it covers too much of the little holes in the rear. You can carefully use the tiny flat head scredriver to push any overages of the black rubber back away from the inside of the hole, but be careful not to puncture the paper that covers the rear of the driver assembly.
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post #174 of 785
4/12/08 at 11:10am
I would suggest using a round smooth edge- like the back of a screw driver. That would be an easier way to smooth the dynamat out completely, and with perfect results.

Just work it in circular motions, and keep applying force until the entire back of the dynamat is completely smooth.

Also make sure the back cups are screwed on tightly- air tight.

I found out that if I don't screw them on very tightly, the bass becomes more pronounced, but the tighter I screwed on the back cups- the tighter the bass. So please make sure that one cup has an air tight seal or bass may become boomy.
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post #175 of 785
4/12/08 at 11:53am
The screws do make a difference. The first time I modded these the bass was still a bit too loose for my tastes (I didn't have rattle though), so I did two things that helped: 1) Installed slightly longer screws for the wooden ear cups. I got them at Ace, and 2) Added a bit more fiberloft. I can barely make out the writing now on the dynamat below. The wood cups are really secure and the bass is tighter, more balanced, but still huge when it needs to be.

Now, I'm a little concerned about the screws that hold the metal ring to the metal bracket. I'm not sure these can be upgraded as easily to a larger size. Does anyone know if this connection is as critical? And can it be improved upon?
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post #176 of 785
4/12/08 at 2:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by tev View Post
The screws do make a difference. The first time I modded these the bass was still a bit too loose for my tastes (I didn't have rattle though), so I did two things that helped: 1) Installed slightly longer screws for the wooden ear cups. I got them at Ace, and 2) Added a bit more fiberloft. I can barely make out the writing now on the dynamat below. The wood cups are really secure and the bass is tighter, more balanced, but still huge when it needs to be.

Now, I'm a little concerned about the screws that hold the metal ring to the metal bracket. I'm not sure these can be upgraded as easily to a larger size. Does anyone know if this connection is as critical? And can it be improved upon?
For your comments, it's clear to me that Mark did a great job fine-tunning the cans response. Once they are starting to meet the minimum burn-in time (a bit over 150 hours) bass is getting simply right, not too damped, not flabby at all and with the low bass response matching the mid-upper bass one, which was one of my serious concerns when I received them brand new without any burn-in, just the 30 minutes listening that Mark needed to be sure they were done.

These things are starting to sound pretty good, I'd say that damn good

Rgrds
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post #177 of 785
4/12/08 at 3:30pm

Does It...

Quote:
Originally Posted by Cool_Torpedo View Post
...Once they are starting to meet the minimum burn-in time (a bit over 150 hours) bass is getting simply right, not too damped, not flabby at all and with the low bass response matching the mid-upper bass one, which was one of my serious concerns when I received them brand new without any burn-in...

These things are starting to sound pretty good, I'd say that damn good.
I'm still trying to decide if the D5000s will ever be for me - even with greater burn in, the "Markl Mods," and any reasonably priced amp.

How do the bass and lower mids sound compared to your HD600s - are they as tight, fast and clear?

Are the mids as clean, clear and smooth?

Are the highs as clear and bright?

And... with which amp?

I'm a big fan of the HD580/600s / AD2000s / RS-1s - precisely because of their speed, clarity and dyanmics across the entire audio range. Some describe the AD2000s as "Stax with Bass" - that's how fast, clear and detailed they are.

So... with those as my reference standards - do the D5000s ever get close to that type of sound?

Right now... mine are still a long way from that... and... I'm a bit uncertain whether I want to go to the trouble / cost of the "Markl Mods" - if even then they're going to be a bit too "mellow" - like the HD650s.
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post #178 of 785
4/12/08 at 3:40pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
I would suggest using a round smooth edge- like the back of a screw driver.
This won't let you get into all the cracks and crevices, though. You'll need something small like the flat end of the blade of a small screwdriver to work the Dynamat in around the butt of the driver, clear the air holes of any excess rubber, etc.
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post #179 of 785
4/12/08 at 3:58pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by markl View Post
This won't let you get into all the cracks and crevices, though. You'll need something small like the flat end of the blade of a small screwdriver to work the Dynamat in around the butt of the driver, clear the air holes of any excess rubber, etc.
Sorry, I was speaking for the back of the cup, and from a D2000 point of view (which is built a little different than the d5000- no 'cracks' and crevices).
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post #180 of 785
4/12/08 at 4:23pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gradofan2 View Post
I'm still trying to decide if the D5000s will ever be for me - even with greater burn in, the "Markl Mods," and any reasonably priced amp.

How do the bass and lower mids sound compared to your HD600s - are they as tight, fast and clear?

Are the mids as clean, clear and smooth?

Are the highs as clear and bright?

And... with which amp?

I'm a big fan of the HD580/600s / AD2000s / RS-1s - precisely because of their speed, clarity and dyanmics across the entire audio range. Some describe the AD2000s as "Stax with Bass" - that's how fast, clear and detailed they are.
I actually thought even the unburned in stock D5000 were slightly faster and more detailed than the HD600s. Both phones sounded slow though, with poor stereo field depiction. When listening I was constantly reminded that there were two blobs of sound sitting right outside of each of my ears.

I'm surprised by the added detail that the markl mods offer. They're still not as fast as I'd like, but I'm hoping that I'm just hearing the "muffled" highs and mids that markl referred to before they get 200 hours. And as people have already said, the imaging is vastly improved. There's a middle now. And I sense space between the instruments that sit in a much more 3D headstage. I don't think there's a single area in which the HD600s are as good. And I've still got about 150 hours of listening before the D5000s bloom.
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