MB Quart heaven - Page 3

They didn't charge VAT with your order right? how much was the shipping to North America?

I think it was around $50. You need to contact them directly to find out the details. Maybe by now they have distribution in the US, I would ask that first. I can PM you their email address if you have a hard time finding it. Very nice people.

Just found that your GMP 8.35 D looks like one of the dbi headphones (the one you see in HMV), but according to this post, the dbi Pro705($179.99) is unique to that manufacturer only, interested to know how they compare

I found their email, thanks

I put BeyerDynamic leather earpads on my GMP (QP) 250.
Both sound and comfort are much improved with those pads

I used to own QP400. It's another choice for someone who don't like K701.

Look's like the Pro705 equal to GMP 8.40 D.(Listening Stations/info points/Museums). Different spec then the 8.35 Monitor. http://www.german-maestro.de/downloa...Logic_0809.pdf

Thanks for pointing that out, I guess that cable and earpads wouldn't be conformable at all for home use

This post might be interesting for this thread as well.

Good call Tiemen, I was searching for the MB Quart specs from page 1.

I am listening to my old pair of MD Quart QP400, I recently re-cabled,  and really enjoying them with some vocal Jazz at low volume.  I pretty much agree with others observations about these phones.  With some types of music (electronic) the highs are unbearable to me, while there is something lacking in the mids, leading one to up the volume to hear it.  I wouldn't describe the sound as warm.  On the other hand I love the clear details I can hear with soft music.  There is considerable low-end bass, but it decays quickly.  

 

I can see why they are not popular, they are not Super headphones that do everything well, yet are very specialized and fussy about what music sounds good. 

 

I might write some more when I hear them with a nice tube amp I have coming.  

Nice thread revival

 

I still have the MB Quart Phone 90X (good for punk and heavier rock), GMP 250 with DT770 velour pads (great for bluegrass and other acoustic music) and the GMP 8.300 D, also with DT770 velour pads (all rounder).

 

So, the DT770 pads open the soundstage?

 

To my ears, yes.

On the GMP 250 I have taped the little holes at the back of the pads, makes the sound more even.

 

 

Yes, the ear-pads do make a difference.  I tried some thinner (closed) pads and the bass was indeed fuller, but I thought they lost the openness of the sound stage.  I prefer them with stock the pads.  

 

I tried another mod a while ago, as seen in the pictures.  I closed the back with wooden inserts, removing the metal mesh.  The wood fits nicely inside the plastic shell.

 

I don't remember how they sounded, maybe I should try it again.  I think I preferred them open.  

 

Is there a mod one can do to enhance the mid-range frequencies?  Perhaps changing the acoustic material behind the driver?

 

They are very easy to experiment with, especially if you open them from the back...no need to unscrew anything.  

 

I am pretty much content to keep them now, I think I payed $99 (used) for them on eBay.

With the stock earpads it will be very difficult to achieve a satisfying quantity of lower mids and bass.

You could get these earpads. Much warmer sound more (not better) bass and lower mids, less treble.

Or you could get the DT880/990 earpads for a similarly open top end with a lil bit punchier bass and lil bit more lower mids.

 

I think there's a major problem with the QP4x0 design: low enclosure inertia.

The cups are free to vibrate as the driver works because the elastics don't provide any inertia at all.

This is why the bass and lower mids of the QP400 sound kind of washed out and insipid to most people and the stock earpads enhance the effect further.

Replacing earpads can give you more lower mids and bass, but not better.

 

To get more and better low end information you would have to sacrifice the cardamatic system or increase the weight of the cups considerably:

 

If you don't mind sacrificing the cardamatic comfort, then just unscrew the driver assembly from the cup, remove the cup from the elastics and reassemble the driver assembly and the cup without the elastics. Wear the headphone with the cups loose inside the headband ring, not suspended by the elastics so that there's physical contact between the cups and the rings.

In my experience with the GMP400, this gives a boost to the bass and low mid and to overall sound articulation. The difference is not subtle to my ears but I don't know if the difference is as noticeable with the perforated velour earpads... I'm using GMP stock pads (non perforated).

 

Another thing you could do is to get some sort of magnetic adhesive tape and roll it around the cups to add weight.

This has similar effect to the above but works better if both mods are joined together.

The more tape you roll around the cups the better and smoother the sound... and the more the weight increases obviously...

I should note that with the magnetic tape mass load the mids will start to gain what could be interpreted as real body and weight.

You could start with 2 or 3 meters per cup, for example.

 

Obviously you could use another material to mass load, as long as it doesn't impart any detrimental ressonance to the cups.

 

I don't recommend playing around with the driver dampening scheme as it is very easy to make it worse and difficult to do right and this is not the way to play around with FR.

 

Hope this helps you. :)

 

Funny you removed the metal mesh... I can't do that on my GMP, seems to be unseparable from the cups...

Would like to know how you did it.