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Temporarily closing open cans

post #1 of 14
5/29/11 at 11:58am
Thread Starter 

Are there any devices that exist that I could use to temporarily close off my headphones? I like the open sound 90% of the time, but i'd love to be able to seal them off temporarily the other 10%.

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post #2 of 14
5/29/11 at 12:47pm

Just out of curiosity, what headphones are you using and how do they sound "sealed"?

 

I have the SR-225i's and when I close them I get a very bad, old AM radio sound, it's just really bad. I'm interested to see how other open headphones could sound better sealed, but I don't know much about open headphones. For what it's worth I seal them with my hands, but have used other means and got the same sound (tried it just to mess around and see the difference)

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post #3 of 14
5/29/11 at 3:00pm
Thread Starter 

I'm using 595s and they sound a bit harsher and colder with my hands on them. The soundstage seems to move inwards, things in general sound a bit off. The thing is, your hands are composed of a different material than the inside of closed cans (i suspect), and (at least for me) hands don't isolate very well. I'd like to see some specialized earmuffs that could go around a pair of open cans and isolate from the outside, at least a little bit. Sometimes the vacuum is just loud enough that it impedes my sound quality more than sealing my headphones.

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post #4 of 14
5/29/11 at 5:37pm

It's difficult to close off an open headphone. Closed headphones are specifically designed to handle the acoustics involved. For the most part you'll get poor results. I've read where people on Head-Fi have tried with varying success depending on the headphone and method. I doubt you'll get the same sound quality out of the Senn trying it and will probably degrade the sound to a point where you'll dislike it. I think a different headphone would be a better alternative. Maybe the Shure 440 would be a fairly inexpensive way to go for the times you need isolation?

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post #5 of 14
5/29/11 at 6:02pm

duct-tape-heavy-duty.jpg

tongue.gif

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post #6 of 14
5/29/11 at 7:11pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by FlyBPR View Post

duct-tape-heavy-duty.jpg

tongue.gif



Whoa slow down there, only modders with decades of experience should touch that.

 

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post #7 of 14
5/29/11 at 7:21pm

You may be surprised to discover that the transient sound you're trying to block out comes as much from the sides - because of the transparency of the cushions - as from the back.

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post #8 of 14
5/29/11 at 11:15pm
Thread Starter 

Hm. Perhaps it'd need to go around the earpads too. I'm thinking I could cut off the ankle of a sock, put the opening intially around my cans, recut the sock at the right size, and then coat with an appropriate amount of duct tape. I'll try it tommorow and post pics if it sounds okay and is anywhere near effective.

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post #9 of 14
5/30/11 at 2:00pm

If you want to close it up so you can't hear anything around you, your best bet is professional sound foam, highly absorbent material.  It will block transient noises while leaving the smallest footprint on the presentation.

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post #10 of 14
5/30/11 at 2:16pm

OP, one important thing: all mods are a trade off. If you want more bass, you get a treble roll-off.you close something, you lose the soundstage. If you add more detail, you lose some bass impact. You will never see a mod 100% approved, and most people mod something a lot only to come back and say "I like the original better". Of course something might get really much better, but there's always something you lose.

 

As for closing up cans, that comes with another problem: open headphones are meant to be open, closed are supposed to be closed. If you cover the grille from an open headphone, you will most likely screw the sound a lot. It's just that they're not meant to do that. I've never heard of a headphone versatile enough to sound equally fine closed and open, and it's pretty much impossible to do so while keeping the same sound signature. Would be funny to see, though.

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post #11 of 14
5/30/11 at 2:24pm
Thread Starter 

Oh I don't need quality, I just need a cheap 5 dollar mod for when the vacuum cleaner is on and i dont need high quality sound.


Edited by ffdpmaggot - 5/30/11 at 2:58pm
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post #12 of 14
5/30/11 at 3:00pm
Thread Starter 

So I'm beginning doing the sock mod, initial impressions, the sock manages to attenuate some sound without sacrificing too much quality (based on tests on the right ear). My socks are a bit large for this, ideally youll want ankle-cut socks, and youll want a "small" size i think.

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post #13 of 14
5/30/11 at 3:45pm

Socks are mostly wool and cotton, if I'm correct. They won't block much. If you try something up the fake-leathe pads you might be more impressed.

 

Or you can have some sound quality with a lot of isolation: IEMs!!!


Edited by LizardKing1 - 5/30/11 at 3:47pm
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post #14 of 14
5/30/11 at 4:00pm
Thread Starter 

I already own a pair, i've been spoiled by the 595's comfort, jamming plastic earpieces into my ears no longer passes as "acceptable". I was hopinh maybe someone's seen a specialized grill cap that snaps into the grill? Ideallyit would be plastic with about half an inch of sound reducing foam on the inside, and a laminate of some sort on the outside. Then maybe a really tiny leatherette pad to line the inside of my earcups.


Edited by ffdpmaggot - 5/30/11 at 4:02pm
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