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Any modder up for making my cool looking, but earache giving headphones a sound like lucid dreams?

post #1 of 5
9/20/11 at 9:47am
Thread Starter 

 

yHjQch.jpg

 

Ok so I was pondering about doing a DIY project on these phones. As per this thread

 

http://www.head-fi.org/t/560050/found-cool-vintage-phones-but-they-need-repair-anyone-able-to-help-a-newb

 

I love them to death because of how they feel and how they look.

I love the airplane style coiled cord too.

 

But, I realized my plate is crazy full with trying to be a musician …plus I'm no electrical engineer.

I'm no headphone maker… and many of you guys are talented in ways I am not when it comes to that sort of thing.

I am's what am… Popeye the sailor man! smily_headphones1.gif

 

Still, I want these to sound like a dream instead of giving me earaches when I use them.

 

Can someone whose reputable throw me a bone and try to fix em up for me and make them sound awesome. Obviously I'll cover costs and what not.

 

I ask the community also because I have bad ears from a old "Tubes" operation when I stuck gum in my ears as a kid… word of advice having a doctor pulling gum out of your ear hurts like a mother f-er.

 

PLUS@!@! they don't even give you ice cream after the operation lol. 

Apparently tonsils are better then ears… freaking racists. lol 

 

Point is I'm not someone with the best ear for things like determining awesome sound quality.

 

Anyone up for lending a hand? beerchug.gif

 … we all need somebody to lean on!!! I might just have a problem that you understand... we all need somebody to LEAN ON…

Da da da da da! Da da da da da! We all need somebody to Lean On…

 

Pictures here

 

http://imgur.com/a/yuLL4#g1Exl

 

What I want to keep...

 

1. Keep the Potentimeters (the volume knobs) working

2. The coiled cord

 

What I want done

1. A new 2.5 mm connector with a screw on-able 3.5mm adapter so there is a nice and tight connection. 

2. I like the Black nova pro logo but I think the yellow old bache colour "cups" are just ugly... so maybe a paint job that looks cooler.

 

3. New Drivers or whatever they are called... and any mods to make the headphones sound like a lucid dream / wet dream too xoxoxxxxxxx xxxx.

 

I will also write you a personalized song in exchange for the work as well as payment lol ksc75smile.gif

 

PS: Let me know if any of this makes no sense. 92.124531% of the time I make absolutely 0% percent sense.


Edited by duccklings - 9/20/11 at 9:58am
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post #2 of 5
9/22/11 at 12:32pm

$3.99 from Goodwill

 

Overall; first you need a budget for the job.

How good do you want the sound?

You wil need new bowls, that plastic won't cut it.

Drivers are all over the scale for sound and price,

Those vinyl pads will have to go!

Wire in that cord is less than second rate.

Potentiometers are probably the cheapest possible so you will need to replace those.

Plug end you want changed.

Do you like the Headband?

 

 

Therefore, you are left with a headband and the Nova Pro sticker.

 

So, um let me see......

You need to get some quality headphones!!!

 

So I think you might be dreaming after all. About these at any rate.

 

 

So sorry to burst your bubble.

But we can't have everyone thinking that all Canadians live in igloos and only shop at radio shack from the 1970's.I know our choices aren't the same as our friends from around the globe, but it is not quite as bad as all that.

 

Happy hunting, Duccklings!!

 

p.s. I am not trying to make fun of you,

indeed I actually had a pair of these for my first ever stereo in about 1975.

 

pps may I suggest some Grado's, maybe even just the sr80's.

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post #3 of 5
9/25/11 at 3:33am

O.K. he kinda went overboard, but are still not going to get anything A-mazing the shells could use absorbtion material. Wires would need to be replaced(with same type coiled). Pot might be fine. could stuff cotton into the pads. And new drivers(speaker) depending on your budget would be in order.

What is your budget 30 could get all that with cheap drivers but the higher you go the better. 100 would sound pretty great.

I could do em' if you got the right budget.

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post #4 of 5
9/25/11 at 8:04am

Hey, I bought a pair of those just for fun as well!  I bypassed the potentiometers but they sound like garbage :P I think its the resistors I used or something because I could have sworn they sounded better before hand... They're just fun to play with. Honestly, gutting them would be cool.  They are extremely comfortable and have incredible seal and isolation.  They would make a great thunderpants drop in if you can get the volume correctly tuned inside the cups.


Edited by wdahm519 - 9/25/11 at 8:14am
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post #5 of 5
9/25/11 at 10:35am

Hmmn, personally I would line those plastic cups heavily with mass damping, something like Dynamat, cut a piece of felt for the back, then carefully trim to fit a pair of Beyerdynamic DT990 / 600ohm drivers and insert them. The pots are likely a major detriment and should be removed or replaced with something modern. Add a cheapie cable like Mogami and you could probably get out with a budget under $200 in parts. 

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