Sennheiser Recable - Why is this inside my HD428?

So I was recabling my HD428's, cause I'm real bored... and sick, and I was wondering:  Why do this?  Why put the extra expense of creating literally a useless PCB?

The only thing this PCB does is sum the ground cables.

Anyone have any ideas?

Mind you, this is going away.  As is this 32AGW wire.

I'll submit the full picture/writeup when I finish, for those that want to know.

So here is the build post:

4 screws (#0-4 or 1.2mm Phillips) are hidden behind this foam.  This will remove the driver housing.

The drivers are sealed in with glue.  It's mostly easy to break the seal and remove the back of the housing.

Be careful here, as the 32AWG stock wire is very fragile.  You will have to remove the glue holding the wire in place as well.

The almost finished new cable.  22gauge Teflon insulated.

My first attempt did not work.  This hits the back of the housing. 

I ended up running the wire through the stock location, after enlarging the hole.

I glued the new wire just like stock.

New hole on the right side.  The HD428's have a single wire coming out the left side only.  I wanted separate wires.  This is to allow me to convert over to balanced in the future if I wish.

The re-assembled headset.

I used a Y-split for now, as I do not have a balanced amp.  I also don't have any cotton wrap or techflex... That will come in the future.

After all this mess, what I hear is NOT a fantastic amazing change, but I do hear more presence in the high bass/low mid frequency. 

That MAY be do to being able to hear much higher frequencies more better, and not a boost to low mid at all.  I can hear the sharpness (or transience) of brass and reed woodwind instruments.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blue Boat 

Very nice! 

 

You actually broke open the plastic that covers the membrane... Hmm.

 

Have you tried adding a thin layer of dampening material on the cups? This may make the HD428s more difficult to drive but they make the bass a little more precise/lean, imo. 

 

 

 

You know, that would make these phones much better.   I mean, I just spent another $30 on $80 phones, but thats ok.  

You are also correct in saying that the week point in the HD428 is the sloppy bass.  I like the image, I like the signature, and I even like the fact that they seem to do well

with VERY low frequencies.  

Would you suggest putting a damping material inside the plastic housing that covers the back of the membrane, or someplace else?  There is not a lot of room either way.