[joeq70]

Hi, I've searched for any info about this, but it seems there is none to be found. Larry over at Headphile offers a mod to open and screen the cups of the Denon heaphones. I find this to be pretty intriguing. Has anyone here heard a pair of Denons with these mods in place?

 

[silverrain]

Yeah -- I wanna know how the Headphile-modded "opens" sound compared to stock (which is already very good).

 

[joeq70]

Well, I e-mailed Larry, and while he didn't give any specifics on the sound changes, he did suggest that I try listening to my Denons with the cups off. I took the cups off and reassembled everything else and was surprised that it sounded pretty decent. The soundstage and bass both increased. The bass was a little flabbier, actually, and I think the music was a little more hollow sounding and more distant. That is in comparison to my Denons with the markl mods, though. The bass on the cupless Denons is likely the same as unmodded stock.

The actual mod that Larry offers gives the cups a pretty small hole, though, so the differences from stock may not be too drastic. If I had to guess, I'd expect a little more soundstage and airiness. I'm not sure if putting in polyfil would work in screen modded cups. If the perks from markl's mods can be retained while gaining some soundstage from Larry's screen mod, then we'd end up with one unbelievable headphone.

Anyone else care to take off the cups and have a listen?

 

[ManAtWork]

In opposite, while D5000 is a closed can, but D2000 is semi-opened. Many mods are going to close it for better bass performance. Modification to open will made it lost the advantage, if you know Denon comes with very high quality bass.

 

[deliverinsanity]

I've always been cautious about all the headphone mods - it's actually interfering with the years of experience the headphone companies have...
And opening a closed headphone (or closing an open one, for that matter) seems pretty extreme to me...

 

[khbaur330162]

Quote:

Originally Posted by deliverinsanity /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've always been cautious about all the headphone mods - it's actually interfering with the years of experience the headphone companies have... And opening a closed headphone (or closing an open one, for that matter) seems pretty extreme to me...

If the mods are reversible and free, why not? You'll only know what it sounds like 'til after you try it, and only you can say whether or not the change is good, bad or even existent.

Also, perhaps the "headphone companies" have one idea about good sound, but you have another. If you think you know exactly what needs to be done in order to alter the sound per your tastes, and once you do it your ears confirm your theory, mission accomplished.



Anyway, shortly after release, a few D2000 owners stated they preferred the sound with the backs completely off. I think this phase went out of style fairly quickly, but it should be noted.

 

[joeq70]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ManAtWork /img/forum/go_quote.gif In opposite, while D5000 is a closed can, but D2000 is semi-opened. Many mods are going to close it for better bass performance. Modification to open will made it lost the advantage, if you know Denon comes with very high quality bass.

Wait, how is the D2000 semi-open? I don't see any such indication by looking at them.

 

[khbaur330162]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ManAtWork /img/forum/go_quote.gif In opposite, while D5000 is a closed can, but D2000 is semi-opened. Many mods are going to close it for better bass performance. Modification to open will made it lost the advantage, if you know Denon comes with very high quality bass.

Quote:

Originally Posted by joeq70 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Wait, how is the D2000 semi-open? I don't see any such indication by looking at them.

This came straight from the user manual.

 

[joeq70]

Well there we go! Anyway, I just e-mailed Larry again about the mod...I don't think I can resist! I may have to give it a shot and give everyone a full report. Must...satisfy...curiosity.

 

[khbaur330162]

Quote:

Originally Posted by joeq70 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Well there we go! Anyway, I just e-mailed Larry again about the mod...I don't think I can resist! I may have to give it a shot and give everyone a full report. Must...satisfy...curiosity.

FWIW, I thought it was rumored that Larry planned on discontinuing (actually I thought he had already stopped) his Darth Denon mods because he didn't feel the money justified the change in sound, be it good or bad. Forgot where I heard this, though.

 

[arteom]

I for one would be really interested in knowing how these sound when modded with the small hole in the cup. I do love my d2000's but understand how they are lacking in some areas. I am wanting to try the markl mod but have been waiting for him to post the final mod before I try anything.

 

[deliverinsanity]

Quote:

Originally Posted by khbaur330162 /img/forum/go_quote.gif If the mods are reversible and free, why not? You'll only know what it sounds like 'til after you try it, and only you can say whether or not the change is good, bad or even existent. Also, perhaps the "headphone companies" have one idea about good sound, but you have another. If you think you know exactly what needs to be done in order to alter the sound per your tastes, and once you do it your ears confirm your theory, mission accomplished.

Totally agree with you on this, I always say that sound is very personal.

 

[joeq70]

Quote:

Originally Posted by khbaur330162 /img/forum/go_quote.gif FWIW, I thought it was rumored that Larry planned on discontinuing (actually I thought he had already stopped) his Darth Denon mods because he didn't feel the money justified the change in sound, be it good or bad. Forgot where I heard this, though.

Larry was referring to the new wooden cup mods not the mods in general. Here is a quotation straight from his site:

"I won't be offering anymore full woodies. A few reasons. One, they would be way too expensive for the outcome. The build is complicated and I don't enjoy it. Beyer Darth V3 closed sound overall better to me."

 

[khbaur330162]

Oh dang. Right you are. Well don't let the open vs. closed dynamic debate keep you from doing it. Look at all the open Darth's he's made from DT770's, and what about all the open CD3000's he's modded, too? People have enjoyed them thoroughly. Just be sure to be objective about the sound. You'll be going out on a limb here, taking one for the team by throwing down the cash for the mods. Report your impressions honestly so others can judge whether or not they want to spend their money as well.

Good luck with the mods!

 

[Gurra1980]

Quote:

Originally Posted by joeq70 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I took the cups off and reassembled everything else and was surprised that it sounded pretty decent. The soundstage and bass both increased. The bass was a little flabbier, actually, and I think the music was a little more hollow sounding and more distant. That is in comparison to my Denons with the markl mods, though. The bass on the cupless Denons is likely the same as unmodded stock. Anyone else care to take off the cups and have a listen?

I have tried, I had the exact same experience as you, except that I did not like the sound at all and that my D2000 is not markl modded. Don't like the markl mod, it's to trebly.