[Jesterphile]

Quote:

I'll take that as a complement 

 *super smug-face*
 
Just be careful if you do - it's IMPOSSIBLE to adjust, so you kinda have to get it right first time.

I was considering modifying it to be somewhat adjustable... Need to think about it some more

 

[Clemmaster]

Quote:

I now own (probably) the most comfortable HE-500 in the universe.
 
 

 
I just used materials I already had at home - a black leather sample and thick red plastic thread.
I think it's prettier than the fat cushion thing you can buy, and probably more comfortable, as the soft leather forms to the shape of my head.
- it's just as comfortable (if not more) as my vintage AKGs and original Beyer DT990.
 
I think my head is fairly small, so I don't think this mod will work for everyone.
The normal headband rods are fully extended, and I used about 405mm of leather to do this mod.

 
With the pads you have, you definitely don't own the most comfortable HE-500 

The Alpha Pads (and the likes) would take you much closer to that claim 

 

[GREQ]

Quote:

 
With the pads you have, you definitely don't own the most comfortable HE-500 

The Alpha Pads (and the likes) would take you much closer to that claim 

Actually the velours never really bothered me. Even after stretching it out as much as I have, it's just the headband which digs into my skull after an hour or so. 
I suppose I'll have to source some lambskin at some point to more firmly stake my claim 

.... not sure I'm prepared to dig that deep into the coffers for new earpads.

 

[jerg]

Quote:

I now own (probably) the most comfortable HE-500 in the universe.
 
 

 
I just used materials I already had at home - a black leather sample and thick red plastic thread.
I think it's prettier than the fat cushion thing you can buy, and probably more comfortable, as the soft leather forms to the shape of my head.
- it's just as comfortable (if not more) as my vintage AKGs and original Beyer DT990.
 
I think my head is fairly small, so I don't think this mod will work for everyone.
The normal headband rods are fully extended, and I used about 405mm of leather to do this mod.

You should start selling these as kits! Maybe replace the sewing spots with snap fasteners so they aren't permanent bonds?

 

[GREQ]

Quote:

You should start selling these as kits! Maybe replace the sewing spots with snap fasteners so they aren't permanent bonds?

Sounds like an excellent idea. 
Maybe I can even try out some different colour leathers. 
I know I've got some brown lying around, but I don't have any pop fasteners. 

 

[jerg]

Quote:

Sounds like an excellent idea. 
Maybe I can even try out some different colour leathers. 
I know I've got some brown lying around, but I don't have any pop fasteners. 

If you get it perfected, I'd like to commission a unit from you if you got the time to make another one!

 

[kenshinhimura]

I'd be interested in that too GREQ depending on price.

 

[GREQ]

Quote:

If you get it perfected, I'd like to commission a unit from you if you got the time to make another one!
 
Quote

I'd be interested in that too GREQ depending on price. 

I'll try to figure out a way to make it more adjustable without losing strength. 
First thing that comes to mind is velcro, but I just hate the stuff and it doesn't last.. and it's ugly as sin.... but cheap and very practical...
But where's the fun in that? 

 
Well I'm certainly no craftsman, so I would probably just charge a little over what it costs to make. 
If it's to USA, you'll end up paying more postage probably! 

 
I can probably start prototyping late next week if I can get to the city on the weekend, or latest Tuesday.
I'll keep you guys updated.

 

[jerg]

Quote:

I'll try to figure out a way to make it more adjustable without losing strength. 
First thing that comes to mind is velcro, but I just hate the stuff and it doesn't last.. and it's ugly as sin.... but cheap and very practical...
But where's the fun in that? 

 
Well I'm certainly no craftsman, so I would probably just charge a little over what it costs to make. 
If it's to USA, you'll end up paying more postage probably! 

 
I can probably start prototyping late next week if I can get to the city on the weekend, or latest Tuesday.
I'll keep you guys updated.

One solution is some sort of elastic connection between the leather strap and the headband to give the accommodation to different headsizes, and that requires you to 1) find suitable elastic material and 2) devise some sort of reliable way of binding the leather -> elastic -> headband.
 
Alternatively, you could maybe do something similar to leather belts, where you give a few "sizes" for the leather strap to snap into, with a male snap fastener on the end, and a series of female snap fasteners to choose "size" from.
 
The third way is ofc velcro like you mentioned.

 

[nassq8]

Quote:

just saying that my country is too hot... close to 50 celcius in day time so i dare not put such a big thing on my head

I live in Kuwait with 55 C in mid July, but enjoy every headphone under 20 C air-conditioned house. 

 

[GREQ]

Quote:

One solution is some sort of elastic connection between the leather strap and the headband to give the accommodation to different headsizes, and that requires you to 1) find suitable elastic material and 2) devise some sort of reliable way of binding the leather -> elastic -> headband.
 
Alternatively, you could maybe do something similar to leather belts, where you give a few "sizes" for the leather strap to snap into, with a male snap fastener on the end, and a series of female snap fasteners to choose "size" from.
 
The third way is ofc velcro like you mentioned.

In my head, the best idea right now is a double sided button, like a cufflink... just need to figure out how to adjust... maybe two button holes for 'loose' or 'tight' (4 on each side).

 

[kenshinhimura]

I'll try to figure out a way to make it more adjustable without losing strength. 

First thing that comes to mind is velcro, but I just hate the stuff and it doesn't last.. and it's ugly as sin.... but cheap and very practical...
But where's the fun in that? 

Well I'm certainly no craftsman, so I would probably just charge a little over what it costs to make. 

If it's to USA, you'll end up paying more postage probably! 

I can probably start prototyping late next week if I can get to the city on the weekend, or latest Tuesday.
I'll keep you guys updated.

I'm very interested. I feel like my head is a little too small for my he-500 and it puts added weight from not spreading evenly across my head so this would probably help a lot. Feel free to send me a PM when you are ready. Thanks

 

[Limniscate]

Can the power outlet make a difference in sound quality?  I listened to my HE500 at my brother's house and compared the O2/ODAC to the ASUS Essence One.  I'm pretty sure that I could tell the difference, but when I listened to the comparison at my house, I can't tell a difference.  The only thing that I can think of that's different is the power outlet.  The Essence One was plugged into a cryo'd receptacle at his house.  My house has old wiring and isn't even grounded properly.  

 

[khaine1711]

Quote:

Can the power outlet make a difference in sound quality?  I listened to my HE500 at my brother's house and compared the O2/ODAC to the ASUS Essence One.  I'm pretty sure that I could tell the difference, but when I listened to the comparison at my house, I can't tell a difference.  The only thing I think of that's different is the power outlet.  The Essence One was plugged into a cryo'd receptacle at his house.  My house has old wiring and isn't even grounded properly.  

Yes, but not in the sense that a $10000 power outlet is always better than a 50 bucks one - or you need to cryo/put fairie dust to get good result. Cryo-ed tube get slight difference at rare circumstances, cryo cable and especially power strip doesn't do squat.
 
If you don't get noise/interference from all of your wall outlet, I'd say don't bother.

 

[BobJS]

Update :
 
Five months to the day after placing my order, my Toxic Cable has arrived.  As an apology, Frank "upgraded" me to SPC / OCC Copper and added an aluminum Y splitter.
 
It looks nice, it's soft and non-microphonic unlike the OEM cable.  And it comes complete with placebo effect!  I did a quick A/B with the original cable and could swear just the right amount of high frequency sibilance has been removed!
 
Seriously, I'm only being half sarcastic.  I do hear a slight difference, and at this point I'm attributing it completely to expectation bias.  It does look and feel nice though.  Looks basically like this :
 
Toxic Cable Link