Thunderpants! | Page 89 | Headphone Reviews and Discussion - Head-Fi.org

scompton · May 13, 2011 at 11:40 PM

They still have to be damped. Wood cups aren't going to make them easier to drive. These aren't portable headphones.

Saintkeat · May 13, 2011 at 11:44 PM

thanks! so basically thunderpants = specific damping

scompton · May 13, 2011 at 11:53 PM

Quote:

phaedracorruption said:
http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/452404/just-listened-to-some-fostex-t50rps-today-wow/1530#post_7419365

I'd consider those damped T50RPs, not Thunderpants. If just damping an ortho makes them Thunderpants, I own 10 pair.

Quote:

saintkeat said:
thanks! so basically thunderpants = specific damping

Thunderpants have custom, closed wood cups with bass ports. See Br777's post before your post.

Saintkeat · May 13, 2011 at 11:57 PM

is there a particular kind of wood involved?

If I undertake this project I'd like to add mono jacks to them.

scompton · May 14, 2011 at 12:02 AM

No specific wood, although there may be posts about wood that doesn't work. A few have made them of other materials such as carbon fiber and some laminated paper product made for counter tops (the name escapes me at the moment)

There's specific dimensions that Smeggy posted earlier in this thread. Smeggy is the inventor of these. There's another thread just on modding the T50RP but keeping them in the stock cups.

Edit: There's also some links and tips in the first post. I didn't see a link to the cup specifications though.

Saintkeat · May 14, 2011 at 12:05 AM

So if I needed woodied cups I could buy some from Smeggy?

I'd have to buy some fostex and see how jacks can be added then send out specifications to Smeggy for notches..

PhaedraCorruption · May 14, 2011 at 12:07 AM

Quote:

scompton said:
I'd consider those damped T50RPs, not Thunderpants. If just damping an ortho makes them Thunderpants, I own 10 pair.

Thunderpants have custom, closed wood cups with bass ports. See Br777's post before your post.

Yup, just wanted to post some dampening schemes that I use currently, that could possibly be applied to TPs, especially with regards to the felt on the back of the driver.

I should have a pair of pseudo thunderpants made by summertime and be able to A/B between the two.

scompton · May 14, 2011 at 12:16 AM

Quote:

saintkeat said:
So if I needed woodied cups I could buy some from Smeggy?

I'd have to buy some fostex and see how jacks can be added then send out specifications to Smeggy for notches..

I don't know if he makes cups without making the whole thing. I'm sure someone can make some for you. Keep in mind, the cups are just one part of it. You still have to damp it. Pads are also a big expense. For the top of the line, Stax O2 pads are over $100 for a pair. I haven't heard Thunderpants with anything but O2 pads so I don't know how using cheaper pads effects the sound.

Saintkeat · May 14, 2011 at 12:22 AM

I'd only be interested if I could put it together myself. Besides I'd have to fit the jacks in there somehow..

Yup I'm imagining the cost of the mod could be quite a bit all in.

I'll recover from my grado mod expenses first then come back in here for more info.. thanks mate! gave me a clear idea of what this mod will entail.

Ikarios · May 14, 2011 at 3:35 AM

So I received my woodied T50RP today, and I've been playing around with the damping scheme. So far I think I have something I really like in the mids and treble, but there's kind of no bass. My pads and baffle aren't sealed to each other, and I need to screw the baffle to the cup, but I tried pressing the cups to my ears and this didn't really have an effect. How much is the bass affected by the quality of the seal? Was there a damping method you guys have found that really brings out the bass? I currently have black felt and Akasa foam behind the driver, as well as transpore tape on the corners of the driver and one square of micropore tape. I have a bass port installed as well but covering it up doesn't really do anything, so I'm not sure if it's "porting" anything. Any ideas? Currently my bass level is at the level of, or less than, Senn HD580s. I doubt I can get something like Darth Beyer quantity bass but I'm hoping for at least DT880 level bass.

mlantinen · May 14, 2011 at 10:46 AM

It shouldn't matter if the pads are sealed (as in glued or taped) to the baffle.

Is there a flush seal between the baffle and the cup? I'm assuming yes, so you can scratch that off the list.

1) I think that it's worth looking into the Akasa foam. I use leather to line the cup. Perhaps the foam is absorbing too much oomph?

2) The bass ports are very important. At the very least you need one, but I think a second smaller one depending on the size or your cup chamber is worth experimenting with. You can always plug the hole later. I think the size of the chamber will have a big effect on the sound. I just turned a pair of cups that had a larger chamber than my last pair and there is a difference in sound. ***FYI****Just make sure to remove the baffle before you drill any holes into your cups or whammo! You might graze the driver traces like I did and bork the driver.

3) Make sure the bass ports are not covered. This is also very important as with my first pair I could tell a noticeable difference when they were covered and weren't.

-Marty