Could it be that we've been barking up the wrong tree with the whole Denon mods thing? lmswjm went a rather opposite route to normal, cutting a large hole in his D7000's cups, then taking off the earpads and placing them back on with a vent. The result, he reckons, outclasses the Hifiman HE-5s from which he got the idea.
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| Originally Posted by lmswjm /img/forum/go_quote.gif Further comparison with the HE-5’s told me that the 7000’s highs weren’t quite as sharp and quick. Okay, I could live with that. Wait, I could try the stock Denon earpads in place of the JMoney’s for a hoot. My luck was still running hot. The stock pads put the treble response into the same league as the HE-5’s. No joke. The stock pads being thinner, get your ears closer to the drivers. I believe that some would say the HE-5 treble response still would have a slightly sharper edge, but others might prefer the Denon’s this way, possibly thinking that it sounded more natural. The modified Denon’s bass extension and dynamics simply outclass the HE-5’s. No contest. The impact and dynamics give you a 3D presentation. My acid test is the reproduction of percussion. My current favorite tracks are from the Jazz album Jacques Loussier Plays Bach featuring Andre Arpino on drums / percussion. Gavotte in D Major and the Allegro movement from the Concerto in D Minor are my references. The latter track doesn’t really get surreal until you get past the first 6 minutes. Excellent audio quality and miking immerse you in his kit. The dynamic attack and crack of him hitting the drums are addictive. The Denon’s sound is more akin to a real drum kit as the HE-5’s sound like headphones. |
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| Proper venting of the pads are definitely the most important aspect to this mod. The open-back mods to the cups are not as dramatic, but definitely make a significant difference. If you cover up the openings on the cups with your hands while listening, you can hear the mids get squashed and the soundstage compress. Hey, all of this is my subjective, humble findings. As always, YMMV! Give it a whirl if you can, and post your impressions. Peace |
