[araraudio]

Dear Lowell,
thank you very much for this detailed clarification of the subject. Cantilever snap-fit joints! And to conserve material it is advisable to make the cantilevers tapered either in width of height which was not done in ths very design uf the K 240 Sextett... It is indeed very interesting to learn these terms, in particular for me as a non-native English speaker.
Thanks once more and have a great weekend.
Cheers
Rumen

 

[larcenasb]

You too, have a great weekend.

 

[arielext]

Got my custom ordered pads from Vesper Audio finishing my pimping ride for the AKG K242
The yellow wraps are there to block further extension of the worn out elastics.

Thick memory foam pads with a perfect seal. Need some eq to tame the mid bass hump leather pads always introduce but that is easy work for my rme adi-2 DAC.

Found a leather headband pad I wasn't using anymore which is just perfect for this headband.

So got a balanced k242 with more padding than the queen's bed requires. A perfect fit with the small tie-wrap trick.

 

[thee mutz]

why did you put a foam cover over the plastic mesh covering the driver, does it sound better that way?

 

[thee mutz]

Last months i bought a few classic Sennheisers from the 80/90’s and i must say that a song like Warpigs by Black Sabbath for exemple sounds the best on my Sextett EP. The sennheisers sound a bit better with electronic music and pop music with a lot of synths, but as an allround headphone the sextett is still my favourite.

 

[Majoox]

I really enjoyed reading through this thread and would like to share my experience, as a addition to what has already been mentioned.

Amping is important
The headphones are powered by a Little Dot MK II in my setup, which is equipped with matched NOS Mullard M8161 / 6N6-T. This is an OTL tube amplifier, which delivers 300 mv at 600 ohms and therefore provides enough power. Especially high impedances benefit from a lot of output voltage as in the case of tubes. The AKG K240 also sounds good on powerful transistors, but a bit sharp and aggressive on higher volumes. But with my stereo amplifiers the sound remains far below its potential - with a Quad Vena I (headphone output is supplied via the speaker amplifier), Sharp Optonica SM3636, Onkyo TX2500, HK PM645, JVC RX808 - everything sounds mediocre to poor.

Modifications
Equalizing
Increase the low bass with a Peaking-Filter around 45 to 70 Hz slowly about 6 db at 45 Hz (Q-factor 1.7), cut everything below 40 Hz with a Lowshelf-Filter, set the "belly" between 100 and 200 Hz to -4 db (Q-factor 0.4) with a Peaking-Filter. The bass response is sensational, deep and punchy and still very natural, immediately makes it a more modern headphone.

Foam replaced by felt
The original foam has disintegrated. It is impossible for this foam to have any absorption effect, it is much too thin (7 mm) and open pored for that. It is all about the hinge not coming against the plastic when wearing it, because without the foam you have extreme rattling in the bass. I ran it without the foam and nothing was different in terms of sound. A thin 3 mm foam disc was completely sufficient here that also no dust gets in. I covered all the plastic surfaces, especially in the outer ring, with 3 mm felt so that the high frequencies can't "break" so easily on the plastic and create unwanted resonances.

Ear pads swap
Because many here report about the Brainwavz Earpads, I report about Dekoni Audio and Beyerdynamic Pads.

Original ear pads (+++)

• Sounds the best
• Low bass reasonably present, not particularly deep, but punchy
• Timbre is sensational
• Wearing comfort I found very comfortable, even over hours

Dekoni Elite Hybrid (++)

• The sound has not changed much
• Low bass is raised, but to a pleasant level
• Size of the "stage" remains almost the same
• Very slight worsening of the "timbre"
• Voices takes place slightly more in the head (center imaging)
• Wearing comfort is sensational

Dekoni Choice Leather (-)

• Sound is degraded
• Low bass is raised strongly, but spongy and thickened up
• The entire stage becomes much smaller, the sound is no longer spatial, especially the reverberation is drowned out
• Frequency response shifts, peaks in the high frequency range become more prominent
• Wearing comfort is okay, the pressure is quite "concentrated" on one spot

Beyerdynamic EDT-990 V & EDT-770 V (--)

• Sound is degraded
• Low bass is erased, no longer present
• High frequency range is more prominent, unbearable to listen to
• Wearing comfort is okay

 

[arielext]

I really enjoyed reading through this thread and would like to share my experience, as a addition to what has already been mentioned.

Amping is important
The headphones are powered by a Little Dot MK II in my setup, which is equipped with matched NOS Mullard M8161 / 6N6-T. This is an OTL tube amplifier, which delivers 300 mv at 600 ohms and therefore provides enough power. Especially high impedances benefit from a lot of output voltage as in the case of tubes. The AKG K240 also sounds good on powerful transistors, but a bit sharp and aggressive on higher volumes. But with my stereo amplifiers the sound remains far below its potential - with a Quad Vena I (headphone output is supplied via the speaker amplifier), Sharp Optonica SM3636, Onkyo TX2500, HK PM645, JVC RX808 - everything sounds mediocre to poor.

Modifications
Equalizing
Increase the low bass with a Peaking-Filter around 45 to 70 Hz slowly about 6 db at 45 Hz (Q-factor 1.7), cut everything below 40 Hz with a Lowshelf-Filter, set the "belly" between 100 and 200 Hz to -4 db (Q-factor 0.4) with a Peaking-Filter. The bass response is sensational, deep and punchy and still very natural, immediately makes it a more modern headphone.

Foam replaced by felt
The original foam has disintegrated. It is impossible for this foam to have any absorption effect, it is much too thin (7 mm) and open pored for that. It is all about the hinge not coming against the plastic when wearing it, because without the foam you have extreme rattling in the bass. I ran it without the foam and nothing was different in terms of sound. A thin 3 mm foam disc was completely sufficient here that also no dust gets in. I covered all the plastic surfaces, especially in the outer ring, with 3 mm felt so that the high frequencies can't "break" so easily on the plastic and create unwanted resonances.

Ear pads swap
Because many here report about the Brainwavz Earpads, I report about Dekoni Audio and Beyerdynamic Pads.

Original ear pads (+++)

• Sounds the best
• Low bass reasonably present, not particularly deep, but punchy
• Timbre is sensational
• Wearing comfort I found very comfortable, even over hours

Dekoni Elite Hybrid (++)

• The sound has not changed much
• Low bass is raised, but to a pleasant level
• Size of the "stage" remains almost the same
• Very slight worsening of the "timbre"
• Voices takes place slightly more in the head (center imaging)
• Wearing comfort is sensational

Dekoni Choice Leather (-)

• Sound is degraded
• Low bass is raised strongly, but spongy and thickened up
• The entire stage becomes much smaller, the sound is no longer spatial, especially the reverberation is drowned out
• Frequency response shifts, peaks in the high frequency range become more prominent
• Wearing comfort is okay, the pressure is quite "concentrated" on one spot

Beyerdynamic EDT-990 V & EDT-770 V (--)

• Sound is degraded
• Low bass is erased, no longer present
• High frequency range is more prominent, unbearable to listen to
• Wearing comfort is okay

Good write-up! I'll try your EQ together with the hybrid pads, I have them laying around somewhere

 

[Majoox]

"Screen-Mod"
Since I also own a K340 and since the so-called "screen mod" is very well known and had a noticeable effect there, I also applied this to the K240. I have now unfortunately forgotten to take photos, but spectacular it does not look.

The grill is not removable on MP model, instead I drilled out two brackets - destroying it. Drilled out the inside and after that glued the outer ring in. The passive membranes hit against the grill, which has expressed itself by a rattling at low frequencies. This is now gone and the headphones play cleaner.

Overall, the driver of the K240 is not completely open to the ear, but has eight holes, which are then again partially covered by the grille. However, it is not a night and day difference, but here you are also on the safe side as far as unwanted resonances are concerned. Did a little frequency response measurement and found that the peaks are off and overall the highs are slightly louder.

Unwanted rattling
Furthermore, when I moved my head, the headphones made a noise on one side as if something was loose in the headphones. I examined everything possible and found that in the "fork" where the gold screw screws in, the metal piece is loose. This caused the noise and was fixed by me with glue.

Cable
Finally I have replaced the original cable with a SommerCable SC-CICADA 4 - what to say, you hear nothing of it. But the old cable was much too long and I have also accidentally soldered the rubber.

 

[Majoox]

Has anyone ever compared the K240 to a Grado? The thread is called so, but it is surprisingly little about Grado (search function). The K240 appeals to me more as more expensive headphones as someone who definitely hears the fleas coughing and puts on a lot of emphasis on HiFi, but the K240 does all that, provided you put it on a dark tube.

I'm considering buying an SR80 as a base and equipping it with Turbulent X drivers, its wooden cabinet and Beautifulaudio ear pads - effectively a heavily modified Grado. I got the interest because the sound signature is supposed to be similar, but it doesn't make sense to mod a Grado for so long to then be no better than a K240.

Grado is not just Grado, there are different models. The first post in the thread starts by comparing it to the RS-1, which is not positive for Grado.

 

[Zorander]

Has anyone ever compared the K240 to a Grado? The thread is called so, but it is surprisingly little about Grado (search function). The K240 appeals to me more as more expensive headphones as someone who definitely hears the fleas coughing and puts on a lot of emphasis on HiFi, but the K240 does all that, provided you put it on a dark tube.

I'm considering buying an SR80 as a base and equipping it with Turbulent X drivers, its wooden cabinet and Beautifulaudio ear pads - effectively a heavily modified Grado. I got the interest because the sound signature is supposed to be similar, but it doesn't make sense to mod a Grado for so long to then be no better than a K240.

Grado is not just Grado, there are different models. The first post in the thread starts by comparing it to the RS-1, which is not positive for Grado.

Dusted off my Sextett (can't recall what version) and RS-1 (button version) for a quick listen.

I think the only similarity between them is their (relatively) forward sound presentation. Their tonal color differ significantly, especially in the mids and highs, where the Sextett has more syrupy mids and more distinctive (colored to my ears, but very nice) highs. There is more of a soundstage with the Sextett (due to the internal reflections) whereas the RS-1 flattens everything in front. I find the RS-1 more neutral (and unforgiving with lower-quality materials). Then, there is the physical size difference where the RS-1 feels barely there vs the more clampy feel of the Sextett (a highly subjective preference).

I think both are great headphones. IME I will switch between headphones until I find something that sounds good for my mood of the day.

 

[DeweyCH]

Finally got my hands on a 3d printer, and the first thing I'm making is some cups for my Sextetts that will take miniXLR jacks:

If anyone wants, I'm attaching the STL file zipped up.

 

[gimmeheadroom]

That's awesome. How about some custom grills for our HE6SEs?

 

[dstarr3]

Nice. I've been thinking about other mods I could do to my Sextett, as well. I balanced mine by reterminating the stock cable in a 4-pin XLR connector when I noticed the stock cable was already made of four cores. The two negative poles just get shorted to ground at the stock 1/4" connector, so making it balanced was a piece of cake. But something detachable would be extra nice.

 

[DeweyCH]

Nice. I've been thinking about other mods I could do to my Sextett, as well. I balanced mine by reterminating the stock cable in a 4-pin XLR connector when I noticed the stock cable was already made of four cores. The two negative poles just get shorted to ground at the stock 1/4" connector, so making it balanced was a piece of cake. But something detachable would be extra nice.

I got a design on Reddit for a 3.5mm cup that I ended up installing today. Works really well and now I can use all my Hifiman cables with it. Ugly as sin but I’ll be getting some better, dark grey filament tomorrow that I’ll reprint with, along with some minor adjustments.

The mini XLR caps work great but my design didn’t account for the nut, so I’m going to revise it tonight.

 

[Kento6395]

My K240