ATH-AD700 Removable Mic/Cable Mod Log
Jan 3, 2013 at 5:00 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 9

crazyg0od33

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I've turned this thread into a mod log for my headset, hopefully I can help other who want to know how to do the same or similar mod to their pair of ATH-AD700 headphones...
 
So I already have the headphones right here:
 
 
 

 
 

 
 
The earpiece I will be modding...you can see the modmic attachment
 
 

The entire length of cable, which I cut too short the first time by mistake...it was 10ft, I wanted about 6, and its more like 4 - WAY too short for PC gaming.
 
 

 
I'll update this log as the parts arrive, and as I actually get to modding.  This is my first DIY ANYTHING, so I'm really nervous but VERY excited.
 
Thanks for looking,
Enjoy!
 
 
 
The original post is below, from before I made this a log:
 
Hey everyone, 
 
I'm fairly new to DIY cabling and whatnot, but I really want to do a mod almost exactly the same as this one to my AD700s
 
http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1688140#post1038638020
 
Heres the thing, I dont know which parts I need in certain areas.  
 
Right now, here are the parts I have / Picked out:
 
Canare Starquad Cable
 
3.5mm TRS Plug for the Mic
 
All the soldering stuff.
 
What I need:
 
The same mini XLR plug as in the mod above.
 
A male TRRS plug
 
an XLR jack for the outside of the headphones
 
Some help on the wiring :p
 
 
So I dont want to recable the entire pair of headphones, I still want to use the wires inside the left ear to go to the XLR plug. 
 
I could use any help you can offer, but the main thing I need is where to find the proper jacks that I still need above.
 
The main questions I have:
 
What I need help with is where the microphone cabling should be soldered to the XLR.  I've never worked with XLR jacks before, so I dont know which wires go where.  
 
If I dont want to strip the entire canare cabling I order, how will I know which inner cable is the same on each end?  Ive seen the inside, so I know there are 2 blue and 2 white wires inside, but how will I know which to use for left/right/ground/mic?  Is there a better cable to use for this?  I dont want to spend $50 on cables, as I can get 45ft of this stuff for $30
 
As an extra, I'd like to break off the TRRS jack on the end of the removable cable so I can use it to game on my PC, with 2 notmal 3.5mm jacks.  That's optional, since I can just buy some of those online, but I'd like to know how to make my own.
 
 
I'd really love help from all of you DIYers in my first go with this stuff.  The big things I need help with are the items I still need / which cable is right for me, and wiring to the XLR from the headphone and from the TRS mic jack.
 
Thank you guys for your help :D
 
 
PS:  As an FYI, I've already shortened the stock cable, so I do know how to solder the TRS jacks and all that stuff.
 
Thanks again
 
 
PPS:
This is the closest I could find to that XLR jack
 
http://www.switchcraft.com/productsummary.aspx?Parent=938
 
 

 
Jan 3, 2013 at 8:21 PM Post #4 of 9
you can also try a zalman mic or any other external mic that is light and a blutak
 
Jan 5, 2013 at 11:37 PM Post #6 of 9
Ok, quick update to this little "log" :D :thumb:
 
I got some tools and material today!
 
Stopped off at radioshack, and got what is immediately the best investment i've ever made, aside from my kindle, and that is my automatic wire stripper!!
I have the manual kind, but this takes SO much work out of it
 
 

 
I also picked up the 2 conductor wire that I'll be running from the mic jack (unfortunately with this mod it can only be mono, since I got 4-pin XLRs instead of 5-pin, so I only need a 2 conductor wire (one for ground and one for sound) - if this wont work, let me know so I can get the right stuff :p
 
 

 
The best part is what came in from Markertek today, and that's my Canare Starquad cable!!
I am color coding my cables, so I got a beautiful Orange, an amazing Purple, and white. 
 
Basically what I'm doing is making this set run with both my PC and my Astro Mixamp for the Xbox/PS3 (and by default, music players).  So the orange cable is going to be my PC cable, and will run from the headset to another mini XLR which will split off into the headphone and mic jacks for the PC.  This splitter will be white, just for fun.
The Astro cable will be purple, and be shorter (I have the wireless one, so it only needs like 6ft. vs the 10-12 I'm giving the PC).  it'll run from the headset into a 4-pole TRRS 3.5mm cable, which carries mic signals as well, and that will let me only use one cable with no adapters for the mixamp :D
 
Here are the starquad cables:
 
you can see the orange where I already cut it to length
 

 
A close up of the stripped end of the cable:
 

 
Jan 5, 2013 at 11:59 PM Post #7 of 9
ive been thinking about doing the same thing to my SR-80is, i think ill get 6 months of use out of them before i start modding. how are liking those automatic strippers? i was thinking of pick one up
 
Jan 6, 2013 at 12:16 AM Post #8 of 9
Well, I literally JUST got em, but so far im in love!
I've been manually stripping the wires for a long time, and I always happen to shave off some of the copper threads, so this baby is awesome...it's literally just put the cable in, adjust to the length you want, squeeze, done.
 
I even put the entire starquad cabling into it (with all 4 wires inside) and it made a perfect strip of the section I put in, without cutting anything inside
 

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