The MrSpeakers/DCA Ether C Flow tuning kit comes with a few different filters. Anyone have experience with this grill mod and those particular filters, regarding both do they fit well and what sound effect do the different ones have? And if so which color did you go with and why?
I could try all and report back if no one can provide feedback on this unique use case....
Okay, can share some words. Edit: and this is with the older tuning kit that used the circular filter like used on these LCDs; today's version is a rectangle that is only a little larger than the Ether driver.
Firstly I'm absolutely amazed at how dramatic different pad types and density behind the driver, filtering the back wave, alters the sound produced from the front wave entering the ear canal.
The white pad produced a very well dampened monitor like reproduction akin to a well treated small room. The whole audible spectrum had a tilt away from the treble in favor of bass. Years ago, I'd probably prefer this and stay this way. (Otoh, visually ... black headphone, gold grill, silver yolk rods, white pad under the gold grill? No Thank You! Blech. Lol)
When I put the headphone around my thigh and played at the same level i listen, to listen to what those around me would hear, it had a pretty well attenuated sound reminiscent of how my original Ether open sounded; of course still very audible to those around me if you crack the volume like I do. Ymmv
Now caveat first regarding the black filter. I'm running a hybrid arrangement where
1. I cut a small oval / more eye shaped hole in the supplied black filter, about 1" x 0.5".
2. And I stack that with a thin foam filter; the one that comes with Beyer DT880 pads and im sure others. This is a nearly acoustically transparent foam.
So in the center for about a 1/2 inch vertically the sound coming from the back of the driver is only and hardly filtered/reduced by only the thin foam pad and for the remaining driver height vertically it's both the thinner (than the white pad) black pad + black foam.
... and this is, wow! 1st thought was high end speakers in a large less treated livelier room But don't get me wrong not reverberant or ringy; I have no immediate need to cut any frequencies with an eq.
Dynamic with excellent presence, air, treble sizzle, midbass fullness, near perfect. Tho with rolled off low/sub bass. However i have few dac to amp chains that don't have the ability to eq it in the digital or analog domain or have bass boost in the amp so that's not a concern for me just yet. This is by far my preference of what I've tried.
When I put the headphone with this rear pad pair around my thigh to listen to what those around me would hear it is noticibly less attenuated than with the white pad. People around you and in other rooms will more easily hear what you're listening to.
I stupidly threw away the small eye shaped part of the black filter I cut out. But have a plan to replace that, so that I can experience the effect on sound of the pad fully intact.
I'll end saying again this pad changes to the rear sound wave surprised me. It has a dramatic effect on the front wave hitting the eardrum.
... hours of listening goes by ...
Update: It's been a few weeks. While I'll say I do prefer the LCD-X vs. XC overall, due to the greater roll-off in the lowest octaves with the cups replaced with grills and probably the wrong kind of felt backing from what's officially used, and the volume level I found myself listening at which fills the room while my wife tries to sleep, I put the cups back on. However, with the conditions that:
a) I removed 2 cup screws, emphasizing the bass more (I may try 3 screws in 1 removed, again)
b) I am using a folded foam filter over the back 2/3 on the driver side in the ear cavity space.
Still experimenting, so no pictures yet as the filter is just a "make-shift" attempt at the moment. I also have a pack of 4 different density filters on order and will try the differing densities, singled and doubled, with full and 2/3 and 1/2 partial driver covering, when they arrive. Haven't taken relative measurements. May eventually. What matters more is how it affects the presentation of my favorite most well known songs to me.
This seems to me to result in a reduction of the peak in the mid-presence-low treble region, leaving the bass to pass thru mostly unaffected, and the 1/3 of the driver that is unfiltered lets enough of the shortest wave-lengths out -- which also requires the least amount of acoustical energy, i.e. movement of air -- to leave that seemingly unaffected too, or making that just right. I'm listening without EQ but the bass-boost of my McIntosh MHA-100 amp that is centered around either 40 or 45hz and seems to have a pretty low Q is at +2.5dB or +5dB depending on what the recording calls for.
... but here goes:
