[Kevin Brown]

I was going to do the Magnum lite mod with a pair of SR125i's I have, but Rhydon jacked up the price from $250 to $300 (even though that increase wasn't advertised anywhere up until when I asked to have mine done), and that was too much IMO, and he wouldn't honor the $250 price.  Fine: got a pair of RS2i's instead.
 
But I still had these SR125i's just basically sitting around collecting dust.
 
So I had Bill mod them to the best of his ability.  But I wanted the look to remain stock.  So no woodies.  (Wood liners though.)  Just modification of the headphones themselves as-is.
 
(I'll try to get him to stop by and comment on exactly what he did.)
 
OK, so I have SR225i's at home, and I immediately compared the "Bilevideo'ed" SR125i's to those.
 
Woah: at work for lots of casual listening during the day, I have MS2i's, HF2's, and RS2i's.  I rely on the SR225i's at home for less time intensive, but more critical listening to compare different masterings of the same CD.  (Early Japanese, West German, UK, US, remasters, DCCs, MFSL, AFs, etc.)  I felt: what the heck?  The mod'ed SR125i's made the SR225i's sound anemic in comparison.  More bass (but not too much, just fuller and deeper extension), and while the level of the highs was similar, the SR125i's were more clear.  More detailed, more resolving.
 
So I finally brought them to work to compare with my HF2's and RS2i's.  The HF2's and SR125's now actually have a similar amount of low end, with maybe the SR125i's going a little deeper.  The SR125i's highs are a little pumped up vs the HF2's, but again, there's a clarity there that is just really nice for the SR125i's.  Actually, the mod'ed SR125i's and HF2's have a scary lot in common.  The SR125i's have a nice 3-dimensionality to them now which the HF2's don't have.  (I'll say this is just "different" and I don't have a preference one way or the other.  The converse is that the HF2's have an "immediacy" and "intimacy" that the SR125i's don't have.  Some people might say the SR125i's are imaging a little better now, but I don't have a problem with the way stock Grados image.)
 
RS2i's vs the "BV'ed" SR125i's: similar feeling I had with the SR225i's, actually, but ...  I really like the RS2i's: I feel they are the best example of "balance" that I've heard with any Grado.  (That includes the MS Pros, and I absolutely adore the MS2i's conversely.)  This is where it gets interesting though: in comparison to the RS2i's, the mod'ed SR125i's do exhibit a slight amount of midrange recess.  IOW, the improved low end, and added clarity to the highs somehow puts less of a focus on the mids that the RS2i maintains.
 
All in all, seriously, I would say that Bill's modifications of my SR125i's puts to shame the stock SR225i, has a lot in common with the HF2, and while "different" sounding than the RS2i, has some very interesting and attractive differences with that model.
 
Hopefully some others with Grados modified by Bill can comment on how their headphones sound too.
 

 

 

[kite7]

Can you see how many holes are poked through the felt to increase the bass? I'm not too surprised that the RS2i has fuller mids than the modded SR125; it's just the difference in the drivers mods can't exactly replicate.

 

[Kevin Brown]

I can't tell, but I PM'ed Bill to post here so maybe he'll be able to say.
 

 

[kite7]

It's pretty easy to tell if you hold it up to a ceiling light looking from the metal grill side through the fabric where the lights will shine through.
 
Just like this. I didn't puncture any holes but the way the camera captured it, it seemed like I did. There is actually thin felt over those holes not seen in the picture.

 

[Kevin Brown]

OK .. actually looks like all of them except where the wiring is attached to the inside of the flat side of the plastic in there?  I count 10 when I look through.
 

 

[CEE TEE]

[size=small]After listening to KB’s newly “BIL-Spec’ed SR-125’s” casually and for a week against my RS2i, MS1, HF2…my MS1’s sounded a bit “flat.”  I wanted some more treble in my MS-1’s.[/size]
[size=small]I have always liked the low-end and the balance on the MS1’s but have moved to prefer more “clarity” or some more treble.[/size]
[size=small]So I just sent my MS1’s in to bilavideo to make them into “Bilessandros.”  Or “Bilawoodies” (I’m not keeping the stock look but going for rosewood cups)![/size]
[size=small]I wonder what the “bilgramesh” on the cups is going to look like?[/size]
[size=small]If the mods help my MS1's sound anything like the modded SR-125’s (never heard SR-125 as stock), they will be fun/comfortable phones that I will grab often and enjoy in my Grado rotation. [/size]
[size=small] [/size]
[size=small]What do we call these things?[/size]
[size=small]BIL-SPEC[/size]
[size=small]Bilgrados/Bilessandros[/size]
[size=small]The “Other” B-Stock[/size]
[size=small]B-UnStock[/size]
[size=small]Bilawoodies[/size]
[size=small]Billamods[/size]
[size=small]bilgramesh[/size]

 

[kite7]

 
Quote:

OK .. actually looks like all of them except where the wiring is attached to the inside of the flat side of the plastic in there?  I count 10 when I look through.
 

That's a lot of holes. Do they have more bass than the HF2? If not , I'd be surprised. I assume the magnet at the back as been dampened with dynamat as well as the inner plastic. When you mentioned wood liners, what did you mean? Pictures?
 

[size=small]After listening to KB’s newly “BIL-Spec’ed SR-125’s” casually and for a week against my RS2i, MS1, HF2…my MS1’s sounded a bit “flat.”  I wanted some more treble in my MS-1’s.[/size]
[size=small]I have always liked the low-end and the balance on the MS1’s but have moved to prefer more “clarity” or some more treble.[/size]

SR125 have a noticeable boost in the highs without any mods over all the grados I've heard, that's why they sound incredibly sparkly at times.

 

[KneelJung]

Quote:

[size=small]After listening to KB’s newly “BIL-Spec’ed SR-125’s” casually and for a week against my RS2i, MS1, HF2…my MS1’s sounded a bit “flat.”  I wanted some more treble in my MS-1’s.[/size]
[size=small]I have always liked the low-end and the balance on the MS1’s but have moved to prefer more “clarity” or some more treble.[/size]
[size=small]So I just sent my MS1’s in to bilavideo to make them into “Bilessandros.”  Or “Bilawoodies” (I’m not keeping the stock look but going for rosewood cups)![/size]

So why did you go with the Rosewood over the Cocobolo. More of a curiosity question than anything else.
 

 

[CEE TEE]

@kite7:  Ah, the SR125 already have more treble than the MS1s?  We'll have to see how the MS1's come out...I'll also let Kevin borrow them and compare.
 
Now that I have customs, I pulled the MS1's from work and they haven't been getting any time at home.  Hopefully I dig the sound sig even more after the mods!
 
Quote:

SR125 have a noticeable boost in the highs without any mods over all the grados I've heard, that's why they sound incredibly sparkly at times.

 
@KneelJung:  Bill recommended either a couple of types of rosewood or the cocobolo.  I own a classical guitar with a rosewood back and like the look/sound while I am not crazy about the look of cocobolo...so the choice was easy for me.  (On looks alone, purpleheart is really nice looking to me.)

 

[Kevin Brown]

Quote:

 

That's a lot of holes. Do they have more bass than the HF2? If not , I'd be surprised. I assume the magnet at the back as been dampened with dynamat as well as the inner plastic. When you mentioned wood liners, what did you mean? Pictures?
 

SR125 have a noticeable boost in the highs without any mods over all the grados I've heard, that's why they sound incredibly sparkly at times.

Bass vs the HF2's: I'd actually say similar, but the BV'ed SR125i's extend down deeper.  So it sounds fuller.  But I wouldn't say "more".
 
My SR125's stock didn't sound all that different from my SR225i's as far as the treble goes.  Or that different from the 2 pair of SR80i's I had either.  SR325is's much much brighter than all those.  But there is variation from Grado too.

 
 

 

[wje]

OK, it looks like I'm a bit late to the party on this one.  Kevin was nice enough to PM me when this thread went up, but my thoughts were to get out of the city before the traffic started to get thick.  Then, I needed a little nap after waking up at 4:30 a.m. to gas up the car (still under $50) and drive into work.
 
I have a pair of Bilavideo's SR225 headphones.  The owner who originally bought them from Bill, applied a few more enhancements to include: mini-Quad Mogami cover with Techflex and terminated with Neutrik connector.
 

 
 
Just prior to finding these headphones for sale on this forum, I had purchased a new pair of SR225i headphones and a used pair of SR325i "Goldie" headphones.  I quickly put the pair of SR225i headphones up for sale (at a loss, obviously) to fund the purchase of these fine looking headphones.  Since the SR225i headphones were new and had very little break-in time, I was able to sell them quite quickly, but I was able to keep a sound image of them, which wasn't all bad.  Obviously, they were good enough to get me to buy a pair brand new from a dealer, right?   So, how do these modified SR225 headphones that Bilavideo performed his magic on sound?  Well, to me, it takes them from a Mid-Fi headphone to a High-Fi headphone.  Yes, the sound is that much better!  How do these Bilavideo SR225 headphones compare to my stock SR325i headphones?  Well, let's just say that the SR325i Grados just can't keep up in their current state.  Fortunately, Bill is working on a set of wooden "liners" for the SR325i headphones that I'll be quite eager to install and put through the paces to see how the sound changes.
 
To quote another Head-Fi member who has heard these modified SR225 headphones in comparison to the RS-2 headphones: " When I purchased the **** Tube amplifier over a year ago the seller had also a set of Grado RS2 for sale and he let me used them for one night and I was able to compare them to my 225 and could not justify the upgrade. They only thing that I could notice is they were more precise/accurate with some classical songs"
 
I'm sure you're all a bit eager to hear what may have gone into the SR225 headphones that Bill did his wooden magic on.  Certainly, it wasn't just the wood, right?  Correct.  Last weekend, I had to take one of the cups off to put a strain relief on the cable so it wouldn't pull out through the cup.  I had a few moments to "reverse engineer" Bill's process on this particular pair of headphones.  Clearly, the white silken fabric had been removed from the ear side of the headphones.  On the inside, all 10 holes had been opened up.  I also noticed that felt had been applied on the insides of the plastic sections on the backs of the speakers.  There was a circular piece of felt completely covering all 10 holes that had been poked out.  Also, there was a layer of felt that circled the plastic walls on the back plastic inside of the driver.  The wood cups, meanwhile, were left exposed in their bare beauty.  That's it!  That appears all there was to it.
 
I'm very, very happy with these headphones.  I love it each time I'm able to put them on where I can sink into a great relaxation of sound that just seems ... so well balanced.  I love Grado - not necessarily for the product that they produce, but I do love Grado for manufacturing their headphones in a way that allows for an individual to choose from so many upgrade paths based on their budget.  You could get away with the simple trick of poking open the holes on the backs of the drivers which would cost only a person's time ... all the way up to custom wooden ear cups made out of exotic woods that could run $200.
 
Edit: There was just one thing that I wanted to add here.  Even though the Grado headphones are quite efficient headphones (32 Ohms, 98dB efficiency, etc.) - they appear as though they can be driven by a portable music device.  However, to get the most out of them, do yourself a favor and utilize an amplifier with the Grados or use your home audio gear to power them.  You'll be amazed at how much better the sound becomes when properly driving these headphones.
 

 

[KneelJung]

Quote:

 
@KneelJung:  Bill recommended either a couple of types of rosewood or the cocobolo.  I own a classical guitar with a rosewood back and like the look/sound while I am not crazy about the look of cocobolo...so the choice was easy for me.  (On looks alone, purpleheart is really nice looking to me.)

That makes sense. I'm still trying to figure this tonewood stuff out. One of the things I've read about Brazilian Rosewood is it's balance and clarity of tone. I just aquired a piece of African Blackwood that I'm having lathed into some cups. Hopefully we will both be posting some impressions soon.

 

[olor1n]

wje - That looks fantastic. I want that done to my MS-1i.

 

[wje]

Quote:

wje - That looks fantastic. I want that done to my MS-1i.

Thanks.  Actually, I think when Bill made these cups, he didn't have a lathe.  I believe he just utilized 2 different sizes of hole saws to make the cups.  The outer edges then appear to have been sanded to provide the tapered appearance.   Sure, a lathe will provide many more cutting options - and for one to make more enhanced cups.  However, when it comes to basic cups, it really doesn't get much better than these.
 
I have 2 pair of new MS-1i headphones on their way to me.  I have some cups coming from Spain and hopefully another pair from Bill, which I'll be modding up a bit.
 

 

[Beagle]

 
Thanks.  Actually, I think when Bill made these cups, he didn't have a lathe.  I believe he just utilized 2 different sizes of hole saws to make the cups.  The outer edges then appear to have been sanded to provide the tapered appearance.   Sure, a lathe will provide many more cutting options - and for one to make more enhanced cups.  However, when it comes to basic cups, it really doesn't get much better than these.
 
I have 2 pair of new MS-1i headphones on their way to me.  I have some cups coming from Spain and hopefully another pair from Bill, which I'll be modding up a bit.
 

Any update on these? I know (from my own experimentation years ago) that opening the holes brings in more upper bass and lower mid but to my knowledge, nothing can bring up the lower bass. I think Grado themselves caught up but no significant improvement in the bass.