ian
Lifting Meridians by their trays
- Joined
- Jun 20, 2001
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Welll, if you've talked to me on IM or ICQ you know I've bitched and moaned about my Sony MDR-CD1700s (the only headphones I've kept around for a long time - been through many like Grado SR-325, RS-1, Sony MDR-CD3000, etc)...they really are great cans, except I've used them too much. So much that the miniplug broke! Well, it didn't quite break...depending on how the cord was moved, the channels would crackle in and out. I finally got the guts to rip into the miniplug and saw that the wires and been ripped right out of the solder in some places. What is a guy to do? It'd be a good $200 to buy a new pair used (since they dont make these puppies anymore)...
After consulting a few people (mainly Jude, he puts up with me very well), I ordered some Nuetrik 3.5mm stereo mini-plugs from Parts Express. I went ahead and got 3 since they were cheap enough (like $2). I figured it'd be better to have these than the $0.25 Ratshack brand things. After all, these are nice cans, they deserve some decent plugs.
I finally got the plugs in the mail, almost messing my pants when I opened them up. Wow, they look great....but pretty tiny. How am I supposed to solder these to the cable?
After lots of testing with my friend, I finally figured out that the short prong was the left channel and the long prong was the right channel...while the ground was just the big ol metal thing. The hardest part was stripping the tiny wire enclosed in the fat CD1700 cable. They were very tiny, had lots of insulation, and were very hard to hold on to. Eventually I got it set up and we started soldering. First the ground to the fat metal thing, then the left, then the right....
An hour and a half later, my CD1700s work again, and I am one happy dude.
Of course, if you read this far, I guess I'll give you some of my listening impressions. After not hearing decent cans for a few weeks, I was in awe once again. The CD1700s have this incredible smoothness and finess that I simply haven't found in ANY other headphones. They are especially wonderful in non-complex passages where single instruments (like guitars) sparkle and shine with perfection. Yet at the same time it's so easy and enjoyable to listen to, never harsh or tedious. The bass is punchy and tight, and definently not too much (I hate too much bass!!!).
I dont think the new miniplug has effected the sound, if at all. It's been to long since I heard them for a "scientific" test, but I can say that they sound just as good as I remember.
Ok, I really gotta get back to listening...
After consulting a few people (mainly Jude, he puts up with me very well), I ordered some Nuetrik 3.5mm stereo mini-plugs from Parts Express. I went ahead and got 3 since they were cheap enough (like $2). I figured it'd be better to have these than the $0.25 Ratshack brand things. After all, these are nice cans, they deserve some decent plugs.
I finally got the plugs in the mail, almost messing my pants when I opened them up. Wow, they look great....but pretty tiny. How am I supposed to solder these to the cable?
After lots of testing with my friend, I finally figured out that the short prong was the left channel and the long prong was the right channel...while the ground was just the big ol metal thing. The hardest part was stripping the tiny wire enclosed in the fat CD1700 cable. They were very tiny, had lots of insulation, and were very hard to hold on to. Eventually I got it set up and we started soldering. First the ground to the fat metal thing, then the left, then the right....
An hour and a half later, my CD1700s work again, and I am one happy dude.
Of course, if you read this far, I guess I'll give you some of my listening impressions. After not hearing decent cans for a few weeks, I was in awe once again. The CD1700s have this incredible smoothness and finess that I simply haven't found in ANY other headphones. They are especially wonderful in non-complex passages where single instruments (like guitars) sparkle and shine with perfection. Yet at the same time it's so easy and enjoyable to listen to, never harsh or tedious. The bass is punchy and tight, and definently not too much (I hate too much bass!!!).
I dont think the new miniplug has effected the sound, if at all. It's been to long since I heard them for a "scientific" test, but I can say that they sound just as good as I remember.
Ok, I really gotta get back to listening...
