[IPodPJ]

Quote:

There are no R10 parts anymore at Sony.  Many have tried
 
Do they also have the earpads?  Mine is quite old and would like to change

Only for the CD1000 and CD3000
 
http://www.partstore.com/SearchResults.aspx?q=MDRCD1000
 
I don't know if these will fit on the R10.  You'd have to ask an R10 owner.
 

 

[leeperry]

the cd3k/r10 earpads aren't compatible, and anyway this link is fluff...they can't obtain them from SONY, neither the cd3k earpads or drivers. Don't set your hopes too high on the r10 parts IMO.

 

[IPodPJ]

Yeah he just informed me that Partstore.com told him they were unavailable.  That is weird because when I had talked on the phone with them about the CD3000, they said they never list parts on their site that aren't available and I asked for a supervisor to confirm that.  Very sorry to hear that.

 

[Amarphael]

So sad when a legend fades away with no heir in sight.

 

[judgeschreber]

Thanks for all the replies everyone - sorry I haven't been checking back more often.
 
Yes, partstore and sony were the first places I went after getting the headphones, and they were all out of parts.  I'm surprised partstore still lists them, especially after I ordered the parts and they had to then refund my credit card.
 
So I take it no one thinks that putting cd1000/3000 drivers in there would be any good? I know they're not the same, but I've heard that they're at least quite similar. Since the R10 drivers have been known to fail, I'm surprised no one's ever tried this.
 
But, I'm hesitant to cannibalize a pair of 1k or 3k phones for parts if the resulting R10 wouldn't sound much better than the 3K.
 
Well, I guess I'll just hold onto them for now, and continue keeping a lookout in the marketplace for a spare driver or a parts unit. Once my patience runs out I guess I'll have to sell it for parts, but that will be a very sad day....

 

[Xymordos]

I have to wish you the best of luck here
It's so sad for me to hear that

 

[leeperry]

I'll have to sell it for parts, but that will be a very sad day....

sell it as is, and get a LCD-2? as good as the r10 might sound, it's still limited by its obsolete dynamic design...and pretty much 15 years of R&D.

it's FUBAR anyway....don't forget to tell the number at the back of the driver, so ppl will be able to match them if they have the same part number in theirs

 

[msjjr]

Hi. I had Alex at Puresound try the CD 3000, and a few other drivers, and he claimed they did not sound like an R 10.You would need to source out the manufacturer of the biocellulose diaphragms and see if they could manufacture replacemnt diaphragms for the R 10. Good Luck.

 

 

[purk]

Just saw this thread.  Hope you can find a spare driver soon man.

 

[kiertijai]

I don't know that this will help or not.
two or three weeks ago I saw one R10 with bad driver
sold at a very cheap price on yahoo.co.jp.  I think the other
driver still functions well so if you can not get the spare driver,
that's another way that you can try.

 

[purk]

Quote:

I don't know that this will help or not.
two or three weeks ago I saw one R10 with bad driver
sold at a very cheap price on yahoo.co.jp.  I think the other
driver still functions well so if you can not get the spare driver,
that's another way that you can try.

 
 
The only problem with this is matching the driver number.  Unlike other headphones, R10 have four different drivers according to the service manual and this seem to be independent of serial number.  So buying a broken pair without knowing they type of driver is very risky.
 
 

 

[kiertijai]

Yes I have read in some blogs on R10 that there are several versions of the
Bass light R10 (Mikhail's information to one of the head-fier).  Can we use the range of
serial number to see about the driver matching? I think for the bass heavy R10 (S/N >1000)
there is only one type of driver, but for those below 1000 may be different drivers.  Those R10 with the serial number around 200-300 need to be careful.  Please correct if I am wrong about this information.

 

[purk]

Quote:

Yes I have read in some blogs on R10 that there are several versions of the
Bass light R10 (Mikhail's information to one of the head-fier).  Can we use the range of
serial number to see about the driver matching? I think for the bass heavy R10 (S/N >1000)
there is only one type of driver, but for those below 1000 may be different drivers.  Those R10 with the serial number around 200-300 need to be careful.  Please correct if I am wrong about this information.

 
It is all over the place and very inconsistent.  For example, my pair (SN #358) sounds identical to a newer R10 with more bass output (SN #996) and Nikongod's R10 (SN #356).  The 996 pair was made back in 1996, while 1989 for my pair.  Also, R10 w/ SN #284 & #764 also has considerably less bass quantity than the SN #358.  I don't know why either but I assume that Sony originally made 3 versions of R10 drivers for the original run.  And when they jumped start the R10 production again back in the early 2000's, they manufactured more drivers (version 4) after the original drivers ran out.  I believe drivers version #3 & 4 have more bass response than version #1 &2.  However, I don't know what's difference b/w version 1 & 2 beside that they have lower bass output.  MIkhail once speculated that there is a medium bass version (version 2?).  I was one of the last person to buy a spare driver from Audiocube/Sony back in 2008.  Here some pics for you guys.
 
  
Left = version 4 driver, Right = version 3 driver
 

Version 4 drivers (see part number ending with 41)
 

Number "3" inside the R10 housing
 
Disclaimer:  Again, this is my speculation.  Word of warning though.  Removing R10 drivers from the housing is a very daunting task as one can easily damage the tiny lead wires to the voice coil.  

 

[kiertijai]

This the blog posted by Cool_Torpedo  on the blog : The Next R10.  He quoted from Mikhail who has much experience
on R10 with his SP amplifier.  I can not confirm whether it is true or not , just for a thought
 
 
"Here is what Mikhail (who has probably seen more pairs of R10 than most) says:

There were several drivers implemented in the three life cycles
that the design saw. The very first serial numbers through about the
upper 100's were the bass light variety. Then the 200's through the
upper 300's were a higher bass version, and then from about 400 to the
upper 900's the drivers were lower bass again. The final run is known
as the high bass versions because they have the most bass response and
greatest high frequency curve. So, as far as I've understood and seen
through the years of taking these headphones apart, the numbers I've
seen are "printed on the surface of the driver itself there numbers that
indicated to the best of my knowledge, the 3 is the earliest driver
stamped number, 2 is bass heavier, and 1 is yet bass heavier. Finally
the number 2 was stamped on most of the upper serial numbered pairs, but
the very last ones including about the last 200 pairs made do not have
the stamped number and are considered the 4th gen."

The number is hard to see unless you closely inspect the diaphragm with a
strong light through the covering material, or remove the pad (not
recommended). Also, you can take a look at the grain pattern on the
wooden cups. If the grain that runs horizontally is very strait and has
a slightly darker finish than it is more likely to be a bass heavier
pair. This is what the 200 to 300 serial numbers and some of the others
that I've seen look like."
 
I think Purk 's R10 may be those 200-upper 300 version that is bass heavier.
R10 #956 & #764 are definitely a bass light version. The drivers of those S/N 200 to upper 300 are inconsistent
that's why R10 #356 #284 are of those who bass light while Purk #358 is bass heavy.  The serial number in those 200-upper
300 can not be used to predict the  bass light or bass heavier version of R10.  The message from Mikhail also confirms
that there are 4 kinds of driver in the R10

 

 

[purk]

Quote:

 
I think Purk 's R10 may be those 200-upper 300 version that is bass heavier.
R10 #956 & #764 are definitely a bass light version. The drivers of those S/N 200 to upper 300 are inconsistent
that's why R10 #356 #284 are of those who bass light while Purk #358 is bass heavy.  The serial number in those 200-upper
300 can not be used to predict the  bass light or bass heavier version of R10.  The message from Mikhail also confirms
that there are 4 kinds of driver in the R10

 

 
Well, that's why I question that theory before.  I actually had 4 R10s in the past: SN# 284, 368, 764, and 996, though not all at the same time but at least 3 at the same time.  Also auditioned couples more, one which is now Nikongod's (366), another is AYT999's (10XX).  The 284, 764 has significant less bass than the 366, 368, 996, and 10XX.  So it was very obviously to me that 284 & 764 are bass light.  The 366, 368, 996 sounded identical when I tried them side by side in my system.  The 10XX pair was the first one I auditioned, but it certainly a higher bass version. So, that's one of the reason why I stated that  the "very inconsistent" statement.  Note that I corrected the SN from 356 to 366 & 358 to 368.