[WIJGALT]

Received my K1000s today & immediately snapped 'em on to test noggin compatibility. Initial reaction was, well, not positive. The owner's manual (thick because it includes basically all UN languages) made mention that the temple pads were somehow adjustable but failed to bother with a how-to. So, fellas, how to??
I'm hoping this adjustment might relieve the migraine-like pressure the phones induce on my temples.
Also, is there any consensus on an ideal angle for the drivers themselves? Towards the head, away from the head or parallel?
Finally, there is a little black plastic lever-like thingee on each side near where the phone pivots & i was wondering if this has any function. I doodled with it for awhile but couldn't come up with anything.
Thanks all for your able assistance.

 

[Wmcmanus]

The little black plastic lever-like thingies are indeed the levers that allow you to adjust the temple pads. Once those clips are unlatched, you can gently slide the temple pads across with a little pressure from your thumbs. I've got a huge noggin myself and cannot find any positions of the pads that really solve the pressure to the temples problem that you are describing. I've tried to stretch out the orange metal bands (by hand) right where they are angled, but have not had much luck. I'd love to hear any solutions that other K-1000'ers have come up with.

 

[Jon L]

There are two small pads each side. The forward pad is fixed but the backward pad is adjustable by just gently sliding the pad back and forth. I have mine slid all the way back for best comfort.

The knobs, once unlatched, allow you to angle the earspeaker. I am not a big soundstage freak and find the bass to be fullest when the earspeakers are closest to my ears so that's how I use them.

In this configuration, K1000's are perhaps the most comfortable headphones I've tried and doesn't give me any headaches. Just make sure the pads aren't DIRECTLY on top of your temples (the small area).

 

[Wmcmanus]

Quote:

The knobs, once unlatched, allow you to angle the earspeaker.

Oops, my bad!

The knobs on my K-1000's have always been unlatched, so I assumed wrongly that they contolled the ear pads. They're actually used to lock in the speaker angle at any position from fully closed to fully open. This is a nice feature in that it allows you to find your own sweet spot in terms of your preference for the nice, tight, deep bass at the fully closed position versus having a wide open soundstage at the fully open position. For most music, I like the ear speakers angled out at about 30 degrees (i.e., about 3/4" from the ear pads).

 

[wallijonn]

Greg bent his steel straps. I have no problems with them. It took me awhile before they broke in.

 

[WIJGALT]

Thanks for the help, guys. Got the adjustments straightened out.
Still find these phones to be mighty uncomfortable, though. Perhaps they need some getting accustomed to so I'll give 'em some time.
In another post someone complains about the cheap plastic used in expensive headphones. The first thing that struck me about the 1000s when I took them out of the box was just how plasticky & cheap they seemed for phones that list for $1200 or so. They could have at least popped for a leather headband instead of that plastic crap you find on $20 phones.

 

[wallijonn]

on regular headphones the headband actually serves a purpose - to take weight off the head (or more logically, to put it on the top of the head. You then get headphone hair). on the K1000 the pads actually anchor the headphones, so you're more likely not to have an indentation after listening to them for hours. (Unless, of course, you have high puffed up hair, or you have a lot of puffy hair on the sides).

now, even the DT880 headband is bothering me. much more so than the K501, which has a wider headband. the steel bands of the K1000 are constructed so that the pressure is taken off the top of the head and presses from the sides, instead.

I would rather have all that thin plastic than thick plastic or metal. imagine a metal screen around those headphones. and you somehow crush them. how will you get them back into shape?