[sikki-six]

Live 2 has clearly more bass. To my ears it sounded a bit too soft and warm, that extra bass does that. In rock music bass guitars are quite upfront. The first version is more balanced when comparing lows and highs. The 2's have a sturdier build though. I find the first version better in SQ, but cheaper/flimsier in build quality.

 

[gandroider]

  Live 2 has clearly more bass. To my ears it sounded a bit too soft and warm, that extra bass does that. In rock music bass guitars are quite upfront. The first version is more balanced when comparing lows and highs. The 2's have a sturdier build though. I find the first version better in SQ, but cheaper/flimsier in build quality.

 
Thank you for the info.
 
I guess I'd stick to my old CAL! and search for another choice..

 

[Decommo]

Hello, I recently got Creative Aurvana Live! and like the sound very much. It is great price to performance can indeed. I found that the earpad is a bit smaller than my ear and it makes my ear soar with long listening session. Has anyone replaced their earpad with slightly larger one and if so, which earpad do you recommend? Thank you.

 

[Decommo]

 

   
Great tips! Do you mind taking a photo from a different view, I have some problem understanding all the terms since english isn't my main language and I'm pretty rookie at headphones.
 
Must say I've fallen in love with my CAL!'s. They combine awesome bang for the buck soundwise as well as good comfort.

I did the same mod, here's a how to.
 
 

 

 

 

 

 
Awesome. Thank you so much for sharing. I will do this today to make it more transportable.

 

[Decommo]

  Hello, I recently got Creative Aurvana Live! and like the sound very much. It is great price to performance can indeed. I found that the earpad is a bit smaller than my ear and it makes my ear soar with long listening session. Has anyone replaced their earpad with slightly larger one and if so, which earpad do you recommend? Thank you.

 
I read all of previous threads and found that HM5 Memory foam pad is good alternative. I will go ahead with this one and see how it improves in terms of comfort and sound. Thank you.

 

[Moonwalker]

Hi!
 
I' using my modded CAL! for some 2 years now.
There were numerous steps I've taken to make them betterr suit my listening preferences.
Stock they were bass heavy for me, almost unbearable.
 
There is a list of steps I did  - only those I found good were left and are listed.
 
- 2-3mm thick layer of felt in the cups - decreases speed somewhat, but on louder passages there is now less hollow, cupped signature
- thin layer of fiberloft on top of it - decreases resonance frequency from 55-60 Hz to some 45-50 Hz
- paper covering magnet vent removed, thin 1.5mm foam ring glued to magnet - some spike around 4-5 kHz is reduced
- 1 pinhole hole on driver backside covered by adhesive breathable paper piece - midbass is reduced by some 3 dB
- front baffle covered - glued - by 1mm thick felt oval, with driver circle cut out - for me, it makes localisation more precise and let the drivers quite disappear
- instead of stock pleather pads, those from Sennheiser PC320 are used - some jersey surface - makes bass lot less present and reduces some spikes and valleys in low to mid treble
- inside them is about 10cm piece of thin 5*5mm foam on rear side of pads, forming semi-circle to make them roomy for my ears and dampen treble a bit
 
Bass is now still a bit loose, but present, vocal range seems OK, not recessed, and treble just sparks a bit.
They are not LIVE! anymore, just inconspicuous allowing longer listening sessions for me. But, they are not laid-back IMO.
 
Overall, I'm satisfied now, even without recabling or wooden cups...
 
Moonwalker

 

[Butter123]

After the Dynamat and a simple canare cable, it sounds just like a baby denon d2000, but the high is a bit lacking comparing to its bigger brothers.
The CAL is one of the best closed sub$100 closed headphone
Sounds good without an amp

 

[Incipit]

Can't understand what all of you talking about, guys - as for me, these headphones are absolutely harsh and unnatural sounding, with ear-piercing highs and sharp middle frequencies. I didn't even try any mods, because they are simply horrible. Personally I would stick with Sennheisers, Creative (or Denon, nevertheless) is crap, period.

 

[dakanao]

Can't understand what all of you talking about, guys - as for me, these headphones are absolutely harsh and unnatural sounding, with ear-piercing highs and sharp middle frequencies. I didn't even try any mods, because they are simply horrible. Personally I would stick with Sennheisers, Creative (or Denon, nevertheless) is crap, period.

Really? Damn, I find them the exact opposite of your description..

Ive started using them again since 1 week, and I dont want to admit, but I really think theyre clearer than the Philips Fidelio L2 (which is crystal clear) and even smoother (the L2 is already very smooth to my ears). They also sound nearly as natural.

 

[paradoxology]

  Can't understand what all of you talking about, guys - as for me, these headphones are absolutely harsh and unnatural sounding, with ear-piercing highs and sharp middle frequencies. I didn't even try any mods, because they are simply horrible. Personally I would stick with Sennheisers, Creative (or Denon, nevertheless) is crap, period.

Not my experience at all. To each his own, I suppose.

 

[Incipit]

I'm dissapointed, because I bought them based on great reviews here and on Amazon, and I was expecting something really special! But in fact, these headphones are suitable only under certain musical styles, such as classical, mainstream pop, maybe light rock. In electronical styles (trance, IDM, house) and especially metal (deathcore, black etc.) they are horrible - my ears were hurted because of their brightness. I've tried them with many sources - amped\unamped, DAC, soundcards, musical centers, but didn't notice any huge difference, they're too bright in any case. I gave them to my wife, and she's happy - because she listens to mainstream music, but they didn't fit for my tastes. I bought Sennheiser HD558, plugged them into headphone amp and now I'm totally satisfied.
I'm sorry if I offended any Aurvana fans here.

 

[mib91]

Is it possible to replace the stock headband? I wouldn't mind having the same headband but just wondering whether it's available for sale anywhere.

 

[Incipit]

  Is it possible to replace the stock headband? I wouldn't mind having the same headband but just wondering whether it's available for sale anywhere.

http://ru.aliexpress.com/item/Head-pads-replacement-for-DENON-AH-D1001-and-AH-D1100-Headphones-Original-headband-head-band-cushion/32597441342.html?spm=2114.10010208.0.45.8mztrQ&isOrigTitle=true

 

[Kaszanas]

  I did the same mod, here's a how to.
 
 

 

 

 

 

 
I will surely try to mod the Aurvanas I ordered in this manner, doesn't the rotation on those cups put more leverage on the pivots? Making them easier to brake?
 

  I'll just share my latest, completely aesthetic CAL mod here Will try and get my hands on some silver wire for added bling sometime.
 

 
I still want to see what it'd look like with some cups from Martincustomaudio.
 

How did u make those? I know it is old enough to be forgotten bu I would love to do similiar stuff and experiment with different material as the cups for those headphones.
 

  Here are the pics of the HM5 pads. Sorry about the crappy quality and yes I have dusted since. 

 


 

This only make them better comfort wise? Or is there any more up to it?
 

  Hi MagicMan,
 
Thanks for the response. I have heard about this fabled "Fostex/Foster" driver elsewhere, and I was wondering what the hubbub was about. Now it comes to me I am thinking I was reading a post about the new CAL2 and CAL Gold / Premium or whatever that Creative is about to put out. The consensus seemed to be that a certain driver (Foster), and it sounded like even a certain model, would be desirable. Now, I don't know all that much about headphones. But why is Fostex apparently a cut above the rest? Is it a price and quality type of thing? Is it related to hype and fan-boy ism?
 
Thanks,
cookies
 
My CAL! envisioned below.  "L" is the damaged side that will never move again. I made the cups out of brazilian cherry, jatoba. I just copied the original cups in terms of shape and made up some routing forms. Then I stuck my pieces cherry to the forms and routed em with a simple router bit. DOn't remember the size. I def could have made the things smaller (used a smaller routing bit and less wood) because these things are pretty big and weighty, even after hollowing them out. I tried to solder up some new wires (starquad) with a new jack but I simply do not have the skill to do it apparently. I could not solder it all quite right, or I would end up splitting a wire or breaking the cable. 

 

 

Okay I love how those look. You have said (couple of years ago) that this is easy enough to make. Could you elaborate if you are still alive?
 
Okay I bought used CAL's recabled with: Cordial CMK 422, and Neutrik jack along with silver containing solder.
Apart from that I am looking for all functional and stylish mods, I think that the out of box sound might be enough for me.
 
Those will be used with Ipod Shuffle and potentially with my Aune T1 Mk2 plugged in to the PC. 
Do I need any portable AMP to make them sound any different? Those are low Ohm phones.
Looking for your advice!

 

[sikki-six]

Long time, no new CAL! discussion...
 
Well, let's get the hype-train going once again, they deserve it! Here's my independent video-review of these awesome and increasingly cheap headphones!
 

 
There are countless "FOTMs" coming out year after year, do you guys still find 'em great? Have you found better models for under 100 euros/bucks?