[PETEREK]

I just found these 3.5mm connectors with Sennheiser branding on them on eBay! Thought I would share with my fellow DIYers
http://www.ebay.com/itm/3-PCs-High-quality-Gold-Plated-3-5mm-Plug-DIY-Connector-For-Headphones-DIY-US-/221269253924?pt=US_Audio_Cables_Adapters&hash=item3384acdf24

 

[wolfetan44]

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What do you think I should do?

It's all up to you young sir, I learned my soldering skills a long long time ago and they are a great skills to have.
 
The Gungnir looks like a nice DAC, well beyond my purchasing ability but if you are able to do so then go for it. Be warned though you will need a pair of LCD's as well to go with your new Mjolnir I remember right.
 
Building kits is another great way to learn to solder, which I would do before you jump right into a recable job on a nice set of headphones as you want the cable to look great.
For me wire is wire, there are others that claim they can hear the difference between OFC 4N and 7N but I cannot.
 
I don't know what you have for a soldering iron but I would look into one of the Hakko FX888's if you don't have a decent one.
 
Good Luck with your choice!

MrSpeakers recommended me the Weller WESD51 Digital Soldering Station I have a Weller WLC-100, its alright, the temperature control is awful.

 

[wolfetan44]

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I just found these 3.5mm connectors with Sennheiser branding on them on eBay! Thought I would share with my fellow DIYers
http://www.ebay.com/itm/3-PCs-High-quality-Gold-Plated-3-5mm-Plug-DIY-Connector-For-Headphones-DIY-US-/221269253924?pt=US_Audio_Cables_Adapters&hash=item3384acdf24

Ooo, those look nice! Not the biggest fan of the internal part though, I much prefer the internal on this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/281067754423?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2648
Its much easier to solder using this design.

 

[PETEREK]

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Ooo, those look nice! Not the biggest fan of the internal part though, I much prefer the internal on this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/281067754423?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2648
Its much easier to solder using this design.

Yeah, I normally don't like that design at all. I actually just used a Pailiccs last night for the first time for a cable to use with my bathroom stereo, it was very tedious work because the soldering points are so small. I used some expanding gorilla glue inside the barrel to give it more strength so the solders aren't just pulled right off during it's use.

 

[TrollDragon]

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MrSpeakers recommended me the Weller WESD51 Digital Soldering Station I have a Weller WLC-100, its alright, the temperature control is awful.

Both great choices, I have an old WTCPL from the 70's which is quite the museum piece but it still runs and tips are still available. When it does finally die it will be replaced by a Hakko as I have tried that station out at a friends place and I like the weight and feel of it.

 

[TrollDragon]

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Yeah, I normally don't like that design at all. I actually just used a Pailiccs last night for the first time for a cable to use with my bathroom stereo, it was very tedious work because the soldering points are so small. I used some expanding gorilla glue inside the barrel to give it more strength so the solders aren't just pulled right off during it's use.

Thats where good soldering skills come into play, anyone can wrap a wire through a hole in a tang and throw some solder on it... Well most can, I've seen some bad attempts in my time. 

 

[wje]

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I'm just recabling the plug with a 4 pin XLR, is that possible? And its 30 awg?

 
I'll get back a bit later and post the picture of the Fostex cable that I opened up.  I also seem to recall that each conductor was coated with a thin protector of insulation just like Sennheiser uses.  One would have to heat the wire ends to melt the goo off before using some flux and tinning the leads.

 

[PETEREK]

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Thats where good soldering skills come into play, anyone can wrap a wire through a hole in a tang and throw some solder on it... Well most can, I've seen some bad attempts in my time. 

I can solder, I just don't have a station with clamps and all that. I really need one, it would make this hobby much easier to do. 

 

[wolfetan44]

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Yeah, I normally don't like that design at all. I actually just used a Pailiccs last night for the first time for a cable to use with my bathroom stereo, it was very tedious work because the soldering points are so small. I used some expanding gorilla glue inside the barrel to give it more strength so the solders aren't just pulled right off during it's use.

Thats where good soldering skills come into play, anyone can wrap a wire through a hole in a tang and throw some solder on it... Well most can, I've seen some bad attempts in my time. 

Still an easier layout
 
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I'm just recabling the plug with a 4 pin XLR, is that possible? And its 30 awg?

 
I'll get back a bit later and post the picture of the Fostex cable that I opened up.  I also seem to recall that each conductor was coated with a thin protector of insulation just like Sennheiser uses.  One would have to heat the wire ends to melt the goo off before using some flux and tinning the leads.

Ah, so i will need a solder pot, might as well get it now then. Which do you guys recommend, nothing too expensive please. And what solder bars?

 

[PXSS]

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I'm just recabling the plug with a 4 pin XLR, is that possible? And its 30 awg?

 
I'll get back a bit later and post the picture of the Fostex cable that I opened up.  I also seem to recall that each conductor was coated with a thin protector of insulation just like Sennheiser uses.  One would have to heat the wire ends to melt the goo off before using some flux and tinning the leads.

Ah, so i will need a solder pot, might as well get it now then. Which do you guys recommend, nothing too expensive please. And what solder bars?

0.o
Good solder pots aren't cheap... Unless you're planning to get into doing tons of cables, there's no reason to spend your money on one.
A good lighter should do the trick. A butane lighter is what I would use.

 

[wje]

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MrSpeakers recommended me the Weller WESD51 Digital Soldering Station I have a Weller WLC-100, its alright, the temperature control is awful.

 
Actually, if you have a pretty good iron with a ceramic element, then one can often go with the "ghetto method" of heat control for a very low cost!  Yes, it can be done.  In my case, it was only $10.00.  At a hardware store, I found an extension cord with a built-in sliding dimmer switch.  I plug my 25W ceramic iron into the cable and slide it to the necessary level based on the soldering I'd prefer to do.  Oh, how do I know which temperature it is?  I have an infra-red instant read thermometer to do the task.   It isn't worth it to buy the instant read thermometer if you don't have another purpose for it.
 
Also, I found the image of the original Fostex cable that I had opened up so you can see how the conductors appear.
 

 

[wolfetan44]

PXSS: Damn. How long do I hold the lighter there? Thanks.
 
Wje: I might try that, most likely not

 and cool, ill have to figure out the awg though..

 

[wje]

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PXSS: Damn. How long do I hold the lighter there? Thanks.
 
Wje: I might try that, most likely not

 and cool, ill have to figure out the awg though..

 
Oh, also there were a few of us in the thread who torched the soldering pads on the drivers.  We had to buy a $10.00 rear window defroster kit from an auto parts store.  The small bottle of brown paint, is actually a conductor.  If you build up about 3 layers of the paint, you can essentially rebuild the solder tab, and also embed the cable lead into the paint drop as it dries.  The repair rate using this method is close to 100%.

 

[wolfetan44]

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PXSS: Damn. How long do I hold the lighter there? Thanks.
 
Wje: I might try that, most likely not

 and cool, ill have to figure out the awg though..

 
Oh, also there were a few of us in the thread who torched the soldering pads on the drivers.  We had to buy a $10.00 rear window defroster kit from an auto parts store.  The small bottle of brown paint, is actually a conductor.  If you build up about 3 layers of the paint, you can essentially rebuild the solder tab, and also embed the cable lead into the paint drop as it dries.  The repair rate using this method is close to 100%.

I'm not opening up the headphones, just balancing the end to a 4 pin XLR.

 

[TrollDragon]

PXSS: Damn. How long do I hold the lighter there? Thanks.

Wje: I might try that, most likely not

 and cool, ill have to figure out the awg though..

For that thin little litz wire I usually get a big blob of solder on the tip of the iron and run the end of the wire back and forth through the blob. The heat will clean off the enamel and tin in the process.

I have a 1/4" screwdriver shaped 700 degree tip in the iron when I do this.