[Gummy]

For example, HD600 use plastic, HD650 use carbon fibre.
And we've all seent he Sony that has gone woody

So if I get some cans and want to do some machine-shopping and transform it into some phat anodized aluminum bracket and stuff, would that kill the sound?

It seems like the woody sonys got an improvement because it's closed and has some resonance effect.

If I mod an open set, would it still affect the sound?

 

[jesse_w]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gummy For example, HD600 use plastic, HD650 use carbon fibre.

I thought the HD600 had some carbon fiber in there somewhere, at least I heard that and its 'stiffness' (possibly as a result of the heresay carbon fiber structure) was supposed to reduce vibration vs the HD580. I haven't looked at it carefully, but I didn't see any carbon fiber and I haven't seen any on the HD650 in pictures... The only structural difference I can see is the plastic coloring. Can you elaborate?

-jesse

 

[halcyon]

In short, yes.

Materials affect sound damping, sound absorption and self-ringing properties of the headphone cups.

Some of these effects can be audible.

regards,
Halcyon

 

[JaZZ]

Quote:

Originally Posted by halcyon In short, yes. Materials affect sound damping, sound absorption and self-ringing properties of the headphone cups. Some of these effects can be audible.

Correct. Add to this that the acoustic properties of materials are even much more critical with closed headphones, because there usually larger surfaces are affected and most notably they're fully exposed to the air-pressure changes caused by the sound waves.

 

[terrymx]

the material of the erapads effect the sound alot too, thats why there are so many pad mods.

 

[Hirsch]

The HD-580 and HD-600 use exactly the same driver. It's the same replacement part from Sennheiser. The only difference in these headphones is the housing...and they do not sound the same.

 

[JaZZ]

Quote:

Originally Posted by terrymx the material of the erapads effect the sound alot too, thats why there are so many pad mods.

Cavity size/geometry and distance from the membrane to the ear are the main causes for sonic differences (= more or less involvement of the pinna, reverberation...). Moreover absorption/reflection properties of the pads play an important part, maybe acoustic isolation with closed designs, but barely so any material resonances.



Quote:

Originally Posted by Hirsch The HD-580 and HD-600 use exactly the same driver. It's the same replacement part from Sennheiser. The only difference in these headphones is the housing...and they do not sound the same.

In this case I suspect it's rather a matter of reflectivity/permeability of the rear grille than of the housing material(s). It would be interesting to compare a grill-modded HD 580 with a HD 600. I believe to remember that the mesh on the baffle is also different between the two models and could have some impact as well.

 

[markl]

Without a doubt. In selecting woods to use for Sony R10s and the AT cans, they go through many different kinds, searching for the one with the best acoustical properties. As has been mentioned, in the case of closed cans, the shape of the enclosure can even affect sound. I'd go so far as to say that the magnesium assembly/hangers/body call it what you want of the R10 contributes to their sound.

 

[Dusty Chalk]

I agree with everyone else -- yes, it affects the sound tremendously. Quote:

Originally Posted by Gummy So if I get some cans and want to do some machine-shopping and transform it into some phat anodized aluminum bracket and stuff, would that kill the sound?

You will have to be very careful to avoid resonances -- metals, especially symmetrical ones, have a tendency to ring.

In short, it may or not "kill" the sound, but it will definitely transform it.

 

[Gummy]

Ok, forget it then, no phat phones for me

, unless I am smart and choose some werid polymer in the future