foam your HD-600's...... free tweak using the HD-600 packaging

[PinkFloyd]

After reading the numerous "nude" HD-600 threads of late I did a bit of thinking and believe I've found a way of curing the "fat" sound of the HD-600's..... instead of removing the damping let's add more dampening I thought....... that would possibly tune the drivers and make the sound a bit tighter.

Sometimes you can't see the wood for the trees but on this occasion the ideal material was staring me in the face..... inside the presentation box the HD-600's come in you will find some thin grey foam....... use the existing foam as a template and proceed as follows:

using the original foam pads as a guide, cut out 2 pads from the grey foam sheet.

place the foam over the driver as shown

re-attach the ear pads.... this will take a fair amount of pressure to get them to snap into place due to thicker foam being used but they will snap in... don't be afraid to press them down hard, you wont damage anything.

Ok....... go and listen to them... is it just me or is the bass now a lot more controlled?

Comments appreciated.

Pinkie.

 

[BowerR64]

WOW! the molding on those cans look like marble or stone or somthing. Those look nice.

 

[Annihilator]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BowerR64 WOW! the molding on those cans look like marble or stone or somthing. Those look nice.

yeah the marble-ish look is pretty cool

 

[boodi]

wondering about putting two hamburgers against the drivers to hear if it can sound even more fat then stock

..I even wonder how two thin slices of potatoes perform

 

[boodi]

telling this becuase those pads seem quite thick and dense..if they can adjust the sound, then I'll start putting in a lot of stuff

 

[PinkFloyd]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BowerR64 WOW! the molding on those cans look like marble or stone or somthing. Those look nice.

The moulding I believe is carbon and the marble effect is produced by spray painting the carbon and then finishing of with a high gloss lacquer... the paint started to flake off my HD-600's at the edges (quite rare but it does happen occasionally due to the flexing of the headband) so I sent them back to sennheiser and they replaced the headphones with a brand new pair...... I phoned them up and asked if they could possibly fit my original drivers into the new pair and they did

The guy also said they have fitted the latest cable with the grommet mod... I believe they now fit rubber grommets on the pins to provide a tighter more reliable connection..... whatever, they still sound as fat as a sumo wrestlers butt hence my thicker foam mod which has certainly tightened the bass up and for some bizarre reason they go louder with less volume than the standard foamed HD-600's...... I urge all HD-600 owners to use that foam that is inside the presentation case and really would love your opinions. It may be that an even thicker foam brings about even better results....... I'll have a hunt around for some and give it a go

Here is a better shot of the HD-600 paintwork:

 

[gsferrari]

Nah there is no carbon there...all BS

Marketing strategy - its all plastic

 

[PinkFloyd]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gsferrari Nah there is no carbon there...all BS Marketing strategy - its all plastic

I stand corrected, I'll have to tell the Sennheiser technical guy he is talking bollocks with his misguided idea that the framework contains carbon.

EDIT: the entire Sennheiser range is popular thanks to marketing strategy, certainly not because they sound good, but I doubt they would need to stoop so low and pretend that a headband contained carbon if it was plastic..... who gives a hoot what the headband is made of? If they say it's a carbon composite I have no reason to doubt their description of the composition of the headband...... it plays no part in making the music ..... it could be made from paper as far as I'm concerned....... I've had a close look at it however and I'm 100% sure it is carbon fibre.

 

[gsferrari]

I was sorely disappointed when I found out myself. The HD-580/600/650 all use the same material with different coatings and finish quality - thats all...

 

[PinkFloyd]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gsferrari I was sorely disappointed when I found out myself. The HD-580/600/650 all use the same material with different coatings and finish quality - thats all...

Yes.

Carbon fibre (fiber) with different paint finishes....... there is no "plastic"

 

[sunkist123]

Spent the last couple of hours or so listening to various tracks with the foam mod with 650's- Tori Amos, Leftfield, Erasure, a bit of classical. If anything, to my ears the mod adds slightly more bass boom, it's a bit muddier, loses some but not much clarity in higher requencies, and a bit less depth. The differences are slight.

 

[crazyfrenchman27]

You could always purchase a better headphone instead of relying upon a mod to create the illusion that you're actually improving the quality of the sound.

The former costs more money but doesn't resort to superstitious means of self-deception.

I personally prefer being honest with myself.

That said, I think the HD580s are one of the best bargains in the audiophile world. You should appreciate them for what they are and recognize them for what they are not.

Get a good amp/source and you're set for life.

And if you need more impact, supplement them with a Grado.

Audiophile nirvana really is that close.

 

[mjg]

gsferrari;

All of those headphones (except 580s) use carbon fiber for the frame.

Where are you reading these things? Don't believe everything you read. Sennheiser doens't need to make pretend.

 

[bLue_oNioN]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PinkFloyd I've had a close look at it however and I'm 100% sure it is carbon fibre.

How do you tell what material it is?

 

[gsferrari]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mjg gsferrari; All of those headphones (except 580s) use carbon fiber for the frame. Where are you reading these things? Don't believe everything you read. Sennheiser doens't need to make pretend.

580 frame is 100% plastic.

600 frame is also 100% plastic - I have seen a broken pair (owner dropped it down a stairway) and there is NOTHING carbon fibre about it - clean break. Carbon Fibre shatters when it breaks and leaves sharp shards everywhere.

I dont think the HD-650 is cardon fibre - they would have advertised it more aggressively.

Its plastic to me.