[nicholars]

  At about 40 hours of head time with the Lawton mods (I didn't use the foam or the piece that attaches to the wood cups, just the pads and the damping pieces that attach to the driver) and man, it's really blowing me away.  While each individual aspect was a very subtle difference, they've really come together in a special way.  The bass is so tight and impactful in the region right between sub bass and midbass (80Hz).  Transparency is noticeably clearer, speed is faster and soundstage is larger.  It doesn't have that warmth that the stock THX00 has, but is cleaner.  It's obviously not as resolving or spacious as the HD800, but it's dang close in those regards the HE400i.  I thought when I bought the HD800 it might convince me to sell the HE400i, and that hasn't been the case (they both have different strengths).  However, these mods to the THX00 may do that.  Not sure, I still have a lot of love for the HE400i, which still beats the THX00 in imaging accuracy and instrument separation by a bit, but the resolution and soundstage gaps have been closed.  For another point of reference, I'd say that my THX00 now has about the same soundstage as the HD650.  Macro-resolution is the same as the HD650, but slightly not quite on the HD650's level in micro-resolution (the HD650 has some of the best micro-resolution out there though, so no shame).  I'd say that my modded THX00's bass is about as clean as the HD650, while being substantially above in level. Mids are liquidy without being as thick as the THX00.  
 
downside is that it's no longer quite as forgiving of poorly recorded rock, but it isn't punishing like the HD800 is.  Very similar to the HD650 and HE400i in this regard.
 
Here's how I'd lay out the mods individually and how they added up:
Ebony cups: small increase in sub bass, small increase in lower midrange and midbass levels, small increase in smoothness in treble, slightly less thick sound overall.  Lage increase in 
 
... snip....
 
and again, this isn't to trash the stock THX00, I still think it's a great headphone.  If you are mainly listening to rock, I probably wouldn't do these mods.  The THX00 in its stock configuration is more or less perfect for your average rock recording.  The modded version though is still very good at rock, but also can hit jazz, classical, bluegrass, electronic as well.  
 
To put it in terms that are clear about how good I think this is, I would take this headphone over the Ether C and TH900, even if they cost the same.  

 
What would you say the effect of just the mod on the back of the driver is? is it worth doing that? Does it increase brightness / sibilance? Or does it tighten up the sound and remove ringing etc? Thinking about doing just the rear of driver mod. Thanks.

 

[fjrabon]

What would you say the effect of just the mod on the back of the driver is? is it worth doing that? Does it increase brightness / sibilance? Or does it tighten up the sound and remove ringing etc? Thinking about doing just the rear of driver mod. Thanks.

Back of the driver reduces the worst resonances while keeping the bass. The full damping reduces bass a fair amount to the point of it being fairly close to neutral, which I didn't want. The foam insert only reduces lower midrange.

 

[nicholars]

What about installing the whole of the lawton audio level 1 mod? What effect would that have on the sound? I am interested in anything positive but would like to avoid making the headphones much brighter or more sibilant, also do not want to lose the lower midrange or make the midrange more recessed.

 

[fjrabon]

What about installing the whole of the lawton audio level 1 mod? What effect would that have on the sound? I am interested in anything positive but would like to avoid making the headphones much brighter or more sibilant, also do not want to lose the lower midrange or make the midrange more recessed.

With the full Lawton mod it's pretty neutral, so it cuts a decent amount of mid bass. The highs are smoother though. Doesn't get more sibilant.

 

[nicholars]

With the full Lawton mod it's pretty neutral, so it cuts a decent amount of mid bass. The highs are smoother though. Doesn't get more sibilant.

 
Do you mean just adding the dampening around the drivers etc. not the pads as well? I might do the dampening around the drivers if it improves the sound and is also removable if I do not like it? Does it decrease the lower midrange and make the mid recessed? What effect does it have on bass, mid and treble? Thanks

 

[fjrabon]

Do you mean just adding the dampening around the drivers etc. not the pads as well? I might do the dampening around the drivers if it improves the sound and is also removable if I do not like it? Does it decrease the lower midrange and make the mid recessed? What effect does it have on bass, mid and treble? Thanks

The full Lawton mod is all the parts, damping and pads. Treble and upper midrange are smoothed. Lower midrange and mid bass are smoothed, tightened and reduced, sub bass is tightened.

 

[fjrabon]

so, to give some more context to my post above regarding the combined impact of the mods, I decided to go through and re-grade the THX00 numerically based on the criteria of my original review of the stock THX00
 
Format is:
 
Attribute: (original THX00 rating) -> (New THX00 rating)
 
a 1 would be the worst headphone in production, ie the old stock apple earbuds (circa 2005) would get a 1 on bass extension.  A 5 is a solid entry level hifi headphone.  For example the Grado SR80e would get a 5 for midrange smoothness.  A 10 represents the current peak of headphones (that I have heard personally).  So, for example the Stax SR009 would get a 10 for transparency.  The HD800 a 10 for soundstage. etc.  A flagship type headphone would expect a mix of 9s with one or two 10s and maybe one or two 8s.  and maybe a 6 on something.  An upper midfi headphone would solidly get 8s.  For instance the HD650 would get almost entirely 8's, except soundstage, where it'd be like a 7.  
 
Bass overall: 9.5 -> 9.75
Bass quantity: 9.5 -> 9
Bass Impact: 9.5 -> 9.5
Bass Texture: 9 -> 9.5
Bass Control: 8 -> 9
Sub bass: 7 -> 9
mid bass: 9.5 -> 8
 
Midrange overall: 6 -> 8
Midrange smoothness: 8 -> 9
Midrange Clarity: 7 -> 8.5
Midrange linearity: 4 -> 7
Lower midrange: 8 -> 7
Upper Midrange: 4 -> 7
 
Treble Overall: 8 -> 8.5
presence: 8 -> 8
Clarity: 7 -> 8
Extension: 7 -> 7.5
air: 7 -> 7.5
smoothness: 9 -> 9
 
non-FR characteristics:
Speed: 7 -> 7.5
Transparency: 7 -> 8
soundstage: 7 -> 8
soundstage depth: 7 -> 8
Soundstage width: 8 -> 8
smoothness: 9 -> 9
openness: 5 -> 6.5
imaging accuracy/coherency: 5 -> 7
L/R imaging accuracy/coherency: 5 -> 7
Front to back imaging accuracy/coherency: 6 -> 7
 
So, as you can see, numerically it went from a solidly upper mid-fi closed bassy headphone to a flagship quality closed headphone.  And this follows my feelings about it as well.  It went from a nice headphone to one I feel 100% competes with the Ether C and TH900 as best closed headphone.  I would take it over any audeze closed headphone 100 times out of 100.  
 
Any particular difference between the stock version and as I currently have it is certainly subtle, but the overall impact of the changes, especially with extended listening, are very apparent.  

 

[Zbell]

so, to give some more context to my post above regarding the combined impact of the mods, I decided to go through and re-grade the THX00 numerically based on the criteria of my original review of the stock THX00

Format is:

Attribute: (original THX00 rating) -> (New THX00 rating)

a 1 would be the worst headphone in production, ie the old stock apple earbuds (circa 2005) would get a 1 on bass extension.  A 5 is a solid entry level hifi headphone.  For example the Grado SR80e would get a 5 for midrange smoothness.  A 10 represents the current peak of headphones (that I have heard personally).  So, for example the Stax SR009 would get a 10 for transparency.  The HD800 a 10 for soundstage. etc.  A flagship type headphone would expect a mix of 9s with one or two 10s and maybe one or two 8s.  and maybe a 6 on something.  An upper midfi headphone would solidly get 8s.  For instance the HD650 would get almost entirely 8's, except soundstage, where it'd be like a 7.  

Bass overall: 9.5 -> 9.75
Bass quantity: 9.5 -> 9
Bass Impact: 9.5 -> 9.5
Bass Texture: 9 -> 9.5
Bass Control: 8 -> 9
Sub bass: 7 -> 9
mid bass: 9.5 -> 8

Midrange overall: 6 -> 8
Midrange smoothness: 8 -> 9
Midrange Clarity: 7 -> 8.5
Midrange linearity: 4 -> 7
Lower midrange: 8 -> 7
Upper Midrange: 4 -> 7

Treble Overall: 8 -> 8.5
presence: 8 -> 8
Clarity: 7 -> 8
Extension: 7 -> 7.5
air: 7 -> 7.5
smoothness: 9 -> 9

non-FR characteristics:
Speed: 7 -> 7.5
Transparency: 7 -> 8
soundstage: 7 -> 8
soundstage depth: 7 -> 8
Soundstage width: 8 -> 8
smoothness: 9 -> 9
openness: 5 -> 6.5
imaging accuracy/coherency: 5 -> 7
L/R imaging accuracy/coherency: 5 -> 7
Front to back imaging accuracy/coherency: 6 -> 7

So, as you can see, numerically it went from a solidly upper mid-fi closed bassy headphone to a flagship quality closed headphone.  And this follows my feelings about it as well.  It went from a nice headphone to one I feel 100% competes with the Ether C and TH900 as best closed headphone.  I would take it over any audeze closed headphone 100 times out of 100.  

Any particular difference between the stock version and as I currently have it is certainly subtle, but the overall impact of the changes, especially with extended listening, are very apparent.  

Seems pretty damn significant. just to be clear,the mods affecting sound are a denser wood cup (ebony - which may already reduce some upper bass / lower mids), dampening on the drivers only, and the Lawton pads (which look very similar to alpha pads,though I haven't seen them both on person)? Are these measurements done a/b-ing or going off your memory of the stock sound?

 

[thejammonster]

I like how the stock mahogany cups look but as soon as I opened the lid I was blown away...
 

 

[fjrabon]

Seems pretty damn significant. just to be clear,the mods affecting sound are a denser wood cup (ebony - which may already reduce some upper bass / lower mids), dampening on the drivers only, and the Lawton pads (which look very similar to alpha pads,though I haven't seen them both on person)? Are these measurements done a/b-ing or going off your memory of the stock sound?

borrowed a stock pair on Friday. And yes, those were the mods. (In addition to shortening the cable)

 

[nicholars]

The full Lawton mod is all the parts, damping and pads. Treble and upper midrange are smoothed. Lower midrange and mid bass are smoothed, tightened and reduced, sub bass is tightened.

 
If I was to do it, all I would do probably would be the damping, no pads etc. does that make a significant difference or not worth bothering with?
 
Actually can you even get the damping kit on its own or do you need the "level 1" including pads?
 
I am worried changing pads will lead to recessed mid and worse treble... which from what I have read is what the THX00 pads do (smoother treble and better mids).

 

[Zbell]

borrowed a stock pair on Friday. And yes, those were the mods. (In addition to shortening the cable)

That's awesome, might have to get a Lawton kit soon

 

 

[nicholars]

Lawton kits look nice but wayy too much.
 
Yes it looks like very nice stuff but that is too much.
 
The pads + damping might be worth it though...
 
Can anyone post some reviews of just the pads + damping?
 
Was that review above the pads + damping?
 
Or the pads + damping + cups + cable?

 

[fjrabon]

Lawton kits look nice but wayy too much.

Yes it looks like very nice stuff but that is too much.

The pads + damping might be worth it though...

Can anyone post some reviews of just the pads + damping?

Was that review above the pads + damping?

Or the pads + damping + cups + cable?

My review was emu Ebony cups (not Lawton) + 1/2 lawton mods + Lawton pads + cable shortened (which shouldn't impact sound).

 

[HiFiChris]

  I like how the stock mahogany cups look but as soon as I opened the lid I was blown away...
 

 
Wow, those look nothing but phenomenal! So beautiful.