[JaZZ]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Edwood Woooo. Sigma woodies?

Just the headband is from a Sigma -- the drivers are Lambda Signature Pro types. My other electrostat uses Lambda Pro drivers.

 

[J.Y.]

I have a feeling that the membrane is there for damping purposes. Increased damping gives the headamp more control on the drivers, and maybe the back grill is there to stop some air too so that there is equivalent damping on both sides of the driver. I would probably try remove both the inside and the outside damping material and see how my cans sound.

 

[JaZZ]

Quote:

Originally Posted by J.Y. I have a feeling that the membrane is there for damping purposes. Increased damping gives the headamp more control on the drivers, and maybe the back grill is there to stop some air too so that there is equivalent damping on both sides of the driver. I would probably try remove both the inside and the outside damping material and see how my cans sound.

The rear grill certainly has virtually no damping effect (beside its existing reflecting effect): its pass-through area is even larger than the membrane surface. The amp has nothing to do with a possible mechanical damping inside a headphone housing. Furthermore the foam pad is acoustically permeable for mids and low frequencies, so offers virtually no damping in this range, but has a certain damping effect on high frequencies which otherwise would be reflected multiple times between driver and outer ear. Note that there's no need for «symmetrical» damping of the membrane (equal damping on front and rear), since any damping affects the membrane movement from any side anyway, independent of the direction of the movement. With open headphones there's the principal asymmetry given from the fact that one side is open (the rear) and the other side is at least halfways closed (the front): from the listener's head.

 

[zeplin]

The best thing to do in this situation, if you like the "naked" sound better than how the headphones sounds with the pads in, is to take the advice of what toaster said. That is, in order to get the "naked" sound, but at the same time protect the driver from any loose particles that may harm the driver, one should remove the stock pad and replace it with something far thinner like panty hose. Any type of the said material works perfect as it is only mainly there to protect the fragile driver from being potentially damaged and also provides the perfect open sound which takes place without the stock pad. This is what I use and it is the best of both worlds. You can also experiment with different materials to see how they affect the sound in different ways.

I strongly dissagree with what Sovkiller says about the changes being small. One thing we often forget on this website full of audio freaks, is that all our tweaks have relatively big differences within our own frame of thought. Of course this type of mod will not provide you with a totally different sound like with what one would get from a completely different headphone...that much is obvious. This is the exact reason as to why they are called tweaks, tweaks that have relatively significant differences in the overall sound presentation. You also have to remember that Sennheiser specially and specifically picks out certain materials that have certain influences on the sound for specific reasons in order to form the sound to their liking. So it makes perfect sense that any specific changes we make in the material housed inside the headphone, where the sound is mainly let out, makes an overall difference in the end result and changes the original sound character to the extent that we can easily hear it. That's easy enough to understand, isn't it??

 

[enzoferrari650]

is it ok to let the dust get on the driver?

 

[GlowWorm]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nik You can let the HD 650 nude in summer, and with the foam in winter

Good one Nik.

 

[boodi]

bump for interest around the use of the nudes

 

[Cyrillic]

I read that the foam protects from cheap sources... If I take the foam out of my senn hd-25's, and listen with my ipod, will it hurt my ears?

 

[boodi]

bump for the use of the nudes

I've preferred hd650 nude also in the long period , I've used them nude for my main listenings from the date I first posted this thread - but I've got a good equalizer to play with for adjusting hfrq. ( and also i have to say adding an equalizer to my system has been a very nice if not one of the best thing I've done for my hd650 system , and it stopped my upgrade malady for a time now)

 

[Gradofan2]

My thanks to all you Headfi folks.

I removed the foam liners on my HD650's at your suggestion, and replaced them with fiberglass window screen mesh (what they make window screens with) from Lowes / Home Depot... and "voila" the infamous HD650 "veil" is gone. The sound is much more dynamic, and clear - no longer "foggy." They now have a sound virtually as clear and dynamic as the Grados, but with a much bigger bass (although tight), and soundstage.

The mesh helps to protect the drivers without impeding the air flow (sound waves) much. I tried the pantyhose and it still muffles the sound a bit much for me. I may see if I can find a fabric like the silk liner of the Grados, but for now "that'll work."

Yes, I've got a great source, amp, cables, etc. - so I was just missing this one tweak.

I was ready to sell mine, until I discovered several Headfi threads describing this tweak - truly amazing sound now!

Thanks, again.

600smile:

 

[JefferyK]

Quote:

Originally Posted by boodi yep..I'd like to ear some opinions after some use is someone has gone nude hd650 for a while

I tried it with mine.

Dazzling at first, but eventually I found the "nude" sound fatiguing.

Removing the foam brings out the detail, but I'm not one of those people who thinks in-your-face detail means superior audio reproduction. The sound also became brighter, but I don't particularly like bright headphones.

I missed the plushness I got with the foam, so I put it back in.

It's an easy tweak and worth trying, I think, if only to satisfy your curiosity.

Jeffery

 

[Andrea]

I don't feel the least temptation to go nude even with my modest system, which temporarily includes a 200 euro integrated amplifier...

 

[Wmcmanus]

This was an interesting thread to catch up on. I don't remember seeing it back in October, or at least I didn't pay much attention to it then.

What really strikes me about the whole "nude" HD650 issue is that almost ALL speaker manufacturers design their products so that the grills can be easily removed during listening sessions. Most members at places like Audiogon and Audio Asylum prefer listening without the grills on for the very reasons that have been described in this thead:

1) it gives a more transparent, natural sound because the music is being delivered directly to year ears rather than through something, which no matter how thin, is still something!, and

2) it tends to cause less listener fatigue.

I'll have to try this with some of my headphones, but only where the "operation" can be done easily and is 100% reversible without causing any damage.

 

[Andrea]

Well, I've always preferred listening to speakers without those things on - they almost assuredly ruined the sound somewhat.

But with headphones it's nearly a different matter, much more complex in the effects as far as I understand and as far as my experience with this removal goes (it never produced entirely convincing changes in the headphones I tried it with in the past).

 

[JefferyK]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wmcmanus This was an interesting thread to catch up on. I don't remember seeing it back in October, or at least I didn't pay much attention to it then. What really strikes me about the whole "nude" HD650 issue is that almost ALL speaker manufacturers design their products so that the grills can be easily removed during listening sessions. Most members at places like Audiogon and Audio Asylum prefer listening without the grills on for the very reasons that have been described in this thead: 1) it gives a more transparent, natural sound because the music is being delivered directly to year ears rather than through something, which no matter how thin, is still something!, and 2) it tends to cause less listener fatigue. I'll have to try this with some of my headphones, but only where the "operation" can be done easily and is 100% reversible without causing any damage.

Speakers and their grilles are designed to work together. For example, when I take the grilles off my B&Ws, I can hear more detail more easily, but the high frequencies from the "nude" tweeters hurt my ears.

I'm not sure I buy the reasoning that if sound isn't transmitted through a grille, it is more "transparent" or "natural." The sound is different, that's true. And "listener fatigue" is a personal issue and has nothing to do with the equipment.

Does there really have to be final ruling on whether going "nude" with the HD-650s is best? Can't people just like what they like?

Jeffery