%#?^!! Grado cord!
Dec 19, 2001 at 9:51 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 28
Russ Arcuri

Russ Arcuri

20% more jawbone...15% less fat...
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Okay, I'm about at the end of my patience. I bought the Grado SR-80s because I like the way they sound for hard rock discs, and because they're easy to drive, unlike my Sennheiser HD580s. I've been more than happy with the sound quality overall.

But this #^@# cord is driving me nuts. The free-spinning drivers and thick cord combine to annoy and frustrate me almost every time I take them off or put them on. It's so annoying lately that I'll happily choose the KSC-35s over the SR-80s simply to avoid the frustration. This is unfortunate since I really do prefer the sound of the SR-80s.

So I'm appealing to you, the headphone-loving masses. What can I do to these headphones to make the cord less annoying? I'm VERY tempted to just sell them and buy a pair of Ety ER-6s or Sennheiser HD495s. Since getting the Sony D-25S portable (not to mention a CHA 47 Altoids amp), it's no longer important for me to have cans as easy to drive as the SR-80s. The HD495s, at $59 and with only a single cord connecting to one earpiece, are looking VERY appealing.

Any tips or tricks for dealing with the annoying twisty cord on the Grados? If I can't find something soon, these Grados are going up on the "Gear For Sale / Trade" forum.
 
Dec 19, 2001 at 11:16 PM Post #4 of 28
Quote:

Originally posted by Russ Arcuri
The HD495s, at $59 and with only a single cord connecting to one earpiece, are looking VERY appealing.


If you wanna trade and cash i'll gladly trade my Senn 495's off to you
smily_headphones1.gif


I think the Grado's are much better as open cans and more specifically, cans for rock music.

George
 
Dec 19, 2001 at 11:16 PM Post #5 of 28
Quote:

Originally posted by Gluegun
There are some mods for replacing the cord up at headwize...


Could you point them out? The only cord mod I found there was a method for converting SR-80s to a dual mono design. Kind of takes away my ability to drive them with a portable player (or any player or amp I have, for that matter).

The primary problem with the Grados is not so much the thick cord (though it is a bit annoying); it's the fact that the earpieces rotate freely on those silly stalks. I know it's marketed as a feature "can lay flat!" but that's just another way of saying the cord gets twisted easily.

Any simple mod I've thought of so far to prevent them from spinning freely would also prevent them from moving up/down to adjust for fit. I saw a major modification that someone did, mounting the Grado drivers in a Koss headband (making 'Gross' headphones
smily_headphones1.gif
), but I don't have a spare headband around and the project is, frankly, more work than I'm willing to do. It'd be far simpler for me to just replace these with the Etys or HD495s I mentioned earlier.

I guess a simple solution is not available. I'll probably be putting them up for sale soon...
 
Dec 19, 2001 at 11:27 PM Post #6 of 28
Quote:

Originally posted by gloco
If you wanna trade and cash i'll gladly trade my Senn 495's off to you
smily_headphones1.gif


I think the Grado's are much better as open cans and more specifically, cans for rock music.

George


George, I just might take you up on that offer. I'll give this thread until tomorrow to produce a simple mod that would make them easier to live with first.

If nothing turns up, I'd be willing to trade my SR-80s, complete with bowl pads, sloppily cut-out comfy pads, the 1/4" adapter, a custom-made headphone bag, and the original box for your HD495s plus $20. My mother the seamstress made the headphone bag for me according to my design -- it's made of a pseudo-leatherette vinyl material and has a cinch-style cord like the bag that comes with the Sony MDR-V6s. The headphones are about two months old and in excellent shape, though I have bent the headband slightly to be more comfortable on my head. I'm assuming the HD495s are in excellent shape as well?
 
Dec 19, 2001 at 11:33 PM Post #7 of 28
Uh, just rant at the moderator to get all of those mods (they are hidden in the forums....I'd like to know EXACTLY which threads they are too....) up on that mod page, you know?

I vaguely remember one where someone temporarily replaced his cords with a yellow sports cable, and then finished replacing them with an awesome one? Also, you can make the cord terminate in a (what's smaller than a 1/8"? smaller than mini?) plug that plugs into a jack you install in the driver casings....that mod is sooo awesome, IMO...
 
Dec 20, 2001 at 12:14 AM Post #8 of 28
Quote:

Originally posted by Russ Arcuri
George, I just might take you up on that offer. I'll give this thread until tomorrow to produce a simple mod that would make them easier to live with first.

If nothing turns up, I'd be willing to trade my SR-80s, complete with bowl pads, sloppily cut-out comfy pads, the 1/4" adapter, a custom-made headphone bag, and the original box for your HD495s plus $20. My mother the seamstress made the headphone bag for me according to my design -- it's made of a pseudo-leatherette vinyl material and has a cinch-style cord like the bag that comes with the Sony MDR-V6s. The headphones are about two months old and in excellent shape, though I have bent the headband slightly to be more comfortable on my head. I'm assuming the HD495s are in excellent shape as well?


Sounds good. Absolutely, they are in mint shape...i got them in the mail last week. They are just sitting net to my stereo and i've used them maybe 5-6 times. I still have the plastic box and spec cardboard backing and the adapter as well. PM if you wanna go thru with the trade, thanks.

George
 
Dec 20, 2001 at 12:35 AM Post #9 of 28
Whoa! Dont rush to sell them Grado's!
I'm the one who replaced the cord on my 325's so it was shorter and also so it terminated in a mini-jack, for portable use. But wait theres more! Ok, so your problem (our problem) is that those stinking drivers spin around. Yes its a bummer, but there ARE ways around it. Just for starters you can use a small dab of rubber cement on the metal stem and then slide the housing up into the rubber cement (you would have of course first marked where they needed to be adjusted to for your head.) What makes rubber cement a good answer is that it will hold them in place but it is also possible to bust the adhesion with simple muscle power if you needed to. There are other cements and glues out there, and pretty much ANY of the rubber types would work.. and there are many.

You need to decide if having the drivers stay put is worth more than having the adjustment available; it goes with out saying that you could epoxy them in place and never have them move again! Personally I put up with the housing rotation because I can take them off at work and wear them around my neck, and the speakers lay flat against my chest. It shouldnt be difficult to stop the rotation, but there is no way to stop it and also have the adjustment.
 
Dec 20, 2001 at 1:46 AM Post #13 of 28
Uh, someone POSTED A FRIGGIN THREAD about changing the cord. It went into absurdly more detail than the project page does. It even suggested a premade cable that would work, I believe.

Might anyone perhaps help me find it?

Sorry if I got a little emotional. I would just really, really like to find it. would any of the sennheiser cords work after this other mod is done?
 
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