[Rav]

This isn't a tutorial, so it's here and not in DIY, plus i'm not posting measurements. Anyone with a curious mind and a pair of calipers should be able to work out what they need from their own headphones.

I've been wanting to try this for some time, and this week when i got 5 minutes here and there i went ahead with this mod. The aluminium is all hand cut/shaped, so it's not 100% square and regular, but it's about as good as i could make it. The leather headband is following kontai69's instructions here.

I re used the sprung steel from the original headband, which is held in the new blocks with small screws.

The Rod Locks are thumbscrews that i 'borrowed' from my PC.

Closeup of the inside, showing the screw used to hold the blocks to the headband. What you can't see are the small pieces of rubber inside the block that adds friction to the rod, making it slide up and down in a more positive way. Without it they would be loose.

The new blocks add a surprising amount of weight to the headphones, even though aluminium doesn't weigh a lot it still weighs more than plastic, so it's something to consider if you don't like your headphones heavy.

 

[kontai69]

Cool mod.
Someone should really produce a similar item and sell it in volume. I think there would be a decent market. I guess it would involve a CNC machine to carve the aluminum billets. Anodizing it black would make it look even better. While they were at it, they should try to make billet aluminum cups ala PS-1.

With all the tech geeks on here, someone probably has the ability and means to make such products if they wanted to.

 

[jbloudg20]

IMO: doesn't look good, but hey props for giving it a shot.

 

[fabool]

Nicely done.
Black probably would look better but the functionality seems good and the finish isn't half bad. Maybe add the lettering for left/right to the blocks so that they don't standout as much.
They should change all the current Grados to include something like this stock. Would even be worth a price increase of a buck or two.

 

[F107plus5]

Good job! Looks like a fun project!

Those would look real nice on my MS2i. Fit right in with the existing style.

 

[Rav]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kontai69 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Cool mod. Someone should really produce a similar item and sell it in volume. I think there would be a decent market. I guess it would involve a CNC machine to carve the aluminum billets. Anodizing it black would make it look even better.

Yeah, a CNC machine would be ideal, these were a real pig to get into this shape, i'd have preferred to make them more diamond shaped like the originals, but that would have involved another couple of hours worth of filing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by fabool /img/forum/go_quote.gif Nicely done. Black probably would look better but the functionality seems good and the finish isn't half bad. Maybe add the lettering for left/right to the blocks so that they don't standout as much.

If i could engrave them neatly enough i would, but i'd need access to a pantograph designed for the purpose.

Quote:

They should change all the current Grados to include something like this stock. Would even be worth a price increase of a buck or two.

I would imagine it would cost more than a few bucks tbh, i dunno how cheaply you could bulk CNC these, but i'm guessing it would cost a fair bit more than injection moulding the plastic parts.

Quote:

Originally Posted by F107plus5 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Good job! Looks like a fun project! Those would look real nice on my MS2i. Fit right in with the existing style.

I hope you like your cans heavy, cos they will add extra weight right on the temples. I think i may have to modify these somewhat so that they are smaller and lighter.

 

[F107plus5]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rav /img/forum/go_quote.gif I hope you like your cans heavy, cos they will add extra weight right on the temples. I think i may have to modify these somewhat so that they are smaller and lighter.

Just for fun I repeated a test I'd done when I had my MS-1, and a number of folks complained about the discomfort of the extra 100gm of mass of the MS2i over the MS-1.

I got two sockets that equaled 100 gm and placed them on the height adjusters of the MS-1.

And wore them for over a month. No Problem!

The only real problem I discovered was that my keyboard was in danger.

Bottom line: 100 gm more added to a 300 gm set of phones is less drastic than 100 gm added to a 200 gm set. I hardly noticed the difference!

...ask me again after about six hours.

 

[penger]

Well I think it's a pretty cool mod. Headband and rod locks look pretty well thought out. And the headband looks much more comfortable than the stock one. A job well done.

However, looking at your mod made me think. Why did Grado stop making headphones with rod locks?

 

[Rav]

Quote:

Originally Posted by penger /img/forum/go_quote.gif Well I think it's a pretty cool mod. Headband and rod locks look pretty well thought out. And the headband looks much more comfortable than the stock one. A job well done. However, looking at your mod made me think. Why did Grado stop making headphones with rod locks?

Thanks

I'd say they probably stopped because they're more complicated, and more expensive. The plastic blocks they use now have 2 rubber 'O' rings inside, which should provice enough friction. Obviously they get worn after a while, but i actually never had too much of a problem with them.