Grado modders go Magnum

[xaval]

After a recable there is no Grado left

 

[stratocaster]

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Excuse my noob question but by using these drivers with wood cups haven't you essentially built a new set of headphones?

You are right. This is a new set of headphones. Based on and derived from the Grado design and concept. After a Mogami recable there is absolutely no Grado element in it any more. Not even the metal headband.
There was a point in time when I simply had enough of that 'Grado consumer friendliness' that would have me as a European send in my Sr80i's to the States to replace a broken plastic gimbal! I do not want to go into detail about the insanity of Grado prices in Europe or the impossibility of getting hold of separate parts like wood cups, headbands or drivers.
Inspired by ideas pointed out in various Grado related threads I have learned to produce all the necessary components myself.  My wood cups for sure lack the perfection of Marty's creations, the leather headband is not stitched but glued and there are further deficiencies. Yet, I am satisfied because I am independent and just need drivers to complement my setups.
And this is the prime reason why I have turned into that Magnum direction. Rhydon is ready to sell his creations separately to DIYers and is thus making it possible to set ahead of just punching driver holes or dampening plastic chambers or creating wood sleeves for lower end Grados. If it had been possible to get hold of higher-end Grado drivers separately without having to pay an insane sum of money (if you live in Europe) for the complete set of headphones, I would probably have never taken that direction.

 

[GravitySmacked]

Ah fair enough, I just wanted to understand it a little better. I live in the Europe too (UK) so I can understand what you mean with regard to the pricing.
 
So with the magnum drivers, some wood cups, headband etc you could make a new set of headphones from scratch without ever needing to touch set of Grado's; this actually appeals to me a lot.

 

[stratocaster]

Quote:

So with the magnum drivers, some wood cups, headband etc you could make a new set of headphones from scratch without ever needing to touch set of Grado's; this actually appeals to me a lot.

That's what I mean. I spent about as much on my stock plastic SR80i's as on the cocobolo Magnums! Sonically as well as from the look and feel there is absolutely no comparison.
If you got hold of a set of wood shells like Cabillas' or similar,  a custom leather headband like the ones sold by some MOTs in the Grado thread and combined it with some Magnum drivers you would come up with an amazing setup. On the other hand, it just takes some creativity and inventiveness to think of your own custom setup. When I could do it, ANYBODY can!!!
 

 

[Twinster]

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The metal parts are waiting to receive their due treatment soon. This will be my all-aluminum setup once the V4 drivers arrive:
 

Can you please confirm that the Alu cups is from the Jaben kit?  if yes that answer my question about the fit of the Magnum sleeve.  

 Thanks again!
 

 

[DefectiveAudioComponent]

I like where all of this is going.
Is there a price list somewhere for the parts?
 

 

[stratocaster]

Quote:

Can you please confirm that the Alu cups is from the Jaben kit?  if yes that answer my question about the fit of the Magnum sleeve.  

 Thanks again!
 

Confirmed! Jaben cups, de-anodized, brushed, length shortened. Magnum sleeves fit perfectly. You may have to drill a new hole for the cable though. But that is not a real problem, is it?
 

 

[stratocaster]

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I like where all of this is going.
Is there a price list somewhere for the parts?
 

Prices for Magnums: $120 for drivers, $240 for drivers plus alu air chambers. Shipping extra ($25 to Europe in my case)
Contact Rhydon via info@symphones.ca for confirmation/details.
 

 

[wje]

Over the past week, I've been stripping the Iroko cups from Cabillas.  I desired to have a bit of a more "custom" finish to add a unique effect to the cups.  As I've mentioned in in another thread, I'm not sure how the cups were coated to shine.  It didn't seem like poly and was a bit resistant to the furniture stripping agents that I was using.  So, this morning, I took to sandpaper to prep the shells by getting the remainder of the finish off so they could be stained.  My local Lowes appears to be thinning the stock of the Minwax products and is adding stains by RustOleum and expanding the selection of Cabot stains.  I started off with a Red Mahogany stain.  Yuck. Seemed like mud to me and the ends of the Iroko cups are also the end of the grain for the wood, so the tops of the mushrooms was extra dark and the details of the wood were hard to make out.  After the stain dried, it didn't look as bad - but, I wasn't ready to proceed with a poly coating.  It just wasn't the finish I was looking for.
 
Fortunately, I had a Cabot book at my house so I looked over the other color options.  I picked out a color that isn't one of the standard stocked colors - but, they can tint it at the store.  I'll provide the name of the color I used in a few days when I get some pictures of the finished cups posted.  From the appearance of the stain color as it's drying, I can tell it's going to really look sweet when all is finished with the poly coats.  Then, they'll sit idle for a week or two awaiting the arrival of the Magnum drivers.  

 

[wje]

Quote:

Prices for Magnums: $120 for drivers, $240 for drivers plus alu air chambers. Shipping extra ($25 to Europe in my case)
Contact Rhydon via info@symphones.ca for confirmation/details.
 

Here's a full price list as of a few days ago:
 
 
SYMPHONES PARTS PRICING - (Shipping is Additional)
 
Magnum V4 Drivers
120.00/pair
 
Magnum Aluminum Air Chambers- Anodized + Damping material, each complete with 6 SS mounting screws
140.00/pair
 
Magnum Gimbal Assembly, Anodized Aluminum, 2x side mounting pins, 1x10 degree pin+ SS Rod Stock headband mount, Anodized Rod Tips, & quarter cut out for cable lead
190.00/pair
 
Magnum "M" emblem
20.00/pair

 

[rawrster]

Is that on the website or did you get that from an email? Unless I'm looking at the wrong website I wasn't able to find that anywhere. I wonder how the v4 sound compared to the v2.5

 

[markkr]

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Yeah I know that but I'm talking about the sound, there's not much 'Grado' left.

The Grado "discomfort" is still there... 

 
Edit: I finally caved... ordered a set of drivers from Rhydon.

 

[wje]

Quote:

Is that on the website or did you get that from an email? Unless I'm looking at the wrong website I wasn't able to find that anywhere. I wonder how the v4 sound compared to the v2.5

I got the information directly from Rhydon as I was contemplating a purchase.  I'm sure he's not posting the information on the Web site because the prices could change at any time and the site doesn't have a way of purchasing the products and checking out.  Basically, you just communicate through Rhydon to determine what you need.  He'll then ask you for your PayPal address and send you a request for funds once he calculates your postage amount.  My shipping to the U.S. was $20 and a few cents.  It was marked as "express" shipping, which I'm not too sure of what kind of shipping process is involved from Canada.  However, they'll get here with they do - and, I'll have a big smile on my face.
 
 

 

[wje]

Quote:

The Grado "discomfort" is still there... 

 
Edit: I finally caved... ordered a set of drivers from Rhydon.

Ha!  I figured you would.  In all seriousness, the drivers are sweet.  Smooth.  Silky ... oh wait, this is a family site.  The drivers will impress you and I'm quite sure of that.  I'd like to find out how far the drivers in the wooden cups come up on or surpass the Grado RS-2i or RS-1i in sound?  I figure the Rydon drivers in wooden shells have got to be able to providing those Grados a run for the money.  Also, as I recall, you have a pair of SR-325i with Symphones at the moment getting the "treatment' right?   I probably shouldn't say it, but if for some reason, you don't like the ver. 4 drivers from Rhydon, I'll purchase them from you.  I always have a project running.  

 
In regards to the question about the ver. 2.5 sound vs. the 4.0 sound, I can't answer that question.  You'll have to go back into some of the older posts and read how the 2.5 sound was changed when ver. 3.0 of the driver came out.  I've heard the vers. 3 and I'll tell you, I'd be quite content with getting that release of the driver.  Yes, it is that good.
 

 

[stratocaster]

Quote:

In all seriousness, the drivers are sweet.  Smooth.  Silky ... oh wait, this is a family site.  The drivers will impress you and I'm quite sure of that.  I'd like to find out how far the drivers in the wooden cups come up on or surpass the Grado RS-2i or RS-1i in sound?  I figure the Rydon drivers in wooden shells have got to be able to providing those Grados a run for the money.

Thanks wje for the informative post on the Magnum product prices.
It is funny, but "smooth" was just the word that comes to my mind every once in a while when I listen to my cocobolo'd Magnum 3.5's. The bass is very melodic, not overwhelming, not at all boomy or muddy. Just SMOOTH and very tuneful, nicely textured. The mids are just right, to my ears there is no shoutiness. The highs, a really strong point. Very melodic again, airy, not at all piercing or sibilant, just the sonic icing on the cake.
AND,  the drivers certainly do not lack bite!!!
 
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I'd like to find out how far the drivers in the wooden cups come up on or surpass the Grado RS-2i or RS-1i in sound?

 
That would interest me as well. Measurements by purrin of the V2.5 drivers seem to show a superiority of the Magnums over the RS1's. But I think you would have to A/B the cans to find out for yourself what signature you prefer. But, in consideration of the costs of an RS1 over here, that will never happen to me. Maybe one of you guys in the States might get hold of an RS1 used or on loan to do an A/B. Or twinster, who owns an MS-PRO, will certainly have something interesting to say when/if he gets hold of Magnums.