Grado modders go Magnum

[7keys]

  With the shipping to Europe,  we're probably at 60-80USD for the ear zonks.. 

Try this guy
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/L-Cush-Foam-Replacement-Cushion-For-SR-60i-80i-125i-225i-325i-GS-1000i-Headphone-/261483385447?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&var&hash=item3ce19fd267&_uhb=1

 

[Theogenes]

Hey guys!! After buying a set of Magnum v4s from 7keys (thanks again, man!!), I shifted into my usual OCD-research mode and read through this entire thread, front to back. I've been enjoying these as a very different sound from my usual stuff, and picked up a few other sets of earpads to try to tweak the comfort (and, possibly, the sound) a bit. Unfortunately, when I finally sat down and went to switch the pads, I managed somehow to pull one of the cables off the driver 

. (In case you were wondering, no, I didn't do anything crazy, and I wasn't rough with them-- stuff like this just happens sometimes, especially with custom, enthusiast-built pieces). I've tried to take a picture of it and circle the separated cable in red: 
 

 
What I'm wondering is this: would I be better off sending this to someone for repair, or should I attempt to solder the connection myself?
 
Relevant info: 

1. I have never soldered anything of actual import in my life, although I bought a small soldering iron and kit several years ago. 
2. I have been toying with the idea of picking up a set of SR60s used so I could start learning more about how headphones work and how to modify them, including the ability to solder. 
3. The soldering equipment I currently own is a little Bernzomatic hand-torch with a soldering tip that I was unable to find a model number for, pictured below. 
4. I would very much not like to destroy or severely damage these headphones. 

 

 
If this is going to be anything even slightly more difficult than you could teach a monkey to do in 10 minutes or less, then I'd probably prefer to send it to someone else to be done. (At which point, I'm open to suggestions! ). But if it's a really easy fix (really, truly, legitimately easy-- not "easy for a guy like me, who works all day long building wiring harnesses for nuclear submarines" or something), I'm willing to give it a shot. 
 
So, what say you? Be as honest as you'd like-- I'm not going to be offended if the answer is that I'm in no way qualified to try this out. 
 
Thanks in advance, fellas!!

 

[fleasbaby]

  Hey guys!! After buying a set of Magnum v4s from 7keys (thanks again, man!!), I shifted into my usual OCD-research mode and read through this entire thread, front to back. I've been enjoying these as a very different sound from my usual stuff, and picked up a few other sets of earpads to try to tweak the comfort (and, possibly, the sound) a bit. Unfortunately, when I finally sat down and went to switch the pads, I managed somehow to pull one of the cables off the driver 

. (In case you were wondering, no, I didn't do anything crazy, and I wasn't rough with them-- stuff like this just happens sometimes, especially with custom, enthusiast-built pieces). I've tried to take a picture of it and circle the separated cable in red: 
 
 
 
What I'm wondering is this: would I be better off sending this to someone for repair, or should I attempt to solder the connection myself?
 
Relevant info: 

1. I have never soldered anything of actual import in my life, although I bought a small soldering iron and kit several years ago. 
2. I have been toying with the idea of picking up a set of SR60s used so I could start learning more about how headphones work and how to modify them, including the ability to solder. 
3. The soldering equipment I currently own is a little Bernzomatic hand-torch with a soldering tip that I was unable to find a model number for, pictured below. 
4. I would very much not like to destroy or severely damage these headphones. 

 
 
 
If this is going to be anything even slightly more difficult than you could teach a monkey to do in 10 minutes or less, then I'd probably prefer to send it to someone else to be done. (At which point, I'm open to suggestions! ). But if it's a really easy fix (really, truly, legitimately easy-- not "easy for a guy like me, who works all day long building wiring harnesses for nuclear submarines" or something), I'm willing to give it a shot. 
 
So, what say you? Be as honest as you'd like-- I'm not going to be offended if the answer is that I'm in no way qualified to try this out. 
 
Thanks in advance, fellas!!

 
Oh dear...
 
Is there solder left on the pad and the wire that came loose? If this is the case, you could do this yourself.
 
From what I recall, lostMIDrange made his cups exactly to the drivers' dimensions. So you won't need to melt glue or anything. You need to use a piece of wire/a toothpick to push on the back of the magnet on the driver and push it out of its seat.
 
Then heat up your soldering iron, hold the tip of the wire against the leftover solder, take a deep breath, steady your nerves and very briefly touch the tip of your soldering iron (for 2 seconds) to the leftover solder on the wire (not the pad or the leftover solder on the pad, just the wire). This should make the solder on the wire, and the pad on the driver melt.
 
Not as ideal as a fresh connection, but it works.
 
Should the thought of this make you soil your pants (and I do not blame you if it does), try dropping @teds headfood at Headphonelounge a line. He's a brilliant guy...

 

[Theogenes]

Oh dear...

Is there solder left on the pad and the wire that came loose? If this is the case, you could do this yourself.

From what I recall, lostMIDrange made his cups exactly to the drivers' dimensions. So you won't need to melt glue or anything. You need to use a piece of wire/a toothpick to push on the back of the magnet on the driver and push it out of its seat.

Then heat up your soldering iron, hold the tip of the wire against the leftover solder, take a deep breath, steady your nerves and very briefly touch the tip of your soldering iron (for 2 seconds) to the leftover solder on the wire (not the pad or the leftover solder on the pad, just the wire). This should make the solder on the wire, and the pad on the driver melt.

Not as ideal as a fresh connection, but it works.

Should the thought of this make you soil your pants (and I do not blame you if it does), try dropping @teds headfood
at Headphonelounge a line. He's a brilliant guy...

Thanks for the reply, man!! And as the idea of following the steps you so kindly laid out for me did indeed cause my bowels to experience intesense levels of discomfort, I think I'll probably just reach to to Ted or Brian at BTG to have it done . Thanks for the feedback and direction!!

 

[chinook9]

Thanks for the reply, man!! And as the idea of following the steps you so kindly laid out for me did indeed cause my bowels to experience intesense levels of discomfort, I think I'll probably just reach to to Ted or Brian at BTG to have it done

. Thanks for the feedback and direction!!

 
I suggest you make yourself a practice rig of some type so you can practice this before attempting it on the driver.  I think just tinning a couple of pieces of wire, maybe with a blob of solder on one of them, letting them cool and the soldering them together just as fleasbaby describes.
 
The key is that you only put enough heat into the solder on the driver to melt the solder and then immediately remove the heat.  It is worth quite a bit of practice in order to minimize the chance that you'll ruin the driver.  Something that quite a few have done. 
 
I have soldered quite a few of these, and I have a soldering station, but it still makes me pause a little and collect myself before I do it.

 

[fleasbaby]

Thanks for the reply, man!! And as the idea of following the steps you so kindly laid out for me did indeed cause my bowels to experience intesense levels of discomfort, I think I'll probably just reach to to Ted or Brian at BTG to have it done

. Thanks for the feedback and direction!!

 
No worries...it took me a while before I started doing the soldering thing...truly a diaper-worthy experience the first few times if you're using expensive drivers.

 

[Theogenes]

 
I suggest you make yourself a practice rig of some type so you can practice this before attempting it on the driver.  I think just tinning a couple of pieces of wire, maybe with a blob of solder on one of them, letting them cool and the soldering them together just as fleasbaby describes.
 
The key is that you only put enough heat into the solder on the driver to melt the solder and then immediately remove the heat.  It is worth quite a bit of practice in order to minimize the chance that you'll ruin the driver.  Something that quite a few have done. 
 
I have soldered quite a few of these, and I have a soldering station, but it still makes me pause a little and collect myself before I do it.

 
Thanks for the vote of confidence! Although honestly, I think I'd end up being so dang nervous I'd end up causing more problems than I could ever hope solve by the soldering... So I'm probably (=definitely) going to wimp out and have someone else reattach them, and maybe add a strain relief too if possible. (I'm going to have to make sure I can fit it in the budget, lot of expenses coming up in the next 6 weeks, so I'll get to look at 'em sitting on top of my Hilo, forlornly wondering why I don't love them anymore... Sigh). 
 
Still, good info! Thanks guys!!

 

[7keys]

  Hey guys!! After buying a set of Magnum v4s from 7keys (thanks again, man!!), I shifted into my usual OCD-research mode and read through this entire thread, front to back. I've been enjoying these as a very different sound from my usual stuff, and picked up a few other sets of earpads to try to tweak the comfort (and, possibly, the sound) a bit. Unfortunately, when I finally sat down and went to switch the pads, I managed somehow to pull one of the cables off the driver 

. (In case you were wondering, no, I didn't do anything crazy, and I wasn't rough with them-- stuff like this just happens sometimes, especially with custom, enthusiast-built pieces). I've tried to take a picture of it and circle the separated cable in red: 
 

 
What I'm wondering is this: would I be better off sending this to someone for repair, or should I attempt to solder the connection myself?
 
Relevant info: 

1. I have never soldered anything of actual import in my life, although I bought a small soldering iron and kit several years ago. 
2. I have been toying with the idea of picking up a set of SR60s used so I could start learning more about how headphones work and how to modify them, including the ability to solder. 
3. The soldering equipment I currently own is a little Bernzomatic hand-torch with a soldering tip that I was unable to find a model number for, pictured below. 
4. I would very much not like to destroy or severely damage these headphones. 

 

 
If this is going to be anything even slightly more difficult than you could teach a monkey to do in 10 minutes or less, then I'd probably prefer to send it to someone else to be done. (At which point, I'm open to suggestions! ). But if it's a really easy fix (really, truly, legitimately easy-- not "easy for a guy like me, who works all day long building wiring harnesses for nuclear submarines" or something), I'm willing to give it a shot. 
 
So, what say you? Be as honest as you'd like-- I'm not going to be offended if the answer is that I'm in no way qualified to try this out. 
 
Thanks in advance, fellas!!

Very sorry about this Burnley, could be the zip tie loosened up, I just sent you twenty USD to have someone solder it for you.
I wish it would have happened when I was the owner.

 

[Theogenes]

Very sorry about this Burnley, could be the zip tie loosened up, I just sent you twenty USD to have someone solder it for you.
I wish it would have happened when I was the owner.

WOW Phillip, I did not anticipate that at all... I am very appreciative, but you did not need to send me anything, as this was in no way your fault nor responsibility. Again, thank you very much for your unexpected kindness, but I want to make sure you (and everyone else) understands that this was not your doing in any way!!

I plan on reaching out to a few people to see about having these repaired when I get back from an upcoming trip abroad, as I'm trying to keep funds free until then .

Again, thank you, Phillip!!!!!!

 

[Mr.Sneis]

Was daydreaming about swapping in the IMO nicer old school 325 cups prior to the larger i cups.  Anyone can point me to how to take apart an old full magnum v4 to do this?  Maybe not even worth it.

 

[7keys]

WOW Phillip, I did not anticipate that at all... I am very appreciative, but you did not need to send me anything, as this was in no way your fault nor responsibility. Again, thank you very much for your unexpected kindness, but I want to make sure you (and everyone else) understands that this was not your doing in any way!!

I plan on reaching out to a few people to see about having these repaired when I get back from an upcoming trip abroad, as I'm trying to keep funds free until then

.

Again, thank you, Phillip!!!!!!

I try my best to do unto others as I'd like them to do to me. Although it is costly. 

 

[Theogenes]

I try my best to do unto others as I'd like them to do to me. Although it is costly. 

I'm the same way... Just pleasantly surprised to see someone else act the same

 

[Theogenes]

Hey guys! One more quick question for you: I made some inquiries on getting my Magnums fixed (see my explanatory post above), and the gentleman I'm working with (who I've used in the past and quite like) mentioned that resoldering the connection on a solid core wire would just break again. I'm assuming it was only soldered on to begin with (is there another way it could have been attached?), so I'm not quite sure what to think of this... Is there a better way to connect the wire to the driver, or is the act of resoldering itself problematic in some way? And if so, would it not be better to just snip off the tip of the cable and start fresh from a part that had not been soldered previously? 
 
I realize these are probably incredibly noobish, dumb questions to most of you, so my apologies for my lack of knowledge. I would be interested in any thoughts, though! Thanks in advance!!

 

[fleasbaby]

Hey guys! One more quick question for you: I made some inquiries on getting my Magnums fixed (see my explanatory post above), and the gentleman I'm working with (who I've used in the past and quite like) mentioned that resoldering the connection on a solid core wire would just break again. I'm assuming it was only soldered on to begin with (is there another way it could have been attached?), so I'm not quite sure what to think of this... Is there a better way to connect the wire to the driver, or is the act of resoldering itself problematic in some way? And if so, would it not be better to just snip off the tip of the cable and start fresh from a part that had not been soldered previously? 

I realize these are probably incredibly noobish, dumb questions to most of you, so my apologies for my lack of knowledge. I would be interested in any thoughts, though! Thanks in advance!!

Hmmm...well, I have never heard of a cable being attached to a Grado driver with anything other than solder...does he mean resoldering using the old wire that had solder on it is bad? If so, I guess trimming and starting fresh is a good idea...

I wonder if it's because of the solid core cable...I don't use solid core personally. I guess I could see how the single solid wire could be problematic on that flat little Grado/Magnum driver pad...

 

[sluker]

If by "solid core" he means single filament wire as opposed to mufti-filament wire then I would agree. Solid core wire is problematic in that it does not flex/bend with movement and in a worse case can damage the driver if it is pulled by detaching the solder pad off of the driver.
For Magnums I would recommend using multi-filament.