[thelostMIDrange]

......

 

[Nightslayer]

Quote:

Ok I am still at a bit of a loss for woody Magnum V2 325is,  I have been in contact with Martins and will probably go that direction.  Unfortunately I don't have a pair of any other stock Grados to look at so am a little lost in the communication and thought to post this here for advice.   Years ago I had a pair of woodied MS1's that were done by Jmooney,  they were an incredible upgrade,  probably better than the MS-Pros I owned,  but if I remember right and this is vague they would fit a magnum.
 
Anyway with the woodified 325is Magnums I am confused.  
 
I am thinking there are two ways to do this (see picture):
 
A:   Remove the magnum driver with the setscrews and buy a wood cup that replaces all the unpainted aluminum.  (see picture arrow A)
 
B:   Buy cups that are cut where the big aluminum sleeve goes in (picture arrow B),  to install I assume I would remove the drivers and heat up the aluminum then separate the halves.  Then I would press the wood cup back onto the sleeve and put the drivers back in via the set-screws.  So it would really be about half wood, half aluminum (the outer half wood.)
 

 
 
 
I guess my concern with option A is it would seem the driver would be difficult to firmly mount,  and I would be giving up one of the advantages of the magnums being a solid resonance free mount.
 
With method B,  I would still have the advantage of the Magnum but lighter weight and possibly better wood tone but the disadvantage is not as much wood tone as method A.  Am I correct that a generic wood cup would be method A?
 
What I can't figure out is does anyone do option B ?   And if not how to you ensure a proper driver fitment/mount using option A?
 
Last which would folks recommend? 

I think no one really answered your questions so I shall deign to do so. The method most people go for is neither method A nor method B, we get a one-piece wooden cup (a la RS1/MSPro) and take the bare driver (something akin to your method A?) and put it in the wooden cup. There are various people who make such cups. I think both method A and B have been attempted by Stratocaster who has his own lathe/drill press, you could ask him as to the differences. He seems to prefer it in full wood though or with a wooden inner (method A, with B replacing the 'outer') according to him a wooden inner bests the aluminium, though according to Rhydon one of the key aspects of the Magnum is the aluminium inner. The mount using option A is done with either electric tape (WJE), hot glue (myself), or foam (some of Marty's earlier offerings) or nothing at all, if your cup is turned exactly to specifications or if you're using a Grado driver with leftover glue which holds it in through friction alone.
 
As to recommendations, you have to either hear it for yourself or take Strat's word for it, I doubt many others have tried both combinations, or any of the two.
 

 

[glenda]

Quote:

 
 
 
what you want is like this HF-2 seen here. Wood is good !

Nope I want to do the opposite,  where the aluminum magnum inner half stays and the outer mushroom is replaced with wood.  (I had a pair of HF-2s and hated them

).
 
It seems simple as heck,  should be cheaper than full wood as there would be less lathing involved and less wood,   but it sounds like only Strato has done it (thanks for the info Chris.)
 
I guess I would be out in esoterica asking Marty for such a "half cup", 
 
but maybe others see the benefits
 
1.  retain most of the magnum strengths
2.  takes weight off, makes the Magnums lighter more comfi
3.  deeper chambers
4.  gets the wood flavor in the longer wavelegths (bass region where we need the most help with any Grado.)
 
Maybe if there is enough interest we could talk Marty or someone into selling such half cups.  I don't think anyone wouldn't mind doing sanding for fitment until it is a standard offering.
 
Anyone ?
 
 
 

 

[chrislangley4253]

Quote:

I think no one really answered your questions so I shall deign to do so. The method most people go for is neither method A nor method B, we get a one-piece wooden cup (a la RS1/MSPro) and take the bare driver (something akin to your method A?) and put it in the wooden cup. There are various people who make such cups. I think both method A and B have been attempted by Stratocaster who has his own lathe/drill press, you could ask him as to the differences. He seems to prefer it in full wood though or with a wooden inner (method A, with B replacing the 'outer') according to him a wooden inner bests the aluminium, though according to Rhydon one of the key aspects of the Magnum is the aluminium inner. The mount using option A is done with either electric tape (WJE), hot glue (myself), or foam (some of Marty's earlier offerings) or nothing at all, if your cup is turned exactly to specifications or if you're using a Grado driver with leftover glue which holds it in through friction alone.
 
As to recommendations, you have to either hear it for yourself or take Strat's word for it, I doubt many others have tried both combinations, or any of the two.
 

Not to be a jerk... But, keep in mind Strat's source and the subjectiveness of it all. Everyone will have a preference on their given setup with their given ears.

 
Quote:

Nope I want to do the opposite,  where the aluminum magnum inner half stays and the outer mushroom is replaced with wood.  (I had a pair of HF-2s and hated them

).
 
It seems simple as heck,  should be cheaper than full wood as there would be less lathing involved and less wood,   but it sounds like only Strato has done it (thanks for the info Chris.)
 
I guess I would be out in esoterica asking Marty for such a "half cup", 
 
but maybe others see the benefits
 
1.  retain most of the magnum strengths
2.  takes weight off, makes the Magnums lighter more comfi
3.  deeper chambers
4.  gets the wood flavor in the longer wavelegths (bass region where we need the most help with any Grado.)
 
Maybe if there is enough interest we could talk Marty or someone into selling such half cups.  I don't think anyone wouldn't mind doing sanding for fitment until it is a standard offering.
 
Anyone ?
 
 
 

I definitely understand what you are going for Glenda, and marty has made several cups that would do just what you want.
 
what you want are "slip-ons"

 

 

 
I'm pretty sure Marty can turn these out in his sleep anymore
 
http://martincustomaudio.blogspot.com/

Tell him you want slip-ons for your magnum drivers in an aluminum inner, he should have no problem making it work.

 

[stratocaster]

Quote:

Nope I want to do the opposite,  where the aluminum magnum inner half stays and the outer mushroom is replaced with wood.  (I had a pair of HF-2s and hated them

).
 
It seems simple as heck,  should be cheaper than full wood as there would be less lathing involved and less wood,   but it sounds like only Strato has done it (thanks for the info Chris.)
 
I guess I would be out in esoterica asking Marty for such a "half cup", 
 
but maybe others see the benefits
 
1.  retain most of the magnum strengths
2.  takes weight off, makes the Magnums lighter more comfi
3.  deeper chambers
4.  gets the wood flavor in the longer wavelegths (bass region where we need the most help with any Grado.)
 
Maybe if there is enough interest we could talk Marty or someone into selling such half cups.  I don't think anyone wouldn't mind doing sanding for fitment until it is a standard offering.
 
Anyone ?
 
 
 

In my view these are the options:

1) Leave your full alus as they are
2) You can get hold of wooden outer shells (slip-ons) to replace the 325-cups. By the way, Marty already makes those slip-ons, which you would want. That is no problem! First, however, you would have to get the alu inners out! THAT might prove more than difficult. Rhydon is said to ensure durable and tight fit of inner and outer shells. By trying to get the shells apart you could damage them or simply find it impossible to get them apart. Even if you succeed, this alu inner-wood outer kind of hybrid would leave you with alu sound and wooden outers almost 100% for aesthetics and weight-reduction only. In my experience, it did not do anything to improve/change the bass response. I found it useful only aesthetics-wise and for weight reduction!
3) You can remove the drivers by removing the hex screws and use the drivers in 1-piece wood shells made by Marty or cups like Cabillas'. In order to mount the driver tightly you can use layers of foam or felt around the driver to press-fit it into the wood cups. If you need to mount them firmly, you would have to glue them into the wood shells in Grado-like style. This option would give you wood sound.

Personally, I would go for option 3. If I then found the alu sound to have been superior (which I doubt), I could reassemble the original alu setup and sell the wood shells or use other Gradessandro drivers in them. Just my 2 cents and to each their own.

 
 

 

[stratocaster]

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrislangley4253 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
... keep in mind Strat's source and the subjectiveness of it all. Everyone will have a preference on their given setup with their given ears.

 
I have carefully compared lots of setups,  full-alu, alu-wood hybrids and full wood, with the same source, be it good or bad, various pads etc. My subjective ears prefer the full-wood setup. Because this setup brings out the sound signature I like best.  But I still have three other setups to compare and put my hands on every once in a while: an alu-inner/wood outer hybrid, a Magnum Ultimate (wood shells, wood distancers, G-cushs) in MS1000 style, and a full-alu setup with Rhydon's air chambers and Jaben alu outers. If I just owned one setup, I would probably be happy with it and not look further. But owning more setups makes - subjective - comparisons possible and allows - subjective - preferences.
 

 

[Nightslayer]

Quote:

In my view these are the options:

1) Leave your full alus as they are
2) You can get hold of wooden outer shells (slip-ons) to replace the 325-cups. By the way, Marty already makes those slip-ons, which you would want. That is no problem! First, however, you would have to get the alu inners out! THAT might prove more than difficult. Rhydon is said to ensure durable and tight fit of inner and outer shells. By trying to get the shells apart you could damage them or simply find it impossible to get them apart. Even if you succeed, this alu inner-wood outer kind of hybrid would leave you with alu sound and wooden outers almost 100% for aesthetics and weight-reduction only. In my experience, it did not do anything to improve/change the bass response. I found it useful only aesthetics-wise and for weight reduction!
3) You can remove the drivers by removing the hex screws and use the drivers in 1-piece wood shells made by Marty or cups like Cabillas'. In order to mount the driver tightly you can use layers of foam or felt around the driver to press-fit it into the wood cups. If you need to mount them firmly, you would have to glue them into the wood shells in Grado-like style. This option would give you wood sound.

Personally, I would go for option 3. If I then found the alu sound to have been superior (which I doubt), I could reassemble the original alu setup and sell the wood shells or use other Gradessandro drivers in them. Just my 2 cents and to each their own.

 
 

Or perhaps he could order a new set of drivers+enclosures for $240 and use them with the wooden slip-ons instead, if money were easier to come by.
 
Quote:

 
I have carefully compared lots of setups,  full-alu, alu-wood hybrids and full wood, with the same source, be it good or bad, various pads etc. My subjective ears prefer the full-wood setup. Because this setup brings out the sound signature I like best.  But I still have three other setups to compare and put my hands on every once in a while: an alu-inner/wood outer hybrid, a Magnum Ultimate (wood shells, wood distancers, G-cushs) in MS1000 style, and a full-alu setup with Rhydon's air chambers and Jaben alu outers. If I just owned one setup, I would probably be happy with it and not look further. But owning more setups makes - subjective - comparisons possible and allows - subjective - preferences.
 

Furthermore, I doubt the source would affect a comparison since all of the headphones are being driven by the same source, so that factor essentially becomes negligible in the comparison.
 

 

[joeq70]

Hello all! I'm sitting here waiting for an exam to start. This thread soothes my nerves 

. I just wanted to report that  Ihave just purchased some Full Woody SR225s and have some Magnum en route that I'm going to install. Full impressions soon to come!

 

[chrislangley4253]

Quote:

 
I have carefully compared lots of setups,  full-alu, alu-wood hybrids and full wood, with the same source, be it good or bad, various pads etc. My subjective ears prefer the full-wood setup. Because this setup brings out the sound signature I like best.  But I still have three other setups to compare and put my hands on every once in a while: an alu-inner/wood outer hybrid, a Magnum Ultimate (wood shells, wood distancers, G-cushs) in MS1000 style, and a full-alu setup with Rhydon's air chambers and Jaben alu outers. If I just owned one setup, I would probably be happy with it and not look further. But owning more setups makes - subjective - comparisons possible and allows - subjective - preferences.
 

precisely what I'm getting at... We all have different sources
 

 

[chrislangley4253]

Quote:

Furthermore, I doubt the source would affect a comparison since all of the headphones are being driven by the same source, so that factor essentially becomes negligible in the comparison.
 

I completely disagree. I'm partial to different headphones based on the source, and I know I'm not the only one. If he has a more sterile source, it could explain him preferring the coloration of wood.. It's all personal preference, all I'm saying. 


Quote:

Hello all! I'm sitting here waiting for an exam to start. This thread soothes my nerves 

. I just wanted to report that  Ihave just purchased some Full Woody SR225s and have some Magnum en route that I'm going to install. Full impressions soon to come!

Wait until you hear the magnums compared to the 225is
 

 

[stratocaster]

Quote:

I completely disagree. I'm partial to different headphones based on the source, and I know I'm not the only one. If he has a more sterile source, it could explain him preferring the coloration of wood.. It's all personal preference, all I'm saying.
 

 
You heard the V3.5s in wood and enjoyed them, right? Now, I do not want to talk anybody out of aluminum and I am looking forward to your impressions on the differences between this setup and the full-alu V4's once you get them. Maybe you will prefer them to the woodied setup, maybe not. We'll see.
 
 

 

[chrislangley4253]

Quote:

 
You heard the V3.5s in wood and enjoyed them, right? Now, I do not want to talk anybody out of aluminum and I am looking forward to your impressions on the differences between this setup and the full-alu V4's once you get them. Maybe you will prefer them to the woodied setup, maybe not. We'll see.
 
 

Indeed. They were very nice. I'm curious to see how I feel about the v4's in aluminum too

 

[Twinster]

This is the same plan as me.  You only need to request a Slip-on cup to Marty. He knows the drill. The price is about the same (not much less wood and work). And for your information I do not believe the wood slip-on cup would have any effect on the sound at all. I'm using the Grado plastic slip-on from a pair of SR-60i and the aluminum chamber goes up to the grill so the wood would not have a chance on adding any tone to the sound. It might help with for vibration control???  On my case I do not find the V4 to be analytic at all. I find them quite musical but resolving and they have a very good stage presentation and instrument separation. Just my 2 cents.
Quote:

Nope I want to do the opposite,  where the aluminum magnum inner half stays and the outer mushroom is replaced with wood.  (I had a pair of HF-2s and hated them

).
 
It seems simple as heck,  should be cheaper than full wood as there would be less lathing involved and less wood,   but it sounds like only Strato has done it (thanks for the info Chris.)
 
I guess I would be out in esoterica asking Marty for such a "half cup", 
 
but maybe others see the benefits
 
1.  retain most of the magnum strengths
2.  takes weight off, makes the Magnums lighter more comfi
3.  deeper chambers
4.  gets the wood flavor in the longer wavelegths (bass region where we need the most help with any Grado.)
 
Maybe if there is enough interest we could talk Marty or someone into selling such half cups.  I don't think anyone wouldn't mind doing sanding for fitment until it is a standard offering.
 
Anyone ?
 
 
 

 

 

[chrislangley4253]

"They will continue to change for up to a month but usually 1-2 weeks is safe before critical listening. Lower/medium volume levels for the first 2 weeks is recommended." - Rhydon

 

[lisztian420]

I email Rhydon. He got back to me suggesting the highest purity cable I can find.

He said it's optional either going the silver or copper route as that really boils down to preference.

I guess if you Don't really notice the difference in SQ, then going the cheaper route is the way to go.