[navalverde]

Just did the uber mod on my cans and have to say the improvements are remarkable and would encourage others to give it a shot as long as you got a steady hand.  I also did encounter the same issue as Jacob but managed to get a pretty solid fit anyways.  I would also suggest that people try the pads that the HD-25 aluminum edition uses and put them on the regular HD-25.  
 
http://customcans.co.uk/s/s/index.php/acessories/original-sennheiser-hd25-1-leatherette-ear-pad-set-hd-25-c-hd25sp.html
 
They are more comfortable than either of the stock pads and have a wonderfully balanced sound to them.  I also tried using a pair of red Yaxi pads because I also am running a red Oyaide HPC-25HD cable, but I found that they bloated the bass a bit too much and narrowed the sound stage.  Its a shame because they look really cool and are very comfortable.
 

 
One qualm I have with the Oyaide cable is that the right angle jack doesn't have threads for a screw on 1/4" adapter which befuddles me since the regular steel cable has one.  I'm planning on either attaching a new right angle jack that has one or maybe trying one of these chinese cables from fleabay.

 

[hucifer]

Just rejuvenated my 4 year-old pair of HD25s (+velour pads) with the uber mod and copper cable.

I agree that the most noticeable change is in the bass range. Immediate impressions were that the bass is lacking but you should soon notice that the bass is still there, albeit leaner and with better extension.

The mids do sound a touch further back than before, but it's not a huge change. The highs sound great - still forward but a little more polite than stock.

Overall the new sound is cleaner, airier and more balanced than before. It does lack a little energy compared to stock but OTOH it's less fatiguing for extended listening. Considering this was exactly what I wanted to achieve from modding them, I am pleased as punch

 

[sonicaudio]

Just rejuvenated my 4 year-old pair of HD25s (+velour pads) with the uber mod and copper cable.

I agree that the most noticeable change is in the bass range. Immediate impressions were that the bass is lacking but you should soon notice that the bass is still there, albeit leaner and with better extension.

The mids do sound a touch further back than before, but it's not a huge change. The highs sound great - still forward but a little more polite than stock.

Overall the new sound is cleaner, airier and more balanced than before. It does lack a little energy compared to stock but OTOH it's less fatiguing for extended listening. Considering this was exactly what I wanted to achieve from modding them, I am pleased as punch

Hi, which copper cable did you buy to use with the hd25? And if you swap back the stock cable is there still an improvement in sound just by dampening & loading the hd25 cups? i.e. Is it worthwhile doing the uber mod without cable upgrade?

 

[hucifer]

Hi, which copper cable did you buy to use with the hd25? And if you swap back the stock cable is there still an improvement in sound just by dampening & loading the hd25 cups? i.e. Is it worthwhile doing the uber mod without cable upgrade?

I got a 1.5m OFC cable from CustomCans.co.uk. The improvement over the stock steel cable is subtle but audible. It cleans up the sound somewhat and makes the HD25s sound a touch more detailed than before.

The mass loading and damping still accounts for most of the improvement, though. I'd say it's definitely worth doing even without a cable upgrade.

 

[sonicaudio]

I got a 1.5m OFC cable from CustomCans.co.uk. The improvement over the stock steel cable is subtle but audible. It cleans up the sound somewhat and makes the HD25s sound a touch more detailed than before.

The mass loading and damping still accounts for most of the improvement, though. I'd say it's definitely worth doing even without a cable upgrade.

Thanks!

 

[Jonone]

Ive come back to some hd25s,one of the reasons i got rid of them last time was the brain chrushing clamp, So after looking through this thread here's a few pics of of my freshly modded hd25 with sp headband, most people who do this mod turn the cups upside down so the cables are equal and bottom entry like the sp, they also normally upgrade the cable to the hd600/650 type cable but you loose the protection of the cable clamp on the std hd25, seeing as the connection joints are notorious for being niggley I decided to keep the standard routing which helps stop the connections getting tugged and keeps the steel lined cable which is more durable and I personally don't think I would notice any sound upgrade.

I just cut a groove in the sp headband foam with a Stanley knife roughly the size of the cable and stuck a foam strip from the amperior headband over the top, you could use the normal hd25 pleather strips there cheaper, but because I am going to use the velour cups( which also makes them more comfortable) I thought it looks better having the velour type material, I was going to use superglue to keep the cable in place but it seems fine and this way it's totally reversible without damage and I still have the normal headband and cable if I want to swap back.

I think it's much more comfortable and the sp band makes them even lighter, its really easy to stretch if you still think it has to much clamp,I have heated it with a hair dryer while clamped over some books, it seems to have a lot less memory then the standard band and now the cups are not together when of my head like in the pictures.





I admit the cables are a bit flappy,as it seems to be a shorter path then the original but i don't think it will be a problem, I nearly used super glue to hold them in position but again I don't want to anything to permanent, I think a couple of small black elastic bands will do the job perfectly.

 

[lafeuill]

Just did the uber mod on my cans and have to say the improvements are remarkable and would encourage others to give it a shot as long as you got a steady hand.  I also did encounter the same issue as Jacob but managed to get a pretty solid fit anyways.  I would also suggest that people try the pads that the HD-25 aluminum edition uses and put them on the regular HD-25.  


 


http://customcans.co.uk/s/s/index.php/acessories/original-sennheiser-hd25-1-leatherette-ear-pad-set-hd-25-c-hd25sp.html



Thanks for the link.

I was wondering if there was some way to adapt circum-aural pads to the hd-25-1 II.

Glass wearers like me would appreciate the comfort.

Another option :
http://www.thomann.de/gb/sennheiser_ohrpolster_hd_25_velour.htm

 

[JacobLee89]

Just out of curiousity. Is it normal to have the right channel just a tidge bit louder than the left?
 
On my e18, turning the dial to the lowest settings, I can hear just a smidge of sound coming from the right cup. I suspect that it has something to do with the right channel being a shorter cable.
 
But all in all, it's only audible if I spend all my attention on this, and it becomes invisible once I turn the volume to normal listening volumes.

 

[H20Fidelity]

  Just out of curiousity. Is it normal to have the right channel just a tidge bit louder than the left?
 
On my e18, turning the dial to the lowest settings, I can hear just a smidge of sound coming from the right cup. I suspect that it has something to do with the right channel being a shorter cable.
 
But all in all, it's only audible if I spend all my attention on this, and it becomes invisible once I turn the volume to normal listening volumes.

It is normal and not your headphones causing it. Amplifiers using potentiometer volume dials are common with low volume imbalance.

See here: http://www.head-fi.org/t/668697/question-low-volume-channel-imbalance​
 

 

[hucifer]

Got my HD25 Aluminium leatherette pads in the post today and replaced the old velour pads on my Uber modded HD25s.

I bought them because I found that while the damping mod on the inside of the cups does tighten up the bass it also makes the low end sound a bit lean at times, particularly when out and about in noisy environments. These new pads have beefed up the bass impact a little without detracting from the overall balance, which is great! 
 
On the downside they aren't as comfortable as the velours, but then I suppose that's to be expected. I think I might try the Amperior velours next as they seem like they might be a happy medium between the comfort of the HD25 velours and the improved bass from the leather pads.

 

[god-bluff]

The aluminium pads get softer and more comfortable over time.

Mine now feel and look like fine leather after several months of daily use. No going back to velour or pleather now for me

 

[Quincampoix]

Hey guys,

So I've finally bought a pair of HD25s and they sound amazing (my first real cans, hell my first cans period). Well I've gotten home only to find out that I was given the HD 25-II and not the HD 25-1 II. What are the differences between the two? Are the HD 25-II older? From what I've found online is that the differences are the cable lengths (HD 25-II having 2m & HD 25-1 II having 1.5m & right angled).
 
If there are any major differences I'll see if I can return them tomorrow and order the HD 25-1 II off the online store, the guy that sold them to me in-store said that it was literally the only one left. I'm just worried it's old stock. I was too caught up in joy to notice anything.

Cheers!

 

[jfunk]

  Hey guys,

So I've finally bought a pair of HD25s and they sound amazing (my first real cans, hell my first cans period). Well I've gotten home only to find out that I was given the HD 25-II and not the HD 25-1 II. What are the differences between the two? Are the HD 25-II older? From what I've found online is that the differences are the cable lengths (HD 25-II having 2m & HD 25-1 II having 1.5m & right angled).
 
If there are any major differences I'll see if I can return them tomorrow and order the HD 25-1 II off the online store, the guy that sold them to me in-store said that it was literally the only one left. I'm just worried it's old stock. I was too caught up in joy to notice anything.

Cheers!

The only real difference is the cable - the HD25 have a 2m cable with a straight jack and HD25-1 has a 1.5m cable with a right angled jack. Both are still in production and up to mk II but if yours have black screws on the cable clamp it means they are the latest 2014 model. If you have silver screws then they are slightly older - the 2013 onwards ones have a small hologram sticker on the driver grille under the earpads. If you have silver screws and no hologram then they are a bit older but all the MK ii are pretty much the same, just subtle changes in the way the earcup is clipped together and colour of screws so even if you have a set from a few years ago they will sound just as sweet. My job involves a lot of pulling apart of HD25s which come straight from sennheiser so I spot all the updates.

 

[Quincampoix]

Thanks so much for the informative post dude! Turns out I do have the black screws – very happy. Looks like I'll have to go through this thread and find out how to make these cans even better (is such a thing even possible? )

 

[JRoMan]

Haven't been in this thread for a long while. I think I'm going to order the Uber kit and give that a try.

Any source of longer HD25-specific (due to cable routing) cables besides Oyaide and Custom Cans? Should I try the OE coiled cable?