[serialtoon]

This may seem a bit off but what if i play loud music and leave it playing while im at work...thus breaking them in without actually having to sit there? Oh and btw, i got a killer deal on both items, 59$ for the XFi and 74$ for the HD280s.

 

[Meloncoly]

Don't play the music loud, just a little above normal listening levels. It's fine to leave it in a drawer or table while you're at work. A lot of people use pink noise, which is like white noise with a variation, but burning in with what you listen to on constant repeat is just fine as well.

Quote:

Originally Posted by serialtoon /img/forum/go_quote.gif This may seem a bit off but what if i play loud music and leave it playing while im at work...thus breaking them in without actually having to sit there? Oh and btw, i got a killer deal on both items, 59$ for the XFi and 74$ for the HD280s.

 

[1Time]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChiComm4 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Any opinions on whether it's better to use a cotton pad in the middle or tack?

I wouldn't bother modding with anything but the tack. I'd probably try 1/8 ounce or less in each ear cup and cover less than half of the plastic surface.

 

[1Time]

Quote:

Originally Posted by serialtoon /img/forum/go_quote.gif This may seem a bit off but what if i play loud music and leave it playing while im at work...thus breaking them in without actually having to sit there?

Nothing wrong with that. I'd also lay a folded bath towel over it too so I don't hear it when at home.

 

[Rainbow Randy]

Help! How do you get the pads back on without ripping them up?

 

[1Time]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChiComm4 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Help! How do you get the pads back on without ripping them up?

It's not that hard at all. Just take your time pulling it back on the way it came off. The plastic should stretch enough.

It "may" help if you heated up the plastic on the ear pads a little with a hair dryer, but not so hot you can't comfortably handle it. Holding it a couple inches away from a light bulb for maybe 30 seconds should work too. Just don't melt it.

 

[Rainbow Randy]

Thanks, I got it!

 

[moogoob]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1Time /img/forum/go_quote.gif It's not that hard at all. Just take your time pulling it back on the way it came off. The plastic should stretch enough. It "may" help if you heated up the plastic on the ear pads a little with a hair dryer, but not so hot you can't comfortably handle it. Holding it a couple inches away from a light bulb for maybe 30 seconds should work too. Just don't melt it.

Damn, where were you at the beginning of the winter when I had to replace my HD280s pads? Took me 30 minutes per pad to put on. Literally. And lots of cursing!

 

[Meloncoly]

First time I did the mod, which was ages ago, I had that trouble as well. I also constantly swore under my breath at Sennheiser's designers for designing the pads as so. Then I gave up for the day. Then the next day, I took a blowdryer to the pads, and it stretched more and it was a breeze almost. It still pissed me off though.

Quote:

Originally Posted by moogoob /img/forum/go_quote.gif Damn, where were you at the beginning of the winter when I had to replace my HD280s pads? Took me 30 minutes per pad to put on. Literally. And lots of cursing!

 

[serialtoon]

I did alot of tweaking to my EQ in the XFi software last night and it seems like the 280s bass is there, just needs to be tweaked enough to extract it. As of right now im loving it without the tack, but i might try it sometime.

 

[Rumplestiltskin]

Thanks for the info on the blu-tack mod - I made a small change based on what I had around the house and it worked really well to tighten up the bass and cut down some of the losses:

Blu-Tack not being in my pen drawer as it would be if I lived back in the UK I decided to try something else to dampen the back wave and 'chunk' up the back of the enclosures.

I had some damping sheet in my garage from a speaker project, it's from partsexpress.com - cheap, thin and sticky backed. I'd think you could use 'Dynamat' too if you like things to come with logos and bigger price tags.

Having taken apart the cans per the kindly supplied instructions here I then heated up a square of the damping mat slightly larger than the opening with a hairdryer. I then pressed it against the driver half of the assembly to make a template (the stuff is soft when heated so the outline transfers nicely to it), then I cut it out with a pair of scissors, leaving me with a section of damping mat the right shape and size for the back of the enclosure.

I then peeled off the backing, pushed the cut piece of damping material into the cavity, pushing holes through it with the screw posts as it's so soft when warm.

Pressed into the cavity it molds nicely and comes somewhat up the sidewalls.

The end result is a nice improvement - tighter bass and a definite increase at the lower end. I'd say the best part of the improvement is the clarity in the midbass which is much better.

These were my first 'decent' headphones and despite buying many other pairs since I'm still a fan - even with my hybrid valve/FET headphone amp they're a joy. Now with this cleanup of the lower registers they're almost as good as my 595's although clearly VERY different (and more useful if the kids are at home...)