[eneloquent]

Hello Head-fi! First post and all that.

Based on lurking, unregistered, searched advice, years ago I took the omg-real-headphone plunge and purchased a pair of Senn HD580's.

Pretty soon off the bat, the head band cracked near one of the "MADE IN IRELAND" clips - within warranty, and they were replaced promptly. I learned about properly adjusting their fit along the metal bands.

This week, after nearly 3 years, the inevitable happened;

That's what I get for being cheap about having the heat on.

I searched around for threads about the HD580 headband, found plenty, and I checked with Sennheiser spare parts. The replacement - part # 059570 - is now $79.99 and will take 4+ weeks for delivery. Seeing as I'm in the market for an Auzen Forte, I'd love to find a less expensive solution and get a new sound card instead. Also, my only backup is a pair of cheap Sony EX earbuds. Ouch.

All that said, my questions - and I beg your assistance - are;

1. Anyone with experience swapping in the old (snaps) Bayer DT-770 headband on HD580s? How well did this work, anything to note? They still sell for ~ $10 USD and look pretty swell IMO.
2. Any advice on straight-up repairs? Taking epoxy and some 1/16" x 3/4" aluminum ribbon to brace the top of the inside and along the outside, and covering it in a short pile velour, seems like it would do the trick. I just have no idea where to find the aluminum ribbon.
3. Do you have any suggestions outside of these ideas that have worked for you? Besides giving Sennheiser 20% of the cost of a new pair for a curved piece of ABS.

p.s. If I can get these fixed, I promise to do them up right with the 600 grill/650 cable mod.

 

[deltaspirit]

JB weld with something on the inside like a small metal bar for reinforcement.

edit: you could also just put some flat scrap metal on the inside.

 

[MCC]

Eighty. Dollars. That's absurd- I purchased a new HD-595 driver from Sennheiser to fix an intermittent rattle and they only wanted $22.07. Then again, the 555s use the same part but that's a different story...

Try negotiating with them. Before I had my 595s I had a pair of HD-280s. The headband began to crack and, when I sent it in for warranty repair, I negotiated to have them replaced with 595s if I sent in a check for the difference in MSRP. My experience is that they will do anything reasonable to keep their customers happy.

 

[nullstring]

"nearly three years"

they have a three year warranty, don't they? Are you just over it then?

 

[Leto Atreides II]

JB Weld does not work at all. You will not be able to glue them.

I paid about $50 maybe a year ago for the entire headband assembly straight from Sennheiser. That's too bad about it going up.

 

[aristos_achaion]

The headband assembly on these things is a pretty major part...$80 seems pretty reasonable.

IIRC, there's someone on the FS forum selling a pair of HD580s needing a driver for $80...maybe you could get a couple of spare parts for the same price.

 

[eneloquent]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nullstring /img/forum/go_quote.gif "nearly three years" they have a three year warranty, don't they? Are you just over it then?

The years are getting away from me! "Slightly more than three years" would have been more accurate.

Amazon says: Original purchase date; October 17, 2006

IIRC the original break was ~ 1.5 months after purchase, so I'm > 3yr from the replacement date as well.

@aristos_achaion sold =[

However if anyone reading this thread has a busted HD580 they can part out/sell busted, PM me! I'd rather recycle parts than wait 4 weeks for a new piece.

And I do agree, it's a major part - one that was apparently plagued with issues. The price has scaled significantly over time, I'm assuming due to diminished supply/product going EOL. I'm assuming if it was still in production it would be much cheaper (i.e. Beyer @ $10?)

 

[1Time]

You'll need some sort of band affixed like a splint. Someone used a portion of a thick leather belt. A thin strip of bendable metal would work, maybe affixed with silicone. An auto repair shop might cut a piece of metal for you. Then wrap with the Beyer part to cover it up.

 

[eneloquent]

1Time, I think that's about the lines of what I'm going to try;

TowerHobbies.com | K&S Aluminum Sheet 4x10" .064" (6)

That seems like the right material, I just need to find someone with a dremel and steadier hands than mine to cut/smooth it.

Gorilla Glue seems to adhere to the plastic fairly well, that or modeling cement should also adhere to the metal.

Anyone have any experience ordering the DT-770 band directly from Beyer, or is there a retailer stateside that carries it? The only retail outlet I've found with it is in Germany.

 

[Ham Sandwich]

There is a post with pictures somewhere here on head-fi by someone who put the HD580/600/650 cups on some Sony headband. Not sure which model of Sony. It was a home brew mod. Can't seem to find the post with a quick search. Might be an option since the Sony might fit your head better and a replacement Sennheiser band is likely going to suffer the same fate in a few years.

 

[1Time]

You'll need an adhesive that won't fracture when you stress its connection between the metal and headband. There will need to be some give to the adhesive anytime you bend the metal / headband, when putting the headphones on or taking them off. A layer of silicone should work.
Quote:

Originally Posted by eneloquent /img/forum/go_quote.gif Gorilla Glue seems to adhere to the plastic fairly well, that or modeling cement should also adhere to the metal.

 

[eneloquent]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ham Sandwich /img/forum/go_quote.gif There is a post with pictures somewhere here on head-fi by someone who put the HD580/600/650 cups on some Sony headband.

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f44/fs...-cable-436751/

That? PM'ing scootermafia now!

@1time - you mean something like this?
Amazon.com: Permatex 80855 Clear Silicone Adhesive Sealant. 11 oz.: Automotive

 

[golgi]

I used a piece of plastic and some 24hour epoxy to brace it from the inside. This method takes away a little bit of the headband adjustability but not much (depends on how long the piece of plastic is that you brace it with). I did this repair several months ago and it's worked well so far. It feels like a very strong fix.

 

[1Time]

Yes. I used a clear silicone like that to mount a fan to my PC. Seems like it could sustain repeated minor bending and still hold, rubber like.
Quote:

Originally Posted by eneloquent /img/forum/go_quote.gif @1time - you mean something like this? Amazon.com: Permatex 80855 Clear Silicone Adhesive Sealant. 11 oz.: Automotive

 

[Ham Sandwich]

Quote:

Originally Posted by eneloquent /img/forum/go_quote.gif http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f44/fs...-cable-436751/ That? PM'ing scootermafia now!

Yes. That's the one. Somewhere he's got a post explaining how he did that frankenstein mod.

I can't believe you found a picture of the phones. My search-fu is weak.