[Wizard*]

Hello everyone.

I own Grado SR80 phones and I'm considering changing the cables.

One thing I don't want to happen though is for the resistance (since they are rated at 32ohm) to increase. So, as per the thread title, is it the drivers or the cables themselves that dictate the resistance?

I want to change the cables for a number of reasons; First, they are ridiculously short, and second, they are also unnecessarily thick, heavy, and just plain poorly designed, and I can't stand them. I own an old set of Sony CD350 phones that I would consider switching the cables over to the Grado set, as they are a much lighter, longer, and appear to be a higher quality of manufacture (as these are made in Japan).

Any comments or suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[infinitesymphony]

Instead of switching over the set from an old pair, you might consider having a Head-Fier recable them with newer, better cable.

IIRC, a cable will add a tiny amount to the impedance, but the majority of the impedance is caused by the drivers, so the overall impedance should remain relatively unchanged regardless of a cable upgrade.

 

[Wizard*]

Thanks for the info. I've done some more searching regarding taking these phones apart, and it's obvious that it's going to be a delicate process. These ultra cheap quality phones are assembled with glue, and can't be taken apart (like other phones) with screws (to access the driver).

 

[LawnGnome]

the resistance of the cable is extremely small. Most common multimeters won't even read it properly. The resistance comes from the driver.

 

[Wizard*]

UPDATE: Well, I managed to pull the driver shell apart (quite easily, infact). I thought at this point I was well on my way, but alas, not so.

I noticed each of the stock Grado wires are individually insulated, so obviously there is no contact between them. This is the complete opposite of the Sony cables, which are not individually isolated, and thus, there is constant contact. I still managed to get sound from the driver, but even with full contact the Sony cables wouldn't work. Ahhh!

It would have been nice if these cables did work, considering most of the work (the factory connected 1/8" gold plug already attached) was already done.

I don't think I'm capable of doing a very good job at assembling a plug, so would anyone have any ideas on what to do next to accomplish my objective?

Thanks again.

 

[LawnGnome]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wizard* /img/forum/go_quote.gif UPDATE: Well, I managed to pull the driver shell apart (quite easily, infact). I thought at this point I was well on my way, but alas, not so. I noticed each of the stock Grado wires are individually insulated, so obviously there is no contact between them. This is the complete opposite of the Sony cables, which are not individually isolated, and thus, there is constant contact. I still managed to get sound from the driver, but even with full contact the Sony cables wouldn't work. Ahhh! It would have been nice if these cables did work, considering most of the work (the factory connected 1/8" gold plug already attached) was already done. I don't think I'm capable of doing a very good job at assembling a plug, so would anyone have any ideas on what to do next to accomplish my objective? Thanks again.

The cable your talking about is actually coated wires. They are insulated, just not with PVC or the likes. Otherwise, there would be a short, and it would toast whatever you plugged them in to.

I think you should either leave them be, or have it done by a member here. You don't want to kill your cans.