Help me choose which wood to get for my HHF-1

[yellafella321]

I'm completely torn about what wood to use for my hhf-1.

Please choose your favorite!

Maple
Paudak
Bubinga
Bloodwood
Zebra
Cocobolo

Some pics to make things easier:
The Crazy Couple(1911/Jahn)'s Cocobolo(I hope you don't mind)

Pics from Larry

Zebra/Paudak/Purple Heart

Zebra

Paudak

Maple

New picture from Larry- Koa

I personally think its a tossup between cocobolo and zebra (100$ difference)

 

[wolfen68]

The Paduak is beautiful, and supposedly is among the better sounding....

However, Paduak has "pits" in its texture that can become problematic later as they age and take on the look of a blemish. If you wish to maintain that perfect look for your $500+ set of headphones, I would pick a different wood.

If I were doing it again, I would go with the Maple.

 

[dhp]

I really dig the cocobolo

 

[gsteinb88]

Personally, i love the look of the Cocobolo, and if i had the money (or the HF-1's for that matter), that is what i would go for in a second.
-g

 

[spaceconvoy]

I love grawk's zebrawood cans, but the overall look seems very dependent on the woodgrain. His has a nice asymetrically wild pattern, but if the woodgrain were more straight and even, it would look very boring. So I vote to steal grawk's pair.

 

[swt61]

Cocobolo is one of my favorite Rosewoods! It's stunning up close!

 

[fierce_freak]

Cocobolo here, too....beautiful

 

[Blitzzz]

I like how the zebrawood matches the HF-1 button

 

[smeggy]

Go cocobolo, not only looks great but the name sounds cool too.

 

[BushGuy]

The wood will be against the black background of the pads and it is a relatively small surface. Therefore, a light color will be a appropiately showy.....ergo Lacewood (do a search - a few months ago there was a pic. of a pair for sale in U.K. that will give you a good idea of how they would look), Maple, and Koa. Zebrawood is just fine, but the other three are to be preferred. Damn, I failed to win a pair in that last HF-1 sell-off.....Damn Damn Damn.

 

[utarch00]

I voted for the cocobolo, but my vote and the species of wood I will get if I do do this is ebony.

 

[dogthinker]

I would have to say... Consider your selection critera:
1) Sound
2) Durability
3) Looks

Select the wood with the best acoustic properties. Ask the modder for their opinion on the qualities of the different woods (Larry?) I daresay the acoustic differences between the woods are tiny, but marginal gains is what high end hi-fi is all about!

If there's no noticiable difference whatsoever between the woods... Then, going by the pictures, I'd have to go with paduak. It's got a very classy look to it... The woods with more distinctive grains (like the cocobolo and zebra) are a risky proposition because if you don't find the grain pattern appealing (which is a subjective, personal thing - so you might not like what the artist chose) then you could be disappointed. The Paduak looks like it would be beautiful even with an ugly grain.

 

[bahamaman]

Another vote for cocobolo.

 

[grawk]

I voted for bubinga, because that's what I was gonna get if I didn't get the zebra

Stay away from zebra, it's mine, MINE I tell you!

 

[swmtnbiker]

I voted for Cocobolo, which is what I would have chosen for mine had the finances been a bit more flexible (actually I would have gone for the Ebony Darth HHF-1 in that case!). Instead I decided to stay somewhat economical and settled on Zebra with the deep woody option, 1.5m recable, and a Grado 325i headband. I think it'll be bitchin', and I think yours will be too no matter WHICH wood you decide on. Picking wood isn't the hard part - it's waiting for your cans' turn on Larry's workbench!