[MattTCG]

Well...I guess the only question remaining is if the Beyer pads retain the same improvement in the sound signature that the HFM velours does. 

 

[jerg]

Quote:

Well...I guess the only question remaining is if the Beyer pads retain the same improvement in the sound signature that the HFM velours does. 

Yeah, that's pretty important indeed. Lots of people over in the other thread have tried various pads (angled or not, custom or stock from many brands) and only a few retain comparable SQ compared to HFM stock velour pads it seems.

 

[TMRaven]

I wouldn't want to use the beyer pads on them.  They're too thin and my ears ended up touching the dt990 drivers.

 

[Fearless1]

Like I have said previously, I have tried ever pad that fits, J-money, Lawtons, Beyers, Shure.....you name it, nothing sounds as good as the Hifiman velours. The Dt990s do fit (after a frustrating 1/2 hour), but had a strange resonance and a slight loss of bass. If they were a bit stiffer they would be better.(that's what she said......beat you all to it)

 

[wje]

Like I have said previously, I have tried ever pad that fits, J-money, Lawtons, Beyers, Shure.....you name it, nothing sounds as good as the Hifiman velours. The Dt990s do fit (after a frustrating 1/2 hour), but had a strange resonance and a slight loss of bass. If they were a bit stiffer they would be better.(that's what she said......beat you all to it)

Thanks for the feedback, based on all the pads that you've tried. If we were to consider using the design of the J$ Denon pad, but made them out of velour instead of leather / pleather, I wonder how the final end result would be? I have two pair of J$ Denon pads, in leather, on their way to me. I suspect I'll be taking measurements and working to recreate the model, but in a velour format. Sure, taking the time to make the right cuts and handle the sewing properly will take a bit of time. However, in my travels, I've done a lot of searching, only to come up at dead ends. So, I'm essentially focused on the fact to take the time and properly build exactly what I want.

 

[Fearless1]

Quote:

Thanks for the feedback, based on all the pads that you've tried. If we were to consider using the design of the J$ Denon pad, but made them out of velour instead of leather / pleather, I wonder how the final end result would be? I have two pair of J$ Denon pads, in leather, on their way to me. I suspect I'll be taking measurements and working to recreate the model, but in a velour format. Sure, taking the time to make the right cuts and handle the sewing properly will take a bit of time. However, in my travels, I've done a lot of searching, only to come up at dead ends. So, I'm essentially focused on the fact to take the time and properly build exactly what I want.

The drivers seemed too far away with the J-money pads  and it changed the tone and bass response. The Lawtons were not good at all, muffled. The best results I found with pad swapping were with the D7k stock pads, they were a bit worn and the driver sat at around the same distance as the velours and they did not seem to have that muffled sound that the Hifiman pleathers have(or the Lawtons), but were still not better then the velours. I honestly think the distance to the driver  has a big influence on why the velours sound so much better.
 
Your project sounds fantastic, when you get it down, send me your Pay pal I want to be first in line for a set!

 

[Yekrut]

Quote:

Sadly I left the velour pads with the nude DT990 at the office. If it helps, I got the pleather ones to compare at home:


Right now the Beyerdynamics pad is actually slightly thicker than the pleather Hifiman pad, but they are known to get a bit thinner over time.. so what you explained might be possible.
If needed I can compare them again with the velour ones next week.
I think they are the same, when searching for the replacement parts on the German Beyerdynamic website it also suggested me the black one as fitting.
For anyone looking to do this mod, here is a picture of the back of the finished pad:

As you can see the elastic parts fit fine over the plastic ring from the HE-400 if you are patient enough and maybe revert to the hairdryer method as suggested by Beyerdynamic.
If you look closely at the holes you can see that this is how I inserted the foam pads into the thing. I started with one side and then used a small plastic toothpick to adjust the foam pad and keep it centered in the cup. I kept adjusting the pad through the holes in the plastic-ring to avoid any bulges. This is the most painful thing about the mod but should be done within a few minutes as well.

 
 
Thank you for the detailed pictures, very much appreciated. 

 

[wje]

Quote:

The drivers seemed too far away with the J-money pads  and it changed the tone and bass response. The Lawtons were not good at all, muffled. The best results I found with pad swapping were with the D7k stock pads, they were a bit worn and the driver sat at around the same distance as the velours and they did not seem to have that muffled sound that the Hifiman pleathers have(or the Lawtons), but were still not better then the velours. I honestly think the distance to the driver  has a big influence on why the velours sound so much better.
 
Your project sounds fantastic, when you get it down, send me your Pay pal I want to be first in line for a set!

 
Actually, when I do get the momentum rolling, it will be an "open source" project.  I'll try to get the patterns and links to the hand sewing tools, as well as the processes documented in detail.  Then, members can follow the source to proceed with taking the information and building their own custom pads.  In regards to the Denon pads from J$, the sound could come back into range if maybe 3/8" of an inch were sliced from the foam to make the outer pad depth, not so far away from the drivers.  However, this is where all the good stuff starts happening - when the group collaborates and understands what it is that might be the strengths and weaknesses in an offering.  From that, will come something great that will fill the void as to what is not available at the moment.  Then again, Matt has his irons in the fire, too, and might have good news in the next several weeks on a good offering to provide us with what we're looking for.  But, to me, working on a project and wrapping it up with success does provide one with a great feeling.

 

[Fearless1]

Quote:

 
Actually, when I do get the momentum rolling, it will be an "open source" project.  I'll try to get the patterns and links to the hand sewing tools, as well as the processes documented in detail.  Then, members can follow the source to proceed with taking the information and building their own custom pads.  In regards to the Denon pads from J$, the sound could come back into range if maybe 3/8" of an inch were sliced from the foam to make the outer pad depth, not so far away from the drivers.  However, this is where all the good stuff starts happening - when the group collaborates and understands what it is that might be the strengths and weaknesses in an offering.  From that, will come something great that will fill the void as to what is not available at the moment.  Then again, Matt has his irons in the fire, too, and might have good news in the next several weeks on a good offering to provide us with what we're looking for.  But, to me, working on a project and wrapping it up with success does provide one with a great feeling.

Even better! You have been a great source on here with your trail and error mods. Thanks!
 
If one could actually open up the J-money pads and cut the foam in half, or replace it with some denser memory foam I would think that would work.  Makes one wonder if the J-money beyer pads would work better, they are not as thick as the Denon version.

 

[jerg]

You know what guys, I changed my mind again. Somehow the HE400s just have a more realistic timbre than the HE500s. The latter are more pleasing, neutral, transparent, intimate, smooth, and overall higher fidelity, but there's something about the HE400 tonality that gives me goosebumps. Its treble doesn't really work well with female vocals but somehow its mids colouration make them sound startlingly real. Overall it just sounds like such a diamond in the rough.
 
Excuse me while I listen more on these instead (I've been fiending on the HE500s exclusively for the past couple of weeks).

 

[beaver316]

Does anyone else's HE400 have differing build symmetry on each cup? Shown in the pics, you can see the differences. The metal band is slightly higher on the right side as well as the cable connector.
 
 

 
 

 

[jerg]

Quote:

Does anyone else's HE400 have differing build symmetry on each cup? Shown in the pics, you can see the differences. The metal band is slightly higher on the right side as well as the cable connector.
 

 
Just twist it. Explained here: http://www.head-fi.org/t/586885/new-hifiman-headphone-he-400-is-out/2820#post_8595003

 

[beaver316]

Thanks for that, worked a treat.

 

[MattTCG]

Quote:

 
Actually, when I do get the momentum rolling, it will be an "open source" project.  I'll try to get the patterns and links to the hand sewing tools, as well as the processes documented in detail.  Then, members can follow the source to proceed with taking the information and building their own custom pads.  In regards to the Denon pads from J$, the sound could come back into range if maybe 3/8" of an inch were sliced from the foam to make the outer pad depth, not so far away from the drivers.  However, this is where all the good stuff starts happening - when the group collaborates and understands what it is that might be the strengths and weaknesses in an offering.  From that, will come something great that will fill the void as to what is not available at the moment.  Then again, Matt has his irons in the fire, too, and might have good news in the next several weeks on a good offering to provide us with what we're looking for.  But, to me, working on a project and wrapping it up with success does provide one with a great feeling.

 
I have no more irons in that fire. Unfortunately, the time and effort involved in that project was more than able to give ATM. If someone would like to pickup where I left off, I'd be happy to make the connection. 

 

[wje]

Oops. Triple post. Darn ANdroid.

a


tt, I could be a sucker. If you have any comments or ideas to pass along, please do so. If anything, we might be able to salvage something and turn it into a group buy thing. But, î never want to be a seller or a MOT here.