[Nimzerz]

  The wood looks a lot better with a generous amount of tung oil.  I did 7 coats (first two coats were 50/50 tung oil and mineral spirits and the remaining coats were pure tung oil).  I used 600 grit sand paper to rub in the tung oil and waited 24 hours between coats.  It improved the look by quite a bit.
 
But I agree, mango wood isn't an ideal choice but I guess it's readily available where MonkeyNutz lives.  I would have preferred walnut or maple.  I might take a wood turning class this summer so who knows, maybe I'll try to make some myself.

if you do, HMU
 
Might need some woodies for a stratoKOSSter in the future.

 

[hifimanrookie]

  Got around to "woodifying" my HE-500s.  Didn't do anything to the sound but they sure do look nice. 
 

 

 

if u only had a brown colored headband also, like the orginal HE5 had, then it would be perfect

maybe hifiman has some spares?
but job well done..looks good eventhough i am not into woody brown headphones, i prefer black or black dyed (=colored) wood..thats why LFF made my woody code-x in MATT black (finished with beeswax instead of the normal oils)but just as an exception ( i paid extra for it)..he told me it was a huge more work and a lot tougher to do then the normal 'brownies'.
 
ps..am glad the opengrill mod is getting more used now... in the beginning many were afraid of the risk of dust etc.. i was one of the first who had that mod after Jerg...it opened up a whole new world of musical bliss...

 

[kard16]

   
 
ps..am glad the opengrill mod is getting more used now... in the beginning many were afraid of the risk of dust etc.. i was one of the first who had that mod after Jerg...it opened up a whole new world of musical bliss...

I never understood the fear of dust.  I mean sure, the Mylar diaphragm is delicate but a little dust won't do anything.  I've had my fair share of "oh ****" moments, particularly while putting the wood cups together, but the drivers are pretty damn durable.  

 

[ThurstonX]

Just put a pair of these on my HE-500s
 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/261349369561
 
Certainly a big change from... my previous pads  I did the back vent mod straight away, and while it made things seriously airy, the bass was diminished far too much.  Also they're much more energetic in the upper mids.  That I could just about live with, but I had an immediate desire to tame it.  So I went in the opposite direction, wrapping electrical tape all the way around to really seal them.  The bass came back, and the upper mids were tamed.  Next is to seal everything but the back vent to see what that does.
 
Compared to the stiffer velour AKG pads these produce a serious seal, and due to the size they clamp much tighter and required me to extend the headband to near the max with just the stock headband (no pad).  Because they're like pillows, it's easy to adjust the cups up/down and front/back.
 
After a little more than an hour they're getting more comfortable, and I'm getting more used to the sound.  Not sure it's better.  I think the AKGs were a little more balanced, but those comparisons will have to wait 'til tomorrow.  Not a bad alternative for relatively little.

 

[hifimanrookie]

  I never understood the fear of dust.  I mean sure, the Mylar diaphragm is delicate but a little dust won't do anything.  I've had my fair share of "oh ****" moments, particularly while putting the wood cups together, but the drivers are pretty damn durable.  

i know...i dont know either where the fear comes from..i had a grill just like u..maybe even with more open holes..and no dustscreen..just like urs...and i had used it for i think more then 6months without problems whatsoever..but ofcourse i used my common sense to avoid any problems with dust...i posted in an earlier post what my daily actions were BEFORE i put them on..and what i did AFTER using them.....its easy peasy...

 
 
edit..and a bit oftopic...i can buy myself a second-hand rack (only 1 year old) of Solid Steel Racks ('model S5-3' in black) from a friend of mine who is going upwards to one of their more higher end models, so i can get it for a friendly price ( i told him i am a bit broke ..(.a small lie..lolz)...at the moment, so i think he got pity on me as what he wants for this rack from me and knowing what those racks sells for second-hand on european premium sites/shops is a HUGE difference in cold hard cash)..
 
its exactly as on this pic..he says it will look wonderfull with my new rig being black and stainless steel also (yeah right)..what u think guys?:
 

 
and lookie lookie whats on his way to me..the cheapest headphone stand i found (24,99 euro incl postage!)..and as far i can see on the pics..the smartest!! look at the backside!! u can actually hang ur cables on that stand....now u tell me..what other (premium) headphone stand has that? it surprised me to be honest...so i ordered one...its not flashy in the looks..but i think it will do the job...u see i can be budget minded..lolz
 

 

 

 

[Nimzerz]

Just put a pair of these on my HE-500s

http://www.ebay.com/itm/261349369561

Certainly a big change from... my previous pads  I did the back vent mod straight away, and while it made things seriously airy, the bass was diminished far too much.  Also they're much more energetic in the upper mids.  That I could just about live with, but I had an immediate desire to tame it.  So I went in the opposite direction, wrapping electrical tape all the way around to really seal them.  The bass came back, and the upper mids were tamed.  Next is to seal everything but the back vent to see what that does.

Compared to the stiffer velour AKG pads these produce a serious seal, and due to the size they clamp much tighter and required me to extend the headband to near the max with just the stock headband (no pad).  Because they're like pillows, it's easy to adjust the cups up/down and front/back.

After a little more than an hour they're getting more comfortable, and I'm getting more used to the sound.  Not sure it's better.  I think the AKGs were a little more balanced, but those comparisons will have to wait 'til tomorrow.  Not a bad alternative for relatively little.

Uh oh... Not something new. I use no grill cause I'm cool like that.

 

[ThurstonX]

Uh oh... Not something new. I use no grill cause I'm cool like that.

 
You're gonna end up with AKG pads, cheapass Chinese Sony pads, and a red grill.  Mark my words 

 
Nah, you gotta roll the way you roll.  And I think we all know what you like to roll 

  Well, who can blame you.  Give the ol' girl a kiss for me.  Me, I just like messin' around with my schiit.

 

[hifimanrookie]

You're gonna end up with AKG pads, cheapass Chinese Sony pads, and a red grill.  Mark my words :veryevil:

Nah, you gotta roll the way you roll.  And I think we all know what you like to roll    Well, who can blame you.  Give the ol' girl a kiss for me.  Me, I just like messin' around with my schiit.

 

[modulor]

  The wood looks a lot better with a generous amount of tung oil.  I did 7 coats (first two coats were 50/50 tung oil and mineral spirits and the remaining coats were pure tung oil).  I used 600 grit sand paper to rub in the tung oil and waited 24 hours between coats.  It improved the look by quite a bit.
 
But I agree, mango wood isn't an ideal choice but I guess it's readily available where MonkeyNutz lives.  I would have preferred walnut or maple.  I might take a wood turning class this summer so who knows, maybe I'll try to make some myself.

Excellent job!  I've not gotten around to finishing mine yet...but I will do them soon along with the chassis of my amp.  Mango is a good tonewood but unless you get a burl cut to work with, it's not particularly pretty without a bit of staining, sealing and even waxing.  Still, it turned out quite nice I must say so kudos!

 

[StanD]

Wow, I'm gone for a few hours and you guys break out into a Dr. Frankenstein Convention. What's next? Putting bolts on the sides of your HE-500's, tying a wire to a kite and calling them Electrostatics? You realize that Doc. Fang is taking names and invalidating warrantees. 

So boys, what's up next? 

 

[kard16]

  Excellent job!  I've not gotten around to finishing mine yet...but I will do them soon along with the chassis of my amp.  Mango is a good tonewood but unless you get a burl cut to work with, it's not particularly pretty without a bit of staining, sealing and even waxing.  Still, it turned out quite nice I must say so kudos!

 
I know we talked about how to attach the yoke to the cups.  I ended up using #2 brass wood screws that were 1/4" long: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001387ONO/ref=pe_385040_30332190_TE_M3T1_ST1_dp_1
 
The wood is too thin for inserts or anything fancy like that, but these screws worked fine and I don't think they'll come loose. 

 

[Lohb]

I'd just chime in here and say I'm almost finished with selling mangowood HFM  woodie kits I think (2 medium brown sets and 1 black set remain) , and looking at Albizia Saman wood now for HE-400i and owners of 400/500's. If I do continue with woodies, anyone who bought the first lot will get a 80% discount or so on the Monkeypod wood cups. There was also a USA guy who could fit them.
 
Albizia Saman/monkeypod wood.

 

[Xenophon]

 
if u only had a brown colored headband also, like the orginal HE5 had, then it would be perfect

maybe hifiman has some spares?
but job well done..looks good eventhough i am not into woody brown headphones, i prefer black or black dyed (=colored) wood..thats why LFF made my woody code-x in MATT black (finished with beeswax instead of the normal oils)but just as an exception ( i paid extra for it)..he told me it was a huge more work and a lot tougher to do then the normal 'brownies'.
 
ps..am glad the opengrill mod is getting more used now... in the beginning many were afraid of the risk of dust etc.. i was one of the first who had that mod after Jerg...it opened up a whole new world of musical bliss...

If you like black wood you could go for Gabon ebony, would look really killer.  But it's heavy, expensive and the devil to work.  For those into olfactory sensations to go with the music there's sandalwood too but the same remarks apply.  I'll just stay with the stock synthetics but respect to all headphone surgeons who do this AND manage to get 'm to sound just right again.

 

[ThurstonX]

 
i know...i dont know either where the fear comes from..i had a grill just like u..maybe even with more open holes..and no dustscreen..just like urs...and i had used it for i think more then 6months without problems whatsoever..but ofcourse i used my common sense to avoid any problems with dust...i posted in an earlier post what my daily actions were BEFORE i put them on..and what i did AFTER using them.....its easy peasy...

 
 
edit..and a bit oftopic...i can buy myself a second-hand rack (only 1 year old) of Solid Steel Racks ('model S5-3' in black) from a friend of mine who is going upwards to one of their more higher end models, so i can get it for a friendly price ( i told him i am a bit broke ..(.a small lie..lolz)...at the moment, so i think he got pity on me as what he wants for this rack from me and knowing what those racks sells for second-hand on european premium sites/shops is a HUGE difference in cold hard cash)..
 
its exactly as on this pic..he says it will look wonderfull with my new rig being black and stainless steel also (yeah right)..what u think guys?:
 

 
and lookie lookie whats on his way to me..the cheapest headphone stand i found (24,99 euro incl postage!)..and as far i can see on the pics..the smartest!! look at the backside!! u can actually hang ur cables on that stand....now u tell me..what other (premium) headphone stand has that? it surprised me to be honest...so i ordered one...its not flashy in the looks..but i think it will do the job...u see i can be budget minded..lolz
 

 

 

 
The rack is nice.  Very sleek and modern.  What I really like is that HP stand, but damned if I can get it to the U.S.  Emailed a Dutch company, but they don't ship outside the EU, and frankly, shipping and VAT would probably make it not worth it for a $25 stand.  I like the top part especially, as well as the cable holder and the overall design.  Need someone in the U.S. to either start importing them or rip off the design and make their own.
 
Sometimes I hate you, HiFi!  

 
Enjoy it 

 

[hifimanrookie]

The rack is nice.  Very sleek and modern.  What I really like is that HP stand, but damned if I can get it to the U.S.  Emailed a Dutch company, but they don't ship outside the EU, and frankly, shipping and VAT would probably make it not worth it for a $25 stand.  I like the top part especially, as well as the cable holder and the overall design.  Need someone in the U.S. to either start importing them or rip off the design and make their own.

Sometimes I hate you, HiFi!  

Enjoy it 

No need to hate me..i am a lovable guy..and surprise surprise i will help u..check this:

The company Hama also has distrubutors in canada! U just mail them with the request for the hama hp stand..good luck my friend..and dont ever say bad things about me anymore..as deep inside i am a very nice guy..(most of the times).and stop hating me...

https://www.hama.com/company/hama-worldwide/north-south-america

And yeah..i think i will go for the rack also...its a steal! I saw it in the flesh a few weeks back..so sexy! metal is steel..no aluminium.. I love that... Only one problem..its in portugal..his owner lives there... So i can get it when i go on holiday..in july... My friend already put it back into the original boxes..ready for me to pick up... His new rack got delivered last week... U dont wanna know how much that rack has cost him.. my new rack (yeah..that sounds good..hehehe) is 70kg if i am not mistaken..so a bit heavy and to big to sent it by post.. But am again not in hurry..its mine..i only have to pick it up..