[kard16]

Here's an odd thought I'd share with you odd people.
 
Sometimes, when I'm really into the music, I'll put my hands on my earpieces, like this lovely gentleman here: http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-48654739/stock-photo-smartly-dressed-man-stood-listening-to-music-on-headphones-gazing-up-holding-both-earpieces-with.html (I love the caption for this stock photo btw),
 
I don't hold it just like the guy does, I don't let me hand block the grills at all.  But it seems like when I do that, things just get clearer.  It could be that when I do that, I'm just in the zone and focusing more.  But, perhaps it's because my hands are dampening the housing for the earpieces.  Am I going crazy, or is this plausible?  

 

[hemipowered007]

I wonder what could be done to the he4 as well? After some good head time with it, id be willing to possibly loan it out to some of you master modders. First things first, ill listen with stock velours, then changeout to velour top jergpads. And changeout the grills. 

 

[jerg]

  Here's an odd thought I'd share with you odd people.
 
Sometimes, when I'm really into the music, I'll put my hands on my earpieces, like this lovely gentleman here: http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-48654739/stock-photo-smartly-dressed-man-stood-listening-to-music-on-headphones-gazing-up-holding-both-earpieces-with.html (I love the caption for this stock photo btw),
 
I don't hold it just like the guy does, I don't let me hand block the grills at all.  But it seems like when I do that, things just get clearer.  It could be that when I do that, I'm just in the zone and focusing more.  But, perhaps it's because my hands are dampening the housing for the earpieces.  Am I going crazy, or is this plausible?  

Your hands don't "dampen" the drivers when you cover up the grills like that. Instead they are introducing soundwave reflections back in which make specific reflected frequencies louder, it's not necessarily clearer, just louder/peakier.

 

[kard16]

  Your hands don't "dampen" the drivers when you cover up the grills like that. Instead they are introducing soundwave reflections back in which make specific reflected frequencies louder, it's not necessarily clearer, just louder/peakier.

Perhaps I should have found a better picture.  I don't block the grills at all, my thumb sort of rests on the bottom and my hands sort of cup the front, but the backs are completely open.  What I was implying is that my hands are damping the housing of the earpiece. 

 

[brunk]

  Perhaps I should have found a better picture.  I don't block the grills at all, my thumb sort of rests on the bottom and my hands sort of cup the front, but the backs are completely open.  What I was implying is that my hands are damping the housing of the earpiece. 

It's entirely possible you could be altering the resonance of the cup with your hand to a less noticeable frequency. Everything has a resonant frequency, whether it's in the audible range is a different matter.

 

[kard16]

  It's entirely possible you could be altering the resonance of the cup with your hand to a less noticeable frequency. Everything has a resonant frequency, whether it's in the audible range is a different matter.

I have accelerometers and an impulse hammer at work.  Maybe one of these days I'll find out what the modal frequencies and shapes are.  Might end up being useful info for modders.  

 

[brunk]

  I have accelerometers and an impulse hammer at work.  Maybe one of these days I'll find out what the modal frequencies and shapes are.  Might end up being useful info for modders.  

Yeah that would be awesome!

 

[koiloco]

  Here's an odd thought I'd share with you odd people.
 
Sometimes, when I'm really into the music, I'll put my hands on my earpieces, like this lovely gentleman here: http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-48654739/stock-photo-smartly-dressed-man-stood-listening-to-music-on-headphones-gazing-up-holding-both-earpieces-with.html (I love the caption for this stock photo btw),
 
I don't hold it just like the guy does, I don't let me hand block the grills at all.  But it seems like when I do that, things just get clearer.  It could be that when I do that, I'm just in the zone and focusing more.  But, perhaps it's because my hands are dampening the housing for the earpieces.  Am I going crazy, or is this plausible?  

You are not going crazy.  Your hands are not doing lot of "dampening" but more direct reflecting the sound from the drivers.  Technically, any dampening materials will also reflect certain/small amount of sound from the driver but mainly more absorbing.

 

[Okamoto]

Jerg, I have another question. Please don't get mad at me.

I noticed there's an increase in 3rd order distortion with the full 2.5 full jergpads on the HE-500. In the HE-400, I noticed the same thing happens, but only with the back-vents on, so am I right to conclude that it has to do with the back-vent mod, or does it apply only to the HE-400s?

 

[brunk]

  Jerg, I have another question. Please don't get mad at me.

I noticed there's an increase in 3rd order distortion with the full 2.5 full jergpads on the HE-500. In the HE-400, I noticed the same thing happens, but only with the back-vents on, so am I right to conclude that it has to do with the back-vent mod, or does it apply only to the HE-400s?

I don't think pads can cause an increase in 3rd order distortion, that is a property of electric signal. Unless you have a distortion analyzer that is telling you this...
 
What you are most likely perceiving is reflections, it just took some good pads to peel back the onion another layer to notice it.

 

[Okamoto]

  I don't think pads can cause an increase in 3rd order distortion, that is a property of electric signal. Unless you have a distortion analyzer that is telling you this...
 
What you are most likely perceiving is reflections, it just took some good pads to peel back the onion another layer to notice it.

I'm saying this based on purrin's graphics jerg posted on the first page. Also, jerg himself states that there's an increase in 3rd order harmonic distortion here:

Low bass behaviour is interesting; a small sub-bass (<50Hz) bump is introduced as intended, there is some 3rd order harmonic relative to stock earpads, but still quite low in practice. My subjective interpretation (which can be disputed) is that this extra harmonic distortion at the very low frequency contributes to the rumble of the sub-bass, which otherwise is very low profile.

 

[jerg]

  Yeah that looks better...I'm planning on looking for something like this next time I go to the fabric or craft store.  The one I linked to requires almost $7 to ship or some absurdity.

I went to the Michael's art/crafts store near my home today and found exactly the stuff - Creatology "peel & stick felt", both stiff/thick version and flexible/thin version. $2 per piece of about 9''x12''. Gonna redo the mod later this weekend.

 

[ThurstonX]

  I went to the Michael's art/crafts store near my home today and found exactly the stuff - Creatology "peel & stick felt", both stiff/thick version and flexible/thin version. $2 per piece of about 9''x12''. Gonna redo the mod later this weekend.

 
jerg, you are the man.  Just getting ready to go out, and was going to try Hanckock's, but Michaels is more convenient.  Nice to have options.  Any idea which will work better?  Is the thick too thick?  Stiff should be easier to work with.
 
Thanks again!

 

[jerg]

   
jerg, you are the man.  Just getting ready to go out, and was going to try Hanckock's, but Michaels is more convenient.  Nice to have options.  Any idea which will work better?  Is the thick too thick?  Stiff should be easier to work with.
 
Thanks again!

I'd say get both, they are dirt cheap. I bought 2 of the thin ones and 2 of the thick ones.
 
I'm thinking thick felt for the actual magnet arrays, because they are stiffened so stay with the proper cut-out shape better in the long run. Thin felt might be good for other applications like damping for inner surfaces of the cups etc.
 
And no the thick felt is marginally thicker than the thin flexible adhesive felt, maybe 30% thicker. The main difference is their stiffness.

 

[ThurstonX]

  I'd say get both, they are dirt cheap. I bought 2 of the thin ones and 2 of the thick ones.
 
I'm thinking thick felt for the actual magnet arrays, because they are stiffened so stay with the proper cut-out shape better in the long run. Thin felt might be good for other applications like damping for inner surfaces of the cups etc.
 
And no the thick felt is marginally thicker than the thin flexible adhesive felt, maybe 30% thicker. The main difference is their stiffness.

 
Perfect.  Thanks for the quick reply.