[Armaegis]

I've recently tried regrilling the 560's. Differences are there, but very minimal. To my ears, the 560 has a bit of glare in the upper mids similar to the HE-6, but while the 6 is a bit more broadband I find the 560 is more focused. Switching from the focuspads to the focuspads-A makes a bigger difference, though I feel it more just moves the glare to a less objectionable spot. Regrilling the 560 reduces some of that glare by a smidge.
 
Right now, I feel I have achieved a good balance with the regrilling and a couple strips of felt in front of the focuspads-A.

 

[spurxiii]

There might be a bigger change when regrilling the HE500s. I want to know but too busy to test

 

[conquerator2]

Well this was a tough endeavor.
They're finally in place but boy it's a pretty tight fit...
Well, they'll stay in for some time and then the stock will come back
Kudos to my father for trimming the rings, that was tough...

 

[ThurstonX]

Well this was a tough endeavor.
They're finally in place but boy it's a pretty tight fit...
Well, they'll stay in for some time and then the stock will come back

Kudos to my father for trimming the rings, that was tough...

 
Very nice.  Is that white organza for the dust shields?  I need to get something other than black to show off my new grills.  Black under black is kinda pointless.  Hope the sound is pleasing for you 

 

[conquerator2]

   
Very nice.  Is that white organza for the dust shields?  I need to get something other than black to show off my new grills.  Black under black is kinda pointless.  Hope the sound is pleasing for you 

Yeah, that's a whiteish-gray organza, 
I think the sound benefits are pretty small but it's still something at least 

It's that extra 4 percent [much closer to no grill than stock grill] so not that bad...
 
EDIT: Current impressions follow:
 
Well, the grill mod is done.
The fit/finish is still not perfect and pretty tight. The rings are obviously being pushed to the limits.
Anyway, for now the improvement for both the 560 and 400i is small. About 5% improvement in imaging/air/soundstage/treble clarity width for the 560 and similar improvements for the 400i.
Enough to squeeze a slight extra off either headphone but not nearly enough to make an obvious change or transform it into a different/lot better headphone.
Should any of this change, I'll make sure to mention it accordingly but this is certainly not something that'd warrant an extra comparison/review.
I am not sure it warrants the effort it took to make either... Maybe barely but this mod was pretty tough. Very little margin for error and to get the new grilles in there and make the 4 tabs click was a difficult endeavor [and the retaining rings still aren't lined up perfectly]...
 

 

 

 

[AndyStaff]

Mod looks great! I'm looking at investing into the HE-400s and might consider doing this! 

 

[hekeli]

  About 5% improvement in imaging/air/soundstage/treble clarity width for the 560 and similar improvements for the 400i.

 
But if that also reduces some peak/sibilance it could be more than worth it..
 

I am not sure it warrants the effort it took to make either... Maybe barely but this mod was pretty tough. Very little margin for error and to get the new grilles in there and make the 4 tabs click was a difficult endeavor [and the retaining rings still aren't lined up perfectly]...

 
It seems some people are going bat crazy getting exotic stuff etc (computer grills? hello). I think mine took whole 30 minutes from start to end with no effort at all using some thin aluminium mesh available from any local hardware store. Of course if one wants to go for looks and/or hard work that's a personal choice.
 
Actually when I get my new pair I'll probably just run without grills anyway, the magnet structure provides ample protection and it's not dusty here.

 

[ThurstonX]

   
But if that also reduces some peak/sibilance it could be more than worth it..
 
 
It seems some people are going bat crazy getting exotic stuff etc (computer grills? hello). I think mine took whole 30 minutes from start to end with no effort at all using some thin aluminium mesh available from any local hardware store. Of course if one wants to go for looks and/or hard work that's a personal choice.
 
Actually when I get my new pair I'll probably just run without grills anyway, the magnet structure provides ample protection and it's not dusty here.

 
I resemble that remark!  

  My grills are like yours, only spray painted flat black, and they do look very good, I must say.  But some of us have too much time on our hands, and during said time the creativity bug bites. I'm in no way advocating that people doing the re-grilling mod for the first time start out with something like that.  FWIW, I started out with the same stuff jerg used: cheap mesh from a letter holder or trash bin.  So, I'm taking one for the team, as it were.  If the funky acrylic PC fan grills don't sound worse than the awesome hex grills I've got now, others may want to try them.
 
Some people like to trick out there PCs.  I like to keep mine as quiet as possible and out of the way.  My cans, OTOH, are always on display.  It's certainly only a matter of aesthetics at this point.  I couldn't be happier with the sound.

 

[coletrain104]

For me, the biggest improvement of stock grills vs. no grills is that the headphones are physically more open, lessing the feeling of sound pressure and giving a more speaker-like presentation 
btw, I just did a review on the 400i for all that are interested

 

[Wildcatsare1]

^Coletrain, excellent review on the400i!

 

[conquerator2]

Well modding phase complete.
I actually also ordered a pair of Focus pads in case the no-dust-shield ones are indeed too raw in sonic performance, I like them less or revert back to stock grilles.
Or I just need back up pads biggrin.gif
HE-400i has reverted to stock configuration.

 

[coletrain104]

^Coletrain, excellent review on the400i!

thanks

 

[ThurstonX]

Here are a few preliminary shots of one of the grills I got from InspiredLaserDesign (also on eBay and Amazon, though the latter is more expensive).  I'll post more pix later.  If anyone's curious about the process, just reply and I'll write up something.
 
Most importantly, sound-wise I have no complaints.
 
 

 

 

 
 
As usual, they look better in person.  I do love the way the flat black spray paint matches the outside part of the cups.  I purposefully left a little overhanging organza, which you can see in the gap between cup and grills.  It's easily trimmed, which I'll probably do to clean up the look.  No going back if I'd trimmed it initially.
 
The wife approves of the overall aesthetic.
 
Fair Warning: They are delicate little buggers.

 

[Wildcatsare1]

Here are a few preliminary shots of one of the grills I got from InspiredLaserDesign (also on eBay and Amazon, though the latter is more expensive).  I'll post more pix later.  If anyone's curious about the process, just reply and I'll write up something.

Most importantly, sound-wise I have no complaints.












As usual, they look better in person.  I do love the way the flat black spray paint matches the outside part of the cups.  I purposefully left a little overhanging organza, which you can see in the gap between cup and grills.  It's easily trimmed, which I'll probably do to clean up the look.  No going back if I'd trimmed it initially.

The wife approves of the overall aesthetic.

[COLOR=FF0000]Fair Warning[/COLOR]: They are delicate little buggers.

They look great!!! The problem is that is the one I was going too order! OK, with my linebacker hands I'll need to order several.....so sonics are the same as your original mod?

 

[ThurstonX]

They look great!!! The problem is that is the one I was going too order! OK, with my linebacker hands I'll need to order several.....so sonics are the same as your original mod?

 
Thanks 

 
LOL, I think this town's big enough for the both of us 

  I also have the Spiral Flame version.  Far more delicate.  Not a bad idea to order 3 or 4, in case you snap one.  I had to reorder, as I want perfection.  In my cursory tests I discerned no difference in sound.  I've been listening with those pictured for a couple three hours now, and they're fine.  As far as the organza goes, I was spoiled for choice at Jo-Ann Fabrics.  The wife had to set me straight.  I was looking for a fiery orange, but they were a little too neon (for her), and I was carrying that red bolt around with me to compare.  Looks fine on display, which is pretty much the point.
 
Get that hacksaw, file, sandpaper and spray paint ready, unless you love the high gloss piano black fingerprint-magnet stock finish.  I wasn't trying, but it would take extra care to preserve it.  It's doable, but since I was going to paint them anyway, I just hacked away.