[Gopher]

Well,

I recieved my HP-1s today, and they sounded great out of my gilmore--until I put on a track somewhat heavier on the midbass and realized their is a scratchy sound comming from both drivers.

The phones sound great on lighter tracks and what not, and the fact that they can perform at all and they are one way drivers leads me to believe they aren't blown... what could it be? Could the drivers be loose in their enclosures? Could dust have made it's way in there somehow?

I really want to keep these suckers, but if they're blown they're blown.

Give me good news guys

Fred

 

[wallijonn]

I just want to know if they can be repaired.

 

[Hirsch]

Could be grattle, or could be simply lack of use. Older Grados tend to be a bit harsh when first listened to, if they've been idle for awhile. Try pumping some music through them and see if the sound smooths out after a few hours. If that doesn't work, try contacting Grado Labs and see what they say. It's possible that it's something that they can fix.

 

[JaZZ]

Some short pieces of hair sticking in the fabric that covers the drivers?

 

[mbriant]

Could it be the HP-1's are picking up something off the recorded track you've never been able to hear before? Can you repeat the scratching sound with any other tracks?

 

[rawhit]

I think grado labs still undertakes repairs for older grados. Try contacting them about it

 

[Beagle]

Quote:

Originally posted by rawhit I think grado labs still undertakes repairs for older grados. Try contacting them about it

Yeah, but good luck getting replacement original HP-1 drivers

I'd second Hirsch, let 'em run in for a while and see (hear) what happens.

 

[sacd lover]

I would take jazz's suggestion. I have this trouble with my 225s since I started using the modded senn pads. About every three weeks I get a hair stuck like that. Remove the pad and run your hand GENTLY over the fabric and it will remove the hair. Grado will repair the hp-1's but they cant replace the drivers if they are bad ; I checked when I owned the hp-1's. I hope its just that the resolution of the hp-1 is revealing a flaw in the recording. Let us know what happens.

 

[Gopher]

Thanks guys,

The stones I'm now craping are considerably softer.

Hirsch--when I get home I'll let 'em run all through the night. I thought about it, but was a little hesistant incase it was a dying driver.

Jazz & SACD Lover--I'll give that a try when I get out of the office. There was nothing visible, but I am using the vwap pads.

As for the suggestions about hearing something new in my recording--I'm pretty positive thats not it. I am used to listening to these recordings with etys.

We'll see what happens,

Thanks for the suggestions.

Fred

 

[Duncan]

There are a lot of CDs with bad mastering these days...

One that suffers similar symptoms to those that you mentioned is 'The Eminem Show'... quite bad through various parts of the CD, which is easy to pick up on the RS1s...

...I hope, and at the same time doubt that its your cans at fault

 

[Gopher]

Duncan it's definatly not the recordings, but the drivers. I don't own many bad masterings, and the three cds in a row I tried it with right off the bat as soon as I got it (because they are so well mastered) are the SACDs Beck Sea Change, Pink Floyd DSOTM, and the Mark Levinson Live at Red Rose vol.1 disc...

I've tried feeling around lightly for stray hairs but have some up empty so far. There seems to be a little more crud in the drivers then the SR200s I have (also outfitted with vwap pads)--I don't know. They'll run overnight with my fingers crossed. If that doesn't get 'em I'm calling Grado labs in the morning.

Out of curiostiy, is there anything that can be done for grattle?

Sigh... crossing fingers,

Fred

 

[Duncan]

I'm presuming that the HP1000s are built the same way as the newer Grados (with a plastic 'shield' behind the fabric driver cover)...

With a bright light behind you, take a look through the protective fabric at the driver membrane itself... you'll see grooves running from the outside in... are there any crumples / damage / hairs within any of those grooves that you can see? - If Yes, then that'll explain the Grattle... and depending on the severity of the damage it might be fixable... if No... then I myself am at a loss

 

[Duncan]

Gopher...

Are there any updates to the situation??

 

[Gopher]

I'm really scratching my head as to what the problem is now. The distortion seemed to have gotten worse with the gilmore--but tonite I brought it over to Boozebutton's place and had the opportunity to compare it to his HP-1s/3s... The distortion seemed to only chime in a little on the treble region using my new MPX3, but was at the top and bottom--more so the bottom with his (now my) gilmore. Then I tried something else with very strange results...
I plugged my phones into his Maestrobator and listened for a good 6 minutes and then I realized something--there was no distortion present whatsoever with this amp.

I'm confused as hell and don't really know what to do at this point. Listening with his HP-1000s in the same setup bore none of the same distortions--then for an amp to make it go away... I just don't know.

I'm calling John Grado tomorrow and if that doesn't work Joe.

Any ideas are still more then welcome,

Fred

 

[Duncan]

I have no idea how Gilmores work, but could this be an impedance issue? - that the Grados are asking too much of the amp? (I'm presuming that it can be geared towards either high or low impedance cans?!?!)

I'd probably discredit that though if you say another pair of Grados work fine with it?!

Definetly has me confused