[RushNerd]

Wow! Nice thinking there, I would love to try denon pads with them. I guess i'll have to see what the dog pads are like when mine ships in comparison. 
 
I like your stand btw, did you make it?

 

[pp312]

Thanks to micmacmo, hipster and Tankster for the mod suggestions. Just a couple of questions:
 
1. Do the 840 pads completely encircle the ears? The stock pads press on my ears and are very uncomfortable.
 
2. Hipster, when you say the back of the baffle, do you mean the back of the cups? Not sure how one fills in the back of a baffle, though of course I haven't opened mine yet. 

 

[hipster2010]

Quote:

Wow! Nice thinking there, I would love to try denon pads with them. I guess i'll have to see what the dog pads are like when mine ships in comparison. 
 
I like your stand btw, did you make it?

Definitely let us know how the dog pads work (add pics too!). I'm assuming the J$ pads have similar sound characteristics to the O2 pads based upon looking at them, but I could be way off.
 
I did make the stand, so thanks! I read through the DIY headphone stand and got inspired so I tried my hand at making one.

 

[micmacmo]

Quote:

Thanks to micmacmo, hipster and Tankster for the mod suggestions. Just a couple of questions:
 
1. Do the 840 pads completely encircle the ears? The stock pads press on my ears and are very uncomfortable.
 

Yes, the 840 pads have a larger hole and they're slightly thicker too. Overall, I find them to be more comfortable and they improve the bass response. However, the bass response definitely requires a good seal between both the pad and the baffle and the pad and the listener's head. 

 

[kalbee]

Quote:

Thanks to micmacmo, hipster and Tankster for the mod suggestions. Just a couple of questions:
 
1. Do the 840 pads completely encircle the ears? The stock pads press on my ears and are very uncomfortable.
 
2. Hipster, when you say the back of the baffle, do you mean the back of the cups? Not sure how one fills in the back of a baffle, though of course I haven't opened mine yet. 

1. Yes they should. Unless you meant whether or not your ears will still touch the driver... it might. But the pads are thicker than the stock ones for sure.
 
2. The baffle is plastic, the back thus have extra walls/wells for stiffening. In other words, it's not going to be a flat surface so you'll find plenty of space to fill with plasticine/newplast/whatever!
 
Hopefully that answers your question.

 

[pp312]

Thanks, guys. I notice nobody has attributed better sound quality per se to the ear pad change (as opposed to more bass), yet going on the FR graphs that seems to make more of a difference than anything else. What was a very mid-centric response suddenly looks more balanced overall.
 
Incidentally, my beef with these phones stock is mostly the lack of treble. They make my LCD-2 (Rev1) sound like an HD800 on steroids.   

 

[micmacmo]

Quote:

Thanks, guys. I notice nobody has attributed better sound quality per se to the ear pad change (as opposed to more bass), yet going on the FR graphs that seems to make more of a difference than anything else. What was a very mid-centric response suddenly looks more balanced overall.
 
Incidentally, my beef with these phones stock is mostly the lack of treble. They make my LCD-2 (Rev1) sound like an HD800 on steroids.   

 
Ah, but you only asked for two mods!
 
Refer to BMF's incremental thread. When you compare graph #1 (all stock) with graph #13, you'll see that 840 pads and cotton do a great job of extending the FR curve in both bass and treble directions while delivering a largely flat FR curve. Not bad for two mods and 10-20 minutes of work. 
 
To extend the curve further in the treble direction, refer to the DBV #1 and #2 mods. BMF cut a 3.5x3.5 cm^2 square of stiff Creatology felt that was just large enough to cover the back of the driver inside the cup. He explains how he applied a small piece of Transpore medical tape on top of the felt then tacked the felt, tape side down, over the top of the stock white driver paper. With this mod, the treble begins to sparkle.
 
There are other variations on this. I've tried a 3.5x3.5 cm^2 of microfiber cloth (from a lens cleaner cloth) tacked on top of the stock white driver paper with similar results. Otherwise, I've used a plush microfiber cleaning cloth (seemed a bit harsh), a piece of a loofa sponge (meh), and more, all with variable results. I think the key is to find a flat material that reflects some of the higher frequencies from the back of the driver into the listener's ear while letting the the bass pass through into the back of the cup. 

 

[hojomojo96]

I have a question about modding these. How hard is it, and what kind of sound quality could I get out of them? Essentially, can an inexperienced modder, with some time and effort, get these to the level of say, Mad Dogs? Or does that require heavy modding, the likes of which are inaccesible and impractical for a complete amateur?

 

[kalbee]

Quote:

Thanks, guys. I notice nobody has attributed better sound quality per se to the ear pad change (as opposed to more bass), yet going on the FR graphs that seems to make more of a difference than anything else. What was a very mid-centric response suddenly looks more balanced overall.
 
Incidentally, my beef with these phones stock is mostly the lack of treble. They make my LCD-2 (Rev1) sound like an HD800 on steroids.   

Well going from a simple earpad to one with a cover, I did find the 840 and HM5 pads to have blurred a bit the mids, but that is just about if and only if you do nothing else to the T50RP. The advantages also somewhat outweigh the disadvantage.
Never tried removing the dust cover, so I can't comment on that.
 
Quote:

I have a question about modding these. How hard is it, and what kind of sound quality could I get out of them? Essentially, can an inexperienced modder, with some time and effort, get these to the level of say, Mad Dogs? Or does that require heavy modding, the likes of which are inaccesible and impractical for a complete amateur?

We all start inexperienced!
I think the most of us don't know how the Mad Dogs are tuned, but the T50RP can out value $200 and even $300 cans rather easily IMO. It all depends what you want to find in your sound.
As long as you're careful handling the headphones themselves while modding, it's quite a easy task. Fine tuning will take patience, however.
They are also quite a bit heavier than most other headphones though.
 
Disclaimer: Prices displayed are in Canadian dollars. Never had the chance to audition headphones of that price in the US.

 

[hojomojo96]

We all start inexperienced!
I think the most of us don't know how the Mad Dogs are tuned, but the T50RP can out value $200 and even $300 cans rather easily IMO. It all depends what you want to find in your sound.
As long as you're careful handling the headphones themselves while modding, it's quite a easy task. Fine tuning will take patience, however.
They are also quite a bit heavier than most other headphones though.

Disclaimer: Prices displayed are in Canadian dollars. Never had the chance to audition headphones of that price in the US.

Hmmm, although that sounds like a great value, I've heard Mad Dogs only start to find competition in the 1000$ price range. So although I probably won't end up getting stock Fostex's, I still want to mod! I have a spare pair of sony's I can practice on, and afterwards I'd like to mod my harx700's. Any advice on where I can find guides on recabling with removable cables, repainting cans, etc? I'd like to start small before moving up

 

[wje]

Quote:

Hmmm, although that sounds like a great value, I've heard Mad Dogs only start to find competition in the 1000$ price range. So although I probably won't end up getting stock Fostex's, I still want to mod! I have a spare pair of sony's I can practice on, and afterwards I'd like to mod my harx700's. Any advice on where I can find guides on recabling with removable cables, repainting cans, etc? I'd like to start small before moving up

 
Please consider that the value of a headphone and the sound it is capable of really just depends on you and only you.  What I say here as well as many others is just our views and perceptions.  Sure, there have been plenty of observations and comparisons that have been applied between the Audeze LCD2 and the modified Fostex T50RP.  The beauty in it, is that the Fostex headphones can be tuned to essentially any preference level that one desires.  The Fostex headphones only have one major hold-back, and that is the level of patience that the modifier of their headphones has when it comes to the hobby.  Some people have really taken a big dive into this particular modification process and have contributed major amounts of information on what has worked well, and what has not worked so well.
 
In regards to your "practice" modifications that you perform on another pair of headphones, it will not be even near what the process will be like on the Fostex headphones.  There are a few tripping points in the Fostex that one has to be careful of in setting out to perform their modifications.  Items such as the wire connectors to the PCB-type connector with the driver solder points is a very fragile-like area that has to be carefully monitored when performing work on the headphones with the baffles and cups separated.  Any quick jarring or movements of the components could result in a separation of the wires from the solder tabs.  While there are "fixes" documented in this thread, it's much easier to work carefully when modifying as opposed to taking several hours to apply a "fix" for an issue that was messed up during the process.
 
Best of luck to you.

 

[FraGGleR]

Quote:

Hmmm, although that sounds like a great value, I've heard Mad Dogs only start to find competition in the 1000$ price range. So although I probably won't end up getting stock Fostex's, I still want to mod! I have a spare pair of sony's I can practice on, and afterwards I'd like to mod my harx700's. Any advice on where I can find guides on recabling with removable cables, repainting cans, etc? I'd like to start small before moving up

 
Also, before MrSpeakers started selling Mad Dogs, he spent a lot of time here on the forums experimenting, measuring, sharing, comparing, etc. just like the rest of people who have gotten into the T50rp's.  That is the true beauty of DIY and the forums - people can share so freely that people can make a profession out of what they learned through the community.  I am just starting my journey (finally have all the materials), and am fully confident that I have the resources here to make my headphones sound great.  
 
As far as modding jacks into headphones, I have done that to a couple pairs.  Decide what modification you want to do, then search the forums for people's posts.  I never posted explicit instructions on how to do what I did, but basically, make a hole just smaller than the jack you want to use, jam it in, secure with glue, then rewire the headphones.  Take lots of pictures as you take your headphones apart so you know where everything is supposed to go.  Take your time and have fun, and never be afraid that you will mess up.

 

[bluemonkeyflyer]

Substitutions for Rite Aid Natural Absorbent Cotton
 
 

Rite Aid "First Aid Rolled Cotton" and London Drugs "Absorbent Cotton Roll" work in place of Rite Aid Natural Absorbent Cotton.

 

I have 3 sets of DBV #3 modded T50RP's. All are identically modded, as described in my Incremental Mods and Measurements thread, Post #1, except for the cotton (Links for these materials are located at the bottom of Post #1):

 

1. Rite Aid "Natural Absorbent Cotton" 2x7x7 cm uncompressed with corners snipped. Weight: 2.7 grams. 1x7x7 cm, Compressed, J&M fiberglass over cotton.

 

2. Rite Aid "First Aid Rolled Cotton" for $5.00, divided in two and cut to 7x7 cm. I teased, or pulled, the layers apart, snipped corners,  and installed as usual. Weight: 2.5grams. Same measure of J&M fiberglass overlay.

 

3. London Drugs "Absorbent Cotton Roll" for $6.00, divided in two and cut to 7x7 cm. Uncompressed, it measures 2x7x7 cm and weighs 2.9 grams. Same measure of J&M fiberglass overlay.

 

The various cotton weight differences are likely due to variance in measurement cuts and density differences. The sound quality across all 3 is comparable. Under blind A/B testing, I cannot tell them apart. I have not yet measured them.

 

 

I have two other cotton materials to try:

 

"Studio 35 Beauty Premium Cotton Ovals" from Wal-Green's for $3.50 - makeup remover pads that measure 70x90x6mm.

 

I ordered two rolls of U.S. Cotton "Absorbent Cotton Roll" from Amazon for $6.00 each. I'll post results using these two materials in a week or so. 

 

[kalbee]

Quote:

Hmmm, although that sounds like a great value, I've heard Mad Dogs only start to find competition in the 1000$ price range. So although I probably won't end up getting stock Fostex's, I still want to mod! I have a spare pair of sony's I can practice on, and afterwards I'd like to mod my harx700's. Any advice on where I can find guides on recabling with removable cables, repainting cans, etc? I'd like to start small before moving up

Well I did say rather easily--Mad Dogs are most likely not simple mods, but require tuning... or at least a formula all figured out.
I never heard anyone else's T50RP mod but for the lack of effort I've put into them lately they are quite nice sounding. I can't even start figuring out what $1000 cans sound like, sadly. Most expensive headphones I've tried are probably the Amperior.
 
Practice modding if you can; I did that with my JVC HA-M750 also and the results weren't bad. But as wje said, the difficulty in modding the T50RP is the fact that the solder points are pretty fragile (since they're on some printed circuit not-quite-board... film? PCF let's call it for now), and so the baffle and the cup do not separate. While a normal dynamic or even orthodynamic driver with pulled off leads can simply be resoldered on, these are a PITA to fix because the PCF can melt with a soldering iron.
Thus the only thing you should pay attention to is the headphones themselves. The rest is about patience and being able to acquire the materials. Following mods would be a good idea unless you'd like to experiment in unexplored land.

 

[bapspidoff]

OK, I need some help. I have been tormented for the past couple months or so with the perception that the left side of my T50RPs is significantly louder than the right side. I have tried a ton of things to try to make sure this is the case, and not just crappy hearing. I have tried different sources, flipping the headphones around on my head, listening to mono sources, etc. At times I come away convinced that what I'm hearing is just in my head but more often than not I come away convinced there is a channel imbalance. Tonight I decided that there is absolutely an imbalance. Right now I am listening with the right side balace ~ +2.5 on my vintage Nikko reciever.... things sound MUCH better.

I have opened up the headphones multiple times to examine the mods (roughly the latest BMF) to make sure things are done correctly and symmetrically and everything seems to be perfectly fine. The only thing I can think of is that the internal wiring is poor or something. I have a v-moda cable so I know it's not that. Does anyone have any suggestions? This is actually driving me crazy...