[leeperry]

The Nexcare 3M micropore is very expensive in the UK. Does the 3 layer method work with standard micropore

It's a night and day.

 

[sharkz]

Quote:

Thanks.

 
Play some test tones to see if you narrow down what range is really peaking and then try to tame it.
 

 
LFF, can you or anyone else provide a good source of test tones? I want to critically analyze my Fostexes now for some empirical results. They sound ok to my ears, but I by no means have the ears of a musician. I really just want to know what is going on behind the scenes.
 
 

 

[itsastickup]

Quote:

It's a night and day.

You mean totally different?

 

[bluemonkeyflyer]

Quote:

The Nexcare 3M micropore is very expensive in the UK. Does the 3 layer method work with standard micropore, which is nice and cheap?

FlySweep used three layers of 3M "Nexcare Gentle Paper Tape" and got good results.  
 
I used generic paper tape in 1, 2, and 3 layers that did not work at all.  The sound was tinny and constricted as if coming from a cheap transistor radio at low volume.  I poked 4 paperclip size holes in each grid space, through the tape, over each driver magnet hole.  The result was much, much better but still had too much bass that bled over into the mid-range and diminished the treble very similar to felt over the driver backs after the white felt was removed.  So, there does appear to be a difference in Nexcare and generic paper tape.
 
3M also makes "Micropore" tape that is described as "very breathable" but I have not tried it, yet.  I plan to buy both types and try them out for myself.
 
 
 
 
 

 

[sharkz]

I think some of the confusion is in the type types. As far as I can tell, there are three types of tape relevant here. Paper Tape, Micropore, and Durapore. All are available under brand names (3M, Nexcare) or generics. 
 
Paper tape is not the same as Micropore. Paper tape is just that, paper. Micropore is almost like a "gauze-like" material that is much more open than the paper tape. Then there is Durapore which is a breathable rubbery tape. I am currently using Durapore over each of my four corner squares to increase treble and it has worked well in my mind. In order of air flow, Micropore would allow the most, followed by Durapore/Paper. I am not sure which of these allows more air flow, but I would assume the paper tape does. In any case, I wouldn't cover the entire driver rear with any of these except Micropore, because it is designed to be a permeable barrier.

 

[LFF]

Quote:

 
LFF, can you or anyone else provide a good source of test tones? I want to critically analyze my Fostexes now for some empirical results. They sound ok to my ears, but I by no means have the ears of a musician. I really just want to know what is going on behind the scenes. 
 

A quick google search turned this up:
 
http://www.ronelmm.com/tones/
 

 

[itsastickup]

Quote:

Try Amazon and look for Silverstone acoustic foam.  It may be cheaper than Paxmate.  It's 4mm thick.  I have not used it but several people, here, have.   
 
 

 
 
 

Quote:

Thanks for the tip. I've had a quick look around and the paxmate is quite expensive. £15 (at Maplins, in stock at my local), which is the same as the ebay kit for an amount I can't imagine using unless I get a lot of T50rp's but I've no plans to do that. Deoxit seems to be expensive also. Newplast is cheap off ebay but £5 if you include postage, which is a pain. I'll have to check out the local craft shop for newplast and stiff felt. The ebay kit isn't looking so bad all told; though it doesn't have micropore. 
 

 
 
 

 

Well it seems that my local craft store doesn't have newplast and neither does the arts store, strangely, and they wouldn't order it?!?. Noting the extra density mentioned earlier in the this thread I'm not compromising by getting ordinary plasticine. anyway the total bill for deoxit, paxmate, rubber glue, newplast etc comes to about £40 so the kit is definitely worth it. 

 

[sharkz]

I wouldn't worry about the difference between Newplast and normal plastacine. The purpose is to add mass and density to the baffles. I can't imagine that the damping properties of Newplast differ that radically from plastacine to make it worthwhile to go horribly out of your way to get some.
 
Just adding plastacine to the baffles of these headphones likely increased their weight by about 30%.

 

[purrin]

Quote:

This should answer your question:
 

 
And here it is measured using the exact same parameters as those used by Audeze to measure the LCD-2:

 
 
As I have said before...these are the best headphones I have ever heard. Also, it's not like I want to do mods for sale as there really isn't any profit in what I am asking for them...it's more like a service I am doing for you guys due to me wanting to keep my recipe secret. Factor in the time, the materials, the shipping for the specialty stuff, the cost of the specialty stuff, gas to and fro the craft store and I am likely losing a little money. I could charge more but then what is the point of making this headphone more expensive than it has to be? Also, I hate mark-ups.

 
Oh LOL! Just a note on that graph. The -36db mark should read -25db on the CSD. And the FR only goes down to 940. The graph was manipulated too (lowering any possible areas of ringing down quite a bit), but you guys should get the idea. In other words, it's easy to make stuff look good if you really want to.

 

[LFF]

Quote:

 
Oh LOL! Just a note on that graph. The -36db mark should read -25db on the CSD. And the FR only goes down to 940. The graph was manipulated too (lowering any possible areas of ringing down quite a bit), but you guys should get the idea. In other words, it's easy to make stuff look good if you really want to.

Yup...as I said...same parameters as Audeze...no?

 
EDIT: Here are some brutally accurate and true to life measurements of my Paradox headphones (nothing new...this has been posted before). The FR graph is above is correct. The waterfall plot has been Audeze'd.
 

 

[leeperry]

I wouldn't worry about the difference between Newplast and normal plasticine.

http://qualia.webs.com/newdampingfactors.htm

blutack 0.166
Plasticine 0.304
Newplast 0.635

I went blutack > newplast on the very same phone, the diff was definitely very much audible.

more here: http://qualia.webs.com/dampingfactor.htm

 

[sharkz]

Alright, I stand corrected. I went from Blutack to Plastacine and did notice a difference. However that didn't surprise me, Blutack is a more porous material. Just stretch it and and see what it looks like. 
 
The difference between the two materials still doesn't bother me. Between the mass the plastacine adds and all the other dampening provided by other materials (for me Paxmate in the cup and felt over the driver) it just wasn't worth it for me to seek out Newplast when Plastacine is so readily available everywhere.
 
Thanks for the information though, I will have to give that a read later.

 

[Armaegis]

Quote:

http://qualia.webs.com/newdampingfactors.htm
blutack 0.166
Plasticine 0.304
Newplast 0.635
I went blutack > newplast on the very same phone, the diff was definitely very much audible.
more here: http://qualia.webs.com/dampingfactor.htm

 
whoa...
 
Tungsten putty... 0.725
 
Has anyone ever tried this stuff?

 

[itsastickup]

 
Quote:

 
whoa...
 
Tungsten putty... 0.725
Has anyone ever tried this stuff?

Sounds expensive. It's only 14% denser compared to more than 50% of newplast over plasticine. There could be something in it if it were lighter, though. People aren't so happy with newplast heavy phones, it seems.
 

 

[Armaegis]

Pfft, since when have we ever let silly things like weight, comfort and cost get in the way of audio?