Modding a MDR-V300 (measurement pics included)

[goodsound]

Hello, this is my first time modding a headphone.
I have a Sony MDR-V300 that I thought I would open up since I was thinking of getting a Grado SR-60 or a Senn PX100 anyway. First I did some measurements with/without the earpads, sheet/screen, etc.. but the biggest difference came when I removed them entirely from the enclosures.

Closed -> http://home.earthlink.net/~percy.mis...unter_1015.jpg

Open -> http://home.earthlink.net/~percy.mis...unter_1017.jpg

While I was doing the measurements I was also doing listening tests and as I removed the hindering elements one by one - foam sheets, ear pads, even the thin paper type layer sticking over the rear holes of the transducer - I noticed an improved sound, but just like in the measurements, the biggest difference came when I was listening to them with nothing but open air behind them!

Having experienced this I am tempted to do some mods to these phones. Generally I have seen that the most basic mod is the cable. Now the cable looks pretty good, altleast its thicker than any other headphone I have used so far, but inside where its soldered to the transducer they appear very thin. And its very long. So I guess the first question is - Is it worth diong anything with the cable ?

What other mods can I do to these things ? Change the foam sheets ? Looks like thin materials like silk and curtain sheers seem to be a popular choice.

But I am most interested in doing mods to "open" these headphones up from "closed". Has anyone done such a thing ? How do I go around doing this ? Your ideas, suggestions, opinions are welcome and highly appreciated! Thanks!

 

[Emon]

Quote:

Originally Posted by goodsound Having experienced this I am tempted to do some mods to these phones.

Light them on fire and pee it out? Can't possibly make them sound worse.











Kidding...I don't have anything constructive to say. Other than you might as well try recabling or any other mod you can think of, since those are pretty...well...bad.

 

[goodsound]

Are they so bad really ? I had a chance to listen a Grado SR-60 recently. I did not do a real A-B comparison with the MDR-V300 but at that time I did feel the sr-60 was surely better. Now that the mdr is unchained and cut loose

so to speak, I think the differences between the two because of which I thought the sr-60 was superior are diminishing!

 

[motherone]

I hate to say it, but there's an old adage -- you can't polish a turd.. Or maybe I should quote the immortal Rowdy Roddy Piper in They Live: "That's like pouring perfume on a pig."

Sorry, just kidding. At least you're getting some headphone modding experience in. If nothing else, it will help when you upgrade to better phones and decide to mod them as well

 

[sonick]

well, there is that saying 'buy low mod high'... i guess he's starting from really, REALLY low

i got a pair of MDR-V150's, what mods can i do to these ones to make them sound half decent? hahaha