[symphonic]

My overall system will still be headphone based (apartment dweller), but I want a flat reference speaker to measure my HRTFs. I want to do binaural simulation via convolution. I don't know anybody with nice monitors that I could borrow. Also, I will be moving within the next year and can't easily take a speaker system with me, so I don't want to buy anything heavy.
 
My first idea was to buy a nice full range driver and mount it on an open baffle. When I move I'd just take it off again. Then I saw that a 2-way speaker would probably be better. If the T50RP can be a temporary tweeter, I can buy a woofer that extends a bit lower and use it for tactile bass enhancement when I'm using the headphones as usual (for movies, games).
 
I'll be messing with VST host for the binaural stuff anyway. It doesn't seem so far fetched to use the extra channels of my sound card for software crossovers.
 
For a laugh I measured the bare T50RP driver from my laptop output at a distance of about 1 m (using a Panasonic WM61A capsule and Room EQ Wizard). Don't trust the absolute dB scale. Still, it doesn't look too bad!
 

 
I had the same thought with the 3 W rated power. I bet that I could even get enough volume from a simple headphone amp. I only want, say, 85 dB at 1 m. 
 
 

 

[wualta]

Depends on the headphone amp, but sure, why not. Don't clip the thing outrageously and melt the Kapton just so you can say the line "I love the smell of burning Kapton in the morning".

 

[gurubhai]

It seems that I can't find the sony XB500 pads for T30.
 
Are there any other comfortable pads which you guys would recommend?
I won't mind the supra-aurals too if they are cushined enough.
The only thing I would like is that they don't affect the sound too much since I find the T30 perfect as it is.

 

[rhythmdevils]

I've got the LCD-3 here for a week or so and I couldn't even last an hour before taking the grills off and looking inside.    I'm surprised by the materials they used for damping.  They have a very light, thick fluffy material that seems like a fleece, looks and feels like the stuff they make fleece jackets out of.  This is right up against the driver with some adhesive (but fairly far away from the diaphragm because of the size of the magnets).  Then they just have a disc of what seems to be synthetic felt that is not very dense at all, very easy to blow through which is in front of the grill.  They came to me with an added layer of TP between the felt layers.
 
I may get a chance to play with the damping which will be fun.   

 

[nick n]

How did you manage to get a pair of those on loan?  Are you a fan of the sound?

 

[symphonic]

Yeah if I break the poor thing my T50RP privileges will have to be taken away.
 
I found an old woofer in my dad's garage here. I'll try to cross that over with it this weekend and let you know how it goes.
Quote:

Depends on the headphone amp, but sure, why not. Don't clip the thing outrageously and melt the Kapton just so you can say the line "I love the smell of burning Kapton in the morning".

 

 

[gurubhai]

Quote:

I may get a chance to play with the damping which will be fun.   

You don't like the stock damping ?
 
 

 

[symphonic]

I have a question about baffles. I've been reading about speaker baffles, baffleless designs, magnet mounting speakers, etc.
 
Is there anything wrong with soft mounting a headphone driver? In foam/rubber for instance? Is stiffness really necessary? 
 
 

 

[Armaegis]

You'll mostly lose bass response. The whole "equal and opposite reactions" thing where the diaphragm pushes one way and the magnets push the other. The heavier and more stable the magnets, the more that relative motion will be entirely the diaphragm.

 

[symphonic]

Yeah that's what I had in mind. I'd like to head the mass closer to the head, so I had in mind placing the driver in a smaller baffle set in e.g. silicon that contours a bit to my head, and using thinner earpads. 

 

[Armaegis]

For some reason I'm getting this image of a rugby helmet with drivers in 'em, strapped to your head...

 

[RexAeterna]

For some reason I'm getting this image of a rugby helmet with drivers in 'em, strapped to your head...

that sounds pretty cool actually.

 

[Armaegis]

Walk around with orthos literally strapped to your head. Y'know, it might work...

 
And if anybody gives you grief, you just headbutt 'em...

 

[rhythmdevils]

I actually don't buy the importance of mass damping.  I think it must have some effect, but IME acoustic damping has a much much bigger effect.  Whenever I've tried to mass damp, the acoustic damping effects of those materials being in the cup makes a much bigger difference than any mass damping effects.  The biggest change I've ever noticed from putting putty or takk in cups/baffles is that it makes them brighter because of the reflective properties of the takk/putty.  It's happened with Yamahas and Fostex. 
 
And the NAD's have huge bass that rivals the Audeze in resolution and they have absolutely no mass damping except for the weight of the driver itself. 
 
I think I'm using effect/affect wrong.  Too lazy for google right now...

 

[rhythmdevils]

Quote:

You don't like the stock damping ?
 
 

Not sure yet.  As for the sound, the only thing I want to say yet is they are extraordinarily clean and smooth and linear which makes them such a joy to listen to, they really sound like they're getting out of the way.  As for neutrality, it's hard to say because of the above.  They're good enough that I can't judge them after 5 minutes (one of the only times that's happened to me with a headphone)