[bluemonkeyflyer]

iQEM,
 
I have a couple of sets of Fostex T30s. I know you've done a lot of mods to yours. Would you mind offering some suggestions about how to tighten the bass and extend the treble?
 
...and, how do I open these without damaging them?...I have screwdriver at the ready thanks to dBel84.  

 

[nick n]

hmmm a browse of the big wiki shows the screw locations, if this helps, looks like a couple spin/snap tabs also before being able to get to them to get to the driver insides, if taking the driver frame(?) apart is needed.?
I thought there was a couple screws outside though and then it all fell apart like the pictures.
 
heck best to wait for real info instead of my half-s guesswork info..

 

[bluemonkeyflyer]

  hmmm a browse of the big wiki shows the screw locations, if this helps, looks like a couple spin/snap tabs also before being able to get to them to get to the driver insides, if taking the driver frame(?) apart is needed.?
I thought there was a couple screws outside though and then it all fell apart like the pictures.
 
heck best to wait for real info instead of my half-s guesswork info..

 
Thanks, Nick. I suppose the top and bottom screws on the cup edge allow safe opening.
 
Are the snap tabs at the same location?  I will check the Wiki.

 

[dBel84]

aaah no
 
I forgot to get back to you with a real answer - this is the silliest headphone
 
There are 2 screws on the outer baffle that hold the driver assembly like a pivot. Loosen these and the drivers will fall out as in the picture , I will see if I have any pictures saved for you .
 
 
Edit - found and sent, now lets see you work your magic

 

[bluemonkeyflyer]

aaah no

I forgot to get back to you with a real answer - this is the silliest headphone

There are 2 screws on the outer baffle that hold the driver assembly like a pivot. Loosen these and the drivers will fall out as in the picture , I will see if I have any pictures saved for you .


Edit - found and sent, now lets see you work your magic

Thx, dBel84. I figured the top and bottom screws held it all in place, but just wanted to make sure I was not missing anything important.

Thx, also, for the PM with pix.

 

[iQEM]

ah, Brian...sorry for the late respond...a lil busy here at the office, working and alot of working...
and many thanks for Don & nick for the fast respond...

Yes, all you have to do is unscrew both 2 screws and you're ready to add some damping there..
although i share alot of damping schemes already on wikifonia & several pages back there (try to sort it out using headfi.qix might be very helpful) but it only applied on the silvery-chrome arm fork version of T30's..
basicly the japan version (a.k.a silvery-bla-bla you know what i'm talking about) are more in brighter side in their stock version..
its a lil bit different sounding in stock form, from the world/regular version T30's (a.k.a black fork version) that i have owned now...
even only marginal, not extreme like the comparison between day-night, but yet noticable..
the regular version sound more on the dark side, dont you think ?
here's a pict of inside of the cup, you can see the treatment that i do for the black arm fork version...



i lining the capsule driver with thin line of dynamat, and covering the plastic surface inside the housing cup using silicon sealer Autosil...and i remove the black felt disc lens from the grill baffle and put it underneath the yellow mineral wool..*see pict
and then i use the XB500 pads and replace the stock cable and then using silver copper germania cable as a replacement cable..
i got that DIY cable from the previous T10's of Questa Donny's before, actually you the one who mod&recable it long time ago...remember ?
i find it more netral sounding to use it on the black regular version T30's, than when used it on the japan version..too many brightness there..
so i swap between both cable, right now the japan version T30 using stock cable from the regular version T30...
but i believe the previous owner had replacing the stock jack to silvery switchcraft jack..
the sound more neutral than the silver-copper germania cable, so after swapping cable i found both are more similar one to each other..but still on their brighter&darker sounding side, still noticable though..
OK, i'm willing to share more of it later...

 

[bluemonkeyflyer]

ah, Brian...sorry for the late respond...a lil busy here at the office, working and alot of working...

and many thanks for Don & nick for the fast respond...

Yes, all you have to do is unscrew both 2 screws and you're ready to add some damping there..
although i share alot of damping schemes already on wikifonia & several pages back there (try to sort it out using headfi.qix might be very helpful) but it only applied on the silvery-chrome arm fork version of T30's..
basicly the japan version (a.k.a silvery-bla-bla you know what i'm talking about) are more in brighter side in their stock version..
its a lil bit different sounding in stock form, from the world/regular version T30's (a.k.a black fork version) that i have owned now...
even only marginal, not extreme like the comparison between day-night, but yet noticable..
the regular version sound more on the dark side, dont you think ?

here's a pict of inside of the cup, you can see the treatment that i do for the black arm fork version...



i lining the capsule driver with thin line of dynamat, and covering the plastic surface inside the housing cup using silicon sealer Autosil...and i remove the black felt disc lens from the grill baffle and put it underneath the yellow mineral wool..*see pict
and then i use the XB500 pads and replace the stock cable and then using silver copper germania cable as a replacement cable..
i got that DIY cable from the previous T10's of Questa Donny's before, actually you the one who mod&recable it long time ago...remember ?
i find it more netral sounding to use it on the black regular version T30's, than when used it on the japan version..too many brightness there..
so i swap between both cable, right now the japan version T30 using stock cable from the regular version T30...
but i believe the previous owner had replacing the stock jack to silvery switchcraft jack..
the sound more neutral than the silver-copper germania cable, so after swapping cable i found both are more similar one to each other..but still on their brighter&darker sounding side, still noticable though..
OK, i'm willing to share more of it later...

 
Hi iQEM,
 
Seems that Brian (?) must have asked you about modifying theT30, too.
 
Excellent! Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience. I will be modifying one set to compare with the other in stock form.
 
I agree that the T30 in stock form sounds dark and a bit veiled, especially compared to T10. I have some T10s that I modified a T20 (first release) to modify, as well. It will be fun to contrast and compare these 3 vintage orthos.

 

[iQEM]

oh sorry, my mistake..i thought your real name are Brian, fool me...maybe miss with other ortho member, sorry for that, BMF..lol

both version of the T30 once (proper) modded are way superior&have wider freq range extention than T10 stock or modded/recable with that germania silver-copper..i've been your fans since Questa show me your piece of work on the modded YH100..

 

[dBel84]

iQEM your memory serves you well. There were 2 BMF's in this thread - BlueMonkeyFlyer who is our ever vigilant modifier and measurement guru and Boilermaker Fan, who now spends more time on the farm. It can all merge a little after a while. 
 
Looking forward to seeing some measurements on the 3 modded fostexen, have you already measured them in stock form BMF?
 
..dB
 
Edit -- getting old

 

[bluemonkeyflyer]

  iQEM your memory serves you well. There were 2 BMF's in this thread - BlueMonkeyFlyer who is our ever vigilant modifier and measurement guru and Boilermaker Fan, who now spends more time on the farm. It can all merge a little after a while. 
 
Looking forward to seeing some measurements on the 3 modded fostexen, have you already measured them in stock form BMF?
 
..dB
 
Edit -- getting old

dBel84, iQEM, and nick n:
 
Thank you  for your informative replies, support, and generally helpful attitudes.
 
@ Bel84: Your screwdriver advice for "how to" open the T30s was sublime, parsimonious, and apropos  
 
I have measured T10, T20 v0, T20 v1 (or v2...I forget the nomenclature), T30, and T50 v1  in stock form; also T10 modified, YHD-1 transplanted into T10 shells, and T20 v1 modified . I'm happy to post/share any of these if there is any interest in my Humble DIY graphology.
 
Best to all,
 
K

 

[iQEM]

ohh, so they're not the same BMF afterall...my mistake (again), sorry for being mixedup..


ah yes, BlueMonkeyFlyer are not Brian..so the BoilerMakerFan are Brian..
ok, sorry for the oot here...lets we just get back to topic, shall we?

 

[iQEM]

anytime BMF, just summon me whenever you need help...
ah so you have T50v1 measurement, out of reach for me..
we here on indonesia only have T50v0 which is japan only T50's..i do still prefer NAD than T50v0, really..
modern ortho's didn't impress me that much, thanks to my T30's duo here...
they both keep me sane and my wallet, offcourse...

 

[MuZo2]

I have measured T10, T20 v0, T20 v1 (or v2...I forget the nomenclature), T30, and T50 v1  in stock form; also T10 modified, YHD-1 transplanted into T10 shells, and T20 v1 modified . I'm happy to post/share any of these if there is any interest in my Humble DIY graphology.

K

Maybe a new thread just for vintage Ortho measurements. I also have 2 sets of T20 v2 in stock form.

 

[szerecsen]

  For now, I am doing it just as easy as this:
 

 
- All holes covered
- The driver is not sealed to the baffle, just fitted it in there the factory way
- just done this to the right earcup, now trying to compare the two sides (no holes covered on the left earpiece at all)
 
Need some time to compare them, but will provide feedback to you!
 
Best!
 
szerecsen

It has been a while.
 
Do not worry, I kept reading you.

 
I promised to report about the duct-tape selaed baffle on the DK830. Well, it did not really matter. I was not able to tell apart the two sides. My fault, sorry for that.
 
The other reason I am checking back is that I managed to find - besides some other vintage orthos - an AIWA HP-500 and I want to let everybody know that to me, these cans - in stock form - have the best lows out of the orthos I own. Dunno if its the reflex strip or not, but there is very strong bass in this piece of metal. 
 
Finally, I am always shocked when you open these beautiful rare cans like tuna fish cans for the sake of some extra damping. I've been looking for a decent Fostex T30 for a year or some now without any success. I understand that me begging you is against the very basic principle of this thread

, but please, do not hurt'em, just listen to them. Mind your fellow followers heart attack! 

 

[iQEM]

oh never mind, i change my mind...