[BucketInABucket]

Just buy Alpha Pads. They're amazing for $60 + shipping.

 

[bootdsc]

  Just buy Alpha Pads. They're amazing for $60 + shipping.

 
For some reason i had it in my head the alpha pads were double that price, just placed my order. 

 

[BucketInABucket]

   
For some reason i had it in my head the alpha pads were double that price, just placed my order. 

Glad I helped 

 

[kalbee]

  I wouldn't mind using a super-thin bonded leather, but I guess they just don't make them thin enough. 

You could skive/split it. I use a small chisel (aught to get a larger one). The problem is getting an even thickness; I'm not very good at this, not to mention sometimes the leather is very stretchy which causes me to stab right through it. I could use more practice too.
 
Worth a try if you got some time, patience, and the leathers for it! 

 

[GREQ]

Yeah, I certainly don't have the quantity of leathers needed for practice. Maybe I should find some pleather.
 
Back on topic for a bit:
Been using HD205 ear pads on my Fostex T10. I like what I'm hearing. 
They EXACTLY the right size, but oval'ish, so need to be teased into shape when sticking down with double sided tape.
Also they're a bit bigger around the circumference, so they sit on the edges of your ears... not sure if that's a pro or a con, but it seems to give a bit more air.

 

[kalbee]

Pleather is nice, though I couldn't get a hold of one locally that is suitable to make earpads. Though for the unhygienic (probably not much the case in such a forum) an excess of sweat and oils from hair and skin can cause pleather to harden.

In any case for those interested in getting your leathers thinner I tried a different way today with pretty good success.

Of course don't be like me and do this on wooden floor. But anyway, using a block plane (or a trimming plane, basically smaller. Mine is 1" wide) you can get some decently thin leather with much better consistency across the surface. In the picture above, the right side is done with a plane, the left with the tiny 1/4" chisel (you can see cut marks where the thickness is extremely uneven), and the upper section is the untouched leather.

Practicing with scraps is the way to go. Making earpads and such leaves so much material in between. The part I used the plane already had holes I used to test if various tools for leather puncturing.

And just some numbers for area thickness:
Untouched leather -- 2.08mm avg
Lightly had chiseled -- 0.85mm avg
Planed -- 0.47mm avg

 

[leeperry]

  Are they improving any? the pads?
 
 I wonder if they still sell the old version as well as the new ones. Any idea?

 
If you google "hm5 earpad" the old version still shows up for sale.
 
Not sure, the pleather of the MF version is not as soft but the density is really nice especially as it doesn't allow your ears to touch the baffles. Of course it can be a hit or miss depending on the phone as when comparing both versions you'll essentially be trading deep bass and clarity for comfort and SS, so YMMV more than ever.
 
They recently added XB500-style earpads BTW but I think you can get a XB knock-off on ebay for cheaper.
 

  Twaron Angel Hair: people are too cheap to bother maybe? Yet it is ridiculous amounts.

 
IME the problem with AH is getting the same result in both cups due to how effective the darn thing is.

 

[GREQ]

.

 

[bluemonkeyflyer]

  Update on the T10 - If you've got a T10 you HAVE to try out these ear pads. I've been listening all day with these, and for the first time they don't do ANYTHING really wrong. 
Just to put this into perspective: I'm not using a treble reflection card, and I've got treble, bitey mids (nice twangy guitar sounds), and more width in soundstage.
If you don't like a tiny bit of boom in your bass, then give this a miss.
If you want to hear your T10 with both plenty of bass and some treble (treble is certainly still south of 'neutral' by Senn/AKG/Beyer/Hifiman flagship standards) and 'NO' (significant) mid-bass hump, absolutely give this a go.
For the first time instead of just throwing around some ideas I can almost guarantee you won't be disappointed. Comfort is also improved.
 
Mods: 
• 1mm thick creatology felt directly on rear of the driver - 18mm diameter circle
• thick (3mm?) sticky back creatology felt around circumference edge of cup
• all vents, bar the outer-most 2 closed with electrical tape (or whatever tape)
• roughly 20mm diameter circle of thin felt stuck to the back of the cup
• 1 layer of full-cup-size disc of arctic cotton in the cup
• hd205 pads stuck on with double sided tape

GREQ,
 
Is the 1 mm thick, 18 mm disk of creatology felt limp or stiffened?

 

[GREQ]

 
Is the 1 mm thick, 18 mm disk of creatology felt limp or stiffened?

Stiffened - I just let it sit flush within the plastic driver housing, as it protrudes out slightly, so it doesn't need to be stuck down.

 

[GREQ]

.

 

[nick n]

Thanks for those pictures

Good thing there was that fabric dustguard over the driver. Sort of a Yamaha type venting there.
 
Anything new is always good.

 

[bluemonkeyflyer]

  So here's something you don't see every day.
The guts of a PMB 8.
No headphones were harmed in the making of these photos 

 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
I was able to successfully open both cups without making any (major) damage (a few tiny scratches).
I replaced the disintegrating foam.
I guess there isn't much room for modding, but to be honest, they're already really quite good without any..... ok... maybe a little.... like new ear pads.... and arctic cotton instead of foam.

 
Are the vents damped with felt like Yamahas?
 
Thanks for the pix!

 

[ericj]

  Heh, it took a while for the Hifiman and Audeze ppl to find out that there's nothing comfier than a Bellini headband: http://www.head-fi.org/t/738025/new-audeze-prototype-z#post_10953629
 
Actually there is, an auto-adjusting Bellini(à la cd3k) hopefully they'll figure that out later as it looks like it's all about baby steps

 

 
If you mean the strap, AKG started selling the K140 in 1974, 3 years before the HP-1. 
 
I'm pretty sure that all we have bellini to thank for is the vents around the edge and the noisy, fragile ball joint. The worst aspects of the yamahas. 
 
At any rate, you clearly have not experienced Cardamatic Suspension. 

 

[GREQ]

  Are the vents damped with felt like Yamahas?
 
Thanks for the pix!

I've only ever had an HP3, and I passed that on a while ago, so I can't really comment on yamaha similarities... but I don't remember any headphone I've had being damped like this one.
The driver sits inside a ring of thick black felt which is indeed around the vents.