[iQEM]

@ GREQ:
oh, but the specs claim SF-17 using the 120ohms?
from what i could remember, 120ohm are way more heavier to drive than the 32ohms but (even underamp) the 120ohms have more extension on the both lower&upper notes compare to the 32ohm..just sound not loudly like the 32ohms SFIs..
and yeah, i notice the plastic mesh helded with alum ring are a factory setup as the baffles grill..

@ ericj:
seriously, how big? from previous member a.k.a scompton, that have using XB700 as a replacement/comfort mod pads for his T30, i thought it would attach much more easier than with the XB500 (its too tight)..


you just need to slip on the inner stitches of the pad onto the baffle outer ring, without the need of adhesive or other like glue thingy..


taken picts from the ebay seller

note:
you'll notice there's a ring of stitch on the one side of the XB pads, its to attach the pads to the outer baffle of T30s..the other side of the pads dont have those ring of stitches cos it has been stitched from the inside..

 

[ericj]

Ah, ok

.:Sent by pneumatic tubes

 

[nick n]

iQEM:
I see you are reeeeaaaly enjoying the T30 greatly.
 
I was randomly looking up information for something else and noticed it is not in your old list on the Wikipedia site. The rating chart.
 I know this rating will always change, and i see it IS 4 years old now roughly, but am curious where you would put the T30 today ( what level # ), as it is right now with your current moddifications and those excellent looking pads on it.
thanks very much.

 

[iQEM]

aha, now you mention it nick then i'll share my impression bout em based on my experiences and pref..
as you all knew, i too have 2 pairs of T30s both version, the silver fork/jpn version and the regular/blk version..i got it both from our copy ninja kakashi..
back in the old days, i only have the jpn version..my goal that time, copied everything i have achieved on my previous cans, NAD RP-18 kapton..several roll the damping schemes, several swapping pads, i settled on the silver one for several years..grab YH1 aniso for my son and then replaced it with modded fostex T10..but then the blk version shown up, so i let go the T10..definitely both YH1 aniso or even T10 are not on the same level any of the duo T30s..
i gave my son the jpn version T30, and i switch the pads from XB500 to V700 +use the stock cable from the blk vers..
OTOH, i place the XB pads on the blk version, and use the silver copper germania from the previous modded T10..
with all the changes i've made here and there, i'm starting from scratch again on the damping scheme inside both..
i switch the stock mineral wool from the blk version, which is still fat, thick and fresh to the jpn version, and vice versa..
both with the bass lens that i have remove from the baffles of their own and put it between the driver and mineral wool..
several weeks then, i visited USF 2014, and visited Mook 2014 several weeks before they both ready with their own condition now..

so, what i've get from there?
compare the jpn vers to Abyss and modded T50RP a.k.a Alpha Dog..well i'm not too impress with Abyss, why? with their price tag, too bad its not far away from my jpn version..I wouldn't say its on the same league just yet, but i'm sure the differences not more than a single hair..both compare with my setup, on SQ wise..offcourse, Abyss won from the jpn version because of the comfort, the look/model&the openess..
the Alpha dog? ah, not my cup of tea..or let me just say too much trouble to get it sound rite..LOL

now, bout the blk version..
on USF, i bring my setup&T30s blk vers. and after several hour auditioning all the participants booth there, i settle down sat on the Audeze booth..i really impressed with Fidelio X2 and TOTL Sony, but its non ortho so i'm not gonna share bout them both here..
on Audeze booth, i have heard an audition all line that available there..which is LCD2 bamboo, LCDX, LCDXC, LCD3..cmiiw
with my setup, i like the LCDX better than the rest..so my opinion base on several hour listening is:
LCDX > LCD3 > LCDXC > LCD2 bamboo
i have share bout this before on USF thread discussion..
http://www.head-fi.org/t/736275/ultimate-sound-fair-2014-jakarta-indonesia-impression-and-report-on-26-and-27-september-2014#post_10915788
with their setup or my setup, i'm pretty sure that my rank there are suit for em..
so, then i compare them one by one to my T30 blk version WITH my setup..many of ppl there on the Audeze booth looked curious seeing me so serious compare one to each other..
even they ask weither i'm allow em to make a listen what my cans are, i'll share bout the opinion about the comparison later..
but you know what, base on my pref, my setup, the blk vers here (again, not stock!) are not far away from even LCDX..but are the T30s surpass the other types of the Audeze there? i wouldn't dare to claim bout that just yet, but i'm very very grateful i have these T30s..the Audezes won from T30 on comfort, look/models but not much on the SQ wise..

my result here:
Abyss > Audezes
so, i notice the jpn vers > blk vers..

note:
ppl there on the Audeze booth claimed that after auditioning my cans, the blk version are sounding the same/on the same league and even one of em dare to say it better than all the audezes there, on his own setup&pref offcourse..and i kinda satisfied with their opinions/impression, they said why would the modern ortho have so high on their price tag BUT in SQ wise not bring too much improvements from their fellow vintage orthos..lol well its them, not my personal statement, even i kinda agree that i'm not too impressed with their price tag vs SQ wise..

There, nick_n..sorry for misspelled or incorrect grammar or so on, english are not my native language..i'm hope my post here are easy too understand..

 

[nick n]

Thank you very much. Your English is most excellent ( like always

)and yes very easy to understand still, it's getting better! Prwetty soon it will be better than mine even ( see I even just misspelled "pretty" )
 
 I like how in depth you were here.
 As I understand it you took the felt bass lens from the ear - side of the driver and moved it to inside the cups on the rear side of the driver, but under the mineral wool disc still.
 
So = 
 
Baffle >Driver > Felt ring bass lens > Mineral Glasswool disk > Cup rears,   like that?

 

[iQEM]

precisely, you understand me right nick_n..
baffle > driver > bass lense felt > mineral wool > cup..
and not to forget, i covering the whole plastic surface, inside cup housing with silicon sealer and lining the capsule driver with dynamat..the same on both version..
no need adding the silicon sealer too thick on the plastic, just to tame the plasticy reverb..

 

[Synthax]

 

 
Could, please, someone explain to me why vintage orthos got smaller diameter of hole in pads than modern ortho and dynamic headphones?
What is it for?
 
Thank you

 

[iQEM]

good question..
well mostly the vintage ortho design is using supraural pads, even the cup size is fullsize..
cmiw, only wharfedale ID1 that i know that using a circumaural as stock pads..

many of vintage ortho need supraural or flat pads to sounds properly/balance, good seal is a must for those vintage orthos..again, cmiw

 

[dBel84]

/img/forum/go_quote.gif  
Could, please, someone explain to me why vintage orthos got smaller diameter of hole in pads than modern ortho and dynamic headphones?
What is it for?

It is a form of bass lens ..dB

 

[ericj]

Well i found one of my T30 and installed the XB700 pads. The comfort issue is certainly sorted out. They do need some power to be driven - currently just using an o2 amp because it was handy. Most of my amps are in some state of disrepair. 
 
Turns out this was a pair i had already attempted basic damping on - my black felt and some half inch open cell foam is all. 
 
And speaking of bass lenses, I took off the stock pads before installing the xb700, but having both could be a valid configuration. 
 
There is still something about the sound of these that i immediately don't like. I could believe that some of it is weird resonances, i may try to adhere something to the inside of the cup. 
 
Holidays left me pretty broke, won't have money again until tuesday or wednesday. I have some pax-mate and some fiberglass pipe wrap. hmm. 

 

[ericj]

Ventilated YH-100 just got assembled, many thanks to dBel84 for the generous gift. 
 
Since i had the original side-vent felt handy, I decided to try some doubletape to stick it in place, like so: 
 

 
I then cut some discs of Sontara fabric to filter the big vents. It's a bit of a trick getting it situated. I think really i need to get a brush-on adhesive and maybe just use black felt that covers the whole back of the cup. Anyway, the finished assembly looks like this: 
 

 
Damping strategy is the same double layer of my dense black felt as i had before, and the original pretty near dead foam disc. 
 
It's a bit trebly. new foam and one layer of felt might be more sensible. 

 

[nick n]

What exactly is Sontara?
Is it the semi transparent stuff that has the dimpling throughout it?
 
You know those look really good. The custom vents would look stock if there was black there underneath ( but I like the white showing better ).  Perfectly suited to the overall appearance.
really cool stuff. Thanks for posting the pictures.
 
 
So soundwise did they do a flip from stock you think?

 

[ericj]

Back to the T30, putting a layer of a somewhat shear velour fabric over the face of the driver has helped reduce the harshness. I also put some sontara fabric over the rear vent, 'cause i like to see if damping vents helps things. dunno if it did or not. 
 
Tomorrow maybe I'll cut up some this fiberglass pipe wrap. I guarantee i still have the factory fiber cookies here somewhere but damn if i know where. 

 

[ericj]

  What exactly is Sontara?
Is it the semi transparent stuff that has the dimpling throughout it?
 
You know those look really good. The custom vents would look stock if there was black there underneath ( but I like the white showing better ).  Perfectly suited to the overall appearance.
really cool stuff. Thanks for posting the pictures.
 
 
So soundwise did they do a flip from stock you think?

 
Sontara is an industrial nonwoven used as a wipe for various purposes. Low-to-no lint due to long fibers. Very dense. I don't know the exact specification of the wipes i have, but they are blue and wrinkly, and fluffy on one side.
 
I found a package of them at a thrift store and bought it. Actually there were several packages and i should have bought them all. I did a doubletake on the drive home when i noticed the Sontara embossing, since I'm a Dr. Who fan. Someone honestly named an industrial nonwoven fabric after a Dr. Who villain?! actually probably not, since the "spun lace" tech dates to the mid 60's and The Sontaran Experiment was written in 1974. 
 
Edit: Pretty sure i have the blue hospital wipes. Seems to be polypropylene fiber, which may indicate an engineered extruded fiber? who knows.
 
linky: http://www.sustainablesupply.com/Hospeco-DuPont-Sontara-EC-Engineered-Cloths-12-x-p/hospr811.htm?gclid=Cj0KEQiAzvmkBRCm3ZbV-4-hwrYBEiQAgLOw68H4j2ibyV8jdvgX5UKbZ2XY3mTLsal1jTla9i48yKsaAn3L8P8HAQ
 
The semi-transparent stuff with dimples is cambric. You can get heavy cambric in big rolls at hardware and garden stores as landscaping fabric. The lighter weight stuff is under your couch, and can be bought from upholsterers and very few fabric stores. 
 
There's a video explaining the process, i even linked to it earlier in this thread, but dupont has since sold the Sontara business to some other concern, and it seems that the version now on youtube has a new, less-corny voiceover. 
 
 
 
It's been a long time since i heard a stock YH-100. Compared to the closed cups they are about the same, need more listening to be sure. I don't remember them being this shrill so maybe i lost some bass in the conversion. 

 

[nick n]

Whoa Sontaran indestructable space warrior fabric wipes???? Whats their tiny weakpoint

New Dr Who has nothing on the older stuff IMO.
 Many a night until 4 am.
I think we need a picture of that label, also so I can try to find some, unless it was way back.