Orthodynamic Roundup

[GREQ]

I think my opinion is that each headphone/driver has it's own unique sensibilities.
So often I've thought a certain pad might work on a specific headphone because of past experiences, and then been surprised to find that something very different works best.

One thing we can all probably agree on is that these old planars only really like pleather/leather pads.
Never had any good bass results with velour, foam etc.

 

[leeperry]

and the amount of resonances within the earpad is enormous, I guess T20v1 is as good as it gets on that point being a giant supra....SRH550 earpads fit it like a glove but are wayyy too thick to get any kind of bass out of them.

 

[GREQ]

You'd think with a more narrow opening they'd act like some kind of bass lens, but that goes to show how you can't go just by experience.
And conversely some of my favourite (bassier) mods were with thick pads.

 

[leeperry]

I think what ppl call "bass lens" is when the inner diameter of an earpad is actually smaller than the driver itself. Truth is I prefer supra coz circum's do get too hot around the ears for me and T20v1 doesn't nearly crush my ears as much as a regular small supra.

But anyway there's a cup/baffle/earpad combination that's engineered to work together, I've tried my luck with 55mm yamie drivers transplanted into wooden phones and never got any kind of bass out of them, I guess cups were too big, bass holes too small and/or earpads too thick as yamies also like thin earpads or bass goes AWOL as well.

 

[WallofHooligans]

Speaking of which, I picked up a fostex t-40, which is the same basically as a t-20v2 except for the main difference - which is a foam "bagel" above the baffle and driver. The foam is super hard, very little give to it. It seems to allow me to use thick earpads without ill effects. Right now it has shure velours on it. I can definitely do better, but the difference between the two seems like I can choose more comfortable pads and then tune them with damping materials. Seems like the problem of choosing the right pads is mostly nullified.

 

[leeperry]

T40v1 has no bass at all so at this point it can't get any worse lol, and to top it off polarity was reversed on the pairs I owned.

 

[WallofHooligans]

T40v1 has no bass at all so at this point it can't get any worse lol, and to top it off polarity was reversed on the pairs I owned.

That's strange. Mine sounds like a slightly sadder version of the t-20v2 but it's a lot more comfortable
Actually, now that I think about it, the earpads that come stock with both absolutely bleat out any good bass characteristics. Any other pads are better.

 

[nick n]

Isn't the T40 fully closed also vs the T20-2 which does vent some?

 

[nick n]

could this be the ultimate?
could it be?
Nicely blended, carded to loosen, crosslapped, needlepunched to give uniform thickness and resistance to shifting ( just like the best other quilt battings like Arctic materials we have tried )


In my quest for finding loose silk filler with consistency of loose cotton, I came across this.
Previous Hobbs Rough Silk batting was resin bonded. This looks like the silk in it is not, so loose
Bamboo... well had experience with that.
Cotton too obviously.
Botanic Tencel apparently is organic based taken from eucalyptus pulp fibers.( supposed to be similar to silk fluff )

Not sure the ratios.
http://www.quiltersdreambatting.com/dream-orient.htm

More to follow with damping trials


ruhenheiM :

did you figure out what sizes pads to try out?
Maybe try one set at what you think is ideal outer diameter to see at least about fit(?)
Are you hoping to pull the edges over the outsides of the cups?

 

[ruhenheiM]

ruhenheiM :

did you figure out what sizes pads to try out?
Maybe try one set at what you think is ideal outer diameter to see at least about fit(?)
Are you hoping to pull the edges over the outsides of the cups?

i stick with 80mm since the opening of the baffle is quite big, i measured 55mm. i really don't want to make the sound changed dramatically. i have tried 2 different pads anyway right now, so i could get some idea.that's why i immediately skip some designs because i think it probably not worth to spend money on it

i've tried sony xb950bt pad, it makes the sound really close and i don't think i get enough trades for others criteria to justify losing those massive sound other than it's really comfy.the opening in this pad is oval 45mmx60mm, thickness 25mm

i've tried some generic pad, this is what i need actually, sounds just perfect for me,i really like it,almost similar like stock pad,almost but the comfort not really enough improvement.opening is circle shape,40mm.thickness 15mm. while the stock pack opening is 33mm. thickness seems about 5mm.

i already ordered some knock off brainwavz pad and beats detox since they really cheap and because i'm still curious and i just want to make sure i made right decision, they're cheap anyway. and i also ordered another 80mm pad but with 30mm thickness. i'm just waiting for them to arrive here. btw i really think the thickness should be about 20-25mm to get those balance between sounds and comfy

for 85mm i think i still could manage slip it under the baffle just like the stock pad.for 90mm, i have to pull the edges over the outside of the cups, and i think it still get good fit but bigger than that, i don't think it will get a good fit

 

[Feilong4]

I worked on my T20v1 a bit more today. I really like these and really want them to be good. The longest ortho I've had and the most I've worked on.

Had a listen with them after a long while and thought they were too bassy, dark, and recessed in the mid-range with my previous mod. Changed the damping scheme (Koss porta pro pad and a thin sheet of some material over the Porta Pro pad) and taped all the rear vents, and I think it's quite a bit more neutral though still fairly warm. Taping all the vents brought back up the treble a bit and tightened up the bass. The upper bass and lower midrange seems to be less bloated. Still using SRH1540 pads - these pads really help bring up the bass and body but they do recess the midrange significantly (considering with no mods). Kept the front port damping (a few layers of cotton sheets and speaker cloth to hold it in place) - I found this helped with taming the upper mids and lower treble. In doing so, it has a much more natural timbre and top-end.

I would say I'm content, but I've said that many times before. Kinda wanna pick up that EARS headphone measuring rig so I have a visual of what my mods have done rather than just speculating from listening.

In the first picture below, I still kept that schematic from my previous mods. I'm not sure how it sounds without it. If I had to make a wild guess, I think it might help the midrange because less honky (less cup reverb from the ribbed pattern?) - even then, I'm taking a wild guess. Correct me if this is conceptually incorrect.

 

[Feilong4]

The PMB 80's finally arrived!

Anyone knows whether these are original pads? I think the seller says that the pads are "renewed" (if Google translate is correct) but I'm not sure what that means. Pads seemed to be adhered on in a way that if I try to pull them off, I will destroy them.

Anyone also know how to open these up?

By the way, clamping is very little; I think it was stretched out or something.

 

[GREQ]

Those pads look just like the old Beyerdynamic pads, from the original DT880 era.

 

[Feilong4]

Those pads look just like the old Beyerdynamic pads, from the original DT880 era.

So not original? They don't sound too good with them so I'm very tempted to just remove them.

Edit: Yeah, they gotta go. Not very good sounding with it and it seems like the seller just adhered them on with some of the yellow glue adhesive coming out.

Edit edit: Actually I might be wrong. They seem to adhered around the baffle fairly well. Too late to turn back now.

 

[nick n]

yeah those are what MB Quart / MB/German Maestro or whatever they are now sells for modern stuff..
It's likely the stock ones were ( ***MAYBE )a bit closer to the ear.

Gimme a second here I'll go grab a picture.
Hmm Well basically dind a picture of the Dual ortho of the same period, they are the same OEM. Likely the same height stock pad too.
Here is a pic of the larger one.


overall this headband assembly is kinda lightweight with not a ton of clamping force in stock form.
The difference being the ones above have a fairly beefy metal band above the comfort strap.
Yours appears to have it inside some plastic covering?