[mypasswordis]

First breviate on the CE-H:

Inefficient. Soundstage size and depth is surprisingly good for an ortho. No midrange honk detected as (purportedly) in the T20v1. Just pure, somewhat underdamped, bloated-smooth ortho goodness. I can imagine just slapping a layer of felt on the backs of the drivers and maybe on the vents, but I think I said that about the T50RP and that didn't turn out the case. Sound leakage is great; seems the vents are... big.

Need to open it up as the sound is sometimes intermittent, though. Many of the vintage 'phones I've bought had intermittent or just plain non-working connections upon receiving them, and it's getting to be really annoying. Especially without my soldering station.

 

[malldian]

OT: Anyone put a SFI in a triport?

 

[iQEM]

OK guys, i had return from local meet (of my forum, offcourse) this day...

i had try on OEM version of ATH-2 a.k.a Sansui SS-L55 that trooper owned...
and here's my impression compare to ATH-2 that i (ever) owned before...

even on stock form, this Sansui are much more good than ATH-2 modded/recabled/stock..it's less effective and more harder to drive than ATH-2, so i guess it use different impedance driver...too bad i & trooper dont have any tools to measure up the impedance...

about the look:
Bigger diametre buffles, more elastics metal headband, different cables & jack that maybe make different result too...there's bigger gap on the buffle too (must open pads a lil' to see it), i like the overall look off it...black schemes ! for more reference, look at the picts from trooper post...if needed maybe trooper would give more picts side by side to ATH-2...

now about the SQ,
i dont hear loose warm boomy bass like on ATH-2 stock...but yeah it's still a lil' bassy for my taste (refer to my K400) but it's a good tight&fast bass though, but more on quantities...very good as an allrounder, quite nice on speed metal too...if this were mine, i'm gonna need to tame the bass for a lil' bit...
good midrange, almost as good as ATH-2 modded (re-damping)...offcourse a lot better than ATH-2 in stock...
hi are more good on this one, since i remember that ATH-2 stock lack of treble...well it's not too dark thought but still roll-off treble for me, i didn't found this problem on Sansui...the treble are there, not a roll-off one, yet not a sibilance or harsh one...not as sparkling as K340 or my K400 but still acceptable to my ears...

that's all guys,
so i agreed that this Sansui SS-L55 are more superior than just an ATH-2 clone, that only hold up to 2ndTier Rank on Ortho line there --> Orthodynamic Headphones Rating Chart - Wikiphonia

is it suppose to put on "Close to top but with reservations:" or 1stTier after modification, we'll find out...

 

[wualta]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mypasswordis First breviate on the CE-H:

I'll see your breviate and raise you one bloviate:

Quote:

Originally Posted by mypasswordis Inefficient. Soundstage size and depth is surprisingly good for an ortho.

I've always been of the opinion that the T20v1 driver is less efficient than later versions. This has been disputed, so if you have a close encounter with a T20v2, a headphone with similar earpads to the CE-H, let us know if the CE-H really is less efficient.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mypasswordis No midrange honk detected as (purportedly) in the T20v1.

My opinion once again has been that the goofy-yet-comfy earpads of the T20v1 are responsible. Your results appear to bear this out.


Quote:

Originally Posted by mypasswordis Just pure, somewhat underdamped, bloated-smooth ortho goodness. I can imagine just slapping a layer of felt on the backs of the drivers and maybe on the vents, but I think I said that about the T50RP and that didn't turn out the case.

The T50RP impressed me as a headphone that wouldn't need much extra damping on the driver to get as flat as it was going to get in the stock enclosure, but from your description, I feel more comfortable predicting good results in the CE-H from simple felt-slapping.


Quote:

Originally Posted by mypasswordis Need to open it up as the sound is sometimes intermittent, though. Many of the vintage 'phones I've bought had intermittent or just plain non-working connections upon receiving them, and it's getting to be really annoying. Especially without my soldering station.

This is always a concern with stuff this old, but you seem particularly unlucky. Has anyone else had a big problem with intermittentnesses?

Try spraying contact cleaner on everything in your immediate vicinity. There could be an environmental problem.

 

[wualta]

Quote:

Originally Posted by iQEM i had try on OEM version of ATH-2 a.k.a Sansui SS-L55 that trooper owned... and here's my impression compare to ATH-2 that i (ever) owned before... even on stock form, this Sansui are much more good than ATH-2 modded/recabled/stock..it's less effective and more harder to drive than ATH-2, so i guess it use different impedance driver...too bad i & trooper dont have any tools to measure up the impedance...

Cool! Sansui does it again! Looking forward to comparative photos and size measurements, particularly the baffles.

Maybe someone can find a multimeter and measure the impedance. By the way, impedance is only one factor in determining how difficult a headphone is to drive with a given amplifier, usually a minor factor. The ATH-2 and Sansui could very easily have the same impedance.

Any possibility of a brochure, manual, advertisement...?

 

[iQEM]

too bad no brochure, manual, advertisement with it, trooper only have the headphone only, without anything else...
about more comparative picts and size measurements, i think i'm gonna leave it to trooper, along with measuring the impedance using multimeter i guess...
well, i'm already at home right now...and we lived much far away, even on the same regional...

 

[malldian]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wualta /img/forum/go_quote.gif That auction's for another HP-50A and anyone who buys it will have to go through what Mr. Duggeh did. Allow me to suggest a consistently cheap alternative, Radio Shack's Audio-Technica-built Realistic Pro-30:

Anyone know what the piece that is attached to the cup (the ones that locks into the headband) would be called?

Edit:

Seen here:

http://qix.it/site_media/headfi/pro30/smeggified.jpg

 

[mypasswordis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wualta /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'll see your breviate and raise you one bloviate:

Nicely done. Or should I say... snigget.
Quote:

Originally Posted by wualta I've always been of the opinion that the T20v1 driver is less efficient than later versions. This has been disputed, so if you have a close encounter with a T20v2, a headphone with similar earpads to the CE-H, let us know if the CE-H really is less efficient.

Stock for stock, it's definitely the less efficient of the two, with the T20v2 actually being fairly efficient. Stock, the v2 does have more midrange honk. However, the amount of damping needed on the T20v2 to flatten out frequency response makes it considerably less efficient than stock. It seems all orthos I've ended up buying have had pads that were fairly comfy and at least slightly more than two-dimensional (T20v2, CE-H, T40v1, T50RP, and I guess my Audio Technica ATH-702 120R SFI hybrid as well).
Quote:

Originally Posted by wualta My opinion once again has been that the goofy-yet-comfy earpads of the T20v1 are responsible. Your results appear to bear this out.

I'm just going to stay ignorant and call the CE-H close enough sounding to the T20v1 - sans earpads - that I won't bother looking for a T20v1.
Quote:

Originally Posted by wualta The T50RP impressed me as a headphone that wouldn't need much extra damping on the driver to get as flat as it was going to get in the stock enclosure, but from your description, I feel more comfortable predicting good results in the CE-H from simple felt-slapping.

That's certainly one way of putting it. I thought of it more along the lines of the T50RP being unable to take too much of the standard ortho mods (felt and a reflex dot) without losing as much as gained in flatness of frequency response and overall sound quality.
Quote:

Originally Posted by wualta Try spraying contact cleaner on everything in your immediate vicinity. There could be an environmental problem.

And there could also be an environmental problem of a different sort afterward.

Edit: About to open the CE-H up. Edits to follow.

Edit 2: Amazingly simple, yet well thought-out construction. Well done, engineers. The CE-H does claim to be made in Japan. Looks like I just need to do a once over with the magic metal heat stick on the contact tabs of the drivers. I don't see any stickers saying I can only use aluminum solder, either.

Edit 3: Forgot to mention that there is absolutely no stock damping in there (no white diaper damping). I stuck a disc of felt in each cup and it's not enough. Will add another layer of felt and a small reflex dot and then stop listening to it until I have access to a soldering station because intermittediveness is annoying to listen to.

 

[troopers]

I only have this picture remaining.. because my ATH-2 have the new owner

Left is Sansui SS-L55 and the Right is ATH-2

 

[iQEM]

@ malldian:
you mean your PRO30 piece were broken ? i guess it's almost as the same piece as Sony Z7, just look at this pict:

other picts can see on: http://soundrabbit.blog.so-net.ne.jp/2008-11-06

maybe you can search with keyword DR-Z7 parts...

@ trooper:
aha, that's the one that i've been talking about...look at the outer baffle of the Sansui...

 

[wualta]

Quote:

Originally Posted by malldian Anyone know what the piece that is attached to the cup (the ones that locks into the headband) would be called?

I believe Radio Shack called it a "yoke". Is one of yours broken? Helpful iQEM may have a solution, though the dimensions are very different. Could be time for an SFI/Pro 30 transplant project. I doubt very much whether you can still get replacement parts from Radio Shack. Might be worth asking, though.


Quote:

Originally Posted by troopers I only have this picture remaining..

Thanks for the photos. Interesting that they used pads no bigger than the ATH-2's.

 

[iQEM]

opss, i thought Yoke are the plastic one (to headband) on this pict ?

i got from this post:
http://www.head-fi.org/forums/2916205-post12.html

 

[malldian]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wualta /img/forum/go_quote.gif I believe Radio Shack called it a "yoke". Is one of yours broken? Helpful iQEM may have a solution, though the dimensions are very different. Could be time for an SFI/Pro 30 transplant project. I doubt very much whether you can still get replacement parts from Radio Shack. Might be worth asking, though. Thanks for the photos. Interesting that they used pads no bigger than the ATH-2's.

No I want to make cups that can attach to the headband. As long as it locks in I can probably make it work. I like that locking mechanism and wouldn't mind using it for several headphones. Would make storing them easier without a separate headband for each as well.

Edit: I have seen sometime like that around the house but I can't think of it. Maybe a dremel and metal rod have a date soon..

 

[BoilermakerFan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by malldian /img/forum/go_quote.gif No I want to make cups that can attach to the headband. As long as it locks in I can probably make it work. I like that locking mechanism and wouldn't mind using it for several headphones. Would make storing them easier without a separate headband for each as well. Edit: I have seen sometime like that around the house but I can't think of it. Maybe a dremel and metal rod have a date soon..

That's why I still own Grados. The yoke is setup for a 55mm OD on the SR series and a little wider on the RS, but if you pull the whole yoke out, you can make your own yokes and just use a stainless steel rod of the same diameter as the Grado rod. The Grado headband limits clamping pressure so proper pad selection becomes even more critical.

I have another idea for mounting and interchanging multiple drivers of cups, but you'll have to wait to see pics.

 

[iQEM]

I just contribute about Sansui SS-L55 on Wiki's, hopefully help others or just for an archieve about an Ortho's cans...
Sansui SS-L55 - Wikiphonia