[wualta]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ujamerstand The more I train my ears, the less tolerent it is to bad gear.

This will happen, but it all comes right in the end-- you'll also learn to evaluate a piece of gear quickly and expect no more from it than was evidently put into it. That way you can still listen to stuff whose sound you'd expect to be intolerable.

People will ask how you can possibly listen to a given POS and you'll say things like "Pfft. It's just a boombox with cheap fullranges and tiny ceramic magnets. Nothin' to get excited about..." People will admire you for this. They'll think you're forgiving and flexible, and try to sell you insurance.

As for the Orthodynamic Thokkh, don't try to do this test with your 'puter. You need real LP pops and cracks, the kind that spike 20-30dB above program level. [mumbles something about digital compression/clipping] Make sure the phono cartridge and phono preamp have good transient response (I like my Ortofons-- heh-- for this particular test). The resonance of most orthos is in the midbass, so you need to concentrate your attention down there.

RE: custom earpads: It'll be interesting to see what gets stuffed into those leather pads over the next few months. Having recently discovered some of its charms, I vote for memory foam.

 

[smeggy]

I currently have a set of Bose pads on my TPs. Had to make a foam mounting doodad for them but they really are great pads. Bose aviation pads @ 35-ish, oval and very soft with their memory foam filling. Looks a bit ungainly but sounds great. Wish I could make phones to fit these pads. Sadly they're not wide enough.

 

[Sambones]

Nonsense, it just makes the TP's look a little retro--like from some of those headphones where the earpads were half the diameter of the baffle

 

[lecky]

Memory foam seems like a great idea - what's the best way to cut it accurately?

 

[smeggy]

Gah, mem foam is a 25 karat pain in the rear to cut, especially if it's the good flumpy stuff. I want to know the best way too as all my efforts have been met with wonkiness.

 

[sachu]

I was curious too, so when i asked Don how he cut up the memory foam for the pads. A pair of scissors he replied. Being a doctor helps him with immense patience and steady hands i guess.

 

[ujamerstand]

Never tried cutting memory foam before. My mom would kill me if I cut up her pillow. But let me make a suggestion anyways: use a small electric saw, cut a strip and glue the side facing the pad backing on to a cutout of the pad's shape, and stuff it in?

 

[lecky]

Perhaps it's a case of combining careful scissor work with an electric carving knife.

 

[swt61]

Yep, most upholsterers use an electric carving knife to cut foam. Memory foam may also cut well with one.

 

[dBel84]

A real sharp pair of scissors do the trick , you can compress it down and reducing the cutting margin and finish the final shape once you get the bulk out of the way. It doesn't have to be perfect, the leather will force the final shape, also cut it a little larger than you think you need - it is easier to trim it down than to wish you had more substance.

..dB

 

[lecky]

OK, I have some memory foam on the way now.

 

[BoilermakerFan]

Electric carving knives: Not just for ripping apart and drying out meat anymore...

 

[JadeEast]

Would a hot wire cutter work for cutting memory foam?

 

[BoilermakerFan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JadeEast /img/forum/go_quote.gif Would a hot wire cutter work for cutting memory foam?

It would, but memory foam is nasty ****, poisonous chemicals will off gas when you burn it with a hot wire. Any foam cut with a hot wire will off gas, memory foam is just worse and more toxic.

 

[Sambones]

would a simple mask protect you? That actually sounds like a good idea, assuming it doesn't kill you.