Orthodynamic Roundup

[Faust2D]

Nice. Get them brochures scanned

 

[smeggy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Faust2D /img/forum/go_quote.gif Nice. Get them brochures scanned

I will as soon as I can. I think it's an awesome design myself and works extremely well. It looks like it could almost be reproduced using rubberized fridge magnet sheet and a hole punch. The design is simplicity itself and ideal for the thicker and stiffer track ribbon of the day. Even though it's very hard to drive, they are still fast, clear and have little in the way of annoying colorations plus, wait for it..... soundstage!

Out of the box they sound better than any of the other orthos in unmodded state I've heard once the pads were repaired.

I finally found the old ECR 500 cable so now I can send that stuff to you.

 

[wualta]

Quote:

Originally Posted by yoginasser Ludoo:You sir get a "you were correct all along" from me, it took the Pickerbling from being a great HP to an amazing one.

What were the suggestions Ludoo made?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Planar_head How does the Starving student sound, in terms of warmth and speed and whatnot?

It's a clever nifty little amp that uses a plentiful oddball triode (19j6) driving MOSFET outputs. It also has what must be one of the lowest parts count of any amp I've seen. Sounds muscular and musicular. A guy named Rick Felty was actually building them into the power supply bricks and selling them on eBay. I don't know if he's got any left. He built mine into a large Adenoids tin.



Quote:

Originally Posted by Kabeer /img/forum/go_quote.gif Has anyone got a source for a material that would be similar to the T50 biscuits?

Don't know about the UK, but I'll bet you could find handy-sized strips of fiberglass used for home insulation sold in poly bags in socalled home-improvement shops. Use appropriate eye/hand protection when fooling with fiberglass, of course.

Al solder only needs to be used on the joint where the aluminum voice coil's copper lead-in wires connect to the diaphragm, and that's inside where you can't get at it, so don't worry about it. Even if the lead-in wires were aluminum, they come out of the driver to a tiny PCB with extra solder pads so there's no need to solder directly to the lead-in at all. It's a non-problem for us.

Speaking of wire, sometimes stock cables have gone bad due to abuse and corrosion, but it's possible to neglect a source of badness that's much more obvious and easier to do something about, and that's the TRS plug, which through lack of use has simply acquired a patina of atmospheric crud which doesn't wipe off on your flannel shirt.

Case in point, the HP-50S that arrived a few days ago. I wish I had taken photos before and after. Before, it was dull and yellowish-green-gray. It almost looked like the chrome plating had been worn off the brass underneath. It looked like a hobo's teeth. Using a tube of pink polish which is often sold under the brand name Simichrome, this plug polished up til it shone like the bumper of a brand new '56 Buick Special.

In further news, the T50RP's new sound is due entirely to the new pads, which feel heavier and more dense than the papery and very lightweight pads of the earlier run. It could be that the old pads were (you'll pardon the expression) bass-porous. I know that doesn't make a lot of sense, but there you are. That's how they behaved, at any rate.

So if you can get Fostex to cough up the pads, you can most likely put 'em on your Mk II Fostexes, if any, and mod your way from there.

The Ear Pad Mystique deepens...

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wualta /img/forum/go_quote.gif What were the suggestions Ludoo made? It's a clever nifty little amp that uses a plentiful oddball triode (19j6) driving MOSFET outputs. It also has what must be one of the lowest parts count of any amp I've seen. Sounds muscular and musicular. A guy named Rick Felty was actually building them into the power supply bricks and selling them on eBay. I don't know if he's got any left. He built mine into a large Adenoids tin.

Many people get their adenoids removed with their tonsils as a kid. I don't know that I would have saved them in a tin of anything - probably rotted by now.

 

[ericj]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wualta /img/forum/go_quote.gif Al solder only needs to be used on the joint where the aluminum voice coil's copper lead-in wires connect to the diaphragm, and that's inside where you can't get at it, so don't worry about it. Even if the lead-in wires were aluminum, they come out of the driver to a tiny PCB with extra solder pads so there's no need to solder directly to the lead-in at all. It's a non-problem for us.

This appears to be an issue with some fostexen, but not all orthos by any means.

I can state for the record that my T20v1's cable was attached to the drivers with aluminum solder, and it was annoying to work with.

 

[Kabeer]

Cool thanks guys, so as long as I remove the old solder from the cable I can use Cardas Quad Eutectic (not 100% sure if I will though).

 

[Faust2D]

Quote:

Originally Posted by smeggy /img/forum/go_quote.gif I finally found the old ECR 500 cable so now I can send that stuff to you.

Yay. I got ECR-500 transformer box from Japan, so I might have a chance to use them after all.

 

[dclancy]

Looking at possibly a Yh-3. How do the 1 2 3's compare with today's entry level flagship phones(modded of course)? HD650 k701 etc

 

[ericj]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dclancy /img/forum/go_quote.gif Looking at possibly a Yh-3. How do the 1 2 3's compare with today's entry level flagship phones(modded of course)? HD650 k701 etc

Different.

not apples & oranges, but certainly valencias and navels . . . or red deliciouses and honey crisps.

In general, expect smaller soundstage, more speed, more accuracy.

 

[dclancy]

Thanks, just curious if I could consider dumping my k701's as my reference and go a cheap route.
Not sure how cheap, as a pair of yh-2's just went for a bit over $75 with shipping.
Just wanted to gauge if their worth the price tag still.

 

[ericj]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dclancy /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thanks, just curious if I could consider dumping my k701's as my reference and go a cheap route. Not sure how cheap, as a pair of yh-2's just went for a bit over $75 with shipping. Just wanted to gauge if their worth the price tag still.

Could be. I only listened to a K701 for a few minutes at a meet, but I'm satisfied that i don't need them.

 

[wualta]

Quote:

Originally Posted by smeggy /img/forum/go_quote.gif Just for Walt to stop him foaming until I get the scanner running....

[quite gone] Rewl Britannia! Raise the Titanic and Spike Milligan! A round of Marmite and Cosworth and Rik Mayall for all! Alex Moulton and Bob's your uncle! Wah! [is shot with tranquilizing dart]

Thanks for the scans from what I presume is the owner's manual. Neat-- finally we get to see the voice coil pattern. Not too different from Fostex's big diaphragms.

Interesting you should call them rubberized fridge magnets. Is that pretty much what they are, since it's easier to curve them that way?


And, uh, does the transient response suffer due to the extremely weak magnets, eh?
Quote:

Originally Posted by smeggy /img/forum/go_quote.gif Even though [the Wharfedales are] very hard to drive, they're still fast, clear and have little in the way of annoying colorations plus, wait for it..... soundstage! Out of the box they sound better than any of the other orthos in unmodded state I've heard...

I'll take that as a no. Just checking.


Quote:

Originally Posted by ericj This appears to be an issue with some fostexen, but not all orthos by any means.

True. I should've made it obvious that Kabeer and I were talking about the "big" Fostexen, ie, the T50/T30/and friends, only.



Quote:

Originally Posted by Kabeer /img/forum/go_quote.gif Cool, so I can use Cardas Quad Eutectic (not 100% sure if I will though).

Just don't use the Dystectic and you should be fine.


Quote:

Originally Posted by Faust2D Yay. I got ECR-500 transformer box from Japan, so I might have a chance to use them after all.

I must've missed a major attempt to assemble a working ECR from parts!

 

[smeggy]

My scanner wasn't available so I took pics with my camera for now.

The Wharfey magnets aren't really rubber, it's a semi-flexible composite that breaks easily and can crumble quite easily if you were to scrunch it in your hand. it's not bent into place, it's molded or formed in an arc and then attached to the backing plates for strength.

I'm not sure how they'd compare with actual fridge/rubber magnets for strength. I'm sure they can't be that far off.

 

[Faust2D]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wualta /img/forum/go_quote.gif I must've missed a major attempt to assemble a working ECR from parts!

Smeggy is kind enough to send me ESR-400 drivers and ECR-500 cable. I also was able to secure ECR-500 transformer box from Japan. So when I have time I can try to assemble some kind of ECR monstrosity, however I am still hopeful I can find a proper ECR-500 somewhere. The last headphone that I really want to try but can't seem to obtain.

 

[ericj]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Faust2D /img/forum/go_quote.gif Smeggy is kind enough to send me ESR-400 drivers and ECR-500 cable. I also was able to secure ECR-500 transformer box from Japan. So when I have time I can try to assemble some kind of ECR monstrosity, however I am still hopeful I can find a proper ECR-500 somewhere. The last headphone that I really want to try but can't seem to obtain.

I spent about two hours with the bijou -> km105 -> ECR-500 rig yesterday, and i have to say it was very nice. I really must add a muting/delay circuit and pre-out jacks to the Bijou to make that rig easier/safer to start up. Currently i wait for the bijou to warm up, then plug the kenwood into the headphone jack, then turn on the kenwood.

Your Dared MP-5 will probably do a good job of driving the ECR transformer box.

I can loan you my ECR-500, you know. It's not as though i don't have other cans to keep me distracted.