[Sim1]

Quote: 

[...]Still not ideal as far as SQ, but better.  I may try cutting the cups shorter to see if it helps eliminate the bouncing around affect.

This is what I think make it sound better. I had the same idea (rather mounthing the drivers between 2 alloy rings to obtain fully open SS-100 like stuff) which in general is "don't disturb the back of the driver"... When I look at Stax Lambda frame and actually no damping of drivers rearside, and comparing how the sound and soundstage seriously suffers when you put hands simulating damping back of the driver, I guess that total open back ortho would be perfect. And bass doesn't disappear as it would be expected. I think the drivers have enough levevel indirect damping thanks to ear <-> diaphragm compression caused by proper pads.
I can't wait for the result of modification

 

[MDR30]

I'm glad interest is once again turning to vintage ortodynamics, simple and affordable cans. Don't forget: this thread was once started by Mr. Wualta covering the timeless Yamaha ortho designs.
 
One ended up here:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/522689/waht-s-in-the-bag
 
 

 

[nickchen]

To be honest, I didn't take this thread too serious for a loooong time.
 
I remember quite well some "vintage" stuff (my father's Telefunken, my grandpa's H414, my HD420 etc.) which wasn't so impressive, and the Sextett & K240 dullheads I tried a while ago didn't help either. Hence I regarded all the vintage ortho geeks as madcaps, similar to the "nothing but scratched venyl" fraction. It was mostly due to the new Hifiman and Audeze stuff and the ninja's PM whispers that I got an idea that I was maybe wrong...

 

[DefectiveAudioComponent]

We are not crazy in here.
(What telefunken is it that you have there at your father's house?)

 
 
Quote:

To be honest, I didn't take this thread too serious for a loooong time.
 
I remember quite well some "vintage" stuff (my father's Telefunken, my grandpa's H414, my HD420 etc.) which wasn't so impressive, and the Sextett & K240 dullheads I tried a while ago didn't help either. Hence I regarded all the vintage ortho geeks as madcaps, similar to the "nothing but scratched venyl" fraction. It was mostly due to the new Hifiman and Audeze stuff and the ninja's PM whispers that I got an idea that I was maybe wrong...

 

[rhythmdevils]

This is what I think make it sound better. I had the same idea (rather mounthing the drivers between 2 alloy rings to obtain fully open SS-100 like stuff) which in general is "don't disturb the back of the driver"... When I look at Stax Lambda frame and actually no damping of drivers rearside, and comparing how the sound and soundstage seriously suffers when you put hands simulating damping back of the driver, I guess that total open back ortho would be perfect. And bass doesn't disappear as it would be expected. I think the drivers have enough levevel indirect damping thanks to ear <-> diaphragm compression caused by proper pads.
I can't wait for the result of modification

Bass does disappear completely if there is nothing behind the driver. If I'm remembering correctly the sound is like a slow drop in response starting with the treble. But there's probably an optimum cup length and shape.

But the lcd2 and he6 both have very little behind the driver.

 

[Nevod]

Are we going to see a truly pinnaclous ortho from a manufacturer anytime soon? One that would be easily able to compete with Stax's C32, and other well known flagships? Fostex, maybe?
Or they would retain the innovations to the last, and introduce them one by one?

 

[DefectiveAudioComponent]

Did you miss out on the HE-4, HE-5, HE5-LE, HE-6, LCD-1 and LCD-2?
 
Quote:

Are we going to see a truly pinnaclous ortho from a manufacturer anytime soon? One that would be easily able to compete with Stax's C32, and other well known flagships? Fostex, maybe?
Or they would retain the innovations to the last, and introduce them one by one?

 

[Nevod]

Quote:

Did you miss out on the HE-4, HE-5, HE5-LE, HE-6, LCD-1 and LCD-2?

None of them are pinnacle. They are flagship, they are advanced, but not pinnacle. At least several points to improve in any of them.

 

[DefectiveAudioComponent]

... why not do these improvements yourself, using some felt and other stuff?

 
Quote:

Quote:

Did you miss out on the HE-4, HE-5, HE5-LE, HE-6, LCD-1 and LCD-2?

None of them are pinnacle. They are flagship, they are advanced, but not pinnacle. At least several points to improve in any of them.

 

[nickchen]

Quote:

We are not crazy in here.
(What telefunken is it that you have there at your father's house?)

 

 
Of course you are not. Don't remember the exact model.

 

[elcoholic]

Quote:

I'd suspect reflections in the pipe and a kind of Hollow Pipe Meets Comb Filter combo. Ideally the pipes'd flare outward so nothing could bounce back and a resonant cavity couldn't form. But this is a bit of a Brave New World you're exploring, Rdevils. Keep experimenting. Think Weber carburetor stacks.
 
Eric, you've got the PMB 100 with the stingy little magnet holes and no felt, right?

Not exactly velocity stacks as wualta suggests, but along the same line of thinking.  Unfortunately they have a straight bore until the flare and are not cheap, but interesting none the less.  A hot metal cone could easily flare them out.
 
http://www.electriciansupplies.com/product.cfm/p/108478/Conduit---Pvc-&-Fittings-2-1/2-BELL-END.htm

 

[Kabeer]

LOL what is the difference between flagship and pinnacle more than some marketing BS ?
(a few more pricey materials (about x0.5 price), to justify a 4x price increase.
Quote:

Quote:

Did you miss out on the HE-4, HE-5, HE5-LE, HE-6, LCD-1 and LCD-2?

None of them are pinnacle. They are flagship, they are advanced, but not pinnacle. At least several points to improve in any of them.

 

[ericj]

 
Quote:

LOL what is the difference between flagship and pinnacle more than some marketing BS ?
(a few more pricey materials (about x0.5 price), to justify a 4x price increase.

Well, yeah, he's probably referring to the sort of fit & finish enhancements that are within the reach of an established headphone/microphone maker.
 
Some people really care about that stuff.
 
Really, what we have now is nice, but i don't think our work is done until we can go to amazon and buy a current production ortho with big drivers for a couple hundred bucks.

 

[rhythmdevils]

If someone had some business sense they could make a great headphone by just throwing money at the head-fi ortho ninjas.  Fly you all out to a discrete location in the desert in Nevada with big piles of magnets etc and food and ladies and lock the door.  Great things would happen.

 

[TimJo]

Quote:

If someone had some business sense they could make a great headphone by just throwing money at the head-fi ortho ninjas.  Fly you all out to a discrete location in the desert in Nevada with big piles of magnets etc and food and ladies and lock the door.  Great things would happen.

You know, that's a really good idea...