[93EXCivic]

So lets say I wanted to try to do something crazy and do a PS1k like build, what wood would one use for the inner sleeves and what driver should I start with?

This build would be a bit away but I have a friend who is setting up a CNC machine and I am pretty sure I could convince him to help me cut 7075 aluminum cups.

 

[WoodyLuvr]

So lets say I wanted to try to do something crazy and do a PS1k like build, what wood would one use for the inner sleeves and what driver should I start with?

This build would be a bit away but I have a friend who is setting up a CNC machine and I am pretty sure I could convince him to help me cut 7075 aluminum cups.

What are your genre and listening tastes that will better assist those in the know to give you advice.

I love my Nhoords... though I am a low-volume listener (classic/ambient electronica, soul, ambient classical) who hates shrilling highs and piercing treble and prefers warm and detailed bass (not too boomy though).

 

[93EXCivic]

What are your genre and listening tastes that will better assist those in the know to give you advice.

I love my Nhoords... though I am a low-volume listener (classic/ambient electronica, soul, ambient classical) who hates shrilling highs and piercing treble and prefers warm and detailed bass (not too boomy though).

I listen at lower volumes. I do my best to make sure i am under 90dB. I listen to a lot of genres but my favorites are blues, jazz, classic rock and punk. Really about the only genres I don't listen to are modern country, modern pop and metal. I liked the PS1k as it retained a lot of that Grado house sound with more refined treble. I like the kind of "unrefined" sound of the lower model Grados for some genres but not as much for others.

Currently my favorite cans are HD600s. I love my SR80s (original series) for classic rock, punk and some blues but I dont really like them for classical, hip hop or jazz.

 

[DavidA]

I need to get a life, got bored this evening since my GF had a girls night out, ended up doing this:

Just got these SR60's which I got only for the headband, rod blocks and gimbals since one of the drivers had the "grattle" problem.


Took off the original cloth cover since it was starting to come of anyway, used a vac to see if I could fix the "grattle" problem and it seems to have cleared what ever was the cause of the problem. Used some silk organza as a replacement grill cloth, then when nuts with the addition of dynamat in the cups, around the open vent holes and on the back of the driver.
Had to do the SMC jacks since I don't like the stock cable.


Finished it with G-pads and a cable that I had lying around.

While its a big improvement from the stock SR60 it doesn't have the extension in the highs like my SR225e, bass is increased with the vent mods and dynamat which is clean and tight but is still no match for the Ypsilon G1 or Nhoord Red V2.

 

[capnjack]

How do you solder those smc connectors? I can’t find a cable except a coax to fit it!

 

[edgarlim1999]

I need to get a life, got bored this evening since my GF had a girls night out, ended up doing this:

Just got these SR60's which I got only for the headband, rod blocks and gimbals since one of the drivers had the "grattle" problem.


Took off the original cloth cover since it was starting to come of anyway, used a vac to see if I could fix the "grattle" problem and it seems to have cleared what ever was the cause of the problem. Used some silk organza as a replacement grill cloth, then when nuts with the addition of dynamat in the cups, around the open vent holes and on the back of the driver.
Had to do the SMC jacks since I don't like the stock cable.


Finished it with G-pads and a cable that I had lying around.

While its a big improvement from the stock SR60 it doesn't have the extension in the highs like my SR225e, bass is increased with the vent mods and dynamat which is clean and tight but is still no match for the Ypsilon G1 or Nhoord Red V2.

Is this better than SR80?

 

[DavidA]

How do you solder those smc connectors? I can’t find a cable except a coax to fit it!

a picture of the SMC connector:

the top one has part of the jack cut off since the opening is too small to fit the 24-26awg wire that I use

The female jacks are done like this:

The top one shows the center wire soldered in the small opening and the bottom shows the ground soldered on the outside of the neck.


How I get the caps over the jacks and then cover it with the heat shrink (you can see the red heat shrink on the wire)

Is this better than SR80?

These modded SR60 do sound quite good and to me they are better than a stock SR80i, but a stock SR80e is better IMO since the highs are better extended and the bass is close. After modding the SR80i it will sound better and the SR80e will be even better since it starts with a better driver to begin with. Just remember that the stock SR60 and SR80i have no vent holes open so opening 2-4 is okay but the SR80e has 2 vent holes open to start so the max I would open is 2 more.

If you are someone that likes to listen at a high volume level (85dB+) the SR60 might be a better choice than the SR80e since the over all sound of the SR60 is slightly warmer than the SR80e and the highs are non-fatiguing. The SR225i and SR225e have highs that are more forward and extended but get fatiguing quickly if you listen at higher levels (85dB+).

 

[mgh24]

This may not be the best place to post this, but thought I would add my impressions of modded 225i, even though I did not do the modding. I bought them from one of the modders here on head-fi. Donn't think he would care if I mentioned his name, but would rather not without his permission.

These have had two vent holes opened up, and dynamat in cups and back of drivers.

I should first put in a disclaimer - I have listened to quite a few sets of HPs, though not many that I have kept for any extended time, and most, if not all, what many would consider mid-fi (a number of Sennheiser, Shure 1540, some Beyer's, HE-400i) . With that said, I have never heard anything with the kind of detail and instrument separation that these modded 225 have. And what they do with vocals is truly special. Listening to Diana Krall is mesmerizing. Funny thing to me is, much of what I read in the past about Grado is that they shine with rock. To me, these shine with classical and vocal. Most of the rock I have listened to (I've only had these for a week) sounds very good, there is still some that I need that sub bass for, which is why we have more than one HP right? These modded HP are not bass shy by any stretch! Just lack the sub bass, which I understood before I got them.

I was concerned about the treble being too hot, and not enough bass, but I am happy I gave these a try. For the money, and my tastes, there is nothing that touches them.

 

[Jazmanaut]

If you open one or two more holes, you will get that sub bass going.
I did that mod to my friend who is sound designer, and he was just blown away about the results. Punched three holes, if i can remember right.

 

[DavidA]

If you open one or two more holes, you will get that sub bass going.
I did that mod to my friend who is sound designer, and he was just blown away about the results. Punched three holes, if i can remember right.

The 225i drivers don't really produce sub-bass so opening up more vent holes just increases the mid-bass, which can be a good thing to some but to me it starts to throw off the balance between the lows, mids and highs and gets too "V" shaped IMO.

PS: if this sounds stupid then forgive me since I've had a bit too much to drink, GF came home and she wanted to drink more along with one of the girl friends so I've been drinking and cooking for the last 4 hours.
cheers

 

[Jazmanaut]

Yes 225i:s might react differently, it was that original 225 that i modded.

 

[DavidA]

My latest project:



cable slit patched up, SMC jack, dynamat in the cups, Nhoord Red V2, 1 extra vent hole opened + dynamat on the back of the driver next to all vent holes. Bass get I small bit more kick but still not up to the prototype scarlet and G1

 

[WoodyLuvr]

My latest project:



cable slit patched up, SMC jack, dynamat in the cups, Nhoord Red V2, 1 extra vent hole opened + dynamat on the back of the driver next to all vent holes. Bass get I small bit more kick but still not up to the prototype scarlet and G1

Any pics of that vent mod you could share?

 

[DavidA]

Any pics of that vent mod you could share?

your wish is my command:

Its a PITA to cut up dynamat in to such small strips. Got the idea from Jaco with the scarlet driver.

 

[Desi]

Here are my modded grado!
The mods are as followed..
- GS1000i drivers
- Custom Leather Headband
- RS1 style cups
- Grado balanced cable

For the cable i had to cut in the middle an extention grado cable.
I had some issues with cups. I asked and i was told by the EA guy that these are exactly like the original RS cups. Unfortunately that was not true as the internal diameter was 1mm smaller so the drivers could not sit proper result is that i had to work on it to make it fit!
Also the internal depth of the chamber was 3mm shorter than the oroginal RS cups and this effect the sound somehow (eapecially the sound stage and the low end frequencies).
Other than that I'm really satisfied with the overall result!

Here is my latest and final revision of my CM-1!
Things changed are:
-Custom Gold Looking (brass) 1/8 jack
-Gold Looking (brass) Rods!
-Gold R&L letters!

...i really like this combination of Dark Brown and Gold colour