[sillywalks]

so during the winter my headphones came down with the moisture problem.
the left side is significantly quieter and more muffled than the right.
tried rice and silica and hairdryer and just about everything but it just wont help.
so now im thinking about opening them up (no use like this anyhow)
what is the best way to get them open?
i dont want to recable just check for moisture behind the membrane...

 

[luisdent]

  so during the winter my headphones came down with the moisture problem.
the left side is significantly quieter and more muffled than the right.
tried rice and silica and hairdryer and just about everything but it just wont help.
so now im thinking about opening them up (no use like this anyhow)
what is the best way to get them open?
i dont want to recable just check for moisture behind the membrane...

 
The process is the same either way. You need to pull the stress relief out of the housing using pliers or something similar. I'm making a tutorial as we speak. You just need to be extra careful not to pull the wires off the board when separating the parts. If you manage to do that, you can then just inspect the board and I bet you'll find one of the vents is blocks by glue.
 
This is just a guess, but the only thing I can imagine would be affected by moisture or heat or whatever would be the small holes in the board that act as vents. Every mh1 i've opened has had a slightly different amount or shape of glue. I'm guessing people that have imbalance either have glue over one vent from the factory or something. For people who's vents become blocked, I'm guessing something causes the glue to shift, perhaps sitting in a hot car or something. Otherwise, maybe something else gets in the vents like sweat? Maybe evaporating sometimes helps, but since sweat isn't 100% water, there is residue left that builds on the vents?
 
These are all just theories, but if you can carefully open them you might be able to verify one.

 

[sillywalks]

   
The process is the same either way. You need to pull the stress relief out of the housing using pliers or something similar. I'm making a tutorial as we speak. You just need to be extra careful not to pull the wires off the board when separating the parts. If you manage to do that, you can then just inspect the board and I bet you'll find one of the vents is blocks by glue.
 
This is just a guess, but the only thing I can imagine would be affected by moisture or heat or whatever would be the small holes in the board that act as vents. Every mh1 i've opened has had a slightly different amount or shape of glue. I'm guessing people that have imbalance either have glue over one vent from the factory or something. For people who's vents become blocked, I'm guessing something causes the glue to shift, perhaps sitting in a hot car or something. Otherwise, maybe something else gets in the vents like sweat? Maybe evaporating sometimes helps, but since sweat isn't 100% water, there is residue left that builds on the vents?
 
These are all just theories, but if you can carefully open them you might be able to verify one.

guess i'll wait for your tutorial before yanking on any cables

 

[sfwalcer]

Ok here's some sexcee pics/ impressions of luisdent's my MH1 re-cables.

 

 
These 2 sets ROCKS!!! Gave them some spins for the past couple of weeks and the black re-cable set for sure sounds more balanced/ slightly flatter if you will, even without the bass port taped.
 
While the copper re-cable set sounds BOLDER/ FULLER and more fun in comparison. Even with the bass port taped on the copper re-cables there is still more GLORIOUS bass on them compared to the black set. 

And it appears that i wasn't trippin' when i heard that there were minor differences between the 2 sets during my initial listening and this is what luisdent said regarding the matter:

  Yes [in that i was correct in hearing sonic differences between the two re-cables]. That is because, even though I taped the vents on the copper ones the stress relief is open leaving some venting. You need at least "some" venting or you risk damaging the drivers according to rin. On the black set I filled the stress relief with super glue. I left the vent open to prevent damage and filled the stress relief completely.
 
The stress relief lets in a lot more air than the vent, so blocking that completely with glue should make the bass less volume on the black set. Not much, but it could be noticeable if you listen for it.

 
This makes the copper re-cable more ideal for commuting due to the bigger, bolder, fuller, and more fun bassy sound cuz it's better for blocking out background noises. The black re-cable on the other hand is more suitable for home cuz you will hear more external noise leaking in as the result of the tamer bass. Some might prefer less isolation and a leaner sound on-the-go for safety reasons but i for one likes the fuller sound to block out my surroundings mo'.

 
If you like the MH1/Cs original stock sound and wish to use these as your on-the-go portables, blocking the bass ports/ strain relief is not necessarily the desire outcome you want. But it is great to have multiple sets with slightly different sound sigs for different purposes as the result of simple mods that everyone can do tbh.
 
So on that note I freaken love both of my re-cabled sets for their minor yet apparent differences, and am glad luisdent did it that way without even my permission or consulting me 1st!!! 

  haha NICE AND WELL PLAYED!!!

 
 
So if you wanna PM the fool for a re-cable MAKE SURE HE KNOWS WHO'S BOSS BY TELLING HIM EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANT or else is is just gonna goof around with your 'ish!!! j/k not really.

 
 
Just too bad he is no longer solely loyal to these lovely lowly MH1/Cs cuz of his new love interest, but i guess head-fi brings out the promiscuity outta' all of us. CURSE YOU!!! : P
 
 
 
edit: oh yeah forgot to say he did an AMAZING job on these re-cables as ya'll can see as well as gave me a sweet deal on them cuz i sent him 4 guinea pig sets to mess with. Only 2 of my soldiers made it back to me, but he has got this re-cable thing locked down and sealed it seems. So congrats on the great work my sharky/ dolphin hombre.

 

 

[luisdent]

  Ok here's some sexcee pics/ impressions of luisdent's my MH1 re-cables.

 

 
These 2 sets ROCKS!!! Gave them some spins for the past couple of weeks and the black re-cable set for sure sounds more balanced/ slightly flatter if you will, even without the bass port taped.
 
While the copper re-cable set sounds BOLDER/ FULLER and more fun in comparison. Even with the bass port taped on the copper re-cables there is still more GLORIOUS bass on them compared to the black set. 

And it appears that i wasn't trippin' when i heard that there were minor differences between the 2 sets during my initial listening and this is what luisdent said regarding the matter:

  Yes [in that i was correct in hearing sonic differences between the two re-cables]. That is because, even though I taped the vents on the copper ones the stress relief is open leaving some venting. You need at least "some" venting or you risk damaging the drivers according to rin. On the black set I filled the stress relief with super glue. I left the vent open to prevent damage and filled the stress relief completely.
 
The stress relief lets in a lot more air than the vent, so blocking that completely with glue should make the bass less volume on the black set. Not much, but it could be noticeable if you listen for it.

 
This makes the copper re-cable more ideal for commuting due to the bigger, bolder, fuller, and more fun bassy sound cuz it's better for blocking out background noises. The black re-cable on the other hand is more suitable for home cuz you will hear more external noise leaking in as the result of the tamer bass. Some might prefer less isolation and a leaner sound on-the-go for safety reasons but i for one likes the fuller sound to block out my surroundings mo'.

 
If you like the MH1/Cs original stock sound and wish to use these as your on-the-go portables, blocking the bass ports/ strain relief is not necessarily the desire outcome you want. But it is great to have multiple sets with slightly different sound sigs for different purposes as the result of simple mods that everyone can do tbh.
 
So on that note I freaken love both of my re-cabled sets for their minor yet apparent differences, and am glad luisdent did it that way without even my permission or consulting me 1st!!! 

  haha NICE AND WELL PLAYED!!!

 
 
So if you wanna PM the fool for a re-cable MAKE SURE HE KNOWS WHO DA' BOSS IS BY TELLING HIM EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANT or else is is just gonna goof around with your 'ish!!! j/k not really.

 
 
Just too bad he is no longer solely loyal to these lovely lowly MH1/Cs cuz of his new love interest, but i guess head-fi brings out the promiscuity outta' all of us. CURSE YOU!!! : P
 
 
 
edit: oh yeah forgot to say he did an AMAZING job on these re-cables as ya'll can see as well as gave me a sweet deal on them cuz i sent him 4 guinea pig sets to mess with. Only 2 of my solders made it back to me, but he has got this re-cable thing locked down and sealed it seems. So congrats on the great work my sharky/ dolphin hombre.

 

 
BWAHAHA. You did tell me to "experiment", so I did just that. And unfortunately, I lost one pair in the process. The other pair is technically useable, if I can figure out how to create an enclosure for the drivers, as the stress relief got destroyed as I figured out finally how to remove it all the way. If I manage to get a housing in place their yours! They're just sitting on my workbench teasing me with their shiny, naked little silver housings...

 

[sfwalcer]

   
BWAHAHA. You did tell me to "experiment", so I did just that. And unfortunately, I lost one pair in the process. The other pair is technically useable, if I can figure out how to create an enclosure for the drivers, as the stress relief got destroyed as I figured out finally how to remove it all the way. If I manage to get a housing in place their yours! They're just sitting on my workbench teasing me with their shiny, naked little silver housings...

^
Hey meng no need to make excuses AND MAN UP TO YOUR MISTAKES!!!
 
On a serious note i am more than happy that 2 sets made it back, cuz seeing ya' destroy the 1st set without mercy, it had me sweatin' and almost lost all hope if any of them were ever gonna' make it back to me functional tbh. haha But yeah thanks to the help/ advice of ZMF and your own trial/ error/ ingenuity you were able to make the re-cable work, so yeah great job there.
 
Really enjoying these and will be using them for daily beaters fo' sho, esp the copper set. The black one is too prutty to take such abuse, even though they already have battle scars to show from their traumatic experience. : P

 

[luisdent]

 

BWAHAHA. You did tell me to "experiment", so I did just that. And unfortunately, I lost one pair in the process. The other pair is technically useable, if I can figure out how to create an enclosure for the drivers, as the stress relief got destroyed as I figured out finally how to remove it all the way. If I manage to get a housing in place their yours! They're just sitting on my workbench teasing me with their shiny, naked little silver housings...

^
Hey meng no need to make excuses AND MAN UP TO YOUR MISTAKES!!!

On a serious note i am more than happy that 2 sets made it back, cuz seeing ya' destroy the 1st set without mercy, it had me sweatin' and almost lost all hope if any of them were ever gonna' make it back to me functional tbh. haha But yeah thanks to the help/ advice of ZMF and your own trial/ error/ ingenuity you were able to make the re-cable work, so yeah great job there.

Really enjoying these and will be using them for daily beaters fo' sho, esp the copper set. The black one is too prutty to take such abuse, even though they already have battle scars to show from their traumatic experience. : P

Haha. Yeah, seriously, thank you and zmf for the generosity.

In truth, the reason the black has less bass is partially because i wanted to try rin's suggestion for reducing the bass, but primarily because i wanted to add strength to the wires so they are less likely to get yanked and pulled from the driver terminals. So they're tougher AND sound more reference. 'and oh so sexy.

 

[Soyabeaner]

so during the winter my headphones came down with the moisture problem.
the left side is significantly quieter and more muffled than the right.
tried rice and silica and hairdryer and just about everything but it just wont help.
so now im thinking about opening them up (no use like this anyhow)
what is the best way to get them open?
i dont want to recable just check for moisture behind the membrane...

I suffered this infamous problem with my MH1 for almost 2 months! Sound was perfect at first, then cold weather came. However, I'm not entirely convinced moisture was the cause because I left it dry for weeks, unused even. Then one day I was brave enough to pry out the left filter + grey foam with a pin. It took a bit of time, but the only thing that remotely felt odd was the foam wasn't straight - it was angled diagonally. So I soaked it with water, stretched it out a few times, bent the opposite direction, then let it dry. Finally, I slowly re-inserted the foam and filter. Lo and behold the volume balance restored!

What made me suspect it was the foam during my trials was the left channel was brighter and louder than the right after I removed the foam & filter. I imagine because it was diagonal, it blocked both end of the left housing. When straightened out, sound must be able to freely escape at the outer ring of the housing.

 

[FInixNOver]

   
BWAHAHA. You did tell me to "experiment", so I did just that. And unfortunately, I lost one pair in the process. The other pair is technically useable, if I can figure out how to create an enclosure for the drivers, as the stress relief got destroyed as I figured out finally how to remove it all the way. If I manage to get a housing in place their yours! They're just sitting on my workbench teasing me with their shiny, naked little silver housings...

About the enclosure for the drivers. Take a look at this, maybe there's something you can use...

 

[sillywalks]

I suffered this infamous problem with my MH1 for almost 2 months! Sound was perfect at first, then cold weather came. However, I'm not entirely convinced moisture was the cause because I left it dry for weeks, unused even. Then one day I was brave enough to pry out the left filter + grey foam with a pin. It took a bit of time, but the only thing that remotely felt odd was the foam wasn't straight - it was angled diagonally. So I soaked it with water, stretched it out a few times, bent the opposite direction, then let it dry. Finally, I slowly re-inserted the foam and filter. Lo and behold the volume balance restored!

What made me suspect it was the foam during my trials was the left channel was brighter and louder than the right after I removed the foam & filter. I imagine because it was diagonal, it blocked both end of the left housing. When straightened out, sound must be able to freely escape at the outer ring of the housing.

how exactly do you go about removing the filter?
pry it off the front with a needle??

 

[Soyabeaner]

First, remove the ear tip.

Then poke a pin or needle into any part of the outer edge of the filter mesh (the black circle that surrounds the center white circle) and carefully pry it out. The idea is kind of like removing a lid of paint can (I know, poor comparison). The filter mesh is very thin, so the pin/needle doesn't have to be poked that deeply to pry it out. The filter mesh is stuck on top the foam behind it, so when you pry it out both should slowly be coming out of the housing.

Here's a picture I found on another thread. The grey piece is the foam that you need to ensure it's straight like this:

 

[luisdent]

 

   
BWAHAHA. You did tell me to "experiment", so I did just that. And unfortunately, I lost one pair in the process. The other pair is technically useable, if I can figure out how to create an enclosure for the drivers, as the stress relief got destroyed as I figured out finally how to remove it all the way. If I manage to get a housing in place their yours! They're just sitting on my workbench teasing me with their shiny, naked little silver housings...

About the enclosure for the drivers. Take a look at this, maybe there's something you can use...

Those are cool, but they replace the whole housing. I have the housing intact, but the stress relief is gone, so I just need to cover the back. Some sort of epoxy or something might work, but I have no idea what kind to get.

 

[FInixNOver]

  Those are cool, but they replace the whole housing. I have the housing intact, but the stress relief is gone, so I just need to cover the back. Some sort of epoxy or something might work, but I have no idea what kind to get.

I have bought an epoxy putty from Pattex, which I was going to use to make my strain reliefs, before one driver died on me.
 
This is the one I got:
 

 

 

 
It's made of two compounds that form a cylinder. You can cut portions, and then mix the two compounds, by squeezing them together like you would with children's putty (be aware that some epoxy may require gloves to be handled).
This particular one, has a setting period of 5 minutes, which I believe is plenty to mold it to shape. It needs 24h to fully cure though. After that, it can be sanded and/or painted.
If you cannot get this brand, I believe Loctite also has a similar offer.
I may be using mine, if I mess the strain reliefs again, and I'm even considering using it for the Y split. Other possible use, is a right angle minimalistic 3,5mm jack for my cable.
 
Still, about the housings for the drivers, I particularly liked these:
http://www.lunashops.co.uk/goods.php?id=2129
 
They seem very similar, in shape, to the MH1's, just not sure about the diameter, and if it will influence the sound in any way...

 

[luisdent]

 

  Those are cool, but they replace the whole housing. I have the housing intact, but the stress relief is gone, so I just need to cover the back. Some sort of epoxy or something might work, but I have no idea what kind to get.

I have bought an epoxy putty from Pattex, which I was going to use to make my strain reliefs, before one driver died on me.
 
This is the one I got:
 

 

 

 
It's made of two compounds that form a cylinder. You can cut portions, and then mix the two compounds, by squeezing them together like you would with children's putty (be aware that some epoxy may require gloves to be handled).
This particular one, has a setting period of 5 minutes, which I believe is plenty to mold it to shape. It needs 24h to fully cure though. After that, it can be sanded and/or painted.
If you cannot get this brand, I believe Loctite also has a similar offer.
I may be using mine, if I mess the strain reliefs again, and I'm even considering using it for the Y split. Other possible use, is a right angle minimalistic 3,5mm jack for my cable.
 
Still, about the housings for the drivers, I particularly liked these:
http://www.lunashops.co.uk/goods.php?id=2129
 
They seem very similar, in shape, to the MH1's, just not sure about the diameter, and if it will influence the sound in any way...

 
I saw those, but I believe the filters, foam and everything would need to fit perfectly for the sound to be unchanged. I'm doubting that would be the case. Plus, I can't get the drivers out of the housing, because the stress relief is stuck in there, but just destroyed from there to the back... In other words, the stress relief is basically acting like cement holding the drivers in the housing, but none of it is protruding out of the housing to grab onto. So I need to go with something that can be applied to the back of the existing housing.
 
I was thinking something like rin used...

 

[FInixNOver]

   
I saw those, but I believe the filters, foam and everything would need to fit perfectly for the sound to be unchanged. I'm doubting that would be the case. Plus, I can't get the drivers out of the housing, because the stress relief is stuck in there, but just destroyed from there to the back... In other words, the stress relief is basically acting like cement holding the drivers in the housing, but none of it is protruding out of the housing to grab onto. So I need to go with something that can be applied to the back of the existing housing.
 
I was thinking something like rin used...

 
Although I had considered changes in sound, caused by different dimensions, I didn't account for the dimensions of the filter, and how it all would come together, inside the new housing.
And if getting the drivers out is no longer a possibility, IMHO, the epoxy putty would be a better alternative when comparing to liquid epoxy. With the putty and some dremel work, you could achieve some nice results.
I still haven't received my new pair (I was hoping they would arrive last week). And I still have to wait for the rest of the parts to arrive, so I can only say something about how it goes with the putty, by the end of the month... if all goes according to delivery dates estimations...
 
Have you asked him what he used, to achieve that result? I don't particularly like the wire placement... A right angle would be a better fit for me, since I prefer to use them over ears...