[7ryder]

  Thus far I see 2 levels of mods for the 800's.
The DIY'r, low cost, hands on, add some dampening.
And the $$ pro level (send it in).
 
Both are good to do, depending upon the degree of fanaticism 

well that, and if the budget will allow.
 
JJ :thumb

I know about the DIY mod, but who does the "pro level"?

 

[ChainRazer]

What if I just want to go there for a few hours, do I also have to use the rear entrance?

 

[nnotis]

Thanks as always for setting these up Big Poppa.  I'm going to try and make it to this one.  Unfortunately, my only hot new item is a CIEM, which doesn't make for easy sharing.

 

[johnjen]

  I know about the DIY mod, but who does the "pro level"?

I call it 'pro level' mostly because it is professionally done and costs hunnerts of dinero's.
 
SAA is the name and here is the link to the site.
http://www.stefanaudioart.com/
 
And the link to the mod.
http://www.stefanaudioart.com/shop/stefan-audioart-hd800-ultra-mod/
 
It does usually involve hardwiring and purchasing one of their cables.
 
JJ

 

[johnjen]

  Hi everyone I'm going to post some logistical info on behalf of Big Poppa. My connection to the event is that I am an exhibiting artist at the Frye Museum, and when I was asked what kind of public programing I would like to do, I thought of you guys.  The meet will be held inside my show at the museum.
 
Arrival:
Everyone bringing equipment (from boxes to just a backpack) will need to check in at the security desk and enter through the rear entrance in the alley. This is because moving equipment through the galleries could result in damaged artwork and backpacks would normally have to be checked at the front desk before entering.
 
To prevent a traffic jam in the alley Big Poppa suggests that we park in the Frye parking lot across the street (labeled in green below), and take turns driving into the alley, and unloading gear into the back of the museum. Boren Ave is Right Turn Only here, so it is best to enter the alley on Collumbia, then exit to the right (south) down Boren. Big Poppa and I will be outside at the museum at 10 AM. Even if you are on foot, the museum has asked that all exhibiting Head-Fi'ers check in through the back.
snip
-Jason
call me with any questions: (two zero six) 799-8198

For those of us who might be arriving 'later' (say after noonish) instead of 10-11 would the 'process' of getting in be the same?
 
JJ

 

[Equus]

I'm back in town and will be making it.  I may only bring my LCD-2's, rather than my whole rig, depending on how my toe is feeling.  My New Year's present was apparently a gout attack.

 

[Nimzerz]

I'll see if I can bring my whole rig (he500, emotiva, and modi). Though I might just end up bringing my he500.

 

[Doc B.]

  I call it 'pro level' mostly because it is professionally done and costs hunnerts of dinero's.
 
SAA is the name and here is the link to the site.
http://www.stefanaudioart.com/
 
And the link to the mod.
http://www.stefanaudioart.com/shop/stefan-audioart-hd800-ultra-mod/
 
It does usually involves hardwiring and purchasing one of their cables.
 
JJ

With respect to the ad copy for that mod, one of the "DIY individuals who operate(s) on misguided notions" is Tyll Hertsens, founder of Headroom, headphone guy for InnerFidelity, and a guy who has actually spent a lot of time working up a reliable system for headphone measurement and publishing his results - the type of graphs which seem conspicuous in their absence in the aforementioned copy. IIRC the originator of the Anax mod published quite a bit of frequency response data as he developed his mods too. If this is better I would love to hear it, but there doesn't seem to be much info on that page to help motivate the buyer. Perhaps we are too misguided to understand the rationale behind the mods?

 

[HiDeF EnThusiAs]

 You guys got music... ?  

 

[palmfish]

With respect to the ad copy for that mod, one of the "DIY individuals who operate(s) on misguided notions" is Tyll Hertsens, founder of Headroom, headphone guy for InnerFidelity, and a guy who has actually spent a lot of time working up a reliable system for headphone measurement and publishing his results - the type of graphs which seem conspicuous in their absence in the aforementioned copy. IIRC the originator of the Anax mod published quite a bit of frequency response data as he developed his mods too. If this is better I would love to hear it, but there doesn't seem to be much info on that page to help motivate the buyer. Perhaps we are too misguided to understand the rationale behind the mods?

Stop trying to cloud the issue with facts Doc! Music is an art and headphone modification is a discipline that cannot be governed by science. It takes an artist of keen creative vision to take a headphone so mired in engineering as the HD 800 is and see its true potential buried beneath. And then, only years of tapping into ones higher consciousness gives the artist the intuition and skill to unravel that engineering and lovingly replace it with a painted canvas of mods that result in pure audio bliss.

 

[Doc B.]

I'm not trying to say the guy doesn't know what he's doing, his ex-Sennheiser credential looks pretty impressive and I really would like to hear the mod. I've had one set of cans with Stefan cables and I don't have anything bad to say about them, they seemed to be carefully made. I just have a little raw spot with guys in the industry who pooh-pooh DIYers like they are all laymen and I'll suggest he picked a bad example with Tyll and Anaxilus. 

 

[palmfish]

I'm not trying to say the guy doesn't know what he's doing, his ex-Sennheiser credential looks pretty impressive and I really would like to hear the mod. I've had one set of cans with Stefan cables and I don't have anything bad to say about them, they seemed to be carefully made. I just have a little raw spot with guys in the industry who pooh-pooh DIYers like they are all laymen and I'll suggest he picked a bad example with Tyll and Anaxilus. 

"the purest most spacious headphone experience available...elevates the presentation of the great Sennheiser sonic signature to a new level that will exceed your highest expectations."

"By removing or replacing key parts of the assembly of the HD800 headphones the issue of vibration control is properly address and the result is a headphone which performs at a significantly higher level."

"Key original internal and external parts of the HD800 headphones inhibit, distort and close-in the sound."

"The HD800 Ultra-mod is a proprietary process which entails removing specific parts from the stock HD800′s internal and external assembly, treating and remounting the drivers for optimal vibration control and replacing the driver mounting configuration with a Stefan AudioArt proprietary system."

Sorry Doc, I just see all kinds of red flags when I read crap like this. I'm a sceptic through and through.

 

[johnjen]

  With respect to the ad copy for that mod, one of the "DIY individuals who operate(s) on misguided notions" is Tyll Hertsens, founder of Headroom, headphone guy for InnerFidelity, and a guy who has actually spent a lot of time working up a reliable system for headphone measurement and publishing his results - the type of graphs which seem conspicuous in their absence in the aforementioned copy. IIRC the originator of the Anax mod published quite a bit of frequency response data as he developed his mods too. If this is better I would love to hear it, but there doesn't seem to be much info on that page to help motivate the buyer. Perhaps we are too misguided to understand the rationale behind the mods?

Yeah marketing speak is an instant 'red flag' for me as well.  And their 'marketing outreach' is a bit 'thin'.  But then I'd rather have it that way, that its opposite.
 
And I know Tyll personally, and he provided the motivation (ie. pushed me) to explore this whole avenue of investigation.  I have installed the 'anax' mods (as in several versions of them) and they all had their strengths and weaknesses, but they were (relatively) easy to remove and try another version.  
 
But this SAA mod is much more 'permanent', so it is a 'risk' in that if you don't like the results there is much more involved in going back to stock.
 
And this SAA mod does WAY more than than any version of the anax mods.  At least in terms of audible results.  When coupled with 'proper' upstream equipment and source material, the results can be astounding.
 
And I wish to meet with you and heartily thank you for your efforts as well.  Between the HD-800 mods, and a few others I have made, I also purchased 2 of your power cable kits.  I then proceeded to 'mod' them, heavily.  The results, in my system, are astounding as well.  The system I now have is the culmination of decades of investigation and exploring a variety of 'key' factors, which all coalesced into what I currently enjoy.  And this SAA HD-800 mod is an indispensable part of my system, as well as what your power cables (now in generation-4) revealed to me.  Such that they still are a point of reference in my system.
 
As for the lack of measurements, we are working on that.  
 
And I'm sure that everyone is aware that there are very few folks who are capable of performing measurements on headphones and related gear.  So in this regard it doesn't surprise me that there is a lack of measurements.
 
Tyll is a pioneer and we are lucky he had the foresight to not just see the need for these measurements, but also that he made it happen.
 
JJ

 

[mochimon]

  What if I just want to go there for a few hours, do I also have to use the rear entrance?

If you will be bringing gear, you will need to check in with security in the rear. if you're just hagin, come in through the front.
 

  For those of us who might be arriving 'later' (say after noonish) instead of 10-11 would the 'process' of getting in be the same?
 
JJ

Yes, later arrivals will still need to go in through the back if you are bringing gear. Security will be ready to receive us all day sunday.

 

[HiDeF EnThusiAs]

  If you will be bringing gear, you will need to check in with security in the rear. if you're just hagin, come in through the front.
 
Yes, later arrivals will still need to go in through the back if you are bringing gear. Security will be ready to receive us all day sunday.

 
 
Which way do you go when you go in the back door..? etc.. thank you sir..  
Guy's don't touch the artwork.. etc..   Mochimon: I can't believe you got the Museum going on this must have been some conversion,  Magic of Fabric  indeed. and if the room is closer to the front what kin'n'a Master peaces do you have there..??