Sennheiser HD 485 Mod - Modding my favorite set of all time

[swbf2cheater]

 
The HD485 is my absolute favorite set of all time and I've used it daily for nearly a decade. Recently it seemed as though my right can was cutting in and out, which upset me heavily.  Depressed, I decided to purchase a brand new set and then during its shipping phase realized something about the "broken" hd485s.  I remember they had a detachable cable and that I had used a custom cord for years and years.  Turns out the cable was faulty and just needed replacing, I found the original stock cable and it sounded fine.  A few days later, I got the new HD485s.
 
I recently did a simple mod on the HD438, which has a earpad design flaw that is easily fixed with a simple piece of tape.  Bass causes the material on the back side of the earpads to vibrate violently, which then tickles your face or ears to no end.  Simply making sure the pad material is secured to the housing itself removed the problem completely and also improved the sound quality a little.  
 
The HD485 also had a bass problem that annoyed me for the better end of a decade.  Its too thick and muddy, and it does rattle a bit on high bass.  So knowing this, I swapped the HD438 pads onto the Hd485 to see if this rattling was caused by the stock pads.  It wasnt.  That rattling was still there so it had to be caused by something else.  If the simple mod on the HD438 caused a nice increase in sound quality and clarity, well the same should be said about the HD485, right?  The problem is that the HD485 have no backside to their pads, its just a hole.  So...the deviant core of the problems that plagued me for years was the material on the outside of the can.  
 
Took the sucker apart gently and clipped off the black material that was directly behind the outside of the earcups.  WOW what an improvement.  
 
The bass was cleaned up a little, but the highs are much nicer and things feel a tad bit more spacious when I compare them directly with the unmodded brand new set.  
A weird mod, but one with a positive result thanks to the HD438 mod i did a few days ago.  I look forward to 10 more years of enjoyment from the HD 485s

 
would i recommend it?  Nah, its not a significant quality increase, but it is noticeably nicer and more enjoyable than the stock version
 
 
the guts of the HD485

 

 

 

[tdockweiler]

Thanks for the post. It's funny because last night I was checking out a lot of frequency charts for Sennheiser models and came across the chart for this one. It caught my eye and I wanted to try it out. It turns out that it's a discontinued model and it seems too hard to find. I wonder if there is still a stock of them somewhere. They seem to have a lot of bass from what I can tell.
 
I wonder why Sennheiser discontinued them and what it's replacement was? Perhaps the HD-555?

 

[swbf2cheater]

The replacements were the new HD428, 438, and 448.  

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the HD438 is like the closed back version of the HD485, both have the same problems lol.  If you could imagine a smaller less spacious stage in than the HD485...well thats the HD438 then lol heh

 

[audiofil]

 
Quote:

The HD485 is my absolute favorite set of all time and I've used it daily for nearly a decade.

 
Weren't they released in 2005 ?

 

[swbf2cheater]

 
Quote:

 
 
Weren't they released in 2005 ?

the better end of a decade was more accurate, march 05 officially, but i had them much earlier

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[JamesMcProgger]

Im gonna do this to mines, hopefully they wont be so dark anymore.
too bad the mod is not actually reversible

 

[tnyfrmn19]

Hey~ Recently one of the ear-cushions on my HD 485's got ripped off.. how do I go about putting it back on?? What did you use to take it apart? 

Thanks

 

[swbf2cheater]

It tore? Best you can do if it tore is to get some gel fabric glue for like 1 dollar and try to mend any rips, let it try and just stick the pads back on.  The pads pop on and off pretty easy, a bit of fiddling and you'll get it

 

[FearSC549]

The drivers look strikingly similar to the HD 515, just so you guys know. 
 
If possible, can OP give post the model number printed on the diaphragm? 

 

[tnyfrmn19]

 

[swbf2cheater]

I sold it for parts a few months ago :[
 
 

 

[tnyfrmn19]

In your pictures it shows you took off the ear cushion tho..was it difficult to take apart the hardware?? the lip of the cushion just came out, it seems like a simple fix no? just take it apart, slide the lip back on, and put it back together?
 

 

[swbf2cheater]

It was not difficult and I had done it a few dozen times over the years that I've had it.  Everything is easily taken off and put back on, everything either screws into and out of place or snaps on and off.  Just take your time if you feel the need to do anything with it.  The earpads will slip into place easily. 

 

[tnyfrmn19]

Ohk thanks~~ did you use anything to take the speaker casing apart? 

 

[swbf2cheater]

a small flathead screwdriver i think, this was a very long time ago in head fi years i cant recall everything about it anymore :[