[ScareDe2]

I am still in the learning process really. I have aligned the microfibers a bit, here is how the first layer looks like now. The center part was moved more in line with my concha, cymba cavus or whatever it is called:

Left cup here

 

[RenZixx]

So help me here. I can either buy a pair of HD700 drivers and shove em in my V-Moda LP shell and mod them or I could buy a HD250 linear mk1 or mk2.

 

[myusernameislove]

Hd250 Linear 2 is completely different headphone than Linear 1 in terms of distance and softness of mids and timbre. I got from what I can tell 600 Ohm Linear 1 and late 600 Ohm Linear 2 (with grey rings). Mids on Linear 1 are placed further away in a distance, and the overall sound is more delicate and less hard sounding. Linear 2 has lost the unique placement of sounds in a distance and everything with them sounds placed in one distance. Linear 1 does mirracles because of that unique placement and softer highs. It also sounds I guess colder which gives the sound interesting timbre. Linear 1 has lower amount of bass slam, less aggresive sound. It tells story of a song. Linear 2s have just those unique flaws erased and all this uniqueness had been repaired, plus the tuning matches better with the “ideal sound” (a bit more bass, slam, harder sounding notes ). But because of that it lost the miraculous sound character. While I like Linear 2, Linear 1 has more soul. Also worth noting is that I like it with several amps (shanling m0 portable, r2r11) but I am not sure if I like Linear 1 particurally with Chord Mojo. While it sounds better amped and clearer, gone is that unique sound of underpowered headphone that Shanling M0 gives it. Linear 1 and Linear 2 sounds closer to each other with Mojo. Well it is not that bad, but Shanling M0 gives it some kind of underpowered flavour that sounds very interesting. So linear 1, not linear 2 is my choice. And pads: wang_yifei’s pleather pads from eb.. give it more of much needed bass and ensure a good seal and keep the treble and mids intacted. And if you want to enjoy more of its amazing highs on some recordings, get replacement Sennheiser pads for HD430 from Thomann. Velour pads (Sennheiser replacement velour pads for Hd560 from Thomann) do not give it a good seal and I do not recommend those.

/edit - yes, I like Linear 1 with Mojo as well. But I recommend to you to learn about the sound of Linear 1 from less powerful sources first to understand what Mojo does to it and where it does something against it.

 

[SHAMuuu]

Hd250 Linear 2 is completely different headphone than Linear 1 in terms of distance and softness of mids and timbre. I got from what I can tell 600 Ohm Linear 1 and late 600 Ohm Linear 2 (with grey rings). Mids on Linear 1 are placed further away in a distance, and the overall sound is more delicate and less hard sounding. Linear 2 has lost the unique placement of sounds in a distance and everything with them sounds placed in one distance. Linear 1 does mirracles because of that unique placement and softer highs. It also sounds I guess colder which gives the sound interesting timbre. Linear 1 has lower amount of bass slam, less aggresive sound. It tells story of a song. Linear 2s have just those unique flaws erased and all this uniqueness had been repaired, plus the tuning matches better with the “ideal sound” (a bit more bass, slam, harder sounding notes ). But because of that it lost the miraculous sound character. While I like Linear 2, Linear 1 has more soul. Also worth noting is that I like it with several amps (shanling m0 portable, r2r11) but I am not sure if I like Linear 1 particurally with Chord Mojo. While it sounds better amped and clearer, gone is that unique sound of underpowered headphone that Shanling M0 gives it. Linear 1 and Linear 2 sounds closer to each other with Mojo. Well it is not that bad, but Shanling M0 gives it some kind of underpowered flavour that sounds very interesting. So linear 1, not linear 2 is my choice. And pads: wang_yifei’s pleather pads from eb.. give it more of much needed bass and ensure a good seal and keep the treble and mids intacted. And if you want to enjoy more of its amazing highs on some recordings, get replacement Sennheiser pads for HD430 from Thomann. Velour pads (Sennheiser replacement velour pads for Hd560 from Thomann) do not give it a good seal and I do not recommend those.

/edit - yes, I like Linear 1 with Mojo as well. But I recommend to you to learn about the sound of Linear 1 from less powerful sources first to understand what Mojo does to it and where it does something against it.

How do you feel the Linear I matches up to the 580/6xx line/ hd800?
Any experiences with vintage/ modern Beyers? And if so, how will the Linear match up to those IYO?
Thanks

 

[ProLoL]

I've sold the linear 1 600ohm, purchased the linear 2 and it's simply not the same, the linear 2 lost the linear's 1 magic.
Recently repurchased the linear 1 brand new, modified to my preferable sound with inner foam and pads.
The linear 1 is my end game, had HD800, T1 limited edition, Stax etc etc.. The Linear 1 sounded amazing via R2R11 but now I use the R2R11 as a dac only and use my yamaha as501 as an amplifier, the sound improved significantly.

 

[ScareDe2]

Daddy got a second baby. They sound nearly identical. One seem a bit faster in details retrieving but it's subtle. I would not mind keeping one or the other. Note that I use a thin cheap made in china pad so the ears sit close to the drivers. That way I feel I get the same as if I was pushing the earcups against my ears. Also next is the best foam modding: this is approximate but I just use small cut piece of pipette, I fill them with microfibers and I align them with every hollow parts of the ears, especially the concha as mentionned above, for that I use my finger if I feel the parts are not perfectly aligned I just move them a bit while the headphone is installed on my head. I know it doesn't look good, but it gets the job done what more can I say:

I would repeat the same modding again and again it's simply just that good. That's left cup.

Again, sorry that what I show you doesn't look like it has cost one thousand $, but it sounds better than an Utopia if that matters. And it's not even close.

 

[myusernameislove]

How do you feel the Linear I matches up to the 580/6xx line/ hd800?
Any experiences with vintage/ modern Beyers? And if so, how will the Linear match up to those IYO?
Thanks

I went on ebay to buy vintage DT990. That and maybe one of DT48's were supposed to sound good. I drew back.

I got Yamaha AS-500 I always thought that its headphone out is not worth anything. I guess I will need to try it, if you (ProLol) say it sounds better than R2R11's amp section.

Daddy got a second baby.

Where are the pads on second pair from if I may ask?

 

[ProLoL]

I went on ebay to buy vintage DT990. That and maybe one of DT48's were supposed to sound good. I drew back.

I got Yamaha AS-500 I always thought that its headphone out is not worth anything. I guess I will need to try it, if you (ProLol) say it sounds better than R2R11's amp section.



Where are the pads on second pair from if I may ask?

The AS500 is the older version, I hope they share the same headphone amp section. Interconnects play a crucial part aswell, I went from cheap ones to QED reference 40, and the sound only got better.
Btw, I've read somewhere that the headphone amp of the AS500 is even better than the AS1000's.

PS: Congrats to all those who got their hands on the linear 1 600ohm to experience true pleasure!
I've tried to repurchase my first pair which I've sold, he couldn't part with them, as to be expected.

 

[Monsterzero]

How do you feel the Linear I matches up to the 580/6xx line/ hd800?
Any experiences with vintage/ modern Beyers? And if so, how will the Linear match up to those IYO?
Thanks

I sold off my HD6xx and my vintage DT990 gets zero headtime. There is no comparison. The HD250 linear 1 smokes them both.

 

[SHAMuuu]

Some of the claims of this Linear one beating Utopia, Stax etc...

I'm not brave enough to make statements like that on here. I'm too afriad. I like the Linear 1 very much, but a closed 80s headphone (r10 aside) beating a modern Utopia and STAX?!?!
Preference maybe, but technically?

It's too much to take in for me at this point in my journey

 

[SHAMuuu]

Sorry for the double post but...

what? how? that is the most bizarre mod ever , How can you maintain the symmetry with this, and what is the theory here haha

 

[ScareDe2]

Is it factual that when you have an headphone covering your whole ears, the sound will impact your outer ears and some frequencies will be compromised? Earbuds actualy take care of this problem by alimenting directly the ear-drum, hence delivering a more accurate tone and timing (but less bass and soundstage due to their limitation). Yes? My theory is by placing the foam (in this case microfibers) aligned with the hollow parts, it will target the problematic ear resonances affecting neutrality and accuracy. I think it's that simple. And I would not write this if the effect was not super huge - I can't do without this mod.

 

[ProLoL]

Some of the claims of this Linear one beating Utopia, Stax etc...

I'm not brave enough to make statements like that on here. I'm too afriad. I like the Linear 1 very much, but a closed 80s headphone (r10 aside) beating a modern Utopia and STAX?!?!
Preference maybe, but technically?

It's too much to take in for me at this point in my journey

In stock form they're not that special, wanted to sell them straight away.. once you mod them and try them with different pads / foams then you might reach what you're looking for.
I prefer the sound that these make with the ZMF universe pads + HD400 inner foam. Bass reaches to hell yet not boomy, incredible mids, highs are hot yet not piercing, holographic sound stage and great imaging. They have soul and technicality, stax has only technicality for me and it feels that I'm listening to headphones, the HD250 feels like something else.
Different pads and foam will alter the sound completely, it's all about modding.

 

[SHAMuuu]

I've tried some pad rolling including 1540/ hm5 sheepskin, hybrid, and some shallow pleather pads.
For now i've settled with a beyer disc foam, and the shallow pleather pads stuffed with an inner foam ring to raise them slightly giving seal.

I'm still trying to come up with a better clamp mod, as they sound even more amazing when pushed closer to ear.
I tried attaching a beyer steel headband, which did add some clamping, but i want even more.

I do agree they sound amazingly open with good bass, smooth mids, and sparkling treble.

I really did like the Utopia;s and well my mods have not taken it to that level,,, but i guess maybe when i figure out a better clamping mod i''ll get closer to that level.

But aren't these drivers made with mylar/PET? Surely, the higher level beryllium's rigidity, mixed with it's damping properties, low mobile mass (135g) with its advanced magnetic assembly, and completely open nature results in a faster, more resolving, sound.

Taking the hd250 to that level puts them side by side with things like r10/k1000/007 and it's surprising to me.

If they are, all the better for me since I have one lol instead of chasing unobtaniums which require 5-10k chains.

Even in dt48 threads, there were some with similar claims , but i've never gone beyond saying i prefer the dt48 to something like a dt880, and Linear I to the 580/600.

 

[ScareDe2]

But why don't you just squeeze the plastic headband to increase clamp pressure? If you keep it squeeze for some times... the previous owner of my last purchased HD250 sent it tightly packed and when I received it the clamp force was strong.