[John Willett]

 
Quote:

I have a DAC-1 USB coming and I plan to use the amp section for the time being as well. How was it with the K1000?
 
 

The Grace m902b and Grace m903 both have balanced analogue outputs (only the original m902 did not and you could get the balanced out retro-fitted - they swapped the phono sockets for 3-pole jack sockets and added an internal pcb).
 

 

[grokit]

Quote:

Why do you think the Grace does not have a balanced out?

Probably for the same reason I did, because the balanced outs are TRS jacks instead of what we are used to seeing which is XLR jacks. Also Grace's backside product photos show that they have labeled the balanced inputs as "bal in", but the balanced outs are just labeled "line out 2" instead of "bal out".

 

[Saintly]

Quote:

 


The Grace m902b and Grace m903 both have balanced analogue outputs (only the original m902 did not and you could get the balanced out retro-fitted - they swapped the phono sockets for 3-pole jack sockets and added an internal pcb).
 

Thanks but I was talking about the Benchmark Dac-1 USB.
 

 

[John Willett]

 
Quote:

Quote:

Probably for the same reason I did, because the balanced outs are TRS jacks instead of what we are used to seeing which is XLR jacks. Also Grace's backside product photos show that they have labeled the balanced inputs as "bal in", but the balanced outs are just labeled "line out 2" instead of "bal out".

 
Ahh - so you just looked at the pictures and didn't read the spec.

 

 

[johnjen]

Ok so I'm a n00b here and this is one of my 1st posts on any headphone site. 
And after last nights modifications I'll be spending WAY more time listening to all of my music as if it were for the first time.
 
I have the HD800's running in balanced mode being driven by the HeadRoom trio of BUDA, UDAC, DPS via a SPDIF toslink from a Mac Tower using iTunes
 
I have modified the BUDA slightly and have a Marigo Ultra power cable as well for the DPS.  This was satisfying sound with good detail, decent soundstage and decent presentation of the music I know very well.
 
Then I finally found a sheet of 5mm melamine foam from which I made the pieces for the anaxilus-mod inserts as described in various threads on this site. (thanks for the suggestion Tyll :thumb).
 
Uh - erm - well you see it's like what Lilly Von Schtuup said…
Zipppp, "Oh it's twuu, its twuu"
 
WHOLEY SCHIDT
 
It's a whole new ballgame.
I mean I am now re-discovering my entire music collection all over again.
Music I've listened to for decades, played hundreds of times, it isn't the same anymore.
 
And not in some small way either.  But that isn't to say that it hits you over the head with a sock'em wowee-powee impact.  No… No…  These are, after all, HD800's
 
This is hearing INTO the music, each individual voice (by voice I mean an individual instrument or source of sound), all the voices at the same time and the whole piece of music, simultaneously.  Being able to easily differentiate each voice, it's location with respect to the other voices (in front of or behind etc) AND hear it's essence, WHAT it is, as opposed to what it sounds like.
 
New intonations, new spatial relationships, new 'hidden' or previously 'masked' sounds, I'm hearing into each individual instrument as well as the whole, simultaneously…

 
I've only heard this level of detail and proper presentation and this degree of compelling, suck you into the music, once before, 40 years ago.  I've been trying to get back to this degree of involvement with and into the music ever since.  This verges upon a spiritual experience where the music surrounds you and there is a merging of what is heard with who is doing the hearing.
 
This mod transforms the entire listening experience to the point that I'm REALLY surprised Sennheiser doesn't either offer a kit OR just make them this way.
Removing the resonances from the mounting ring and the mounting structure is that important.  And it would be, what ¢20 in material AT MOST.
 
Here are my notes…
a touch more bass, with extension
a touch more bass inner detail
Leading edges on everything are more pronounced
less annoying sibilance
hearing things that were 'masked' before
and the silence between notes is deeper, faster, 'blacker'
It sucks you more 'into' the instruments and the music now
The sound stage is about the same in dimensionality but more precise placement and stability AND depth, as in instruments behind/in front of other instruments
Vocals are much more palpable
Less crowding of instruments, their harmonic characteristics remain intact when they recede or when a louder voice comes in over the top
Plucked harp, you can almost hear the fingernails
The kick in the kick drum has the initial leading edge attack and follow thru you'd expect
high hats have a sharp initial attack like you'd expect
wood blocks are now harmonic hard wood not amorphous 'plock-plock' sounds
 
But ALL of this PALES in comparison to what the full experience is.
The veil between you and music is much Much MUCH thinner and is now in your head and you are directly, intimately, involved.  There is no choice but to be involved.
 
Sure there are colorations and flaws, it isn't perfect, but
I DON'T CARE
 
EVERYTHING has now become more compelling, involving, enticing, engaging, the good, the bad, and the ugly.
 
And the clincher is that even the distortions and 'flaws' are interesting melodic and music and not cause for flinching and feeling like dull razor blades cutting on your ear drums.
 
This is a MUST HAVE mod as far as I'm concerned
 
Don't wait another minute, order now, operators are standing by ! ! ! ! !

 
JJ
ps I have nearly 50 years of audio involvement both professionally and as a hobbyist and this is WEIGH KEWL! !  !

 

[purrin]

 
Quote:

 
JJ
ps I have nearly 50 years of audio involvement both professionally and as a hobbyist and this is WEIGH KEWL! !  !

Anax, I (and I'm sure others who pioneered this mod such a Jazz, Arnaud, et al) are happy that this mod worked for you. It was really the last piece of the puzzle for us - we could never quite "tube roll" the Eddie Current amps (which are more solid-state sounding than tubey) to make things just right with the HD800. 
 
In other words, the mod does take care of the "HD800 needs the the right amp" issue if one objects to the voicing of the stock HD800.
 

 

[Eee Pee]

Couple of days ago I went to Michael's artsy crafty store and bought the Creatology adhesive backed foam sheets to do the Anaxilus mod.  I agree, it's not a small difference and at this very point in time, I'll call it essential, for me.  I'm waiting to borrow a camera that can do decent macro shots, then I was going to post, but your post made me chime in.  
 
I am again looking forward to listening time.

 

[purrin]

Here is the v2 version of the mod that was talked about a few weeks ago:
 

 
Anax says black sounds better than white or purple. We don't have objective measurements to back up such claims though.

 

[Eee Pee]

I pieced mine together.
 
I used the maroon color thinking it would be my practice attempt, but it went well enough to use them.  I'm using the ear cup foams (can't think of the proper name right now) also.
 
 

 

[purrin]

Quote:

I pieced mine together.
 
I used the maroon color thinking it would be my practice attempt, but it went well enough to use them.  I'm using the ear cup foams (can't think of the proper name right now) also.
 
 

Awesome. I like the racing stripes.
 

 

[Eee Pee]

Sounds faster!
 
There's no foam there, it was easier to piece the bits together, and I'm rolling with it!
 
Thanks for sure to both you, purrin, and Anaxilus, and arnaud and JazZ.  The early threads those guys posted were great, especially arnaud, with the charts and graphs and whatnot.  And you too purrin, with your frequency graph.  Awesome.

 

[Questhate]

 
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Just wondering, are you guys leaving the Sennheiser dust cover off your headphones? Not sure if I can part with the bling factor provided by my fancy dust covers. 
 
I tried this with acoustic foam, and it made it even brighter than stock. But looking at these pictures, my disc extended too far onto the driver area. Gonna re-try with Michael's foam tonight. 
 
And purrin, seeing your HD800s resting on your wooden table without a protective cloth underneath is really making me anxious, dude. 

 

[Pepsi]

Quote:

I have a DAC-1 USB coming and I plan to use the amp section for the time being as well. How was it with the K1000?
 
 

You will not be disappointed with the Dac1 + HD800 combo i can guarantee you that. =)

 

[johnjen]

In looking at these mods, the material I'm using is quite different.
 
My melamine, or whatever it is, has larger cells (relative to the 5mm thickness) is mostly air and is clear (not that the color means anything acoustically).  But it looks VERY different.
 
So I wonder what I'm using…
 
I'll take some pics and post them up here in a bit.
 
JJ
ps oh yeah thanks for the responses  I have my ears on and it is distracting… 

:thumb

 

[Eee Pee]

 

Just wondering, are you guys leaving the Sennheiser dust cover off your headphones? Not sure if I can part with the bling factor provided by my fancy dust covers. 

 

I'm using the ear cup foams (can't think of the proper name right now) also.

 
So yeah, I'm still using mine.  I don't find them to make a large enough (or any) difference in sound to not use them to keep my ear skin flakes, hair and dander off the driver...