[takato14]

APPEASE THE GODS

 

[vid]

I see that sansui looking fearfully at the towering unipolar.

 

[Tiemen]

  Sorry this isn't MY headphone... 
A new trend has started a few months ago on German ebay, and it's now getting pretty ridiculous
 
http://www.ebay.de/itm/Rare-Vintage-Sony-MDR-5A-Headphones-Star-Lord-Guardians-of-the-Galaxy-/331604294539?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_77&hash=item4d3527fb8b

 
Funny, these are for sale on a Dutch trading board, with no bids at all: http://www.marktplaats.nl/a/audio-tv-en-foto/koptelefoons-en-headsets/m947353321-sony-dr-5a-retro-vintage-koptelefoon-erg-mooi.html?c=efb2ef4dc323389c4f92ed10afa33e3a&previousPage=lr

 

[GREQ]

The MDR-5A is a lot rarer and much more desirable than the DR-5A (for a collector)
It was one of the original Walkman headphones, so they're naturally extremely difficult to find in good condition and an important part of Sony history.
 
The other DR-5A is really nothing special from a historical or collectors POV.
Still doesn't justify it being the price of an HD800

 

[yaluen]

A couple more to share today

 
First is a Toshiba HR-50X 2-way dynamic. Apparently it uses two cones, one 50mm and one 80mm. Doing a sweep, you can clearly identify the crossover is at 400Hz because there's a dip at that frequency. It also has a built-in crossfeed function. Interestingly, the caps don't charge up instantly, so you can actually hear the crossfeed engaging when you turn it on, eg vocals will recede out-of-head over the course of a second or so. Rather boomy bass and bloomy mids. An enjoyable and "fun" sound.
 

 

 

 
Second is a Napolex CTX-3 "full open air" dynamic, similar to the MDR-F1. Zero subbass as you can expect, but is quite smooth otherwise. Great for hot summer months

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[takato14]

A couple more to share today

First is a Toshiba HR-50X 2-way dynamic. Apparently it uses two cones, one 50mm and one 80mm. Doing a sweep, you can clearly identify the crossover is at 400Hz because there's a dip at that frequency. It also has a built-in crossfeed function. Interestingly, the caps don't charge up instantly, so you can actually hear the crossfeed engaging when you turn it on, eg vocals will recede out-of-head over the course of a second or so. Rather boomy bass and bloomy mids. An enjoyable and "fun" sound.










Second is a Napolex CTX-3 "full open air" dynamic, similar to the MDR-F1. Zero subbass as you can expect, but is quite smooth otherwise. Great for hot summer months :rolleyes:

Holy **** I'm jealous of that Napolex. I doubt it, but if you ever want to sell it, let me know.

 

[kenshinesca]

 
 
 
 
AKG K1 - very nice look and decent sound



 

 
These headphones are pretty cool looking.  Love that Accordion design. 

 

[GREQ]

.

 

[DisCHORDDubstep]

Hitachi HD-9
These have unique 'gathered' diaphragms. Basically they're folded in a concentric manner (like a kids paper fan) around the outer circumference of the diaphragm. 
The resolution out of these old driver is actually rather superb, but the bass and treble roll off like the Grand Canyon. 
These need VERY careful equalization, which makes them pretty fiddly and annoying to use enjoyably.

Man, what an interesting design. Do you happen to have any images of the diaphragm?

 

[GREQ]

 
Man, what an interesting design. Do you happen to have any images of the diaphragm?

http://www.head-fi.org/t/202122/the-headphone-driver-pics-thread/375#post_11856181

 

[harrinj]

 My Pioneer Monitor 10 and SE-505. The Monitor 10 is really fantastic and is my second favorite headphone right under my Audeze LCD-3. The SE-505 I got today and was real thin sounding at first but they've been running for three hours now and they have really opened up especially with the controls cleaned which I had to turn a couple hundred times to get static free and not cut out, The 2-way on these is sure unique sounding.

 I got a SE-305 coming friday and an SE-700 on the way. Can't wait! 
 

 

[takato14]

Really excited about this one, guys.
 

 

 
Hitachi HD-S9 Samarium Cobalt and Gathered Edge
 
This is the earliest headphone I've seen (save for the senns) with detachable cables. The HD-S9 is positioned at the top of Hitachi's LO-D lineup in the 1980s and uses a very very intriguing driver design. 
 

 
This is a bit different than the previous model HD-9 (which GREQ just posted about) in that the center dome is aluminum, while the outer edge is some form of polymer (likely mylar), with the typical pleats/folds. This should move all of the strain on the flexing area of the diaphragm to the edges and allow much lower distortion and better resonance behavior than a typical mylar dome. It's also gorgeous. Compare to the HD-9 driver:
 

 
Unfortunately, the pair I nabbed off eBay isn't in anywhere near as good shape as the pair pictured above, but that's never stopped me before.
 
Here's KANA's blog post about it and a Headphone Museum entry: 
 
http://yaplog.jp/headphones/archive/33
 
http://20cheaddatebase.web.fc2.com/LOD/HD-S9.html
 
Should be here just in time for my birthday. 

 

 

[GREQ]

Ah! so you nabbed that awful looking one from Italy.. was wondering when that one would go.
 
I can't imagine it being much better than the HD-9... I would expect good/excellent transients but poor FR extremities. 
 
Please post a detailed driver shot! Pretty please!

 

[takato14]

 
I can't imagine it being much better than the HD-9... I would expect good/excellent transients but poor FR extremities. 
 
Please post a detailed driver shot! Pretty please!

Dunno. We'll see. Probably not anything special compared to what I've heard but it's intriguing nonetheless. I like fixing up old ****.
 
and lol only if I can take the driver out safely, which I doubt as I dont see any screwholes on the housing (which means its likely held in with glue).

 

[GREQ]

 
and lol only if I can take the driver out safely, which I doubt as I dont see any screwholes on the housing (which means its likely held in with glue).

With any luck Hitachi just kept the same basic design as the HD-9.
To open the HD-9 you hold the cup in one hand, apply pressure to the earpads with the other and twist anticlockwise - should be childs-play after all your work on the Sansui - that's also got a twist type thingy right?
 
Anyway... then inside the driver is held down by three plastic tabs with flanges which hold it in place. Was pretty easy actually, but the plastic isn't the best, I half snapped one tab in the process... now it's just sort of sitting there like a wobbly tooth.