GREQ
Headphoneus Supremus
Here's an odd little (actually huge) headphone with (I guarantee) the weirdest dynamic driver you've ever seen. And it's in full leather.
The Rank Arena SK-600 (from 1973)
Detachable cable (faulty - I need to re-terminate the plug as it crackles)
This is a behemoth of a headphone
Looks like a normal dynamic driver....
Wait what?
So there you have it.
I found this on the German Telefunken website:http://telefunken.te.funpic.de/arena73/arena73-30.jpg which at least shows that it's the high-end model of the bunch.
The text rougly translates as follows:
Dynamic stereo headphones. Acute model in elegant leather. Excellent sound characteristics. Technical specialty: some vibration-free aluminum membrane with controlled, pneumatic cushioning. Frequency range 15 to 22,000 Hz
Aluminium membrane? - that's the bit that stumped me. They look like a really weird electrostatic, but it's there in the description - dynamic..... seemingly sandwiched between two bits of aluminium with 5 holes in each.
I don't think I've ever wanted a strange vintage headphone to sound REALLY good as much as this one. Alas, there is WAAAY too much high bass. After dropping 250hz to rock bottom and 63hz down 6 notches (out of 10) this headphone started to make A LOT more sense. It actually sounds pretty damn good - especially low bass and the low bass decay. Which is hardly surprising from 60mm drivers! (external diameter 75mm)
After EQ I think these drivers sound quite fast, but I'll need to do more listening to know where to put it....
Does anyone think re-terminating the original cable will reduce it's value? It's just a breaking connection in the plug, so a quick snip 2cm above the plug and a resolder to a new plug is what I want to do. Any thoughts?
The Rank Arena SK-600 (from 1973)
Detachable cable (faulty - I need to re-terminate the plug as it crackles)
This is a behemoth of a headphone
Looks like a normal dynamic driver....
Wait what?
So there you have it.
I found this on the German Telefunken website:http://telefunken.te.funpic.de/arena73/arena73-30.jpg which at least shows that it's the high-end model of the bunch.
The text rougly translates as follows:
Dynamic stereo headphones. Acute model in elegant leather. Excellent sound characteristics. Technical specialty: some vibration-free aluminum membrane with controlled, pneumatic cushioning. Frequency range 15 to 22,000 Hz
Aluminium membrane? - that's the bit that stumped me. They look like a really weird electrostatic, but it's there in the description - dynamic..... seemingly sandwiched between two bits of aluminium with 5 holes in each.
I don't think I've ever wanted a strange vintage headphone to sound REALLY good as much as this one. Alas, there is WAAAY too much high bass. After dropping 250hz to rock bottom and 63hz down 6 notches (out of 10) this headphone started to make A LOT more sense. It actually sounds pretty damn good - especially low bass and the low bass decay. Which is hardly surprising from 60mm drivers! (external diameter 75mm)
After EQ I think these drivers sound quite fast, but I'll need to do more listening to know where to put it....
Does anyone think re-terminating the original cable will reduce it's value? It's just a breaking connection in the plug, so a quick snip 2cm above the plug and a resolder to a new plug is what I want to do. Any thoughts?