WyldeGooseChase
New Head-Fier
- Joined
- Feb 15, 2017
- Posts
- 15
- Likes
- 5
I was recently inspired by this head fi post from 2015 that modded the headband of the MDR1R onto the SRH440.
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/shu...he-sony-mdr-1r-the-master-comfort-mod.787806/
I decided to dive into ebay for a used SRH440. Been looking for an HD600-like sound but relatively portable (closed) with good enough isolation. I had been using a K551 for commuting but it isolates horribly and despite the detail of the driver, it just got drowned out by the train. So I read about the SRH440 and DT250. The DT250 sounded like something I'd want to acquire in the future but the SRH440 was more readily available used for cheap.
I bought a pair at $25 that didn't have earpads. I was also expecting the headband (commonly known to break at the side hinges) to be in bad shape. Surprisingly, upon initial inspection the headband was mostly intact, leather had a few scuffs at the top. However, once I applied pressure to the side of the headband to actually get it over my head, it became apparent that the commonly problematic hinge bit was cracked.
I searched online for solutions and found that old thread about the MDR1R. So I took an old broken MDR 7506 from a friend and salvaged the headband, and decided to go for it.
First thing I did was disassemble the SRH440's headband from the earcups. It was relatively easy. The plastic bit surrounding the leather was just two screws, and I cut the leather apart to get the wire out.. The arms connected to the earcups required the earcups to be opened so the the prongs could slide out the backplate, but that was just 3 screws on the drive and four screws for the backplate.
(Please excuse my use of my coffee table, I hadn't completely settled into my new apartment after moving a week prior).
I was honestly surprised to find that the inside of the leather was a metal band, considering the rest of the build was cheap plastic.
Two more screws on each arm were undone for the cable to be completely detached from the headband, and I could start attaching the 7506 headband onto the SRH440 Drivers. After pulling the cable out of the 7506 drivers, I realized that the arms for the headband are "loose" enough to simply be stretched over the SRH440's earcup backplate. It was a simple clipping action. I attached the SRH440 wire to the 7506's wire clasp on the arm, but didn't know how to get the wire through the headband without cutting it. I didn't want to do any soldering.
So I bought a Geekria headband cover and Beyerdynamic'd the wire around the headband that way.
And voila (feat HM5 pads)!
It even does the fold up thing relatively well.
It's been great. The only downside is the Sony headband is smaller than the Shure's so I have to wear it almost full extension (whereas I was a 7 on the Shures)
I also wanted to post this because I had found that MDR7506-like headbands w/o drivers are very commonly sold (not sure if legit headbands or not, but they would serve the same purpose) for around 15-20 bucks, and as long as you have the whole arm. you can fix your broken SRH440 headband pretty easily.
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/shu...he-sony-mdr-1r-the-master-comfort-mod.787806/
I decided to dive into ebay for a used SRH440. Been looking for an HD600-like sound but relatively portable (closed) with good enough isolation. I had been using a K551 for commuting but it isolates horribly and despite the detail of the driver, it just got drowned out by the train. So I read about the SRH440 and DT250. The DT250 sounded like something I'd want to acquire in the future but the SRH440 was more readily available used for cheap.
I bought a pair at $25 that didn't have earpads. I was also expecting the headband (commonly known to break at the side hinges) to be in bad shape. Surprisingly, upon initial inspection the headband was mostly intact, leather had a few scuffs at the top. However, once I applied pressure to the side of the headband to actually get it over my head, it became apparent that the commonly problematic hinge bit was cracked.
I searched online for solutions and found that old thread about the MDR1R. So I took an old broken MDR 7506 from a friend and salvaged the headband, and decided to go for it.
First thing I did was disassemble the SRH440's headband from the earcups. It was relatively easy. The plastic bit surrounding the leather was just two screws, and I cut the leather apart to get the wire out.. The arms connected to the earcups required the earcups to be opened so the the prongs could slide out the backplate, but that was just 3 screws on the drive and four screws for the backplate.
(Please excuse my use of my coffee table, I hadn't completely settled into my new apartment after moving a week prior).
I was honestly surprised to find that the inside of the leather was a metal band, considering the rest of the build was cheap plastic.
Two more screws on each arm were undone for the cable to be completely detached from the headband, and I could start attaching the 7506 headband onto the SRH440 Drivers. After pulling the cable out of the 7506 drivers, I realized that the arms for the headband are "loose" enough to simply be stretched over the SRH440's earcup backplate. It was a simple clipping action. I attached the SRH440 wire to the 7506's wire clasp on the arm, but didn't know how to get the wire through the headband without cutting it. I didn't want to do any soldering.
So I bought a Geekria headband cover and Beyerdynamic'd the wire around the headband that way.
And voila (feat HM5 pads)!
It even does the fold up thing relatively well.
It's been great. The only downside is the Sony headband is smaller than the Shure's so I have to wear it almost full extension (whereas I was a 7 on the Shures)
I also wanted to post this because I had found that MDR7506-like headbands w/o drivers are very commonly sold (not sure if legit headbands or not, but they would serve the same purpose) for around 15-20 bucks, and as long as you have the whole arm. you can fix your broken SRH440 headband pretty easily.
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