[GeoffW]

Hi,

I'm one of those guys who bought this headphone back around '01-'02, and never really strayed from it. I know it's old and hard to get or maintain these days, but I still love the sound. I recently experimented with modding it by simply applying duck tape to the the inside of the ear cups. Since there's a foam disk already in there (apparently to absorb sound), I suspected that more absorption on the earcup surface might be beneficial - and it was. It increased the detail and tightened everything up, noticeably across the board, but especially with things like cymbals, triangles, and drum hits. I had to EQ it a bit to compensate for some increased brightness, but it was well worth it. I also did the the earpad mod (similar to markl's D5000 mod) to angle in the drivers even further, and liked the effect. I suspect that adding a silver cable would increase the detail even further (as it did in my home system's speaker cables), but I haven't done that yet.

I listen to a wide variety of music - rock and pop, easy listening, vocal-intensive, and alot of classical and movie music. The CD3000 has been a great all-arounder, doing well with just about anything I throw at it. It excels with vocals and orchestral music - the glorious soundstage lets you pick out any instrument. Its age is definitely apparent in the ratty earpads and headband, but I could order new parts - or better yet, invest some time and make my own leather accessories.

I've heard that the CD3000 has the same transducers as the R10, so I'm wondering if, with the right mods, it can be brought up to a level approaching today's high-end phones (I haven't tried most of them). It would probably be cheaper. One of the great advantages of the CD3000 (besides comfort) is that it is so easy to drive, and it sounds wonderful even without an amp, allowing for a great match with today's mp3 players, which are so convenient to use (I have a sony A728 now, and am looking seriously at the new X1060). I don't think I'll ever sell the CD3000, but I'm wondering if there any new high end phones that sound good or better without an amp?

 

[ford2]

You will not find a great deal of phones that better the CD3000,buy a new headband assembly,some earpads,and you have a brand new set of phones.
If you judge a phone by its foot tapping response then they are one of the best.
Mine are Keepers,they are getting hard to find because people hang onto them.
The detracters will be in here soon,some just hate the Sony name.

 

[juzmister]

I heard a pair at a Meet last weekend out of my melos...I came home and bought a pair of yahoo japan! They put a big smile on my face

 

[AmanGeorge]

My favorite headphones. I've sadly been without for a couple of months waiting for them to get recabled, but I hope they'll come back to me soon!

 

[IceClass]

Big fan here.
Only closed cans I've found so far that I'd call "better" are the JVC DX1000.

 

[leeperry]

heheh, glad to see this thread

I've had a cd1k(same drivers/housing as the cd3k) for +10 years, I sold them like 6 months ago...and I miss them so badly! I will get them back next week I think

their PRAT is crazy and their soundstage is simpy unmatched...these drivers are the SS godfather

what I didn't like about it is :
-the lack of bass?
-hard to drive
-the lack of isolation(my DT770 is so much more isolating)

but I guess plugging it to soundcards HP outs was a big failure on my side anyway....apparently, these drivers(32Ω/104dB) are known to be hard to drive? but properly driven, they would actually give bass?

in LFE tests, it didn't output anything <50Hz

and how good are the Chinese ebay earpads BTW?

 

[leeperry]

.

 

[ford2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by leeperry /img/forum/go_quote.gif .

..

 

[leeperry]

hehe, I remember you were asking me to pricematch the genuine cd3k ear pads I was selling against the $10 Chinese ebay copies...that left you a bit bitter apparently

You were even giving me a bit of a history lesson to make me lower the price, like you're from Australia and the english saved the french in WWII...so I should lower the price to $10 a pop, HAHAHA this was priceless! again, again

on a more serious note, I would need a new headband assembly...but $100+shipping is out of the question

 

[warubozu]

I own two pairs of CD3K's, one completely stock the other with woody mods and recabled by Headphile. They both remain as one of my favorite pair of cans in my stock. The level of detail and sounstage out of them brings me musical bliss every time I listen to them. I also own a pair of CD1K and it's a night and day difference between the two. While the CD1K has a decent level of detail, the CD3K surpasses it not only in detail but with a larger soundstage and bass that has more slam.

 

[ford2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by leeperry /img/forum/go_quote.gif hehe, I remember you were asking me to pricematch the genuine cd3k ear pads I was selling against the $10 Chinese ebay copies...that left you a bit bitter apparently You were even giving me a bit of a history lesson to make me lower the price, like you're from Australia and the english saved the french in WWII...so I should lower the price to $10 a pop, HAHAHA this was priceless! again, again on a more serious note, I would need a new headband assembly...but $100+shipping is out of the question

Just to refresh your memory:quote

k sure, 14 EUR replicas? for cd3k ear pads? I'd like to see that
Well now that you have and everyone who owns CD3000 has,enjoy your stash of earpads,you do know that foam deteriorates even in a sealed bag.?

No doubt when you get your 1000's back you will be able to put a fresh pair of pads on them.
I will sign off now,have the CD3000's on my head with some Emma Shapplin
sending tingles up and down my spine.

 

[Duggeh]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeoffW /img/forum/go_quote.gif ... I've heard that the CD3000 has the same transducers as the R10...

It doesn't. Wherever you've read that, that person is wrong.

 

[leeperry]

Quote:

Originally Posted by warubozu /img/forum/go_quote.gif While the CD1K has a decent level of detail, the CD3K surpasses it not only in detail but with a larger soundstage and bass that has more slam.

yes, for sure! the cups inside is completely different...far more foam in the 3k, which will increase the bass response.

the 3k was released after the 1k, as an improved audiophile version...w/ ceramic cups to kill resonances, more foam in the cups to increase the bass response and a much higher quality cable too....still the drivers are the same

I've been messing w/ my DT770/600Ω for a long time now, I can see what to do to mod my cd1k...plus, Germania also played at modding the cd1k and said that there's a huge room for improvement

PS: http://www.geocities.com/itza2mer/

that's a heck lot of foam

the cd1k doesn't have any like that! I'm sure Germania is right, the cd1k is begging for improvements

too bad the foam in front of the drivers disintegrates into small pieces after a while(on both cd1k/cd3k)...I'd need to add some foam again I guess

 

[AmanGeorge]

Quote:

Originally Posted by warubozu /img/forum/go_quote.gif I own two pairs of CD3K's, one completely stock the other with woody mods and recabled by Headphile. They both remain as one of my favorite pair of cans in my stock. The level of detail and sounstage out of them brings me musical bliss every time I listen to them. I also own a pair of CD1K and it's a night and day difference between the two. While the CD1K has a decent level of detail, the CD3K surpasses it not only in detail but with a larger soundstage and bass that has more slam.

How does the stock compare with the Headphile-d version?

 

[GeoffW]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duggeh /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've heard that the CD3000 has the same transducers as the R10... It doesn't. Wherever you've read that, that person is wrong.

Looks like you're right. I can't remember where I got that impression, but quick net search turns up these guys, who say they are the same:
jenalabs headphone mod for sony R10

But then, a search of this site trashes these guys, and says the R10 transducers were priced at $800 and discontinued, vs $200 for the CD3K's.

So I believe the experts here. Supporting that, the phones also have a different impedence: 32ohms for the CD3K vs 40 for the R10.