[seeberg]

(Note to mods: If this thread doesn't belong in this section, please move it appropriately. Thanks!)

This is a fairly simple mod still in the testing stages, and if I get another opportunity to listen to some sweet, sweet SA5000's, then I can draw some reasonable conclusions as to how this mod affects the entire Sony SA line of cans, except for the SA3000, which I have not heard or seen. I own a pair of SA1000's, and that's what I used for this mod. It's easy and reversable, so try it yourself, and tell me what you think!

So, what's the mod? If you have a Chaintech AV710 soundcard, then there's a chance you have the box lying around somewhere. What I did out of curiosity was take the yellow foam pad in the AV710's box and cut two "circles"(real circles can't be cut by me unguided, but I will redo this for cosmetics sake) from the foam.

From there, it's just a simple matter of sticking the foam circles inside the earcups, wedging them preferrably behind the pleather fold of the earcups, and up against the black plastic(and just so you know, the SA1000's don't have total cloth on their earcups- like my HD477's, the underside is pleather for some reason-perhaps another mod I'd consider is to reverse the pads and see if that's comfortable).

The change in sound to my ears was quickly apparent. At the cost of sparkling, sometimes too bright highs(not for me, for other people- I just don't mind), I got alot of warmth in exchange. A moderate increase in bass was apparent, but the gain in midrange totally changed the sound. Imagine switching from bowls to comfies on a Grado headphone. It's alot like that, and I plan on doing a semi-perforated swiss cheese foam mod next, to blend the effect.

Comments or ideas?

,
Abe

 

[akwok]

I gotta try this on my SA5000.. lol. Can't find any foam though, or scissors for that matter (they disappeared ???)

 

[aeroes]

Actually, I already tried this mod 2 months ago- it didnt sound any better to this ears, some details are gone, didnt improve the bass like I expected and lost its midrange, I coin-mod the foam 'thought it might sound better but it didnt help.

But YMMV, it might sound good for others its just me

 

[gshan]

Perhaps there is hope for me + SA1Ks afterall.

Chaintech foam - check
SA1K - thinking...

First things first, I haven't even received my HD590s in the mail yet

 

[aeroes]

Maybe foams makes a difference too! I'll look for some foam

 

[james__bean]

Bring the pads to the Oregon Meet, I'll give them a listen with the 5000's. Of course, I think just EQing your headphones would be an easier solution

 

[seeberg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by james__bean Bring the pads to the Oregon Meet, I'll give them a listen with the 5000's. Of course, I think just EQing your headphones would be an easier solution

Will do, and I'll bring perfectly shaped ones in varieties. I'm thinking it would be a good idea to explore different porosities of foam for this mod, and I may take some of that Chaintech stuff, wet it down, freeze it, and drill several holes into it. Then I'll test again. I'll also make note that Tempur Pedic foam will NOT work for this mod, as it lacks porosity and muffles the piss out of everything. I made (poorly) pads for my SR60's out of the stuff, and it sucked badly. It turned the sound of the SR60 into a Walmart closed can with muffled highs (all crap sold there is like that). One might also try a fabric veil, stretching it to the edges of the inside of the earcup, to overlap against the earpads. I tried EQ'ing Winamp to match the tone the pads give with my SA1000's, and I haven't had any success so far.

,
Abe

 

[Edwood]

LOL, that is the first time I've seen anyone attempt to deliberately add veiled sound to their headphones. You should look into upgrading your source next. Have you tried an EQ setting as well to attenuate offending frequencies as well?

-Ed

 

[seeberg]

I don't find the brightness of the SA1000's offending at all. I'm just messing around really, and if something good comes of it, great. And I usuall refuse to EQ, but for whatever reason, I can't get Winamp's EQ to match the tone the chaintech foam yields. I'm going to get a Z-Audio Epsilon as soon as I get paid, but I never get money when it's convenient. Also, I have to work out some bugs in my AV710- apparently, it's not playing too nice with Win98SE. I can't get ASIO4ALL to work with it(or maybe I don't notice that its working?), the Envy Audio Deck doesn't seem to be doing anything, like synching up with the actual soundcard like it should, and I can't get an analog preamp signal out to my reciever. But the optical output works like a charm. Odd...

,
Abe

 

[aeroes]

I second the EQ suggestion, and in case someone is looking for an accurate EQ IMO, the best EQ out there for winamp is the Enhancer v0.17 the most accurate I've ever heard and IMMO sound better than foam mod. Install the plug-in to winamp and play with your fave setting.

CHEERS!

 

[JaZZ]

Seeberg...

...I think this mod is a good idea. I will try it on my SA5000.


Quote:

Originally Posted by james__bean Bring the pads to the Oregon Meet, I'll give them a listen with the 5000's. Of course, I think just EQing your headphones would be an easier solution

The idea behind the foam is to dampen the inevitable multiple reflections between driver and ear to increase accuracy and reduce transient smearing. A classic Sennheiser recipe. You won't be able to do that with an equalizer.


Quote:

Originally Posted by Edwood LOL, that is the first time I've seen anyone attempt to deliberately add veiled sound to their headphones. You should look into upgrading your source next. Have you tried an EQ setting as well to attenuate offending frequencies as well?

See above.

 

[seeberg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JaZZ Seeberg... ...I think this mod is a good idea. I will try it on my SA5000. The idea behind the foam is to dampen the inevitable multiple reflections between driver and ear to increase accuracy and reduce transient smearing. A classic Sennheiser recipe. You won't be able to do that with an equalizer.

Question, for the sake of reverse engineering: If I remember correctly, HD580's, HD600's, and HD650's all use a cloth "veil" between their drivers and earpads. What would happen to the sound (I'm assuming make the cans brighter) of one of these without that cloth stuff there, and would removing it be permanent? I wonder if there would be noticeable detachment from the "dark" persona these cans are said to have...

,
Abe

 

[JaZZ]

Quote:

Originally Posted by seeberg ...HD580's, HD600's, and HD650's all use a cloth "veil" between their drivers and earpads. What would happen to the sound (I'm assuming make the cans brighter) of one of these without that cloth stuff there, and would removing it be permanent? I wonder if there would be noticeable detachment from the "dark" persona these cans are said to have...

Removing the Senn pads is easy and reversible. The effect is sort of a mixed bag. I liked it with my HD 580 and HD 600 -- it made the sound clearer and brighter, also reduced the bass a bit. But this was until I changed my source; from then on I preferred the classic configuration again. The HD 650 I don't like without the foam pads. The audible benefit from the foam pads (to my ears) is an increased transient accuracy, which improves texture and contours. (Another side effect from the foam pads is slightly higher bass intensity because of the minimal isolation against reversed-phase sound from the rear of the membrane through the open baffle.) It can have an adverse effect though, in the form of a slight matt coloration perceived as veil by some. This is much less an issue with the smoother and more liquid HD 650 to my ears. It has to be said though that a great deal of the perceived clarity with «foamless» headphones originates from reflections inside the earcups contributing to a «wet» and brilliant characteristic.

If you ask yourself what my statements are based upon: I have experimented a lot with headphones by modifying and also built my own electrostatics (at least their housings -- see my signature); one of the main goals was to achieve a sound with less inner reflections, despite the angled drivers which was my second design idea, and thus higher transient accuracy than the stock Staxes, with the result of a warmer sound, and obviously I have succeded.

 

[seeberg]

Thanks for the info, sorry I can't comment more on it- it's alot of stuff to wrap my tired head around. But I wonder what variety of foam is used in those cans to give them that Sennheiser veil effect?

,
Abe