[Posam]

I realized that while putting mine back together i had put them to far in and had to pull the headphones partially apart again and I just now figured out the right cable got damaged and it cuts out if i move it the wrong way (sounds normal so far as I can tell though). A recable seems to be in my future now...

 

[Chris_Himself]

Quote:

I realized that while putting mine back together i had put them to far in and had to pull the headphones partially apart again and I just now figured out the right cable got damaged and it cuts out if i move it the wrong way (sounds normal so far as I can tell though). A recable seems to be in my future now...

Clip the wire ends and try again, theres no reason to throw away a perfectly good cable. For instance a Grado cable on a pair of Denon D2000's turned out to be a great improvement sonically to me, I derno what kind of black magic they use at Grado, but it works.

 

[dorino]

I think I'm going to splurge and purchase wood cups and a recable from Ohrenholz. Will post when it's all done, assuming I go through with this. It seems odd to spend more modding a headphone than you did on the headphone.
 
But I want to.

 

[wje]

Quote:

I think I'm going to splurge and purchase wood cups and a recable from Ohrenholz. Will post when it's all done, assuming I go through with this. It seems odd to spend more modding a headphone than you did on the headphone.
 
But I want to.

Yes, it may.  But, this situation shouldn't be compared to someone buying a 1990s Chevrolet Caprice for $1,200 and putting $2,000 24" rims on the car.  

 
If your cost of modifications to your headphones ends up costing you 150% of the cost of the headphones alone, the "pleasure" return alone based on the better sound quality will at least be in the 300% range for you.  Granted, the cost of modifications can't always be recovered when selling the headphones, so you really have to look at the investment as something that you'll enjoy.  With the DIY approach, spending $300 for a Sony Headband, Magnum drivers, some good quad cable and a Neutrik connector as well as ear pads is relatively cheap and the sound is most excellent.   You'll be hard pressed to head into a store and drop $300 on a retail set of headphones that will trump your custom 'phones.
 
 
 

 

[Posam]

Quote:

Clip the wire ends and try again, theres no reason to throw away a perfectly good cable. For instance a Grado cable on a pair of Denon D2000's turned out to be a great improvement sonically to me, I derno what kind of black magic they use at Grado, but it works.

How do I reattach the wire ( I assume I just cut out the broken bit)? Soldering? 
I was considering getting them woodied some time (partially), should I have them recabled then instead as opposed to recabling myself since I don't have any tools for that.

 

[Chris_Himself]

Quote:

How do I reattach the wire ( I assume I just cut out the broken bit)? Soldering? 
I was considering getting them woodied some time (partially), should I have them recabled then instead as opposed to recabling myself since I don't have any tools for that.

Don't bother desoldering if you feel really noob... just clip and peel back more of the sleeving on the wire and just reattach it to the existing solder. Grado leaves a real big pool of it for you to use. Make sure you don't lift the solder pads or cook the voice coil wire. The solder pad looks liek two diamonds connected together, the smaller diamond on the solder pad houses the voice coil wire which is wound around the driver.
 
I don't see a need to recable Grados unless you're chasing some sort of sonic difference or if you have an issue aesthetically or tactically with the cable. If you can work with the 6' existing cable, there isn't really a reason to use another one and you can put that money into nicer wood or something for your Grados. But just worry about getting it in working order first before you discuss any upgrades... doesn't matter if you have an SR-60 or an RS-1 if the channel cuts out every time you move your head!
 
Dude if you want to PM me for help feel free to.
 
 

 

[eclein]

I did my modifications about a year ago to some 125's a buddy had and hated so he gave them to me, way back we used to giveaway any extra stuff we had and didn't need so a bunch of us got the little stuff for free and Big Bill had a friend who made leather headbands for us and my mods still sound good today and I'll never sell them because the stories behind all the changes are incredible:

 
the shells are made from Limba wood, leather headband, and household screen. I did a bunch of experimenting with different materials right behind the screen on the cups- thin foam was the best. Tightened up the bass while still allowing the air flow for the high end bits. I use these as much as my HE-5LE's...different type sound, both sound great to me.......total cost was like $70 to mod these freebies!!!!
 

 

[dorino]

Quote:

I did my modifications about a year ago to some 125's a buddy had and hated so he gave them to me, way back we used to giveaway any extra stuff we had and didn't need so a bunch of us got the little stuff for free and Big Bill had a friend who made leather headbands for us and my mods still sound good today and I'll never sell them because the stories behind all the changes are incredible:

 
the shells are made from Limba wood, leather headband, and household screen. I did a bunch of experimenting with different materials right behind the screen on the cups- thin foam was the best. Tightened up the bass while still allowing the air flow for the high end bits. I use these as much as my HE-5LE's...different type sound, both sound great to me.......total cost was like $70 to mod these freebies!!!!
 

That first sentence is tremendously long. Beautiful headband, though.

 

[eclein]

I know, run on sentences. I do it a lot,especially when typing fast to get the idea out. I'm 53 and set in my screwed up ways but Thank you for that I'll work on it. Ed

 

[sharkz]

Ed, good to see you back around here. Hope things are going well for you!

 

[wje]

Those headbands that BigBill had made are quite special.  Only a few of them were made, as I recall.  However, BigBill hasn't been around these parts in quite a long time.  I hope all is well.  I'm sure he's probably spending his free time enjoying the fruits of his labors with his updated headphones.  However, as most of us have learned, a lot changes here in just a few months.  We're currently on a very fast time track with regards to the upgrade front at the moment.  I suspect, things might slow down a bit after more people move to the Magnum v.4 drivers and become quite content.

 

[Posam]

If I were to cut my the strap on my bass guitar and glue two pieces together it would look very similar to that headband but then I doubt I would be able to attach it to anything let alone get both halves even.

 

[t-crisis]

Quote:

If I were to cut my the strap on my bass guitar and glue two pieces together it would look very similar to that headband but then I doubt I would be able to attach it to anything let alone get both halves even.

It's actually not too hard if you have the right stuff. I just made my own headband and used lambskin which is much easier to use than thicker leathers. All you need to do is just take of the existing grado headband and make a stencil/paper cutout which you can use to trace onto the leather. then you cut it out and sew the two pieces together with some cardboard or the stock Grado pleather headband to keep the shape and some padding, if you want. Took me maybe an hour and the first one I made was actually pretty nice. 
 
You probably could have figured this out on your own but I figured I would try to help you out if you end up making your own headband.

 

[dgcrane]

Yes your right about the headband... I was lucky enough to chat quite a bit with Bill and purchase one of the three headbands that he had created. It was very very well made and comfy like an old baseball glove.
 


 
Darren
 
 
Quote:

Those headbands that BigBill had made are quite special.  Only a few of them were made, as I recall.  However, BigBill hasn't been around these parts in quite a long time.  I hope all is well.  I'm sure he's probably spending his free time enjoying the fruits of his labors with his updated headphones.  However, as most of us have learned, a lot changes here in just a few months.  We're currently on a very fast time track with regards to the upgrade front at the moment.  I suspect, things might slow down a bit after more people move to the Magnum v.4 drivers and become quite content.

 

 

[wje]

Darren,
 
That's a sweet band.  I need to fire up my leather machine again and practice sewing on something a bit thicker than lambskin.  The machine is supposed to be capable of sewing through 1/2" of leather.  While it doesn't appear to have really any padding, there is still a very classy look to it.  Plus, anything has got to be more comfortable than those vinyl sleeves that Grado is currently supplying is headbands.