SR60-Mod part II

[sysfail]

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I don't like the idea of reusing the solder, but yeah I see that working just fine!
 
My preferred method is to heat the solder up, remove the wire, give it a little time to cool again, then used a solder wick to gather up that big solder blob and use new solder. I'm not sure if that even makes a difference but I just liked a clean presentation. I then just put hotglue over it to lock it down, but that stuff could be scraped off with a penknife if I ever needed it to be.
 
Solder wick is a braid of finely stranded copper you heat up, the copper is then used as a heating element with the solder tip behind it and the braid will soak up solder, it's used to desolder stuff. You probably want to cut a length of braid so the entire roll doesn't heat up and melt the plastic spool it's stored on lol.
 
Again a bunch of people who probably have never used a soldering iron did this project, I wouldn't be so worried about it... also all you have to do is remember the colors of the wire. Grados are like caveman easy to put together!
 
I've never gone over how to recable Grados with anybody else before so I'm not sure what the popular method is. I just do it as I was taught on youtube with other electronic projects and to be neat and quick about all your work.
 
Hope that helps!
 

Thanks! I really think I might give this a try. Better to go all the way than regret it later lol.
 

 

[wje]

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marty's cups look like they have some kind of steampunk element to it ... and cabillas looks minimalistic as far as i can see =)

Trust me, they both have their unique points.
 
 
 

 

[GravitySmacked]

Loving this thread! 
 
I'm a regular at various PC modding forums and as a noob here it's great to see the modding spirit alive and well with headphones too.

 

[chrislangley4253]

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Loving this thread! 
 
I'm a regular at various PC modding forums and as a noob here it's great to see the modding spirit alive and well with headphones too.

 
I've been doing some of that too Mostly just a bit of overclocking to my rig. Got my Sandy Bridge i5 Running at 4.1Ghz.. Not too big of a deal, but neat to me. 

 

[WhiteCrow]

Okay, I'm really curious. Can some one let me try a fully moded wooden grado against my RS-2 and see how they match up, or even go to 32 ohm and try it against its vanilla and upper ends?

 

[markkr]

I have both. The RS2 still has a slight edge in overall presentation, however I look to my woodied 225i's which are MUCH more fun.

 

[mlantinen]

 
 
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I believe to have developed an improved (and safe) method for liberating your Grado or Alessandro drivers.  This method of liberating them, allows you to keep the driver cups in tact for future use if needed.

 

Step # 1: Prepare your wooden base block (1) and your puck (2).  The base block (1) should be approximately 2" wide by 4" long - though variations in size should not have a major impact.  The "puck" (2) should be a circular cut-out - 1 3/4" in diameter.

 



 

 

Step # 2: Get out your trusty side cutter tool.  In my case, I have a newer one - a Kobalt model that appears to be made in China from Lowes home improvement.

 



 

 

Step # 3: With the driver separated from your headphones, flip it over (face down) so the back side of the driver is exposed.  There are approximately 8 tabs in the plastic (marked with the bright green arrows).  Using your side cutter tool, snip the plastic tabs so most of the material is removed and out of the way.

 



 

 

Step # 4: Using your pre-cut block (1) and "puck" (2), along with a clamp - you really don't need too special of a clamp.  Basically, any clamp will work - as long as it has enough clearance to fit over the wooden devices and the driver thickness.  The picture below indicates how one should set up the block, puck, driver and clamp.

 



 

 

Step # 5: Start turning the clamp handle (in a clockwise direction) using a very slow motion or stroke.  The driver will "press" out of the shell as you turn the clamp, which is forcing the driver downward.   Eventually,  your driver should be separated enough from the shell, where you can remove the clamp (by backing it out using counter-clockwise turns) and also removing the block and the puck.

 

I think this should be about the safest method for doing this task.  This is basically how a machine shop presses out bearings and ball joints from a vehicle.  However, machine shops utilize hydraulic equipment, instead of clamps to do the "heavy lifting" because auto parts are usually "welded" into place through years of rust and corrosion.  But, the Grado and Alessandro driver is barely held in place once the tabs are removed and the pressing process itself just separates the adhesives that Grado used to mate the driver with the driver shell.

 

Good luck. Enjoy !!

 
I just wanted to say that this really is a great idea.  Thanks for contributing Wayne.  
 
 
 
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Loving this thread! 

 

I'm a regular at various PC modding forums and as a noob here it's great to see the modding spirit alive and well with headphones too.

 

I've been doing some of that too Mostly just a bit of overclocking to my rig. Got my Sandy Bridge i5 Running at 4.1Ghz.. Not too big of a deal, but neat to me. 

 
Glad you like it!  I also started my forum action with Hardforum and Bit-tech as I used to be very much into computer hardware and overclocking/modding, etc.  I've still got my custom Coolermaster Cosmos case and high end hardware (circa 2006'ish) as well as much older home built computer from circa 2000.  Haven't touched my computer since I upgraded my hard driver to a Corsair 120 gig ssd.  Check out my gaming mice in my profile.  
 
Anywho.
-Marty
 

 

[wje]

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I just wanted to say that this really is a great idea.  Thanks for contributing Wayne.  
 

Marty,
 
Thanks.  I have to apply a few "revisions" to the process for liberating the driver that I've found to make the process I documented even easier.  I'll update my original post, meanwhile, here are the proposed changes.
 

• Instead of using the side cutter to "nip" the 8 plastic tabs on the inside of the circular housing on the bottom side of the driver, I've found that using a craft knife is actually more efficient at cutting those nubs off.  The side cutter works, but it doesn't quite remove the whole nub.  The craft knife is a better tool for this purpose.
• When using the "puck" with the clamp - and applying pressure as you turn the clamp handle, I've found that it works better if you don't position the clamp in the middle of the "puck".  Instead, place it on the edge of the "puck" and turn the clamp handle.  This will apply more pressure to one side of the driver, making it easier to break it away from the ring.  Once one side has been loosened a bit, then adjust your clamp and move it to the adjacent side of the "puck" and start to crank on it applying pressure to push the driver to freedom from the surrounding.

 
Hopefully, these two additional improvements to the process will make things a bit easier for all of you out there who are partaking in this process.

 

[sysfail]

I've decided to go all the way and partially liberate my drivers!

 

[chrislangley4253]

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I just wanted to say that this really is a great idea.  Thanks for contributing Wayne.  
 
 
 
 
Glad you like it!  I also started my forum action with Hardforum and Bit-tech as I used to be very much into computer hardware and overclocking/modding, etc.  I've still got my custom Coolermaster Cosmos case and high end hardware (circa 2006'ish) as well as much older home built computer from circa 2000.  Haven't touched my computer since I upgraded my hard driver to a Corsair 120 gig ssd.  Check out my gaming mice in my profile.  
 
Anywho.
-Marty
 

I have a Coolermaster HAF 992. Just ordered another 200mm red led fan.. It's pretty beasty looking with two of them. It's going to look sick with 3 red  200mm fans. I've been thinking about getting a SSD.. How much quicker is your boot time? What other differences do you notice? I was considering buying another 1tb drive and setting them up in raid 0 because soon i'm going to need the space, and it should make things about 30% quicker ideally. Not sure if it'll actually do much for me though. I just realized I have the same logitech gaming mouse the.. G500, definitely about to send you a pm about modding it  
 

 
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I've decided to go all the way and partially liberate my drivers!

right on. We told you to do it in the first place
 

 

[sysfail]

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right on. We told you to do it in the first place
 

Haha I know, but I didn't trust myself doing it. Then I decided to look up instructions on how to do a partial liberation and it doesn't even look that bad! I'm just worried about the soldering, but Martin said he could probably make full sized cups that won't require any soldering. Awesome!

 

[Saintkeat]

Kudos wayne! thats a fantastic method if I had a clamp! Particularly liked how you called it a wooden puck!
 
Wayne's Puck Liberato!

 

[chrislangley4253]

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Haha I know, but I didn't trust myself doing it. Then I decided to look up instructions on how to do a partial liberation and it doesn't even look that bad! I'm just worried about the soldering, but Martin said he could probably make full sized cups that won't require any soldering. Awesome!

hmm. I can't think of a way.. Unless he does some magic.. Or cuts a slot, a slot could be a viable option.

 

[Chris_Himself]

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Haha I know, but I didn't trust myself doing it. Then I decided to look up instructions on how to do a partial liberation and it doesn't even look that bad! I'm just worried about the soldering, but Martin said he could probably make full sized cups that won't require any soldering. Awesome!

I think there have only been a couple incidents that I know of where anybody has really killed a driver from poor soldering... considering how many people mod Grados at this point and the success of the previous thread, I think statistically you're going to do just fine! Not just that but you're probably be going into it with a head full of useful information!
 
Also yeah I think he's going to cut you a slot just like in the plastic bodied Grados
 

 

[sysfail]

I don't have any soldering tools so I'd have to go out and buy some lol. Will cutting a slot into a full sized cup for the cable make any difference? It's not bad is it?