Quote:
wje:
You know how I was always a gigantic fan of those SR-225's you had back when CABILLAS started doing his thang? I might come into contact with them soon haha
Very nice. Keep me posted on that front ... I still think the SR-225 / 225i is the real "sweet spot" when it comes to a Grado driver for use with wooden cups. When one is able to produce a modified pair of Grados in the $300 - $350 range, it is some outstanding value.
I'm deeply considering the sale of my SR-225i woodies with the pecan-finished Cebil cups that Marty made for me. This decision that I'm pondering is based basically on the premise of the 2 pair of Magnum drivers that will be headed my way. Slowly, I pare down to 2 pair of headphones from the 3 or 4 Grados that I have available.
Paul, Thanks for providing the excellent assortment of real-world pictures and the steps of your progress. It really looks like things have really turned out quite nice - and, I'm pleased that you're enjoying the sound - with the changes that you've noticed since converting over to the wooden cups. I've always had a feeling, though, about the Alessandro MS-1i drivers because they have the higher frequencies slightly rolled off when compared to a Grado SR-60, 80 or 125 that the Grados might pair a bit better with wooden cups for those who really crave the detailed sound / highs that Grado is famous for.
Also, thanks for the outside pictures of the Iroko cups / finish. The only pictures that I had access to were the inside pics that Cabillas had provided on his blog. I don't know the exact statistics, but I suspect the Sapele cups might have outsold the Iroko by a two to one margin ... though, that's just a guess based on reading the posts here on what people were ordering. However, I've leared that with some slight tweaking to the stain color, the Iroko wooden cups have so much more beauty potential than one ever imagined. As I've noted in earlier posts, I've been working through a process of stripping down my Iroko cups, applying a different stain color and then my coats of polyurethane. It appears that my 3rd coat of poly has reached the point where I consider it to be nicely dry. This weekend, I'll install the screen and get some pictures taken. The stain color that I selected, really makes the Iroko "pop" -- especially when it comes to the tops or the "mushroom" outer side of the cups. I never thought Iroko would be capable of such alteration with different stain, but my results have proven out that Iroko is a wood that's very capable of classing up a pair of headphones.
Finally, I wish we had 20 or 30 more pair of cups. I know the demand and need is out there. However, this was basically a service that Cabillas did out of passion. Many times, he's indicated that it was never about money - because he didn't make much, if any, on the process. But, it did provide work for his carpenter, Jose, who is a true craftsman! I also think Jose has many other projects - crafting wine boxes for the fine wines of Spain, etc. - so, I think he has more than enough other work. Though, the question does pop into my mind every now and then about trying to reach out to him and see what options there are. I think he's read through the forums where he could see his work being put to use on many Grado modifications as Cabillas shared the thread with him.
...I should really update my audio chain and signature...This'll be fun :3!
