[Chris_Himself]

60W is too much... you'll be popping PCB traces and cooking chips in no time with one of those used the wrong way!
 
30W is good but just so you guys know I use a Hakko soldering station due to the high volume of ,,,*things* I need to build for people... slightly more expensive, but I can afford to use it since if I have a bad solder joint, someone is gonna have a bad day.
 
I've had success with a 15W as well.
 
Set the iron down on a flat surface after it's all heated up, hold wire in one hand, solder in the other. Wire goes on top of the iron that you set down and then lower the solder onto it.. start at the end and the stranded wire will draw the solder in sort of like a wick. And go until you have like at least 0.5cm of your wire tinned... now you're ready to solder it to something!
 
If you're doing serious electronics, don't be cheap and try to save a couple bucks on like 25ft of solder, you want to get the nice Rosin core stuff because it's cleaner for your iron right off the bat and is better for your electronics since the rosin is a flux meaning it'll clean and prep your soldering surface... think of it as solder primer built into your solder.
 
If you use rosin core, combined with a clean tip, you'll get a perfect joint every time regardless of technique actually, but yes it's good to establish good habits from the start.
 
Hakko is a VERY good brand known worldwide for their reliability, but mostly I just use it for the adjustable heat and well... it's a stand and I'm very accident prone when things ain't secured. Weller is another one... if you don't want to spend more than 20 bucks, Weller makes a very good one with interchangeable tips and Hakko does a SICK pencil one that is perfect for this hobby.
 
If you're soldering Grado stuff... maybe I shouldn't reveal... AH eff it I'm not here to make money... you want to be very quick about your soldering... I cannot reiterate how important this is mang, the solder pads are GLUED to the drivers and then hidden inside that large solder bead is an microscopically thin wire, thats the voice coil which more or less is coiled to form a working part of the driver.. if you overheat this, you're done lol. So what you need to do is heat the solder, and get your wire attached WITHOUT lifting these pads (since the glue started to liquefy under heat) or cooking that wire so be quick about it!
 
Basically as long as you know about how the Grados are built and you're aware of the pads as well as the voice coil wire, you'll get it right 100% of the time!
 

 

[Blue Boat]

Oh thanks for the tips.
 
I got a soldering iron because I want to heat up that solder joint and then use the pump to suck it off. I was planning to do it on another headphone as well, just for sh#ts and giggles. They both have microscopically thin wires (32 AWG on the Sennheiser, according to another head-fier). Youtube videos made it look real easy though. I used my 30W solder iron but the wire just won't heat up. It takes really long and when I apply the solder to the wire, it doesn't go from one end to another quickly. You ever experienced such a thing? It's kinda messy.  
 
It's fun though. 
 
Edit: Is it ok to melt the solder and stick the blob at the end of the iron tip on the wire? It'll still work right? 

 

[Chris_Himself]

Quote:

Oh thanks for the tips.
 
I got a soldering iron because I want to heat up that solder joint and then use the pump to suck it off. I was planning to do it on another headphone as well, just for sh#ts and giggles. They both have microscopically thin wires (32 AWG on the Sennheiser, according to another head-fier). Youtube videos made it look real easy though. I used my 30W solder iron but the wire just won't heat up. It takes really long and when I apply the solder to the wire, it doesn't go from one end to another quickly. You ever experienced such a thing? It's kinda messy.  
 
It's fun though. 
 
Edit: Is it ok to melt the solder and stick the blob at the end of the iron tip on the wire? It'll still work right? 

It works but it's kinda brittle if joint suffers a lot of movement like say... IEM cable plugs..
 
The reason is because since the solder isn't becoming "attracted" to the wire either because of there not being heat, or the surface has contaminants... you're basically just piling solder on a surface and then soldering to that pile... as an engineering student that kind of stuff irks me but it totally works don't worry I'm probably being super anal lol
 
Really though the wire should really just be the interfacing material between iron and solder... thats how I tin my tips. For chips and stuff you gotta be quick or you'll fry 'em haha.
 

 

[Blue Boat]

Quote:

It works but it's kinda brittle if joint suffers a lot of movement like say... IEM cable plugs..
 
The reason is because since the solder isn't becoming "attracted" to the wire either because of there not being heat, or the surface has contaminants... you're basically just piling solder on a surface and then soldering to that pile... as an engineering student that kind of stuff irks me but it totally works don't worry I'm probably being super anal lol
 
Really though the wire should really just be the interfacing material between iron and solder... thats how I tin my tips. For chips and stuff you gotta be quick or you'll fry 'em haha.
 

Aha!
 
It could be surface contaminants. I'm using really old wire I found in a drawer. The only reason I can think of the wire not "travelling" is because the wire isn't heated properly, like you said. Hm. As an engineering student, I find arc welding a lot easier than soldering... :y Anyways, I'm going to have to do more practice so I don't damage the PCB in my Senns, and when I'm confident enough I'll try to do some reterminating on my bro's SR60. 
 

 

[meltdown100]

A big +1 to what Chris said.
 
I hated soldering until a buddy give me a used Hakko 937 and that changed everything.  Not sure about wattage, what is too little vs. too much, I set my Hakko up to 700 degrees and that seems to work well.  I know that getting a Hakko might be overkill for somebody who is only going to use it once or twice to get something done, but having it makes me realize how awful those $15 solder guns are. 
 
I always use a flux pen (looks like a marker with a felt tip).  Putting a little bit of flux on the wire and solder pad you're about to attach preps the copper by chemically removing the outer layer of oxidation that forms.  Make sure your iron has a good tip, make sure it is hot, and tin it when not in use, which is basically putting a thin layer of solder onto it before turning it off.
 
When I solder a connection I get in, heat up the spot for a few seconds, get my solder into the spot where the iron tip touches the wire and pad, and get out - while taking care not to move my wire.  The flux should help pull the solder around the wire and pad so that you can do it fast - get in, get out.  
 
Use needle nose pliers or a cheap radio shack solder station with alligator clips (they're like $15 bucks) to hold the wire in place against the pad - you don't want anything moving.
 
Hope that helps. 

 

[sharkz]

Harbor Freight is your friend for soldering.....
 
http://www.harborfreight.com/helping-hands-319.html
 
I have 2 or 3 of these and use them all the time. Makes soldering things so much easier.

 

[dirkgently]

I've been thinking of doing a recable mod on my SR80i.
 
Ultimately, I want to have a single, detachable wire using an 1/8" jack system going into either the right or left cup, then running wires for the opposite side through the headband.  I want to use a 3-conductor braided silver wire for the main wire, and then silver wire for the connection from right to left (or vice-versa). 
 
Homegrown Audio has a 3-conductor 99.997% silver braid in 26 AWG for $15 per foot.  Would 26 AWG be sufficient size for this type of application?

 

[liamstrain]

Yes, 26 should be fine, provided you are not making a crazy long cable. 
 
I just did a single side entry mod (and balanced cable) on my 225's - great upgrade in usability getting rid of the Y split and garden hose. 

 

[Saintkeat]

26AWG is fine, but I'd rather go with a 24AWG. Use well made connectors too. Size and good components make great cables. Material less important.

 

[dirkgently]

Thanks for the feedback.  The only place I've been able to find connectors (without scouring too hard) is Radio Shack.  It seems that Google is easily confused when you only want a plug and a jack, not some variety of converter.  Do you have other recommendations for connectors?

 

[meltdown100]

Try looking here:
 
www.mouser.com
www.digikey.com
www.parts-express.com
 
They should have whatever you are looking for unless you are looking for more exotic stuff, Neutrik plugs/parts are very well made and not expensive.

 

[CABILLAS]

Mr, Meltdown100, your avatar is a real grado mod?, its beautiful picture. Escuseme if you tell it before.
 
Greetings from Spain.
 

 

[Saintkeat]

@ dirkgently, for 3.5mm plugs I would use Viablue T6 or Oyaide right angled Rhodium or Gold plated. I tried the VALab plugs, they sound nice but design is a little iffy. All of these plugs can be found easily by googling or ebay.
 
should you find those options too expensive or hard to find, pick up Switchcraft plugs. I'd still much rather use the above options over Switchcraft.

 

[meltdown100]

Quote:

Mr, Meltdown100, your avatar is a real grado mod?, its beautiful picture. Escuseme if you tell it before.
 
Greetings from Spain.
 

Thank you!  It is a functional prototype I'm still working on - so far I've been testing it with Magnum V4 drivers.  I also had questions about them over in the Magnum thread and I posted a bigger photo over there:  
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/576717/grado-modders-go-magnum/525#post_7964777
 

 

[CABILLAS]

The only way i found to close a Grado headphone is changing all the rest of the parts escept drivers. http://www.head-fi.org/t/557975/closed-grado-sr-225#post_7619975
 
Greetings auditions.