[Maverickmonk]

Alright, I ordered a neutrik right angle plug, 2 3.5mm mono jacks and 2 rean 3.5mm plugs, I'm liberating these babies from their leash!
 
Question, which wires are posititive, and which ones are ground? I would like to be sure to wire each side the same way, so that I can make switchable cables in the future. Also, traditionally, which side gets the red ring on it? I am planning on using red heatshrink on one side and don't want to confuse myself later.
 
Bill, have you given any thought to mahogany inner shells and aluminum outer shells? Like maybe a DIY PS1000?
 
How much farther can we push the envelope on these things? We've stripped down the headphones to their core component, replaced all the wires, made cups of the most exotic and tough tonewoods available, made headbands and more. What next?

 

[sml1226]

Alright, I ordered a neutrik right angle plug, 2 3.5mm mono jacks and 2 rean 3.5mm plugs, I'm liberating these babies from their leash!
 
Question, which wires are posititive, and which ones are ground? I would like to be sure to wire each side the same way, so that I can make switchable cables in the future. Also, traditionally, which side gets the red ring on it? I am planning on using red heatshrink on one side and don't want to confuse myself later.
 
Bill, have you given any thought to mahogany inner shells and aluminum outer shells? Like maybe a DIY PS1000?
 
How much farther can we push the envelope on these things? We've stripped down the headphones to their core component, replaced all the wires, made cups of the most exotic and tough tonewoods available, made headbands and more. What next?

If you have a multimeter, you can test it: the ones that go the the base of the TRS (or the S in TRS) are ground.

Another way, is the color that is shared by the two is the ground, and the other two colors are signal wires.

And the next step is make our own drivers... We need to be able to make VCs, frames, diaphragms, and we need a source of good magnets. But if we are going through all that effort, why not go orthodynamic and planar? There never is an end to this as far as I can see.

 

[Maverickmonk]

Oh, Duhhh. I need to engage my brain more before typing.
 
For future reference: Blue is ground, White is left, Red is Right

 

[Bilavideo]

 

Alright, I ordered a neutrik right angle plug, 2 3.5mm mono jacks and 2 rean 3.5mm plugs, I'm liberating these babies from their leash!
 
Question, which wires are posititive, and which ones are ground? I would like to be sure to wire each side the same way, so that I can make switchable cables in the future. Also, traditionally, which side gets the red ring on it? I am planning on using red heatshrink on one side and don't want to confuse myself later.
 
Bill, have you given any thought to mahogany inner shells and aluminum outer shells? Like maybe a DIY PS1000?
 
How much farther can we push the envelope on these things? We've stripped down the headphones to their core component, replaced all the wires, made cups of the most exotic and tough tonewoods available, made headbands and more. What next?

I went past mahogany and installed cocobolo.  The cocobolo in this photo is still raw and in need of lacquer but you can see how careful fitting lets it house the driver and still fit in the larger aluminum shell.  No shims or glues were used to hold the driver in.  It's making direct contact with the cocobolo, which is making direct contact with the aluminum.
 

 

 

[radio-head]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Wow very nice Bill.
When can I get an upgrade from you?
You never PM'd me back.

 

[Bilavideo]

Thanks, man. I wanted to explore that HF2 connection. It's weird because there are all these boundaries we're crossing. I wonder which one of us will end up impaled on a rock. Do the gods know we're pirating fire?

 

[Narynan]

Well well WELL!  Its finally done.  I got them today after the final touches, and not ONLY do they sound like the voice of angels, but they look like ... well I will let the pictures speak for themselves.
 

 
This the final product.

 
These are the bowls before we put the drivers in there.  They are not liberated.  They have been, "trimmed" of their plastic housing down to the lowest point I found safe.

 
Heres the same bowl before being finish and drilled for the mounting sides.  Also as you can tell, you trimmed about 3/8 of an inch off the overall length of the shell.  They were just TO big.
 
I held the drivers into the shell with just the thinnest application of TICKYTAK ever.  It worked PEFRECTLY

 
 
 
How did we mount it you might ask?  Well, a piece of PVC piping worked with the retro look we started going for.

 
And heres the final result, and dear lord, look at that... Hmmm.  I used to be such a good looking kid too...

 

[ssavage]

Nice but I personally think they look better w/o that pvc and screws

 

[BobSaysHi]

Quote:

Nice but I personally think they look better w/o that pvc and screws

the screws could be shortened, but those are awesome! Very good job.

 

[Narynan]

Great!  You're allowed your opinion.  Doesn't mean I have to agree.  I wanted something that didn't look like everyone elses.  They don't effect the sound at all.  And they don't look like all the other Crescent Moon hooks everyone else has.  I got that, and I am very very happy with them.  Maybe next time I will build something with-in "specifications" so they look just like stuck with a wood bowl.  But thats not what I wanted.
 
I am amazed at just how good these sound.  I am stunned by the booming bass hiding inside Static Age by Green Day.  Its been increased.  In the same way that adding a subwoofer does to a 5.1 setup.  It just seems like what I was using before was lacking an extra speaker.  It bangs its way into your head and is there the whole song. 
 
I can hear ... I dont know.  Something different in Sober by Tool.  I dont know what it is.  Maybe a layer of post production I have never heard before?  I don't know.  I feel like I want to grab the board for this song and go, "No, no, no!  you really DO want to have the guitar as the primary instrument in the prechrous.  
 
Oh yeah, and please let my face escape the demon bicycle that is Ten Speed by Coheed and Cambria.  The solo that starts up at 1:56 hold my full attention as if it was the only instrument all the way through to 2:22.  It has a clarity that isn't available even seeing them live.  Forgive me if I listen to this song for the rest of the night.

 

[Narynan]

Quote:

the screws could be shortened, but those are awesome! Very good job.

In the lines of the screws, I was looking for longer ones becasue I kinda wanted that 1930s microphone look to them.  They MIGHT get shortened.  Thats not going to be hard at all if I decide to do it.

 

[ssavage]

Quote:

In the lines of the screws, I was looking for longer ones becasue I kinda wanted that 1930s microphone look to them.  They MIGHT get shortened.  Thats not going to be hard at all if I decide to do it.

 
Oh I apologize I didn't know that it replaced the crescent cause I wasn't looking for that. 
It definitely looks better than the crescent 
 
Edit: Oh I was wondering if it was possibly that you could drill a hole in the bottom of the pvc to feed the wire through? Or would that require resoldering to the drivers?

 

[Bilavideo]

 

Great!  You're allowed your opinion.  Doesn't mean I have to agree.  I wanted something that didn't look like everyone elses.  They don't effect the sound at all.  And they don't look like all the other Crescent Moon hooks everyone else has.  I got that, and I am very very happy with them.  Maybe next time I will build something with-in "specifications" so they look just like stuck with a wood bowl.  But thats not what I wanted.
 
I am amazed at just how good these sound.  I am stunned by the booming bass hiding inside Static Age by Green Day.  Its been increased.  In the same way that adding a subwoofer does to a 5.1 setup.  It just seems like what I was using before was lacking an extra speaker.  It bangs its way into your head and is there the whole song. 
 
I can hear ... I dont know.  Something different in Sober by Tool.  I dont know what it is.  Maybe a layer of post production I have never heard before?  I don't know.  I feel like I want to grab the board for this song and go, "No, no, no!  you really DO want to have the guitar as the primary instrument in the prechrous.  
 
Oh yeah, and please let my face escape the demon bicycle that is Ten Speed by Coheed and Cambria.  The solo that starts up at 1:56 hold my full attention as if it was the only instrument all the way through to 2:22.  It has a clarity that isn't available even seeing them live.  Forgive me if I listen to this song for the rest of the night.

God bless you, Narynan, for your enthusiasm and creativity.  I believe you when you say that you've found bass like you never had it before, as well as a lot more soundstage.  Brother, I'm a believer.  Tell me two things:
 
1) What kind of wood did you use?  It looks somewhat like cocobolo.  Is it tiger wood or something else?
 
2) Where did you score the machine screws?  You've created a true gimbal - like the light mechanism you'd see on a yacht.
 
You did good, kid, very good.  You are yet one more example of the adventurous spirit of our Grado modders.  Everybody has a different sense of style.  We're not all going to want the same thing.  What's cool is that we no longer want or need permission to take ownership of our headphones.  I applaud your audacity.  Keep it up.

 

[h8uthemost]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Majestic /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
Yeah you can add padding in there. You will have to experiment on the thickness. The black leather I had was a little to thick so It would have compressed the batting too much. Like I said this is the foundation to what I will end up with. If I can get some lamb skin then I will gut the bottom off and try some padding.
 
Good luck as I know you can do this simple mod

 
Thanks for the confidence. I need that. Although I'm not that paranoid of just throwing a new headband on there as I am actually opening the cans and punching out three or four holes around the driver. I really want to do that, but a little scared.
 
Anyways, I wasn't able to get material today as the shop was closed, so I'll have to wait until Monday. I've decided that I'm definitely going to try some cushion first. If I think it's overkill then I'll remove it, as I really like the look of yours without the cushion.
 
The thing I'm debating on now is if I'm going to go with leather or lambskin. I looked at the bands at JMoney, and their all made of lambskin and look great. But I also have a 20 some year old catcher, outfield, and infield mitts. And I dig the aged leather look on all. So this is my toughest decision yet. 

 I'll see if I can get both materials on Monday and choose when I get home(or better yet, maybe I'll just make two bands, one of each).
 
I have another question now(for you or anyone else). Quarter-modding the comfies doesn't do anything to hinder the comfort of the pads, do they? As of right now the pads are extremely comfortable for me. I was expecting them to hurt as that is all that I read about from other people. But they hurt me none. So I want to do the quarter-mod(along with removing that white grill cloth right under the pads), but I don't want to mess with the comfort of the pads, as I'm not planning on spending money for new ones.
 
Thanks for any info, and I appreciate the help you've given me.

 

 

[Maverickmonk]

Quote:

What's cool is that we no longer want or need permission to take ownership of our headphones.  
 
 

Carpe Grado!
 
Seriously, I'm lovin those gimbals man. It makes me wanna try the same thing with a peice of almuminum pipe. Maybe over spring break. Incredible work though!