[Bilavideo]

 

I finally think that wood is better.
I threw away the aluminum full body weight and bright sound, although it looks beautiful, wood brings warmth and is very light.
 
Thanks again for your coments from the south of Spain to all.

 
Cabillas, le aplaudo por su integridad.  No solo hacia un bellisimo producto pero, al momento cuando todos nosotros estabamos zelosos for su destreza and maestria, usted indico que las resultas no eran de la calidad que buscaba.  Muchos alardearian, especialmente en la luz de nuestra fascinacion y admiracion.  Hay pocos en HeadFi quienes admitirian publicamente que el experimento no resultaba como se anticipaba.  Usted tiene integridad.  No abandone cuando esta tan cerca a la meta.
 
I agree with Cabillas that aluminum, by itself, may be beautiful but is problematic.  Grado's most sought-after headphones are the PS1 and the HP1000, two aluminum headphones.  What they fetch in the used market - $3,000 and $2,000 respectively - has created a chicken-and-egg paradox.  Are they sought after because they're so great or are they presumed great because they're so sought after?  Aluminum brings out details that are wonderful.  Listening to it reminded me of the HD800 in speed (decay rate) and soundstage.  But, and this is a big hairy but, a little aluminum goes a long, long way.  This may be the reason Grado put a plastic ring smack dab into the middle of the SR325.  He may have been trying to deal with an HF overdose.  In fact, the SR325 has inspired a great divide between lovers and haters.  At the very least, people looking to go "full aluminum" should keep in mind that Grado paired these with flats, and probably for good reason.  My best experience with the "full aluminum" rings was with the bigger, thicker, ones and with pads pressed up against them rather than mounted on first-shell driver platform.  Doing so kept the HF in check.
 
In this way, John Grado's greatest achievement may have been not only to move to wood (with the RS1) but to have come back to aluminum with a trick old Joe never tried.  The HF2 and the PS1000 use a hybrid design to get the best of both worlds.  And while that may sound like sonic mud, it isn't.  Having tried the aluminum, I have to say that there's dazzle in the metal that I don't want to give up.  But having heard what happens when you go "all in" with aluminum, I'm inclined to agree that aluminum alone is not the answer.  It's wonderful fast and brings out excellent soundstage artifacts but you can have too much of a good thing.  Tonewood - whether it's mahogany, rosewood, cocobolo, et cetera - brings out a dark texture that provides exquisite bass.  By itself, the wood may leave you feeling that some of the top end is muted, which is one reason Grado has pushed the jumbo pads.  But if you pair the wood and the aluminum you get both and you don't need flats or jumbos.
 
I savor what Cabillas will turn in for a hybrid design.  His workmanship is impeccable and even if he gives the credit to professionals, somebody had to tell them what to create.  His design is an inspiration and a reminder that this thread is good for the soul.
 

 

[CABILLAS]

I´m thinking about buy a 325 and change plastic for caoba pieces, i thik is the perfect upgrade for this model. The opinion about his sound made me think about this. And may be they need a totaly wood body. I dont know.

 

[alphones]

Looks really good Al. I like the part where you enlisted the Wife. Good one. Nothing better  than including the misses so when we are tirelessly modding our cans they can understand our obsession. Otherwise they may want to share our precious modding time with them.....

Quote:
 
Tell us, how does the padding feel ?  

Hi Majestic,

I think the padding is excellent. Although it is not really necessary for the lighter woodies my all aluminum cans really benefit the soft cushion and stabilizes my frankenstein bolts. I also read that you have caught on to my master plan of "quality time" with the wife. Thanks for the comments.

Thanks for the kind comments kees.

Really nice job for those that have continued modding (especially those brave souls and aluminum). Simply beautiful!

 

[Bilavideo]

BILAVIDEO TV
 
Guys, I know we're probably way past this but I thought I'd share the links to a couple of YouTube videos where I partially liberated two drivers in the "safest" possible way - with a knife and a mallet.  The first video is pretty short.  It just explains the technique as I start with the first driver.  The second video is a bit longer but it shows the complete process as used with the second driver.  As this is completely safe (for the headphone), I recommend to anyone who would like to get rid of the plastic ring without posing any danger at all to their driver.
 
To those of you who ruined a driver while jumping off Liberation Cliff with me, you should have known what you were getting into.  This is why I still haven't been tapped to run a major country, though my application for dictator of a small Caribbean island is still under consideration.
 
To San Lorenzo!
 
Video One - The Introduction
Video Two - Watch Me Tear This Cup Apart

 

[alphones]

 
 
Cabillas, le aplaudo por su integridad.  No solo hacia un bellisimo producto pero, al momento cuando todos nosotros estabamos zelosos for su destreza and maestria, usted indico que las resultas no eran de la calidad que buscaba.  Muchos alardearian, especialmente en la luz de nuestra fascinacion y admiracion.  Hay pocos en HeadFi quienes admitirian publicamente que el experimento no resultaba como se anticipaba.  Usted tiene integridad.  No abandone cuando esta tan cerca a la meta.
 
I agree with Cabillas that aluminum, by itself, may be beautiful but is problematic.  Grado's most sought-after headphones are the PS1 and the HP1000, two aluminum headphones.  What they fetch in the used market - $3,000 and $2,000 respectively - has created a chicken-and-egg paradox.  Are they sought after because they're so great or are they presumed great because they're so sought after?  Aluminum brings out details that are wonderful.  Listening to it reminded me of the HD800 in speed (decay rate) and soundstage.  But, and this is a big hairy but, a little aluminum goes a long, long way.  This may be the reason Grado put a plastic ring smack dab into the middle of the SR325.  He may have been trying to deal with an HF overdose.  In fact, the SR325 has inspired a great divide between lovers and haters.  At the very least, people looking to go "full aluminum" should keep in mind that Grado paired these with flats, and probably for good reason.  My best experience with the "full aluminum" rings was with the bigger, thicker, ones and with pads pressed up against them rather than mounted on first-shell driver platform.  Doing s kept the HF in check.
 
In this way, John Grado's greatest achievement may have been not only to move to wood (with the RS1) but to have come back to aluminum with a trick old Joe never tried.  The HF2 and the PS1000 use a hybrid design to get the best of both worlds.  And while that may sound like sonic mud, it isn't.  Having tried the aluminum, I have to say that there's dazzle in the metal that I don't want to give up.  But having heard what happens when you go "all in" with aluminum, I'm inclined to agree that aluminum alone is not the answer.  It's wonderful fast and brings out excellent soundstage artifacts but you can have too much of a good thing.  Tonewood - whether it's mahogany, rosewood, cocobolo, et cetera - brings out a dark texture that provides exquisite bass.  By itself, the wood may leave you feeling that some of the top end is muted, which is one reason Grado has pushed the jumbo pads.  But if you pair the wood and the aluminum you get both and you don't need flats or jumbos.
 
I savor what Cabillas will turn in for a hybrid design.  His workmanship is impeccable and even if he gives the credit to professionals, somebody had to tell them what to create.  His design is an inspiration and a reminder that this thread is good for the soul.
 

Hi Bill,

One thing we may also consider is each headphone material and it's synergy with amplification. I found my all aluminum headphones to be quite spectacular with tube amplification. Just food for thought.

Life is good when we are faced with these types of experiments.

 

[Bilavideo]

Hi Bill,

One thing we may also consider is each headphone material and it's synergy with amplification. I found my all aluminum headphones to be quite spectacular with tube amplification. Just food for thought.

Life is good when we are faced with these types of experiments.

You're absolutely right.  In my experience, most of those who have complained about the SR325 have never amped it, even though they'd amp an HD800 or a T1, and almost none of them have ever bothered to try them with flats, even though flats were the pads on the PS1 and the HP1000.  When I vented my SR325 and damped the magnet plate, I found them to be eargasmic.

 

[kite7]

Quote:

Originally Posted by CABILLAS /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
https://picasaweb.google.com/franciscocabillasmartinez/ModdingsGradoHeadphonesAuriculares?authkey=Gv1sRgCIT8hOf3iLWU5AE#5503806894358479618

I think at this point , many people may start to wonder how they can buy the cups because they look amazing,

 

[etteoh]

Quote:

You're absolutely right.  In my experience, most of those who have complained about the SR325 have never amped it, even though they'd amp an HD800 or a T1, and almost none of them have ever bothered to try them with flats, even though flats were the pads on the PS1 and the HP1000.  When I vented my SR325 and damped the magnet plate, I found them to be eargasmic.

Make no mistake, the SR325 is a very good pair of cans. At least once you get to doing the mods. Before cocobolos, I had the inner plastic ring removed from both shells in addition to the other mods (4 hole vent, removal of grill cloth, dampening of magnet and the plastic sides around the driver). When properly amped, the SR325 like Bill said is eargasmic. The only thing I felt it lacked was the deeper bass and organic texture of the cocobolo shells. That is not to say they did not have bass...they did and a lot, just that they did not go as deep as I would have liked. That aside, the aluminium shells affects reverbs to a certain degree although the effects are not very prominent. I only noticed the difference after going from the RS-1 to the SR325is. And again when going to cocobolos. I was however surprised that the modded SR325 works nicely with jumbos. Don't try them with stock though...
 

 

[hi-fiber]

sorry to bother the heated discussion here.
 
can someone at least point me to a good diagram of a grado woody? i wanna try and get the RS1 feel of wood =)
 

 

[Aynjell]

Quote:

I think at this point , many people may start to wonder how they can buy the cups because they look amazing,

I agree.

 

[andrewjamesdean]

definitely - total bonerjamz
 
Quote:

I agree.

 

[kitesrfun1]

i'm sorry if you mentioned this all ready in your thread, but where did you get your ear pads. do you think they'll fit on sr-80s? 

 

[Bilavideo]

 

sorry to bother the heated discussion here.
 
can someone at least point me to a good diagram of a grado woody? i wanna try and get the RS1 feel of wood =)
 

 
Are you trying to make your own or are you looking for something pre-made?  There are commercial vendors, like Headphile and JMoney.  A number of headfiers make them on the side.  If you scroll through the pages of this thread, you're bound to find some cans you like.  If you contact the Headfier who posted them, they'll either share their formula or show you how to get what they have.  As someone who makes his own designs, I have to say how impressed I've been at the display of talent I've seen here.  I've run out of fingers and toes counting the number of posters to this forum who have blown my hair back with stuff they seem to have magically pulled out of their garage or work area.  That next person could be you.
 

 

[sml1226]

i'm sorry if you mentioned this all ready in your thread, but where did you get your ear pads. do you think they'll fit on sr-80s? 

Which pads? All Grados have the same mounting for pads though so ignore the specific model and focus solely on whether they fit Grados.

 

[hi-fiber]

no, i think i wont be buying premade ones... i live in the far reaches of the galaxy.
 
i bought some short lengths of lumber from the local woodworker, some mahogany and other indigenous woods.
 
ill hire somebody with sculpting skills to do the works.