Temporarily closing open cans
May 29, 2011 at 2:58 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 14

ffdpmaggot

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Are there any devices that exist that I could use to temporarily close off my headphones? I like the open sound 90% of the time, but i'd love to be able to seal them off temporarily the other 10%.
 
May 29, 2011 at 3:47 PM Post #2 of 14
Just out of curiosity, what headphones are you using and how do they sound "sealed"?
 
I have the SR-225i's and when I close them I get a very bad, old AM radio sound, it's just really bad. I'm interested to see how other open headphones could sound better sealed, but I don't know much about open headphones. For what it's worth I seal them with my hands, but have used other means and got the same sound (tried it just to mess around and see the difference)
 
May 29, 2011 at 6:00 PM Post #3 of 14
I'm using 595s and they sound a bit harsher and colder with my hands on them. The soundstage seems to move inwards, things in general sound a bit off. The thing is, your hands are composed of a different material than the inside of closed cans (i suspect), and (at least for me) hands don't isolate very well. I'd like to see some specialized earmuffs that could go around a pair of open cans and isolate from the outside, at least a little bit. Sometimes the vacuum is just loud enough that it impedes my sound quality more than sealing my headphones.
 
May 29, 2011 at 8:37 PM Post #4 of 14
It's difficult to close off an open headphone. Closed headphones are specifically designed to handle the acoustics involved. For the most part you'll get poor results. I've read where people on Head-Fi have tried with varying success depending on the headphone and method. I doubt you'll get the same sound quality out of the Senn trying it and will probably degrade the sound to a point where you'll dislike it. I think a different headphone would be a better alternative. Maybe the Shure 440 would be a fairly inexpensive way to go for the times you need isolation?
 
May 29, 2011 at 9:02 PM Post #5 of 14

tongue.gif

 
May 29, 2011 at 10:21 PM Post #7 of 14
You may be surprised to discover that the transient sound you're trying to block out comes as much from the sides - because of the transparency of the cushions - as from the back.
 
May 30, 2011 at 2:15 AM Post #8 of 14
Hm. Perhaps it'd need to go around the earpads too. I'm thinking I could cut off the ankle of a sock, put the opening intially around my cans, recut the sock at the right size, and then coat with an appropriate amount of duct tape. I'll try it tommorow and post pics if it sounds okay and is anywhere near effective.
 
May 30, 2011 at 5:00 PM Post #9 of 14
If you want to close it up so you can't hear anything around you, your best bet is professional sound foam, highly absorbent material.  It will block transient noises while leaving the smallest footprint on the presentation.
 
May 30, 2011 at 5:16 PM Post #10 of 14
OP, one important thing: all mods are a trade off. If you want more bass, you get a treble roll-off.you close something, you lose the soundstage. If you add more detail, you lose some bass impact. You will never see a mod 100% approved, and most people mod something a lot only to come back and say "I like the original better". Of course something might get really much better, but there's always something you lose.
 
As for closing up cans, that comes with another problem: open headphones are meant to be open, closed are supposed to be closed. If you cover the grille from an open headphone, you will most likely screw the sound a lot. It's just that they're not meant to do that. I've never heard of a headphone versatile enough to sound equally fine closed and open, and it's pretty much impossible to do so while keeping the same sound signature. Would be funny to see, though.
 
May 30, 2011 at 5:24 PM Post #11 of 14
Oh I don't need quality, I just need a cheap 5 dollar mod for when the vacuum cleaner is on and i dont need high quality sound.
 
May 30, 2011 at 6:00 PM Post #12 of 14
So I'm beginning doing the sock mod, initial impressions, the sock manages to attenuate some sound without sacrificing too much quality (based on tests on the right ear). My socks are a bit large for this, ideally youll want ankle-cut socks, and youll want a "small" size i think.
 
May 30, 2011 at 6:45 PM Post #13 of 14
Socks are mostly wool and cotton, if I'm correct. They won't block much. If you try something up the fake-leathe pads you might be more impressed.
 
Or you can have some sound quality with a lot of isolation: IEMs!!!
 
May 30, 2011 at 7:00 PM Post #14 of 14
I already own a pair, i've been spoiled by the 595's comfort, jamming plastic earpieces into my ears no longer passes as "acceptable". I was hopinh maybe someone's seen a specialized grill cap that snaps into the grill? Ideallyit would be plastic with about half an inch of sound reducing foam on the inside, and a laminate of some sort on the outside. Then maybe a really tiny leatherette pad to line the inside of my earcups.
 

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