[CJG888]

I made my self a faceplate removal tool and opened them up. As well as swapping over the faceplates, I removed two Hessian rings, clearly attempts by the previous owner to damp the cups. Without them, these cans sound even more open.

I can’t, however, understand how anyone could call them bass-light...

 

[You Kay]

I made my self a faceplate removal tool and opened them up. As well as swapping over the faceplates, I removed two Hessian rings, clearly attempts by the previous owner to damp the cups. Without them, these cans sound even more open.

I can’t, however, understand how anyone could call them bass-light...

I guess people are running them from poor amplification and a low quality source. I think these have got to be some of the best sounding headphones on the market. Other headphones sound veiled in comparison. I enjoy the low end very much as it is so defined. But I will say that the dt48 need a powerful amp to bring out the very low impact they have to offer.

 

[FreiZeitGeipel]

I might be wrong, but these do not look like DT48 to me at all. The headband construction, the earpads, the one-sided cable, the shape of the driver all look very different from the DT48, even for a 1950s model.

 

[CJG888]

You don’t think it’s one of these with the old style pads?

The single-sided cable could be a modification.

 

[CJG888]

If they’re not DT48s, I’d like to know what they are (and add them to the collection...).

 

[FreiZeitGeipel]

I´m not sure but I don´t think they are. I could imagine the headband in the photo above originally belonged to a different headphone. If you see the Post #4,239 by desertsnake, he has these two old DT48 which were very close in production date, and one has the well known old style headband and the other one has this weirdly different headband. I just don´t think they switched to this funky construction and then went back to the simpler looking version. Also, the old style earpads never had this two-tone color style you see in the old picture. The 1950s models pretty much all had the round grey rubber pads, later models had oval black faux leather. Yes, it could all be heavily modded but I have my doubts.

 

[kman1211]

I guess people are running them from poor amplification and a low quality source. I think these have got to be some of the best sounding headphones on the market. Other headphones sound veiled in comparison. I enjoy the low end very much as it is so defined. But I will say that the dt48 need a powerful amp to bring out the very low impact they have to offer.

Could also be seal issues, the bass is very seal-dependent. I don't have the DT 48, but I have the DT 480 which has the same drivers and it's extremely sensitive in terms of seal. But they improve massively on powerful and clean systems. They are capable of outputting the best bass I've heard on a headphone and they make basically everything sound veiled and lacking dynamics and real body in comparison no matter the cost. The imaging and the detail on these is just a different level.

 

[CJG888]

I´m not sure but I don´t think they are. I could imagine the headband in the photo above originally belonged to a different headphone. If you see the Post #4,239 by desertsnake, he has these two old DT48 which were very close in production date, and one has the well known old style headband and the other one has this weirdly different headband. I just don´t think they switched to this funky construction and then went back to the simpler looking version. Also, the old style earpads never had this two-tone color style you see in the old picture. The 1950s models pretty much all had the round grey rubber pads, later models had oval black faux leather. Yes, it could all be heavily modded but I have my doubts.

What could they be? They’re not Koss SP/3s...

 

[You Kay]

Could also be seal issues, the bass is very seal-dependent. I don't have the DT 48, but I have the DT 480 which has the same drivers and it's extremely sensitive in terms of seal. But they improve massively on powerful and clean systems. They are capable of outputting the best bass I've heard on a headphone and they make basically everything sound veiled and lacking dynamics and real body in comparison no matter the cost. The imaging and the detail on these is just a different level.

I couldn’t agree more. I vividly remeber my time with the Audeze LCD4. Upon reflection it’s nowhere near as quick or as revealing as the dt48. A dark and warm tilt overall. The final audio d8000 was my favourite headphone prior to the dt48. In some areas I can still see somebody enjoying the final. But for me, the cleanliness of the low end and glorious midrange of the dt48 takes it.

 

[CJG888]

I´m not sure but I don´t think they are. I could imagine the headband in the photo above originally belonged to a different headphone. If you see the Post #4,239 by desertsnake, he has these two old DT48 which were very close in production date, and one has the well known old style headband and the other one has this weirdly different headband. I just don´t think they switched to this funky construction and then went back to the simpler looking version. Also, the old style earpads never had this two-tone color style you see in the old picture. The 1950s models pretty much all had the round grey rubber pads, later models had oval black faux leather. Yes, it could all be heavily modded but I have my doubts.

Of course, RVG did have a reputation for:
- Being extremely secretive about his gear
- Modifying his gear heavily
- Even building his own gear, when he couldn’t find anything suitable!

 

[FreiZeitGeipel]

What could they be? They’re not Koss SP/3s...

I have no idea. Never saw this type of headband structure, but I´m sure someone else on this forum can clarify.

 

[CJG888]

It looks like something US military surplus...

But then RVG tended to put his own gear together.

 

[CJG888]

Here are my recently-restored DT48As:

 

[You Kay]

Can people chime in with the amps and DACs they are using with their DT48. I’m wondering how tube amps will fare on these cans. Transformer and OTL.

 

[CJG888]

At the moment: Audio-gd SA-31. I have ordered a WBA Tzar OTL amp which should (hopefully) ship in February...