[nick n]

what about trying some other pads :
http://www.head-fi.org/t/111193/orthodynamic-roundup/20220#post_8553903

 

[takato14]

Can't view that thread, nick. (I'm perma'd from it) Would you mind quoting the post instead? Though, I have tried pad swaps with the (numerous) pads I have on hand -- idk, they all seemed to somehow ruin what makes these sound so special.

 

[Synthax]

Mine version of drivers mounted in 'beyerdynamic style housing' make them very very comfortable for long periods. 
The drivers are more distance from ear then in original SS100 housing but I have no possibility to compare. What i can tell now, after last mods - my headphones sound excellent. And I cannot find nothing I want to buy instead of them in 1200$ range.
 

 

[takato14]

  Mine version of drivers mounted in 'beyerdynamic style housing' make them very very comfortable for long periods. 
The drivers are more distance from ear then in original SS100 housing but I have no possibility to compare. What i can tell now, after last mods - my headphones sound excellent. And I cannot find nothing I want to buy instead of them in 1200$ range.
 

Huh. Looks like those aren't dampened at all. Am I correct? I'd imagine these drivers would sound quite nice in an implementation like that. Probably less low bass than stock though. 

 

[Synthax]

  Huh. Looks like those aren't dampened at all. Am I correct? I'd imagine these drivers would sound quite nice in an implementation like that. Probably less low bass than stock though. 

Dear takato14,
Actually there is no dampening at all. I have been testing many versions of dampening (rear, front, various densities...) Trial and error way.
 
It is important to pose a question - what the dampening is for?
In some instances it is to tame to bright treble, some peaks, some boomy bass and so on. Sometimes it also work as a filter (acoustic). And if it is a filter it hide some details of sound. Some orto drivers got some peak, some nasty nosal expo on frequencies, some hos too harsh treble, or to muffled. In case of SS100 previously I was not happy with some resonanses with piano sounds. It was annoying at higher levels. I was working with 'bass lens', with some foam layers to tame higher freqs. But one day I did discover that the key role is the distance of the driver from the ear. Actually it is about 19mm (driver seruface to pad edge). And absolutely no dampening. Even thin black paper glued to the driver is unmounted in my headphones (the only disadventage is that driver is not protected from dust - but in my case it is not a big problem as I use them in flat, rather clean). But as an adventage the sound is indeed very open. Very well extended. The bass is very well present. The driver is good isolated so there is only very little cancellation of rear not in phase bass sound, any hills and lows in frequency spectrum. But the midrange is the clue of this headphones, no doubt. What I really will little minor issue is the bass - which is not that tectonic earthquake like in Audeze...
Sound is very present, very clean, i do not hear any nasty peaks, and what i really like is the lifelike presentation of sound. The idea of zero dampening idea was inspired with Stax models - watch them - nearly no layers that cover drivers. They could work freely both sides...
 
Maybe I'm wrong. But for know these sound great. And are comfortable indeed. But not that incredible beauty like original SS100

 

[nick n]

^ even stretching a thin layer of nylon over the inside rears would help with some possible dust and probably still
remain acoustically transparent.
 
QUOTE from past link
 
 
I just got some Shure 550 pads today .
I have to say they are really nice, they worked out to ~$10 Canadian a pair plus the usual taxes etc. Got them from Headphoneshop here in Canadaland. ( Avshop.ca  I think also carries them )
 
Now the important parts.
They feel very soft, very close to the stock T50Rp pads, both in squeezability and surfaces ( don't squeeze the Charmin ! Did I just date myself there or what )
MEASUREMENTS
Width across = 90mm /    3 1/2 in
Height = 14-15mm /      1/2 in
and maybe the most important part, and hardest to find is the smaller round center opening 33mm /  1 5/8 in ( I think this is crucial anyhow )
Here's the glamour shots.

 

[Uberclocked]

EDIT:
Ugh, for some reason I was viewing an outdated version of the thread.

 

[Synthax]

Dear SS100 / T50 fans,
Anybody got a photo of how the drivers are mounted in original headphones? Im interested in particulary the place where the exterior edge of diaphragm contact/or not the housing

 

[takato14]

Dear SS100 / T50 fans,
Anybody got a photo of how the drivers are mounted in original headphones? Im interested in particulary the place where the exterior edge of diaphragm contact/or not the housing

The SS-100 has a lip on the front of the driver that pressure mounts into the baffle plate. I believe there's a foam spacer.

The T50's is simply held onto the baffle plate with screws. I don't remember for sure but I think there was also a foam spacer present. The T50's design is much simpler.

Can't really a do a photo as I have literally no idea how to disassemble the SS-100, and I sold my RP18 ages ago.

 

[Joeybgood]

There are a pair available on Ebay at this very moment for anyone interested!!
 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Very-Rare-SANSUI-SS-100-Omni-Dynamic-Stereo-Headphones/311302863698?_trksid=p2047675.c100009.m1982&_trkparms=aid%3D777000%26algo%3DABA.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D27705%26meid%3D572f2a4b5ef54dd980a8a08cf872b546%26pid%3D100009%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D1%26sd%3D181685956953

 

[MDR30]

There are a pair available on Ebay at this very moment for anyone interested!!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Very-Rare-SANSUI-SS-100-Omni-Dynamic-Stereo-Headphones/311302863698?_trksid=p2047675.c100009.m1982&_trkparms=aid%3D777000%26algo%3DABA.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D27705%26meid%3D572f2a4b5ef54dd980a8a08cf872b546%26pid%3D100009%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D1%26sd%3D181685956953

Be aware. An easily modded Yamaha HP50, available for 10-25 bucks if your lucky, outperforms this collectors' item in several instances. The Sansui is beautiful and rare, and appeals to buyers with those preferences, but flaws are included.

 

[IceClass]

Be aware. An easily modded Yamaha HP50, available for 10-25 bucks if your lucky, outperforms this collectors' item in several instances. 

 
 
Erm, No. Not a chance.

 

[takato14]

There are a pair available on Ebay at this very moment for anyone interested!!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Very-Rare-SANSUI-SS-100-Omni-Dynamic-Stereo-Headphones/311302863698?_trksid=p2047675.c100009.m1982&_trkparms=aid%3D777000%26algo%3DABA.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D27705%26meid%3D572f2a4b5ef54dd980a8a08cf872b546%26pid%3D100009%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D1%26sd%3D181685956953

Be aware. An easily modded Yamaha HP50, available for 10-25 bucks if your lucky, outperforms this collectors' item in several instances. The Sansui is beautiful and rare, and appeals to buyers with those preferences, but flaws are included.

The HP50 almost never shows up, and when it does its well over 10x the amount you listed. Additionally, I've had a headphone that uses the same drivers as the HP50, the YHD-1, and it was not very good at all. Extremely dark and nowhere near the SS-100 in clarity and resolution or speed. The presentation was a lot more two dimensional and compressed. Mods did nothing and they always sounded dull and lifeless. I thought the same of all of the Yammies, modded or otherwise, and I doubt the HP50 is any different.

 

[vid]

Not the same driver there, but regardless, I attest to the decency of the hp-50. With some work, mine are perceptually flat from 50 to 5000 Hz, and with not much deviation up to 15 kHz or so. Massively fast, clean decay. Though small in soundstage and an oddly grainy treble. If someone doesn't have their hp-50 up to scratch, they either got unlucky or need to work on it more.

 

[takato14]

  Not the same driver there, but regardless, I attest to the decency of the hp-50. With some work, mine are perceptually flat from 50 to 5000 Hz, and with not much deviation up to 15 kHz or so. Massively fast, clean decay. Though small in soundstage and an oddly grainy treble. If someone doesn't have their hp-50 up to scratch, they either got unlucky or need to work on it more.

The SS-100 is perceptually flat to 20Hz, and possibly lower to me. Measurements of a modded T50 variant show Audez'e-level bass extension so I wouldn't be surprised. Not sure about the upper ranges but this is the only planar I've ever heard that doesn't sound dull, while also not being etched. Very smooth and airy. And this is stock, no modding required. My issue with every Yamaha I've tried is this persistent "low-fi" coloration to them, involving the loose, rolled off bass and extremely poor treble extension. No mods I tried seemed to get rid of this. Very very dull and lifeless.
 
They aren't the same driver? Are they not the 6 micron 45mm drivers? No they are not... my bad. I was thinking of the YHE-50A. 
 
Looks like dBel's HP-50A has measurements on IF. Might be interesting to compare the SS-100's to them once Tyll gets my pair. It actually might have quite a fight ahead of it... that thing does indeed measure ridiculously well, except in the bass (I wonder why all the yammies do that)