[hans030390]

Got my HTF600s recabled with my spare D2000 cable (dual-entry). Also took the time to put a layer of Dynamat Xtreme (poked all over with a screwdriver) in the cups and a layer of Silverstone acoustic foam on top of that. Also put Dynamat on the back of the driver magnet, and I mass loaded the baffle with some Plasticine. The stock vent covering is left in place, and I made sure not to cover it. These are all materials I had left over from modding my D2000s and T50RPs.
 
They sound pretty awesome right now. Highs seem better extended and more detailed overall without becoming sibilant or bright. Bass seems to be tightened up and more in line with the rest of the sound, but still extends just as deep and punches hard. Overall, they sound more refined, clearer...better overall. Amazing sound for $30 + whatever it costs to mod them. They don't sound too closed either. I have found that stuffing the earpads at all makes the sound worse and doesn't really help the soundstage at all. The vents shouldn't need to be covered up at all either, but I suppose they could be tuned to one's preferences.
 
If anyone's drivers lose sound, you might need to blow on them. Sometimes when you adjust the cups, air pressure will force the drivers to be pushed the wrong way, making them cut out (or be extremely quiet). If you blow on them from the front side, they should come back. It happens to me a lot. Unfortunately, I think I might have loosened the drivers too much or something. Sometimes you can hear them crackle as if they're being moved in the wrong direction or something.
 
I also find that the left cup sometimes sound clearer than the other cup. I believe this is because when recabling them, my friend and I cleared all of the existing solder from the left driver's contacts. The original solder was still left on the right driver's contacts. I'm guessing the left driver has a better signal. I could be wrong, though...this is all just a big guess.
 
Anyway, I did these mods because the housing Panasonic used is really cheap. The drivers are actually pretty nice, so the dampening and acoustic foam really helped. Pictures:
 
        

 

[jto168]

Gonna have to say, these sound good. Very good.
 
I'd have to say these sound better than ATH-M50.. coming from a basshead perspective.

 

[Dsnuts]

Quote:

Gonna have to say, these sound good. Very good.
 
I'd have to say these sound better than ATH-M50.. coming from a basshead perspective.

You sure? Lol. Now you see why I made myself look like a fool to tell the HFI-580 owners to try these. For the money they make great complimentary cans and a better bargain than people realize. The crazy thing is they get better with the complete burn..Glad you listened to me and tried these. Bassheads have a new toy, the HTF600
 
@hans030390 very interesting results you got there..Now that is a serious mod. I am very interested to hear what you got going on. I might have to get a 4th to try something similar to what you did.

 

[palmfish]

Quote:

took the time to put a layer of Dynamat Xtreme (poked all over with a screwdriver) in the cups and a layer of Silverstone acoustic foam on top of that. Also put Dynamat on the back of the driver magnet, and I mass loaded the baffle with some Plasticine. The stock vent covering is left in place, and I made sure not to cover it. These are all materials I had left over from modding my D2000s and T50RPs.

Hans, great post and information! I'm very interested in what you did but I'm unfamiliar with modding headphones and don't know about some of the terms you used ("mass loaded with plasticine"). Would you mind being more descriptive about this mod you did? Maybe more step-by-step with photos if possible?
 
I've decided that I just don't like these Panny's in stock form (too dark and loose), but I'd like to play with them and see what I can make them into. Your mod appears to be what the doctor ordered.
 

 

[hans030390]

Quote:

Hans, great post and information! I'm very interested in what you did but I'm unfamiliar with modding headphones and don't know about some of the terms you used ("mass loaded with plasticine").

Ah, well mass loading literally means loading more mass onto something. In the case of these headphones, a lot of cheap plastic is using for the housing. Cheap plastic tends to resonate/vibrate more, which can add things to the sound that aren't supposed to be there. I could be wrong, but one example is that bass decay can take longer than normal if the housing and baffle resonate too much.
 
Dynamat is most often used in car audio installations to dampen side panels, metal frames of doors, trunks, floor of the car, etc. I applied that to the back of the cups and the back of the driver magnet. As mentioned, the cups use a pretty cheap plastic, and they could use some "reinforcement", if you will. Placing it on the driver magnet just prevents unnecessary vibrations from the driver itself.
 
Plasticine is a type of modelling clay that works well for mass loading headphones. I believe it's heavier/more dense than blu-tack, another popular mass loading material. Simply put, if you add mass to something, it should take more energy/force to move it. You can see the beige clay in my picture above. I simply filled that cavity surrounding the driver with Plasticine. I then poked it all over with a small screw driver. If you don't, sound waves are more likely to bounce off the material. Sound wave reflections can also cause unwanted side effects to the sound. So, the Plasticine helps reinforce the driver baffle, which will reduce resonances/vibrations.
 
I also applied the acoustic foam to the cups as a way to further reduce sound wave reflections that might be bouncing off the back of the cups or the Dynamat applied to the cups. In my experience, sound wave reflections can make the treble too bright/aggressive, muddy up the sound, make the soundstage seem smaller than it is, etc. It really varies between headphones.
 
I'm sure the nicer D2000 cable also helped out with the sound. I like it because it's much more robust and isn't going to get ripped out accidentally.
 
All in all, these are pretty standard mods that have been used for the Denon headphones (D2000/5000/7000), the Fostex T50RP orthodynamics, etc. A lot of these mods also apply to audio in general (car audio, bookshelf/standing speakers, etc.). I'm no sound expert, and I might actually be wrong in using some of these mods or attempting to explain what they do.
 
In the end, though, you should get a tighter, better defined sound overall. Treble should be better extended and more detailed, mids should still be good, and the bass extends just as deep and punches just as hard while being slightly leaner/tighter overall. Soundstage and imaging seem somewhat improved as well. It doesn't sound super large or anything, but it is easy to differentiate between intimate, close-up sounds and more distant sounds.
 
I actually don't find these to be too bassy. I usually test this with Opeth's "Ghost Reveries" album. It takes a a good balance to get this album to sound perfect. It is a very thick, lush, heavy album that definitely requires a solid bass presence. However, one can easily have too much bass in the album. It makes it sound "thicker" than it actually is. On the other end, it is easy to have too little bass. It then sounds thinner and more shrill than it should. I find that, with these mods, the bass presence actually seems quite good. The sound is actually fairly balanced. As a plus, if you switch over to some heavy bass music (dubstep, anyone?), you get slamming bass that digs deep.
 
If you have the time, skills, and money, I would definitely recommend a recable and the mentioned mods. The headphones sound superb for $30, and they definitely compete against headphones priced $100-150. The mods I've done refine them to the point where there is no doubt in my mind that these are some of the best headphones you can get for under $150 (or more?). They are extremely enjoyable to listen to overall. My only complaint is that the earpads feel cheap and they still sound a bit "smaller" and more closed than idea. If these had a "bigger", more open sound and nicer earpads, I'm not sure I would have any complaints at all.
 

 

[hans030390]

I also forgot to mention that I was originally worried that these mods would not give the drivers enough space inside the cups. The back of the driver comes pretty close to touching the back of the cups. However, this does not seem to be the case. I wouldn't be surprised if some of the acoustic foam is touching the back of the driver, but, hey, still sounds good! If anything, this might have had a similar effect to closing off some of the vents.

 

[palmfish]

Quote:

Quote:

Ah, well mass loading literally means loading more mass onto something. In the case of these headphones, a lot of cheap plastic is using for the housing. Cheap plastic tends to resonate/vibrate more, which can add things to the sound that aren't supposed to be there. I could be wrong, but one example is that bass decay can take longer than normal if the housing and baffle resonate too much.
 
Dynamat is most often used in car audio installations to dampen side panels, metal frames of doors, trunks, floor of the car, etc. I applied that to the back of the cups and the back of the driver magnet. As mentioned, the cups use a pretty cheap plastic, and they could use some "reinforcement", if you will. Placing it on the driver magnet just prevents unnecessary vibrations from the driver itself.
 
Plasticine is a type of modelling clay that works well for mass loading headphones. I believe it's heavier/more dense than blu-tack, another popular mass loading material. Simply put, if you add mass to something, it should take more energy/force to move it. You can see the beige clay in my picture above. I simply filled that cavity surrounding the driver with Plasticine. I then poked it all over with a small screw driver. If you don't, sound waves are more likely to bounce off the material. Sound wave reflections can also cause unwanted side effects to the sound. So, the Plasticine helps reinforce the driver baffle, which will reduce resonances/vibrations.
 
I also applied the acoustic foam to the cups as a way to further reduce sound wave reflections that might be bouncing off the back of the cups or the Dynamat applied to the cups. In my experience, sound wave reflections can make the treble too bright/aggressive, muddy up the sound, make the soundstage seem smaller than it is, etc. It really varies between headphones.
 
I'm sure the nicer D2000 cable also helped out with the sound. I like it because it's much more robust and isn't going to get ripped out accidentally.
 
All in all, these are pretty standard mods that have been used for the Denon headphones (D2000/5000/7000), the Fostex T50RP orthodynamics, etc. A lot of these mods also apply to audio in general (car audio, bookshelf/standing speakers, etc.). I'm no sound expert, and I might actually be wrong in using some of these mods or attempting to explain what they do.
 
In the end, though, you should get a tighter, better defined sound overall. Treble should be better extended and more detailed, mids should still be good, and the bass extends just as deep and punches just as hard while being slightly leaner/tighter overall. Soundstage and imaging seem somewhat improved as well. It doesn't sound super large or anything, but it is easy to differentiate between intimate, close-up sounds and more distant sounds.
 
I actually don't find these to be too bassy. I usually test this with Opeth's "Ghost Reveries" album. It takes a a good balance to get this album to sound perfect. It is a very thick, lush, heavy album that definitely requires a solid bass presence. However, one can easily have too much bass in the album. It makes it sound "thicker" than it actually is. On the other end, it is easy to have too little bass. It then sounds thinner and more shrill than it should. I find that, with these mods, the bass presence actually seems quite good. The sound is actually fairly balanced. As a plus, if you switch over to some heavy bass music (dubstep, anyone?), you get slamming bass that digs deep.
 
If you have the time, skills, and money, I would definitely recommend a recable and the mentioned mods. The headphones sound superb for $30, and they definitely compete against headphones priced $100-150. The mods I've done refine them to the point where there is no doubt in my mind that these are some of the best headphones you can get for under $150 (or more?). They are extremely enjoyable to listen to overall. My only complaint is that the earpads feel cheap and they still sound a bit "smaller" and more closed than idea. If these had a "bigger", more open sound and nicer earpads, I'm not sure I would have any complaints at all.
 

Thanks for the details - very helpful! I think I'm going to try this. It sounds like a fun project and what do I have to lose?
In your bottom picture, it looks like the front of the driver (the side that face your ear) is facing the plasticine. I haven't opened the cups yet so I haven't seen for myself. I assume I'm wrong? Also, since I haven't opened the cups yet, I don't have a good idea of where all the vent holes are. From your photos though, it looks like the Dynamat pretty much fills the entire back of the cup. Does this not cover the holes?
 
I'm sure I'll see for myself when I get there but I just want to know because I won't be undertaking this for at least a week or two.
 
Thanks again for the excellent write up!

 

[hans030390]

Quote:

Thanks for the details - very helpful! I think I'm going to try this. It sounds like a fun project and what do I have to lose?
In your bottom picture, it looks like the front of the driver (the side that face your ear) is facing the plasticine. I haven't opened the cups yet so I haven't seen for myself. I assume I'm wrong? Also, since I haven't opened the cups yet, I don't have a good idea of where all the vent holes are. From your photos though, it looks like the Dynamat pretty much fills the entire back of the cup. Does this not cover the holes?
 
I'm sure I'll see for myself when I get there but I just want to know because I won't be undertaking this for at least a week or two.
 
Thanks again for the excellent write up!

I think once you open the cups up, my pictures will make a lot more sense.
 
You might want to see if anyone has the modding materials they could sell you, as they are a bit expensive otherwise ($15 for two large sheets of the Silverstone acoustic foam, $15-25 for 2 12x12" sheets of Dynamat, and a few bucks for whatever plasticine/modelling clay you get). Whether or not you recable is up to you, but I'd recommend it. In that case, you'll need to factor in those expenses as well. I would argue that a recable is necessary, as you're very likely to break the stock wires if you try to mod the headphones. You'll also probably want to do it as a dual-entry recable, in which case you'll need a power drill or dremel tool.
 
Really, though, for $30, you don't have much to lose. In my case, I already have my modded D2000s and T50RPs. I also had a bit of extra materials to use for the mods, so I didn't need to purchase anything for these.
 

 

[palmfish]

Quote:

Quote:

I think once you open the cups up, my pictures will make a lot more sense.
 
You might want to see if anyone has the modding materials they could sell you, as they are a bit expensive otherwise ($15 for two large sheets of the Silverstone acoustic foam, $15-25 for 2 12x12" sheets of Dynamat, and a few bucks for whatever plasticine/modelling clay you get). Whether or not you recable is up to you, but I'd recommend it. In that case, you'll need to factor in those expenses as well. I would argue that a recable is necessary, as you're very likely to break the stock wires if you try to mod the headphones. You'll also probably want to do it as a dual-entry recable, in which case you'll need a power drill or dremel tool.
 
Really, though, for $30, you don't have much to lose. In my case, I already have my modded D2000s and T50RPs. I also had a bit of extra materials to use for the mods, so I didn't need to purchase anything for these.
 

I figured seeing it in person would clear it up. I didn't think about maybe buying leftover materials from someone - great idea!
 
I'm really not keen on recabling. I've seen rave reviews about recabled headphones (LCD-2, HD600, HD650) that, when I heard them for myself, sound no different than stock to my ears. Another myth to go along with wearing a magnet bracelet to improve health and using wood blocks to lift speaker interconnects off the floor to improve sound.

 

[hans030390]

Quote:

I figured seeing it in person would clear it up. I didn't think about maybe buying leftover materials from someone - great idea!
 
I'm really not keen on recabling. I've seen rave reviews about recabled headphones (LCD-2, HD600, HD650) that, when I heard them for myself, sound no different than stock to my ears. Another myth to go along with wearing a magnet bracelet to improve health and using wood blocks to lift speaker interconnects off the floor to improve sound.

The main reason I suggest recabling is because the cables used are super cheap. It's almost guaranteed that you will rip at least one wire from the solder point when modding them because of this.
 
Also, recabling is definitely not a myth. I was skeptical until I recabled my D2000s with Mogami 2534 cable. There was a dramatic difference in the sound that in no way could be attributed to the placebo effect.
 
Now, that said, not every headphone will sound different with a recable. My HD598s sounded more or less the same with the recable. If anything, they were a bit more refined. The HTF600s don't sound noticeably different either, but the recable was not done for sound-related purposes either. So, it's definitely not a myth, but I don't think every pair of headphones benefits from recabling.
 

 

[david1978jp]

Are you guys still serious?
$30 headphone + $20 Velour Pad + $30 other material = $80.
When you believe $30 headphone is as good as $100 ~ $150 ones; after extra $50 investment, is it ready to against $240 ~ $400 ones ?
When it costs $30, I love Panasonic HTF600 for whatever it is; when it costs $60, I'll jump to Koss Pro4AAT for whatever it is; when it costs $80, I'll go for Sony XB700for whatever it is. You got the idea. When you mod it for a little, or no money, surely you got a good value; when you pay extra big money to get some extra performance, ..., it's time to move on.

 

 

 

 

[palmfish]

Quote:

Are you guys still serious?
$30 headphone + $20 Velour Pad + $30 other material = $80.
When you believe $30 headphone is as good as $100 ~ $150 ones; after extra $50 investment, is it ready to against $240 ~ $400 ones ?
When it costs $30, I love Panasonic HTF600 for whatever it is; when it costs $60, I'll jump to Koss Pro4AAT for whatever it is; when it costs $80, I'll go for Sony XB700for whatever it is. You got the idea. When you mod it for a little, or no money, surely you got a good value; when you pay extra big money to get some extra performance, ..., it's time to move on.

 

 

 

It's not about the destination. It's about the journey.

 

[Beagle]

Quote:

It's not about the destination. It's about the journey.

Or the arrival at the Island of Delusion...

 

[Shotor102]

I can totally see the Mod thing..
 
I understand the point of since you're investing in modding something of a budget, might as-well get something more expensive and better.. But mind you this, when you mod, you mod it to your liking as opposed to what the company tells you what and how to enjoy.   Plus, $50 + 20 + 20 maybe $90.00 for an initial headphones that measure up against $150 - $200 value headphones, but don't forget, once it's at $90.00 headphones with the mods, it now competes with even higher end phones.. Somethings sometimes, (not all the time) have so much potential that it's worth the effort to bring put the shine from the hidden diamond.   Though I stress again, somethings are worth doing it, like these ones and the Kicker/Monoprice ones.. In fact, even the Shure 440/840/940 are in that department, and there's a good reason why Shure made all their earcups in the 440/840/940 lineup the same size. Same goes for the bayonet detachable cable systems.. it just works..
 
But some headphones, like the Sennheiser HD800 or the Grado PS1000... there really not all that much one can do with.. The Grado you can replace the pads.. and that's it, everything else is gold. Same with the Senns.. they are what they are.. love em or leave em'.   
 
It's sometimes analogous to modding cars.. If a person let's say buys a really good budget performer like the Mazda-3 or the Surprisingly bang for the money Elantra or Kia Forte', and then decides to mod it to fit his style and bring out the performance.. I hardly see any logic in telling the guy that he should have spend that money on buying a Camry or an Accord.

 

[palmfish]

Quote:

I can totally see the Mod thing..
 
I understand the point of since you're investing in modding something of a budget, might as-well get something more expensive and better.. But mind you this, when you mod, you mod it to your liking as opposed to what the company tells you what and how to enjoy.   Plus, $50 + 20 + 20 maybe $90.00 for an initial headphones that measure up against $150 - $200 value headphones, but don't forget, once it's at $90.00 headphones with the mods, it now competes with even higher end phones.. Somethings sometimes, (not all the time) have so much potential that it's worth the effort to bring put the shine from the hidden diamond.   Though I stress again, somethings are worth doing it, like these ones and the Kicker/Monoprice ones.. In fact, even the Shure 440/840/940 are in that department, and there's a good reason why Shure made all their earcups in the 440/840/940 lineup the same size. Same goes for the bayonet detachable cable systems.. it just works..
 
But some headphones, like the Sennheiser HD800 or the Grado PS1000... there really not all that much one can do with.. The Grado you can replace the pads.. and that's it, everything else is gold. Same with the Senns.. they are what they are.. love em or leave em'.   
 
It's sometimes analogous to modding cars.. If a person let's say buys a really good budget performer like the Mazda-3 or the Surprisingly bang for the money Elantra or Kia Forte', and then decides to mod it to fit his style and bring out the performance.. I hardly see any logic in telling the guy that he should have spend that money on buying a Camry or an Accord.

Why does it matter if I end up spending $30, $50, or $70 after I'm finished? Who cares? A good bottle of scotch costs more than that, and when it's gone, what have you got to show for it? If I have half as much fun (and education) modding/destroying these headphones as I get from a bottle of scotch, I'll consider it money well spent