Voyager
Do not let me borrow your SportaPros
- Joined
- Jun 22, 2001
- Posts
- 391
- Likes
- 12
Well, after listening to my 888s for several hours yesterday, my ears became very sore
, but thats ok now because of my mod. If you try this, it is at your own risk, as it is possible to hurt, and even kill your 888s, plus you can hurt youself if your not careful.
What this mod does
This Mod will not really change the sound all that much. The bass will be a little clearer and the highs more detailed, but that is because you can no longer use the foam earpads. What I have done is transplant the drivers form my 888s into the housing of the verticle phones that came with my MD recorder. I find the new 888 Verticle phones to be far more comfortable than the old 888s, and it also shows that a good sounding verticle phone an be made.
The Operation
The operation can take a good amount of time, so be patient and don't rush. The first thing to do is remove the drivers from the verticle phones. I used a razor blade and used it to cut around the driver and then to force out the driver. Do this to both channels. Next, desolder the wires, being careful to remember that the wire that is the same color in both channels is negative. Then begin to disassemble the 888s. Remover the silent cap, and extract the drivers from the housing.
Important: When soldering or desoldering the wires from the 888 drivers, take as little time as possibe, as prolonged heat may damage the diaphragm or the voice coil.
You will notice on the 888 drivers that the positive wire is connected a piece of PCB coloed red, it may be hard to see with solder in the way though. Resolder the drivers to the verticle phones wires, observing polarity. Finally, replace the drivers in the verticle phones. If done properly, you should have a snug fit that is not overly tight. To improve the sound further (eliminate boomyness), drill a hole about 1/8 inch in diameter through the back of the housing (with the driver not yet inserted of course)
Conclusion I am now enjoying portable listening more than ever. The phones sound a little better than before, but not too much. This is mostly for comfort. If you can't afford to replace your 888s, have little or no experience soldering, or just think you will make a mistake, DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME OR ELSEWHERE! Otherwise, have fun!
What this mod does
This Mod will not really change the sound all that much. The bass will be a little clearer and the highs more detailed, but that is because you can no longer use the foam earpads. What I have done is transplant the drivers form my 888s into the housing of the verticle phones that came with my MD recorder. I find the new 888 Verticle phones to be far more comfortable than the old 888s, and it also shows that a good sounding verticle phone an be made.
The Operation
The operation can take a good amount of time, so be patient and don't rush. The first thing to do is remove the drivers from the verticle phones. I used a razor blade and used it to cut around the driver and then to force out the driver. Do this to both channels. Next, desolder the wires, being careful to remember that the wire that is the same color in both channels is negative. Then begin to disassemble the 888s. Remover the silent cap, and extract the drivers from the housing.
Important: When soldering or desoldering the wires from the 888 drivers, take as little time as possibe, as prolonged heat may damage the diaphragm or the voice coil.
You will notice on the 888 drivers that the positive wire is connected a piece of PCB coloed red, it may be hard to see with solder in the way though. Resolder the drivers to the verticle phones wires, observing polarity. Finally, replace the drivers in the verticle phones. If done properly, you should have a snug fit that is not overly tight. To improve the sound further (eliminate boomyness), drill a hole about 1/8 inch in diameter through the back of the housing (with the driver not yet inserted of course)
Conclusion I am now enjoying portable listening more than ever. The phones sound a little better than before, but not too much. This is mostly for comfort. If you can't afford to replace your 888s, have little or no experience soldering, or just think you will make a mistake, DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME OR ELSEWHERE! Otherwise, have fun!
