[markl]

Hi,
Here's a super cheap tweak to do to your HD600s and for me, it really works.

I noticed months ago that when I put my hands over the backs of the headphones, the midrange seemed to bloom a bit. Intrigued, I decided to find a way to "seal" the backs of the open HD600s.


Go to your local hardware store and get some of that black rubbery-plastic electrical tape that's about 3/4" thick. Cover the backs of your HD600 metal grills with 2 layers of the tape, covering the earpiece completely.

Doing this has helped fill in the slight "hole" the 600s have in the middle. I hear detail improvements and soundstage improvements due to a less "airy" sound. The sound has slightly better "weight" overall. Images in the center fill in as well, if ever so slightly. It's more "in-head" so the soundstage illusion is more dependent on the recording, rather than the phones. I LIKE it!

BTW, this is no joke. I've done this to my phones, and while it doesn't look that snazzy, it's worth it for the improvements I hear.

markl
headwize refugee

 

[Neruda]

how does having a less airy sound improve soundstaging?

 

[markl]

I guess by "airy", I mean the light-weight quality of the sound of HD600 with the backs left open. When they are closed, the sound gains "weight" and is therefore less "airy". Darn audiophile jargon, it's hard describing sound. Soundstage improves because the sound is more focused and palpable.

Hope that clarifies. You can quickly experiment yourself merely by holding your hands over the backs of the phones.

markl
headwize refugee

 

[joelongwood]

It most definitely DOES NOT work with Grados!

 

[KR...]

but you also ruined the sound stage like that.

 

[XXhalberstramXX]

at least in comparison to etymotics and even my old grado 80s the HD600s are anything but airy and light. On the contrary, i feel they border on the syrupy. THis may be due to my pairing of them with the Headroom TA and my high impedance NAD reciever.

This is why i'm really interested in the very transparant sugden headmaster.

 

[Tides]

I seem to remember reading NOT to cover the holes on Hd600 from the HD600 manual(instructions)


I like mine just fine the way it is

But if you like the sounds better, that is all it matters to you

Tides

 

[KR...]

Senns seems to be very picky with amps.

My 600's are very airy and light, I am using the Grado RA-1 w/ them.

 

[markl]

I just dug out the manual, and it does say "do not cover the transducers!" with an exclamation point. I wonder why?

I can't believe that it harms the phones in any way. Oh, well, it works for me.

 

[Voyager]

I tried this with my 580s, and... it seems a little stronger in the midrange, but the sound stage just collapses. Not like closed phones, but you lose the qualities that give the senns their signature sound. Oh well, just my opinion. If you like the sound, then please continue enjoying it. It's not what other people think. It's what sounds good to you.

 

[Alan_P]

I would most certainly NOT cover the backs of my HD600s! Doing so could damage the drivers!!

These drivers were built to be used in an open enclosure, creating a sealed enclosure is not a good idea, IMHO.

 

[Tides]

yeah, it will definitely damage the driver in the long run. Which is why the manual strongly advice not to cover them up.

But you prob will buy another hd600 or better headphones in the long run so it might not matter for now, at least you are enjoying your musics from the modded HD600.

Tides

<-- nice work Jude ! *wink*wink

 

[ai0tron]

AAAAIIIEEEE!!!!

 

[KR...]

pulled something?

someone please call a doctor

 

[Voyager]

How can preventing air flow damage the drivers? If air flow is limited, the diaphragm will not move as far out, and it would seem that it would be harder to damage because there is less excursion.