Ultrasone DJ1Pro to Beyerdynamic DT880 - something lacking
Nov 29, 2010 at 10:49 AM Thread Starter Post #1 of 7

shigzeo

The Hiss King
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I'll get photos up in the next few days, but I can only say that I am NOT convinced. I hate the cheapo headband that Ultrasone use. It creaks, can't easily be replaced like the DT880's can, and the thing is waaay too big for my needle head.
 
Thus, my DJ1Pro have sat in a box for... a couple of years, taken out for photos and for amp testing only. I love them, but I just can't use them. Thank the gods that my DT880 (2nd pair) suffered a driver coil rupture and I had to buy another. So, with one dead headphone and another unused hulk, I decided to experiment.
 
Yes, the shells are completely different.
Yes, the sound will be different.
Yes, I feel like a took turning a closed headphone into an open one.
 
But, I've got the DJ1Pro's back - sort of. 
 
They are great with portable sources like iPods, Hifimans, and perfect for most good home amps (that don't hiss like snakes). In the DT880 shell, they are wane; the bass is gone even after patching up the shell to leak as little as possible. Tomorrow or the next day, I'll head to a Beyerdynamic store and see if they can get extra pads in (from the DT770) as the DT880 are not working.
 
Back in 2006, I realised that the DT770 pads on the DT880 a bloody rumble. I'm expecting the bass to come back.
 
On the good side: some of the congestion in the DJ1Pro is gone and so too is that fun/quirky/awful (depending on who you are) Ultrasone shimmer in the upper midrange and lower treble. Gone. I hacked the beyerdyamic diaphram manifold with a razor saw and fitted the DJ1Pro drivers to them, so the metal plate (that logic technology) is gone from the drivers. Clarity is much improved and so is space. 
 
Ultrasone have stuck with a cheap (and I hope) temporary headband/housing combination that is sub-par, exhibited well in my little experiment. When the pads come in, I'll be sure to report on my success/failure of the transplant. I'm plugging all the holes to try to get a goodly amount of bass out of the new housing. That failed and traffic and outside noise in, I'll throw in the towel.
 
P.S. Anyone have DT770 pads available?
 
P.P.S. The left DJ1Pro driver has two spots that are folded back on themselves and rattle strangely especially in low passages. I never touched the driver diaphrams, so I don't know how it happened. They are old headphones for me. Do you think I can encourage them back into shape with a loving shot of compressed air?
 
Nov 30, 2010 at 10:01 AM Post #3 of 7
so the non s logic ultrasone, huh? waiting for the pic..
 
Nov 30, 2010 at 11:55 AM Post #5 of 7
Very solid.  I love my Ultrasone Pro 650, I want a smaller more portable headphone and am really on the verge of picking up a DJ1/580 (from what I understand, same headphone, different cord?)
 
Dec 3, 2010 at 12:25 AM Post #7 of 7
Updated with pics of the front and back of the DJ1Pro driver affixed to the DT880 manifold. The DJ1Pro driver has some wrinkles in it that I have to fix before putting back in the enclosure. I had to saw off the plastic prongs that hold the DT880 driver in place to get this to work.
 
When the wrinkles are fixed, I'll probably get some better insulation to pack around the driver to minimise rattle on the frame. 
 
The DT770 pads are on order.
 
I'll probably just update this thread when all is done, but my progress will go on at the TMA forum thread since it's easier for me: DT880-DJ1Pro Surgery
 

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