[VR6ofpain]

I was searching for some type of dead can to put my KSC-35 drivers in to make a custom can (gotta make use of the good drivers).

I ran across a whole lot of what I would call "bomber" style headphones from the 'yester year'. Strangely I noticed something. All of these are true VINTAGE headphones, yet none look close to Grado's. So why is it that Grado's are suppose to have a vintage look? If anything the only can I can think of that is truely vintage looking, is the DT770.

Pioneer:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Pioneer-...QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Pioneer-...QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/PIONEER-SE-205-H...QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com/VINTAGE-PIONEER-...QQcmdZViewItem
these look like some "royalty" headphones:

http://cgi.ebay.com/VINTAGE-PIONEER-...QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Pioneer-...QQcmdZViewItem

Koss:
http://cgi.ebay.com/VINTAGE-KOSS-STE...QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com/Koss-KO-727B-Vin...QQcmdZViewItem

Pickering?!:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Pickerin...QQcmdZViewItem

Random:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Panasoni...QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-SuperEX-...QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com/BEYER-DYNAMIC-DT...QQcmdZViewItem

 

[fewtch]

That does it, I think I'm gonna start collecting vintage headphones now that I'm done with vintage PCDP-itis. Some of those cans just look cool as hell, and would be a lot of fun to own, at least as conversation pieces (ok maybe I'm nuts

but they look cool to my eyes anyway

).

 

[catscratch]

If you look at headphones from way, waaay back - we're talking pre-WWII here, like those used with crystal radios and the like - you'll see where Grado got their looks from. And the build quality too, apparently

http://members.aol.com/oldradjo/gallery.html

 

[sgrossklass]

I guess the Grados' formfactor is more related to early-80s stuff like Koss HV/1A or such.

BTW, some of these vintage cans are just GIGANTIC! (And probably just as heavy.) Guess I'm spoiled by the vintage Sennies that are fairly common here.

 

[VR6ofpain]

Quote:

Originally Posted by catscratch If you look at headphones from way, waaay back - we're talking pre-WWII here, like those used with crystal radios and the like - you'll see where Grado got their looks from. And the build quality too, apparently http://members.aol.com/oldradjo/gallery.html

Damn a sealed RS-1!

 

[LFF]

I love those pioneer. I wonder how good or bad they sound. I definately love the design.

 

[VR6ofpain]

These are sweet!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...MEWA%3AIT&rd=1

 

[fewtch]

Trouble is, most of these probably sound about on the level of stock earbuds, or worse...

Not to mention many of them being 8 ohms, which is quite a load to put on a headphone amp. Might be fun to transplant modern drivers into some of them.

Looks like there's quite a collector's market out there, nearly every vintage headphone I found had some bids already.

 

[swt61]

Have any of you used the old Pioneers? They're like little ear saunas. 30 minutes on your head and your sweating like crazy.

 

[coolbluewater]

Nice photos and ideas man, thanks for posting!

Re: the Pioneers - I'd think you could go with velour ear covers to cut down on the sweat factor - they look great!

 

[THeX]

I own a pair of Pioneer SE-205 Headphones (they are in fact, from my father's vintage Pioneer Stereo).

They sound utterly terrible, plus they hurt your head after 5-10 minutes.

My Koss KSC55's utterly destroys it in terms of sound quality.

edit: I'm testing them now, soundstage is terrible, its sounds really muffled. There is no detail, i think ipod buds sound better than this, the upper edges of my head are beginning to hurt, ok, I've had enough of this....


On the other hand, they'd make an OK shell for modification for new drivers and recabling, though it is a lloooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong way away from the HD590 in terms of comfort. Think of it as someone giving you a pair of headphones to make you suffer.

That's how bad they are. Really. I'm serious.

 

[cosmopragma]

Quote:

Originally Posted by VR6ofpain I was searching for some type of dead can to put my KSC-35 drivers in to make a custom can (gotta make use of the good drivers). I ran across a whole lot of what I would call "bomber" style headphones from the 'yester year'. Strangely I noticed something. All of these are true VINTAGE headphones, yet none look close to Grado's.

You have to look farther back.I've seen pics of cans of the twenties.Very similar looking to Grados, this ancient stuff.

 

[Tachikoma]

... I'd rather be crafting a headphone shell of my own. -_-

 

[VR6ofpain]

http://cgi.ebay.com/The-Cheif-Old-Ra...QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com/Brandes-Antique-...QQcmdZViewItem

Both out of New York:

 

[techenvy]

great thread hopefully it starts back up, i have some koss pro4aaa's made in milwaukee wisconsin