[elwappo99]

Quote:

Do you find the ba'ss on the SA3k on the light side? I've mass dampened the baffle and it is much better, although it still doesn't go as deep as I would have wished. Only wishing for it to happen however, as I believe it is an issue with the drivers not the housing.
 
I couldn't take pictures of the inside because with all the dampening materials in it, it is now stuck...

 
Thanks for the offer, but no worth your trouble. I don't think you're going to get any extra bass out the bottom end overall. These have a lot more bass than the SA5000 overall. 

 

[mrAdrian]

My SA3000 was bought from a_rec, and I was the one persuading him to opt for the SA5000. =D I'll wait for him to chime in with that, but we both agree that both SA's sound very similar.
 
I think he said my SA3000 sounds a bit smoother but lacks the soundstage of his SA5000 a bit; which I agree because I have taken out a lot of treble energy from them - maybe reducing the airy feel to it.

 

[elwappo99]

Quote:

My SA3000 was bought from a_rec, and I was the one persuading him to opt for the SA5000. =D I'll wait for him to chime in with that, but we both agree that both SA's sound very similar.
 
I think he said my SA3000 sounds a bit smoother but lacks the soundstage of his SA5000 a bit; which I agree because I have taken out a lot of treble energy from them - maybe reducing the airy feel to it.

 
Definitely agree with that part. Plus my SA5000 were balanced, which certainly made them feel very very open. However, the SA5000 felt so cold and lifeless. The SA3000 sounds a little better.

 

[a_recording]

Quote:

My SA3000 was bought from a_rec, and I was the one persuading him to opt for the SA5000. =D I'll wait for him to chime in with that, but we both agree that both SA's sound very similar.
 
I think he said my SA3000 sounds a bit smoother but lacks the soundstage of his SA5000 a bit; which I agree because I have taken out a lot of treble energy from them - maybe reducing the airy feel to it.

 
From memory I can't disagree with that! I think yours probably sounded a little more natural.

 

[mrAdrian]

Yours still got more stoundstage and the airy (or piercing) treble

 

[elwappo99]

Quote:

 
From memory I can't disagree with that! I think yours probably sounded a little more natural.

 
 
Could you list the mods you've done in total? 
 
So far I've found posts for:
1. Damping behind the ear pad
2. Pad lifts
 
 
I've recently got a pair of SA3000 (owned SA5000 about half a year ago) and I'm looking to mod them a bit.  Any recommendations on taking the filter off the back of the driver or damping the interior of the cups?

 

[mrAdrian]

Take a few pictures of the internal if you can, then I can point out where did I apply my dampening stuff. Like I said, I just couldn't get them opened anymore very unfortunately...

 

[a_recording]

Quote:

Could you list the mods you've done in total? 
 
So far I've found posts for:
1. Damping behind the ear pad
2. Pad lifts
 
I've recently got a pair of SA3000 (owned SA5000 about half a year ago) and I'm looking to mod them a bit.  Any recommendations on taking the filter off the back of the driver or damping the interior of the cups?

 
- Damping on driver side of baffle
- Felt discs around the driver (ghetto bass lens yo). The felt lens also replaces the ear side baffle damping / diffusion since there are no more bare plastic surfaces - ie: HD800 mod style
- Denon pads
 
The sound has actually quite an interesting note to it. Female vocals are just wonderfully intimate. Unfortunately the Denon pads aren't terribly comfortable because the extra thickness increases clamping force

 

[elwappo99]

Quote:

 
- Damping on driver side of baffle
- Felt discs around the driver (ghetto bass lens yo). The felt lens also replaces the ear side baffle damping / diffusion since there are no more bare plastic surfaces - ie: HD800 mod style
- Denon pads
 
The sound has actually quite an interesting note to it. Female vocals are just wonderfully intimate. Unfortunately the Denon pads aren't terribly comfortable because the extra thickness increases clamping force

 
Interesting, I'm trying to get a list of mods so I can do them all at once I'm shocked with the SA3000 overall.
 
Quote:

Take a few pictures of the internal if you can, then I can point out where did I apply my dampening stuff. Like I said, I just couldn't get them opened anymore very unfortunately...

 
Tried to avoid taking it apart, I tried a quick google search and found some of recording's images. Hope you could use these. Is this basically what you did with plasticine? Any comment on removing the felt disc that site at the back of the driver for openness? 
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/582696/who-still-has-the-sony-sa5000/225#post_8312432
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/521097/help-save-my-mdr-sa3000-right-channel-0-ohms

 

[mrAdrian]

Yes exactly, refer to a_recording's previous mod instructions in fact that is my pair of SA3k now!
 

 
 
In fact I even applied dampening materials over the whole surface except for obviously the drivers and the screws (referring to the pic I quoted). No I did not do a bass lens inspired mod. It is essentially like those pad mods where you increase the distance between your ears and the drivers a bit to make it more comfortable; combined with adding mass to the plastic which holds the drivers.
 
Try find some sound deadeners (they use it in cars) to add mass, they did a significantly better job than bluetac. However use something like felt or rubber next to the drivers (like in the pic I quoted) - this is a mod inspired by anax's HD800 mod. You would want to use rubber/plasticine etc as you aren't trying to add weight but to absorb the sound waves rather than letting it reflect.
 
Oh and I added a very thin piece of (silk?) to increase comfort and reduce a little more of treble. The sound deadener I used was sticking to my ears before lol, so I ripped the Denon pad's thin cloth apart and applied it.
 
No I did not and you would not want to remove the piece of (paper?) at the back of the drivers/near the grills. It added a lot a lot of harshness for me.
 
The overall product is a decent soundstaging, decent FR and awesome positioning/speed headphone that is not too cold/warm. GIANT 70x killer imo xp, never liked it much. Soundstage was decreased as I took a lot of airy treble away; FR is only decent because it has negligible subbass (but good quantity+quality of midbass).

 

[elwappo99]

Quote:

Yes exactly, refer to a_recording's previous mod instructions in fact that is my pair of SA3k now!
 

 
 
In fact I even applied dampening materials over the whole surface except for obviously the drivers and the screws (referring to the pic I quoted). No I did not do a bass lens inspired mod. It is essentially like those pad mods where you increase the distance between your ears and the drivers a bit to make it more comfortable; combined with adding mass to the plastic which holds the drivers.
 
Try find some sound deadeners (they use it in cars) to add mass, they did a significantly better job than bluetac. However use something like felt or rubber next to the drivers (like in the pic I quoted) - this is a mod inspired by anax's HD800 mod. You would want to use rubber/plasticine etc as you aren't trying to add weight but to absorb the sound waves rather than letting it reflect.
 
Oh and I added a very thin piece of (silk?) to increase comfort and reduce a little more of treble. The sound deadener I used was sticking to my ears before lol, so I ripped the Denon pad's thin cloth apart and applied it.
 
No I did not and you would not want to remove the piece of (paper?) at the back of the drivers/near the grills. It added a lot a lot of harshness for me.
 
The overall product is a decent soundstaging, decent FR and awesome positioning/speed headphone that is not too cold/warm. GIANT 70x killer imo xp, never liked it much. Soundstage was decreased as I took a lot of airy treble away; FR is only decent because it has negligible subbass (but good quantity+quality of midbass).

 
 
So you just put a large patch over that back driver connecting those two rings?
 
I might try some dynamat on the back and see how that works out....

 

[elwappo99]

Tried damping the exterior of the cup with limited success. I think the damping material I used may be too much. I'm still out of the screen on the back side of the driver. It definitely allowed for more ringing back there, but for some reason i just caught a glimpse of the SA5000 when I did that. I'll try to get better mod materials soon. 

 

[mrAdrian]

Let the mods begin - again!!!
 
*Rise O' Head-Fi Gods~! Be our strength and wisdom~!

 

[a_recording]

Quote:

 Any comment on removing the felt disc that site at the back of the driver for openness? 

 
I tried that. I remember it got quite bright and harsh and I didn't like it.

 

[SoundFreaq]

Hey Guys, finally letting go of my SA5000 if anyone is interested. Something I will probably regret. I'm also selling my M3 amp with upgrades that I built for the SA5000 to warm it up and give it some tube-like goodness.