[Deolum]

Which device are your headphones connected to?

Sotm Sms 200 -> chord2qute -> audiovalve solaris

All headphones have a great soundstage with this. The 540 does not.

 

[T 1000]

[К
[/ КУОТЕ]
О.K. then your headphones are not working properly

 

[sennsay]

Which device are your headphones connected to?

At the bottom of my posts is a list of the gear I use. I would never go back to any of the stock Sennheiser cables for the HD540 (despite years of enjoyment with the steel cable until I experimented and came across the Mogami cable, the mods to the Denon AH-D1000 headphones were the first use of that cable). I have used the cable that comes with new HD6xx and HD650 and the Mogami still bests it in extension and a deeper more open soundstage, in height as well. The thin replacement cable that can be bought as the cheap stock cable on-line for the HD650/HD540 is only just ok as a stop-gap until a much better one can be used. It sounds lifeless in comparison, lacking bass extension, openness and top end clarity.
I connect my Ref 1s to all sorts of devices, sometimes the Schiit combo, sometimes with various pre-amps and a hot-rodded power amp, a Pioneer SA-5300 I have completely restored to better then new, plus other gear I restore. The Ref 1s work with some (integrated) amps better than others, depending on the output impedance of the headphone jack. Always, the HD540s maintain their joy of Life and communication skills, though can sound thinner and less relaxing and immersive with some amplifiers.
The most balanced I hear them (more often) is actually with the cheapest combo, the Schiit Magni 3 amplifier combined with the Modi Multibit, fed from the Questyle QP1R via optical cable, the two small electronics boxes are connected with the pure silver Slinkylinks cables. I can now hear some minor limitations of what is pretty much budget gear, after recently buying some better analogue and optical cables (Audioquest), not in musical joy though, only in the impact and focus of the deepest bass and very top end and sheer soundstage depth (not height!). The latter bothers me little, I can still effortlessly hear the finest details at the back of the stage, audience sounds out in space so easily.
That's not to say I get rather more bass impact and transparency, top end extension and sheer open space from the valved preamps, just that I know I can hook up the Schiit combo and have great sound instantly.
The 'wang' pads (and using the right inner foams) have also made a big difference, they provide, for my ears, superb soundstage height as well as width, yet also a great immersive organic intimacy.
It's taken me years of experimentation and playing around to get to this level and while something like the far more expensive Cardas Clear cables might have some minor benefits, the results I have now with the Mogami cable and pad combo is so transparent to the back and edges of any soundstage I can come up with, that I really have no desire to buy anything else at this time. Nothing against Cardas or other higher end manufacturers, just very happy with what I have now and they demonstrated instantly the benefits of the better quality Audioquest cables.
What I AM interested in now is a more powerful headphone amplifier, like the Magni 3 but bigger and better. Maybe an Asgard 3, Project Ember II or similar.
There are other experienced guys here that have similar or even more to offer in some areas, it's worth going back through the many pages of the thread and reading up on some of them.

 

[T 1000]

At the bottom of my posts is a list of the gear I use. I would never go back to any of the stock Sennheiser cables for the HD540 (despite years of enjoyment with the steel cable until I experimented and came across the Mogami cable, the mods to the Denon AH-D1000 headphones were the first use of that cable). I have used the cable that comes with new HD6xx and HD650 and the Mogami still bests it in extension and a deeper more open soundstage, in height as well. The thin replacement cable that can be bought as the cheap stock cable on-line for the HD650/HD540 is only just ok as a stop-gap until a much better one can be used. It sounds lifeless in comparison, lacking bass extension, openness and top end clarity.
I connect my Ref 1s to all sorts of devices, sometimes the Schiit combo, sometimes with various pre-amps and a hot-rodded power amp, a Pioneer SA-5300 I have completely restored to better then new, plus other gear I restore. The Ref 1s work with some (integrated) amps better than others, depending on the output impedance of the headphone jack. Always, the HD540s maintain their joy of Life and communication skills, though can sound thinner and less relaxing and immersive with some amplifiers.
The most balanced I hear them (more often) is actually with the cheapest combo, the Schiit Magni 3 amplifier combined with the Modi Multibit, fed from the Questyle QP1R via optical cable, the two small electronics boxes are connected with the pure silver Slinkylinks cables. I can now hear some minor limitations of what is pretty much budget gear, after recently buying some better analogue and optical cables (Audioquest), not in musical joy though, only in the impact and focus of the deepest bass and very top end and sheer soundstage depth (not height!). The latter bothers me little, I can still effortlessly hear the finest details at the back of the stage, audience sounds out in space so easily.
That's not to say I get rather more bass impact and transparency, top end extension and sheer open space from the valved preamps, just that I know I can hook up the Schiit combo and have great sound instantly.
The 'wang' pads (and using the right inner foams) have also made a big difference, they provide, for my ears, superb soundstage height as well as width, yet also a great immersive organic intimacy.
It's taken me years of experimentation and playing around to get to this level and while something like the far more expensive Cardas Clear cables might have some minor benefits, the results I have now with the Mogami cable and pad combo is so transparent to the back and edges of any soundstage I can come up with, that I really have no desire to buy anything else at this time. Nothing against Cardas or other higher end manufacturers, just very happy with what I have now and they demonstrated instantly the benefits of the better quality Audioquest cables.
What I AM interested in now is a more powerful headphone amplifier, like the Magni 3 but bigger and better. Maybe an Asgard 3, Project Ember II or similar.
There are other experienced guys here that have similar or even more to offer in some areas, it's worth going back through the many pages of the thread and reading up on some of them.

Thank you for a very informative experience. The most important thing is synergy, and you had the pleasure of researching and upgrading your favorite headphones. Where can I buy these "wang" pads?
Of course, when you know what and where to solder, you can make it much cheaper.I rejoice when I see that someone else enjoys the same quality, even though you are in a better quality audio imaging
BTW ;That Pioneer amplifier SA-5300 is very nice

 

[sennsay]

Thank you for a very informative experience. The most important thing is synergy, and you had the pleasure of researching and upgrading your favorite headphones. Where can I buy these "wang" pads?
Of course, when you know what and where to solder, you can make it much cheaper.I rejoice when I see that someone else enjoys the same quality, even though you are in a better quality audio imaging
BTW ;That Pioneer amplifier SA-5300 is very nice

I have a second Pioneer SA-5300 in the process of restoration, great little amps, even the phono stage is full of clarity and fun. The 'wang' pleather pads come from the eBay seller wang_yifei and I'm about to order another pair, my current ones have had over two years of constant use. Please read my previous recent posts regarding the inner foams though - save me going through it all again here - I use the foams that come with the velour pads, NOT the pleather pads, for far better sound balance.

 

[T 1000]

I have a second Pioneer SA-5300 in the process of restoration, great little amps, even the phono stage is full of clarity and fun. The 'wang' pleather pads come from the eBay seller wang_yifei and I'm about to order another pair, my current ones have had over two years of constant use. Please read my previous recent posts regarding the inner foams though - save me going through it all again here - I use the foams that come with the velour pads, NOT the pleather pads, for far better sound balance.

I have to admit that I have no experience with influencing the sound when changing the pads. But until recently, I didn't even have an opinion about changing the cable and burning, so replacing the pads is very interesting.

 

[sennsay]

I have to admit that I have no experience with influencing the sound when changing the pads. But until recently, I didn't even have an opinion about changing the cable and burning, so replacing the pads is very interesting.

I had a pair of the HD6xx that I tried several pads with, either from Dekoni, memory foam ones from somewhere else (both of them were awful, thickening the bass and dulling the treble, they didn't last long! They were equally horrendous on the HD540's!), another set that I don't even recall the name of had the same fate, I ended up staying with the stock velour pads and instead improving the sound with the Mogami cable. I won't go on with that story, I sold the HD6xx soon afterwards, never coming to grips with them again and always going back to the HD540 Ref 1s with a sigh of relief, to once again disappear into the music.
The combination I have now with the Ref 1s is by far the finest I've created in 31 years of using them. It's a different journey for others here, just as it ought to be. I am probably going to have to look out for another pair of them, the current set have had thousands of hours on them! Another set with less miles from the same year, plus or minus one or two, would be great. I don't care if they need pads or cable, that's easily solved, as long as the drivers are perfect.

 

[moriez]

Has it been determined which models have the extra white felt rings, like here and here? Thread search suggests specifically the 600 ohm Gold, except @sennsay seems to have had them in his Ref1 according to his words. Do I have that right Sennsay? In my own 300 ohm pair and two other members there are none. Not anxious, just checking ; )

 

[dakanao]

Has it been determined which models have the extra white felt rings, like here and here? Thread search suggests specifically the 600 ohm Gold, except @sennsay seems to have had them in his Ref1 according to his words. Do I have that right Sennsay? In my own 300 ohm pair and two other members there are none. Not anxious, just checking ; )

My regular HD540 Ref1 300 ohm had no felt ring at all, and my HD540 Gold 300 ohm had just 1 felt ring, the smaller one that is seen on the 2 photos.

Both didn't have 2 felt rings.

 

[moriez]

Thanks. To avoid confusion I should've added mine is a Gold 300 ohm. If memory serves me right I can concur I've never seen any white felt on non-Gold pairs.

 

[dakanao]

Thanks. To avoid confusion I should've added mine is a Gold 300 ohm. If memory serves me right I can concur I've never seen any white felt on non-Gold pairs.

I remember seeing that white felt for sale on a webshop, just searched but forgot where.

Would be a nice cheap upgrade for non-Gold pairs, since the felt dampens resonances, making the treble more refined.

 

[sennsay]

Has it been determined which models have the extra white felt rings, like here and here? Thread search suggests specifically the 600 ohm Gold, except @sennsay seems to have had them in his Ref1 according to his words. Do I have that right Sennsay? In my own 300 ohm pair and two other members there are none. Not anxious, just checking ; )

No, I've never had the white felt 'rings' in the 31 year history of my Ref 1s. I have no knowledge of when they came in, on which particular pads or which models. I think they appeared with the Gold models, happy to be corrected. As mentioned, I use the 'wang' pleather pads that have no felt lining whatsoever. I prefer them - obviously - but understand others views, I had many years with cloth then velour pads. The 'wang' pads have oval ear openings, a preference that I find seems to open up the height of the soundstage.

PS In light of my misunderstanding of the 'white felt ring' question, I have seen a white lining on the outside of certain pads, I did not quite get that the question was actually regarding INNER foam rings. Not surprising to me, since I think only of HD540's Ref 1s and not the Gold versions. See my next reply below

 

[meatroll]

I remember seeing that white felt for sale on a webshop, just searched but forgot where.

Would be a nice cheap upgrade for non-Gold pairs, since the felt dampens resonances, making the treble more refined.

I have one for my ref 1 ,bought it on taobao,somehow cant find it anymore,but i found it on this site https://www.newbecca.com/product/40065895036

 

[sennsay]

I have one for my ref 1 ,bought it on taobao,somehow cant find it anymore,but i found it on this site https://www.newbecca.com/product/40065895036

Ah, you meant the INNER foam pads, not the ones on the outside of pads. Gotcha. What I do know is that those white inner foam rings are used on the HD250 Linear cans and are essential to proper voicing. I personally would not use them on the HD540 Ref 1s, tried it, didn't like it. The sound becomes unbalanced towards the upper mids and treble and those drivers can tend a tad towards that voicing all on their own. Some people like it like that, I do not. The HD540 Golds though, may be voiced a little differently to the Ref 1s.

 

[moriez]

Would be a nice cheap upgrade for non-Gold pairs, since the felt dampens resonances, making the treble more refined.

Yes possibly an improvement but likely at the expense of something else I'd guess. Either way cool find @meatroll. Part appears authentic or at least a great looking copy of the original ''inner-outer'' (top) felt ring. Care to comment on changes they brought to your Ref1?

Sennsay, thanks for clearing up somewhat. I notice we use different terms for all the damping material. The white rings are definitely felt. Foam are these guys