AKG K7xx modding

Discussion in 'Modifications and Tweaks' started by fishski13, Oct 13, 2015.

  1. spoony

    spoony Spooky

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    For whatever reason I can't see the pics of your mods anymore.
     
  2. Hands

    Hands Overzealous Auto Flusher - Measurbator

    Staff Member Pyrate MZR
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    I've seen it go either way with damping. Sometimes you get a linear response with back and/or front damping, and it sounds awesome! And sometimes it sounds like total lifeless ass. The takeaway is that, sure, while measurements are a good tool and can point you in the right direction, use your ears!
     
  3. logscool

    logscool Friend

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    Yes this was my point exactly measurements are nice and can help you figure out what to look for but at the end of the day you're going to listen to the headphones not just measure them so that is what matters.

    I only posted pics and measurements of the one mod. They still seem to be visible to me.
     
  4. spoony

    spoony Spooky

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    Weird, here's what I see:
    Screen Shot 2015-11-11 at 3.10.34 PM.png
     
  5. logscool

    logscool Friend

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    hmm interesting. Anyone else see that?
     
  6. spoony

    spoony Spooky

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    I dropped the experimental mod, it sounded weird. I tried the original mod and I couldn't exactly grasp what you were referring to, the guitars sound OK as far as I can tell. The modded pair sounds cleaner and a lot less hazy than stock, and the dip at 3 KHz gets filled somewhat:

    K7XX stock CSD.png (Stock)
    K7XX mod CSD.png (Modded)

    I'd give the mod a try, cleans the midrange nicely and smooths the treble.
     
  7. Psalmanazar

    Psalmanazar Most improved member; A+

    Pyrate Slaytanic Cliff Clavin
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    Stock, the imaging was off with distorted guitars. The distortion was much closer to my ears in the soundstage than the notes which are of course in the same place in the mix (panned L and R). Perhaps your mod fixes that but they weren't my cans so I can't try it.
     
  8. Friday

    Friday Friend

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    Same goes for me
     
  9. Shaffer

    Shaffer Acquaintance

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    The comment above was based on an Austrian K702 and the K7XX. Having just acquired a Chinese K702, which doesn't sound like the Austrian pair, not exactly, now I believe that the drivers may indeed be the same or very similar, as the K702 drivers are matched.
     
  10. Friday

    Friday Friend

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    Sod the sorbothane lol. Though I managed to get a slightly mid-and-bass-centric tonality, and with apparently clearer mids, it caused a removal of some details no matter how little sorbothane I used, which was especially prominent in the piano decay. Finally went out to get the rug-liner and did a donut like @spoony's except that mine has smaller squares (more "porous") and exposes the entire driver. Mind you some might prefer the sorbothane method as it doesn't require accurate circular measurements and if they don't mind a slight tradeoff in small details for clearer-sounding mids. (In fact the sorbothane mids sound slightly clearer/ more forward(?) than the rug-liner.)
     
  11. spoony

    spoony Spooky

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    I'm not sure there isn't a loss of finer details with the pieces I'm using, what I'm sure of is that it would be offset by the improvement in imaging and the lessening of bass bloat and treble spikes, every time I take them off the sound becomes blurry and hollow (yet bright). I will try to get a hold of the more open material and post some subjective impressions.
     
  12. spoony

    spoony Spooky

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    So I had a chance to A/B the mod against a stock pair today (switching between pairs as fast as I could), I can attest to the effectiveness of the thick foam ring; the stock pair sounds hazy, bloated and bright in comparison, and quite clearly so. I don't know for sure there are no downsides (besides increased sensitivity to proper positioning on the head), but I'm confident the plusses outweigh the negatives if there were more. Will be getting my hands on the thinner checkerboard-like rug liner soon and will report my findings.
     
  13. Friday

    Friday Friend

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    Stock pair with or without sponge?
     
  14. JayC

    JayC Resident Crash Test Dummy

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    It would be nice if you guys could post a picture of what you used so it gives a better idea.

    I had some of this really cheap anti slip mat (horrible stuff, doesn't really work if there's any water) and it didn't even do a great job with the k7xx. Went back to stock after a couple of swaps to try different combinations - I cut out four of those and tried them single and double per side with and without the stock foam

    [​IMG]
     
  15. Friday

    Friday Friend

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    Whew I saw that too but I didn't get it since it looked too irregularly shaped. The one I'm using now (and I suspect spoony is referring to) is this

    [​IMG]
     
  16. JayC

    JayC Resident Crash Test Dummy

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    well, i had it lying around. do you really find a positive improvement with that one?
     
  17. spoony

    spoony Spooky

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    There's pictures of the shower mat I used back in this very thread, which looks like the material Bill-P is using in some of his mods. The stock pair was with the foam ring. yes, the other pair had just the shower mat, no extra felt.
    I don't think the very thin liner will do much if anything at all, maybe more than one layer?, the other one pictured might. I tried Tor4-style mods back when I started (1-3 wool felt rings) and they 'worked' in the sense that the treble became smoother, but the sound also became kinda stuffy and dead, and didn't improve imaging for me.
     
  18. Friday

    Friday Friend

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    First impressions is that it's less bright. Better? I'll have to give it a few more listening sessions before I pass my verdict.
     
  19. fishski13

    fishski13 Friend

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    My rug anti-slip looks more like Friday's. It's a cream color from Bed Bath and Beyond. I bet it sounds creamier.
     
  20. Friday

    Friday Friend

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    Damn I'd love to hear that.
     

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