I made a hyper-engaging headphone with HD800S drivers

Discussion in 'Modifications and Tweaks' started by Bill-P, Mar 1, 2020.

  1. Philimon

    Philimon Friend

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  2. Philimon

    Philimon Friend

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    @Bill-P Do HD6X0 grills fit? Wondering if I should add some to cart.
     
  3. gixxerwimp

    gixxerwimp Professional tricycle rider

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    My guess is that the HD6xx grill might fit inside the capsule, but Bill would have to confirm. The oval shape looks a bit "narrower" though, so it's hard to tell. Could probably stick it in place with some double-sided tape on the ribs.

     
  4. Noodlz

    Noodlz Almost "Made"

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    just got these babies in! thanks again @Bill-P !!

    can confirm that the hd580/650 headbands work. shure 1540 alcantara pads fit just fine. the 650/6xx grills hover will not fit. they are basically the same size as the baffles so you couldn’t put it inside or outside of it. the picture here shows me putting it directly on it

    that being said you could probably glue / tape it to make it fit but im not sure you’d want to. will have to explore some options for the grill.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    also im thinking pads, i wonder if the alpha pads would work well here to give it some distance since i assume the 800 drivers want more distance from the ears?
     
  5. Walderstorn

    Walderstorn Friend

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    Press against your ears (very) slightly and see what it does for you. Personally speaking I would prefer the drivers on the OG800 to be 2mm closer to my ears. I lose a bit of stage but the presence is better and so is the bass imo.

    Edit: press but don't cover, otherwise the sound gets waky.
     
  6. RestoredSparda

    RestoredSparda Friend

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    Agreed. However, it's hard for me to tell if it's from closer proximity of the drivers or a better seal with the pads from pressing OG HD800 closer. My HD 800 have almost zero clamping force.

    Although, I've heard that older worn-out HD800 pads are known to increase bass, so you are probably right.
     
  7. Walderstorn

    Walderstorn Friend

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    Indeed, at least comparing to the new ones. Unfortunately comes to a point that they have to be exchanged anyway. The difference is not huge but every bit counts in a shy-bass (more quality, less quantity) headphone.
     
  8. Philimon

    Philimon Friend

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    I read some HD800/S/XX threads yesterday and I didnt yet find a concensus on OGHD800 driver vs HD800S driver. Recommendation for this project? I know @Bill-P tried to address earlier but it wasnt clear which he preferred/recommended (or maybe i missed).

    edit: I did read @purr1n ’s comparisons. Still hard to know what I would prefer. 6XX vs 600? I prefer 600 due to its bass being less wooly. Ill take the bass-lite instead. Treble I can EQ. From reading it seems OGHD800 is the HD600 and HD800S is 6XX. So I guess thats my preference. Or is the wooly difference not as big as 600 vs 6XX?

    edit2: Also, why this over an Elex? Ive not heard a Focal before either but keep reading its an upgrade from your HD600.

    edit3: I thonk I found my answer on Focal. Possibly uncomfortable headband, and possibly too rough treble.


    Edit4: This is good enough for me. HD800 drivers ordered.
     
    Last edited: Dec 28, 2021
  9. Bill-P

    Bill-P Level 42 Mad Wizard

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    Yeah, I... intentionally left out the bit on "recommendation" since it's really up to you to tune your own headphone!

    The choice basically comes down to:

    HD800: choose this driver if you prefer a bit more treble bite and a cleaner sound overall (can be a bit clinical though)
    HD800S: choose this driver if you prefer more bass and smoother sounding treble overall (can be a bit dull though)

    Can't go wrong with either one and honestly, I think I can tune HD800 drivers to sound smooth/dull with a bit more bass weight, and also HD800S drivers to sound sharp/bitey at the same time. It's not really just the drivers anymore but the headphone as a whole. The damping/cover/filter materials that you'll use and also the ear pads affect the sound a lot.

    I'll post what I would consider a reference/simple setup by the end of the week for some to try out. But that's really more as an example rather than an absolute "guide". Please do try to make your own considerations and tune the sound to your own preference.
     
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  10. Philimon

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    Thanks Bill-P. And in a simple setup guide would you please recommend connectors that'll fit the enclosure well? Not sure if it needs 2.5mm or 3.5mm, or if it needs 3-pin or 4-pin or 10-pin etc.

    Appreciate a simple setup guide. My attempts at modding usually go like this: progress, progress, almost there, stumped, sell.

    Did you try a non-permeable driver baffle or is that what you recommend? For moar bass.
     
  11. ColtMrFire

    ColtMrFire Writes better fan fics than you

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    Yeah the "damping/cover/filter materials" is my biggest question mark. Looking forward to seeing recommendations.
     
  12. gixxerwimp

    gixxerwimp Professional tricycle rider

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    I think I'll be taking a page from the Darth Vader handbook and opening up some facemasks. Thanks, Covid!
     
  13. Philimon

    Philimon Friend

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    @gixxerwimp I canceled my Voldemort pre-order (currently out of stock so had put myself in que) to pay for HD800 drivers. Also bypassed the Elex at $550 sale price. I hope you will give a comparison of BP800 (Bill-P HD800) vs Voldemort vs Clear please? Still curious to try those others. I had a Voldemort for a week before it broke so didnt get a good feel. Plus I have Loki+ now so I can remove much of any stock tonal dislikes.
     
  14. ColtMrFire

    ColtMrFire Writes better fan fics than you

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    Oh shit, I've got a pile of these black masks sitting around.
     
  15. gixxerwimp

    gixxerwimp Professional tricycle rider

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    Will definitely be comparing with my other phones, but my Voldemort is significantly modded so will not necessarily be a good reference. And everybody will be doing different things initially. Guess we'll eventually get a BP800 baseline setup that we can all use for comparisons (or use Bill-P's).

    I don't think the "blackness" is necessarily important. The middle layer of 3-layer masks does most of the fine filtering, so probably has the right characteristics for a semi-permeable baffle material. I have no idea what I'm talking about ...
    |\/|
     
  16. ColtMrFire

    ColtMrFire Writes better fan fics than you

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    [​IMG]
    Done.

    Now just need to figure out how to attach it to the capsules. I'm not a natural modder so this will be a learning process.
     
  17. gixxerwimp

    gixxerwimp Professional tricycle rider

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    I just received an email from Audio Sanctuary after ordering a pair of OG drivers.


    Guess I was too slow and you guys bought them all.
     
  18. RestoredSparda

    RestoredSparda Friend

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    Figured that would happen. I've been waiting months for stock to come back in the US for headband pads and dust covers.
     
  19. tommytakis

    tommytakis MOT: E.T.A Headphones

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    you can try to trace the outer lines w a sharpie and cut around it. once you have a reference piece, it should be easy to just keep trace around it each time you cut.

    Maybe owning a caliper also not a bad idea, they're not too expensive on amazon and will help you get precise measurements
     
  20. Philimon

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    I just got my email with shipped / tracking. Did you choose Royal Mail with signature? In the email Audio Sanctuary says theyve been having delays with regular Royal Mail (non-signature). Couldve been a factor for cancellation? Anyways, if someone with an HD800s drivers wants to swap headphones for a bit then maybe Id trade. I do prefer warm+dark. But @Bill-P says that any tuning can be accomplished with either driver so since regular HD800 appeared to have lower bass distortion I went with regular HD800

    And a compass for circles. They also have compasses that can cut so you dont have to (razor holder instead of a pencil holder) and will cut more evenly consistently.

    edit: My tracking doesnt have an eta yet. But Audio Sanctuary email said expect between 3-30 days for overseas.
     
    Last edited: Dec 30, 2021

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