The All Purpose Advice Thread

The Matrix M-Stage HPA-3B is on Massdrop now and has a voltage switch. Fully balanced like the Jotunheim. I ordered one on the last drop and it should be arriving today if you're looking for some impressions, otherwise I think @keanex might be the only other person on SBAF who's heard it.

 

Heya Zero,

Unfortunately I have no experience with working with wires or cables, especially audio cables. I am too afraid to try to fix it myself. The HD800 is my favorite headphones, and I am scared I may damage them or screw up and damage the cable @fraggler made for me.

To answer your question,
the wires are coming off of the metal posts that connect to the HD800, I just put the wires back in the posts then used electrical tape on the exposed wires, however I still have to push/hold the 2 small pins that connect to the driver in or I will not get a signal out of the right channel.

The wires seem to be in tact, and the small little pins that connect to the right driver are in tact as well. And yes I lose signal if I do not hold them manually because I cannot get the pins to stay connected to the right channel's driver unless I hold them there. However if I do hold them there, I do get sound out of both channels, so luckily it isn't a driver issue or anything.

I am just afraid to try to repair this cable on my own, I do not have the right tools and I have absolutely no experience with working on audio cables and I am afraid that I would damage them , when there could be someone that this would be a piece of cake to fix.

Thank you Zero for your wonderful advice, I just wish I had the skill, and know-how to fix this on my own - but like I said above, I am scared I would damage the cable even further. Right now the cable does in fact work, I just cannot get the 2 little pins to stay connected to the right channel driver without manually holding them there.

 

Thanks. I did see that but it's gonna be out of my budget for amp-only.

 

Thank you @sorrodje , that will be a tremendous help. The cable @fraggler made for me is extremely nice and I love it a lot. If I cannot get the cable @fraggler made for me fixed, maybe he will be able to fix it for me if I send it to him. As far as what @zerodeefex suggested, I am not even sure where to get heat shrink tubing for an audio cable. But no doubt you are a lifesaver @sorrodje - now I can listen to my HD800 thanks to you!

 

@The Alchemist You can pick up heat shrink tubing at any hardware store, just pick the narrowest size that will fit over the connector jack and heat it up. It does sound like there's a larger problem with the internal wires though, so I would address that first before you seal it with the heat shrink. The heat shrink is only there to prevent damage, it won't be a permanent fix if there's already a loose connection. I'm sure there's someone besides fraggler here who has experience fixing the cable that you could send it to.

 

Thank you @ibzrg1570 - If anyone knows how to fix the heat shrink, please let me know, or PM me. I am not sure if there is a problem with the internal wires or not, like I said, if I connect the wire to the driver it works just fine, but the way that you have to put the wire and 2 little pins through the metal connector, it doesn't want to stay in place without that heat shrink.

 

Hey now, I've owned the HD580/600/650 around four times now (and the same for the 59# family), but I still don't use them for anything except as reference points

 

Found this: http://www.diyaudioblog.com/2015/01/sennheiser-hd800-trebuchet-headphone.html

Can you check for a set screw like in this photo that you can use to tighten the connector around the cable? The connector must have a way to hold onto the cable without the heat shrink.

 

@ibzrg1570 - The cable that @fraggler made doesn't have a set screw unfortunately. @fraggler made the cable out of his own parts. It isn't the same connector as the stock HD800 connector - thus it doesn't have a screw like the one pictured above.

Does anyone know if Amazon or Monoprice has the part I need? Something like that? I am hoping someone who has more experience would be willing to let me ship the cable to them and help me to fix it. I am not sure when @fraggler will return from Japan. I am just really nervous about trying to fix this cable, I don't want to accidentally cut a wire, or anything like that as I have zero experience with audio cables.

 

Well got the fender.

 

Awesome! Congrats! How's the PA sound? Here's a tip - since you've got all that volume in the PA turn it up and learn to play LIGHTLY. I plucked way too hard for many years. You'll be way more limber and fast if you learn to play without digging in too hard with your plucking hand.

 

Yeah, ill have to adjust, cello you have to play hard when plucking.
The tweeter seems to amplifier buzzzing, so i disconected it.
Also, if I pluck hard, seems to buzz, i think I need to raise the e string or lower the pickup.

 

I would recommend taking it to a luthier or a highly respected guitar tech and have it professionally set up. It can make a world of difference for playability. Don't adjust the pickup due to string buzz

 

The guy in my local guitar shop was the guy who identified bob dylans first electric guitar he played.
Was featured on PBS.

 

What shop is that?

 

Fab gear

http://www.andybabiuksfabgear.com