'Neutralizing' my HD800

Discussion in 'DIY' started by stratocaster, Mar 11, 2016.

  1. Hands

    Hands Overzealous Auto Flusher - Measurbator

    Staff Member Pyrate MZR
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    12,285
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Colorado
    Home Page:
    How are the pads attached?
     
  2. stratocaster

    stratocaster Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 29, 2015
    Likes Received:
    495
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Location:
    Austria
    The pads are kind of -very lightly and temporarily - 'press-fit' against the ring that normally holds the Sennheiser pads. That way they kind of 'hover' over the driver. There might be additional room for improvement by lining the sound-reflecting parts in the cavity below.

    Distortion comparison:
    stock_dist.jpg

    mod_dist.jpg
     
  3. stratocaster

    stratocaster Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 29, 2015
    Likes Received:
    495
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Location:
    Austria
    There is absolutely no veil at all, tonality has been improved. I have had the HD800s for two days only, so I am not an expert on these and their soundstage, to my ears the soundstage might have narrowed just a bit, but definitely not dramatically. It is still really very impressive compared to the HD650 for example.
     
  4. Armaegis

    Armaegis Friend

    Pyrate BWC
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    7,467
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Winnipeg
    I wonder if Takato's HD700 pad mods would be applicable here.
     
  5. stratocaster

    stratocaster Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 29, 2015
    Likes Received:
    495
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Location:
    Austria
    Alright, I guess there is consensus that the 6kHz peak is a result of cup resonances? So why not try to absorb these?
    Now, here is my HD800 Grado pimp:
    I had these lying around from other projects - decapitated clone Grado L-cushs - and made a sandwich with the inner diameter exactly the HD800 driver size:
    DSC02416.JPG

    DSC02417.JPG

    Then I installed it as follows:
    DSC02418.JPG

    Measurement, go figure!
    HD800_GradoPimp.jpg

    So to my humble mind, there are plenty of possible ways to get rid of this 6kHz spike. Personally, I love theseHD800 'classics'. There are numerous modding possibilities. As for the sound, I still prefer the velour 'in-sets', they sound just right! These provide a tad too much bass for my taste.
     
    Last edited: Mar 13, 2016
  6. Maxx134

    Maxx134 Dunning–Kruger effect poster boy

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Oct 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    818
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    NYC
    edit:
    I it amazing how perfect you cut foam !!
    I Have Grado monster Gpads.
    But I am thinking maybe not fill hole.
    I am wondering how much impact to soundstage.
    I see small hole .

    Instead, I thinking how to fit whole G pad in place of stock pad...
    Will not be easy, and also a waste on my pads but,
    It due time to see how to try pad roll..
     
  7. Maxx134

    Maxx134 Dunning–Kruger effect poster boy

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Oct 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    818
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    NYC
    I have about 5 different type pads I not using that can break for this,
    lol
     
  8. im533

    im533 New

    Joined:
    Mar 14, 2016
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    3
    I use a foam disk from Beyer DT880 instead of Grado pads. I made a hole in the middle of this thin disk like you, but the inner diameter is not the same with the HD800 driver size. It's placed between the driver and the dust cover. I like this, it makes the sound of HD800 smoother, my taste.
     
  9. Hidehavoc

    Hidehavoc New

    Joined:
    Feb 14, 2016
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    1
    Hi stratocaster. Great work here. Really interested in how much more your mods will improve. When your SD arrives could you please measure them with and without your velour inserts? I am curious how it would turn out.
     
  10. stratocaster

    stratocaster Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 29, 2015
    Likes Received:
    495
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Location:
    Austria
    Will do
     
  11. sorrodje

    sorrodje Carla Bruni's other lover - Friend

    Staff Member Pyrate MZR
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    2,812
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Dijon / Burgundy / France / EU
    Grado and Beyer parts in a Sennheiser. eewwwww

    3945175200.png


    Just kidding :p
     
    Last edited: Mar 15, 2016
  12. smithj

    smithj Acquaintance

    Contributor
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    34
    Trophy Points:
    18
    Is there a difference between the official Grado L-Cush and the Ear Zonk L-Cush equivalent considering they're half the price of the official Grado stock?
     
  13. stratocaster

    stratocaster Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 29, 2015
    Likes Received:
    495
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Location:
    Austria
    Personally I havent't tried the Ear Zonks but others, and there definitely is a difference in the foams. But for this mod you certainly don't have to buy Grado pads or whatever, you can use any foam you may have lying around. Depending on the density of the foam you will have differences in the way the FR changes. Sonically I prefer the velour inlays by a fair margin. The Grado foam inlays result in a somewhat elevated midbass/lower midrange, which I do not really appreciate in combination with the energy reduction from 5k onwards. If you have any velour pads available that fit into the HD800 pad-frame, I would recomment using these.
    You would have to remove the black plastic ring from the HD800 pad and put it back on. Then you would have to press-fit a velour pad into that plastic ring in a way that there is a good seal beweeen pad and plastic ring.
    Personally I would not cover the driver (not even parts) with any foam. Measurements show that frequencies above 5kHz show a roll-off that has a detrimental effect on the air. What one needs to achieve is to smoothen out the response from 5kHz upwards, keeping up the extension without any notable roll-off.
     
    Last edited: Mar 15, 2016
  14. stratocaster

    stratocaster Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 29, 2015
    Likes Received:
    495
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Location:
    Austria
    So, after getting and installing the SD resonators, here are the measurements:

    Stock vs. Resonator
    Mod_stockvsres.jpg

    Resonator vs. Velour Inserts (without resonator):
    Mod_velourvsres.jpg

    Resonator vs. Velour vs Velour+resonator:
    Mod_resonator_velour_both.jpg
     
  15. Priidik

    Priidik MOT: Estelon

    Pyrate BWC
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    2,153
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Estonia
    Awesome work Stratocaster.
    Graphs look like your rig speaks same language as many other measurbator's systems.
    Makes me wonder if these Velour pimped HD800s sound closed in and overdamped now.
    Will your ears make contact with all the stuff inside?
     
  16. stratocaster

    stratocaster Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 29, 2015
    Likes Received:
    495
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Location:
    Austria
    Currently I am using HM5 velour 'inlays', nothing else inside, not even the HD800 dustcover. The inner diameter of the velours is wide enought, they are very comfortable and nothing else changes my ears.
    If you have some similar velour pad lying around you can easily try this. To my ears these sound very good. Not at all closed in or overdamped. In fact, there is no real damping, there is just an earpad with a smaller inner diameter.
     
    Last edited: Mar 15, 2016
  17. cskippy

    cskippy Creamy warmpoo

    Pyrate MZR
    Joined:
    Oct 14, 2015
    Likes Received:
    3,999
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Tempe, Arizona
    Man, those are great results! Looks like a used HD800 is on my list of things to buy now.
     
  18. firev1

    firev1 Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    44
    Trophy Points:
    18
    Location:
    Singapore
    Unmodded my HD800 except for retained cork ring, stuff a HM5 angled pleather into the thing, works pretty damn well! Will get velour eventually for comparisons. Best part of the mod? No need for 100 buck pads anymore, thanks Stratocaster!
     
  19. frenchbat

    frenchbat Almost "Made"

    Joined:
    Sep 26, 2015
    Likes Received:
    1,369
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Tried to install some hfm veloursvpads I have around, but I don't get it. How did you manage to make them stay in place ?
     
  20. stratocaster

    stratocaster Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 29, 2015
    Likes Received:
    495
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Location:
    Austria
    Under the HD800 Pads there is a black plastic D-shaped ring. Remove it from the pad and mount it on the Hd800 frame. Then press the Velours pad into this opening. This is just a very loose fit, but it works well enough to test it out. To my ears this has a great effect on the tonality
     
    Last edited: Mar 18, 2016

Share This Page