E_Schaaf

Is the S12 current preferred mod config simply partial micropore nozzle coverage or something more intricate? I have a lot of fibrous filters similar to micropore tape of varying density, and also a bunch of different meshes too. Looking forward to tweaking. I guess it's settled haha

Yeah all you have to do is cover the back half of the nozzle with micropore tape. The transformation from stock is pretty astounding. It corrects all the problems.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-zbsRbxDms

you might come up with something better too! I'm pretty happy with this though

I like a KISS approach, ill definitely try with your config first and see how it goes :)

A lot of misconceptions about this probably stem from the fact that enclosure info is almost never really explored in spec sheets or marketing copy outside of 'more open', 'more closed', etc. It's easy to assume most differences heard between two different headphones are due to the drivers, but in reality drivers are just a small part of the bigger picture and there are dozens of confounding variables.

Have measured and heard earpads that make 15dB differences in FR and distortion with the same enclosure and driver as well as reduce or increase ringing by several ms. As an analogy, imagine listening to two sets of different speakers in a well treated room, and then comparing again inside a solid concrete box for a room. Room differences will be more dramatic than speaker differences.

Our audio world suffers from a bad mixture of materials bias, eg plastic is bad, whatever, regardless of actual properties and engineering, and anthropomorphism eg silver sounds bright.

Inversely, a Drop HD6xx at $220 in 2022 would be about ~$145 in 2004.

When it came out, they had it on a pedestal at Circuity City. It was the most expensive pair they sold. It felt unreachable even at $550. It wasn't until they came down to sub K701 prices before I could afford one.

I just came back from a live show, and their was this drone band that was Avant-garde but it was loud and passionate, and on the main stage they had a 10 piece band full of stiff players and it was so boring rigid. Some vosco, bosanova thing. Nothing about it stuck out to me other than decision paralysis because the band was too big and it seemed they had no real direction in a huge open space.

While the Drone band was dynamic in a concreate room, absolutely incredible.

So what do artists intend? Do they all have intention or simply playing along.

And what about the producer and the mastering engineer? Are they chopped liver? They probably more time and care in making things sound good.

It'll be a worlds first! The manufacturer repeatedly tried to dissuade me, citing the strength advantage of NdFeB, but my curiosity had to be satiated...

Have you thought about playing with multi-magnet arrangement like what we see on some tweeters and some woofers? I think the idea here is to gain higher magnetic flux with smaller magnet size which would be appreciated to headphones especially small headphones like your mini'es. e.g. http://www.troelsgravesen.dk/OVAL-1/ellipticor-4-1800.jpg AND https://europe-audio.com/img/Data/HQ/d3004-662000-1.png

@nishan99 yes! I already have several of those as well, there was some parallel development. The dual magnetic drivers hopefully will launch in sale ready headphones in the next month or two. They sound amazing and are an ETA exclusive :)

Pioneer was onto something. Those old Pioneers can sound exceptional, end-game exceptional.

SBAF is getting one in a month. How’s that for the magic gearmaster touch? :p

@rhythmdevils you've still got it!

I passed it by at CanJam....I'll have to sign up for the loaner....nice!!

E_Schaaf where'd you get your V60? Is it possible the jack is OMTP not CTIA? Maybe pick up a converter too: https://www.amazon.com/Universal-3-5mm-Earphone-Converter-Adapter/dp/B07Q8GLYW3

The adapter @Biodegraded linked didn't work, same issue. I notice that there will also be no sound when just one of the sides of the headphone is unplugged and I reinsert the jack, but when both are plugged in, both channels are active. Seems the positive leads are being bridged and grounding doesn't work unless both leads are active???

Kinda seems like the pinout on the socket is 100% backwards

Re:thinnest pads possible. Maybe that's why I enjoy the Porta Pros and KSC75 so much. Having the driver that close realy just puts you right into the music.

Closed designs are efficient and yes make amps less important. Exotic materials are for looks/aesthetics, which people do buy with their eyes. 600/650 are damped, but I would not say over-damped. This is why you need a good amp to get through the damped haze. And lastly, more revealing signal chain will reveal how bad recordings are. Lower top end makes things sound more "pleasant" - Harman already figured this out.

Good that you have worked out your personal preferences. Keep perspective that these may not necessarily represent universal Trvths. However sharing provides yet another important data point for all.

ORTF will provide decent results even if the room acoustics are not so great.

I wanted to do ORTF, but the Schoeps CMC641 pair are supercardioid, I thought it'd lack center fill so went for XY

I've used both CMC62 and CMC641 in ORTF to great effect. If room acoustics are good, CMC62, otherwise CMC641.

Sometimes I take the grill off the 6xx to make them more open and reduce reflections. Sometimes I add a layer of foam behind the grill to make them more closed and increase isolation.

No. I prefer headphones that chase one rabbit and catch it.

It would be interesting. I feel to really have a place it would have to offer some unique strengths in both configurations

But I hear you, most earpads suck and I bet most manufacturers just don't try enough or think about them enough to get the best sound from their headphones.

It's also not logical. I have found almost zero acoustic "rules" that apply to all earpads except more leaky generally means a brighter more bass light sound but not always and otherwise it's just seemingly very random as far as midrange presence and things like that.

Hmm I wonder if it's because people _don't_ want to recreate the stage in the recording, they want something that sounds more expansive because some recordings can sound more closed in/intimate than they'd like. For those people, bigger earpads may be a hack to get that; others may like the commissions of tube amps or the like. Just a thought.

nm

That sucks.

That's awful, 5/6...

does this also say something about lifetime and customer support if you use the drivers? For example DOA headphones, or damaged while they packed it in a backpack/suitcase and so on? Would cost you a lot to deal with warranty issues like that I assume

HELL YES.

KEEP THE SIDE VENTS THEY LOOK COOL :)

That is one sexy little driver. Have you been able to listen to them yet? How much of that tactile slammin' sound can it reasonably maintain vs openness of cup/module and rear damping materials?

The only thing with a motor remotely like it is the Utopia. And they don't have that lovely textured bio sound, and $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.

Not yet! Arriving shortly. Airflow on the driver frame should be as great or greater than most stock drivers (barring focal drivers) given most stock drivers are used with near complete blockage of rear vents most of the time. Very few drivers run with rear vents mostly open, but I'm hoping with some tweaks to enclosure design I can run these new guys wide open.

The current Mini driver also uses a graphene diaphragm, but no pleated face and only one N52 magnet, and a more typical CCAW coil. Pure copper voice coils are a rarity in headphone drivers and I'm excited to explore that as well. Maybe spc coil later on

Impulse response on the first one mentioned is also rounder and less sharp. They literally sound opposite to how they look vs one another

The only guess I have is that my ears themselves are somehow reacting to the stark differences between them both in terms of sonics and design traits. Grey area... Some kind of fatigue response?

Are they using the same type of transducer? The LCD-X '21 has me reconsidering the same thing.

@Thad E Ginathom my sense of smell is very bad even without covid. Nerve damage from a fall.

Oh! Well, that's my joke fallen flat on its face!

Sorry about your lost sense of smell. Mine is not very good either: I don't know, but I blame 20 years of smoking

Haha don't worry about it.