How to remove the mesh/shield/screen of the HD800...

Discussion in 'Modifications and Tweaks' started by Bill-P, Jan 17, 2016.

  1. Bill-P

    Bill-P Level 42 Mad Wizard

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2015
    Likes Received:
    4,801
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    San Jose, CA
    ...because I'm seeing people pulling the screen off or doing things like cutting it, and I didn't think it was that complicated, so here is the step by step visual guide on how to remove your own mesh/shield/screen from your HD800 without doing anything destructive:

    1st step: here is my dirty HD800 after the metal retaining ring has been removed. Note: if you don't know how to remove the metal ring, then I'd recommend NOT following this guide anyway, as you can EASILY kill your HD800 without knowing what you're doing, so please consider yourself WARNED. And yes, I am very serious about the killing part!!
    [​IMG]

    2nd step: lift the driver up to this angle (you can't lift it up any more anyway), notice the protruding plastic lift part?
    [​IMG]

    3rd step: try to separate the plastic lift part from the housing. Your finger should suffice and it should come off easily. Note: do NOT use a sharp tool because you may damage the diaphragm if your hand slips.
    [​IMG]

    4th step: hold the plastic mesh/screen thing and pull it out all the way. I've overlayed the plastic mesh/screen here over the driver, so you can see how deep the "tail" end of the piece is digging into the enclosure.
    [​IMG]

    5th step: bare driver! Note the 2 small wires inside. THEY ARE VERY FRAGILE!!! So be careful when you push the plastic mesh/screen back in, otherwise you're gonna have to do some hardcore soldering...
    [​IMG]

    So yeah, it is possible to remove and replace the plastic mesh/screen thing without resorting to cutting stuffs up. If you're planning on doing your own resonator mod, then please make sure to do this rather than cutting or peeling your screen. Plus it's easier to apply mods this way, anyway.

    Note 1: please do not hold me accountable if someone takes an HD800S, pull the mesh out, take the resonator materials inside, then research and develop their own mass-producible version of it to be retro-fitted on older HD800 units that can be bought off of some owners for approximately 650 - 700 USD right now. :p
     
    Last edited: Jan 17, 2016
  2. songmic

    songmic Gear cycler East Asia edition

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 28, 2015
    Likes Received:
    2,102
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Seoul, South Korea
    0th step: any link on how to remove the metal ring?
     
  3. logscool

    logscool Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 28, 2015
    Likes Received:
    69
    Trophy Points:
    28
    One thing to be careful with is those screws that hold on the metal ring are self tapping screws into plastic and aren't really designed to be screwed and unscrewed many times. The screws themselves are quite small and prone to breaking their heads off, also because they are self tapping into plastic there is some risk of stripping the plastic. There are solutions to both of these problems if they happen to you but not easy ones.
     
  4. logscool

    logscool Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 28, 2015
    Likes Received:
    69
    Trophy Points:
    28
    for anyone wondering or in need, this is a suitable replacement for the sennheiser screws if you damage them.
    http://www.mcmaster.com/mv1454704298/#96817a818/=112zxkr
    Also if you plan on taking them in and out lots its probably a good idea to take off the plastic ring that the screws thread into and use some threaded screws into nuts with a protective washer, here are some links to suitable parts for that.
    http://www.mcmaster.com/#91772a170/=112zxx0
    http://www.mcmaster.com/mv1454704298/#91841a038/=112zy53
    http://www.mcmaster.com/#90295a314/=112zyb1
     
  5. AudioFriend

    AudioFriend Facebook Friend

    Joined:
    Aug 12, 2017
    Likes Received:
    222
    Trophy Points:
    33
    Location:
    Budapest (EU)
    Is there a version of this article somewhere with non-broken picture links?
     
  6. fastfwd

    fastfwd Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Aug 29, 2019
    Likes Received:
    993
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Silicon Valley
    Ok, I just did this and it isn't hard. But it does take patience, the right tools, and good lighting.

    Also, it's easiest to do with the earpad removed from the earcup and the cup separated from the headband. My photos show the cup completely separated from the yoke as well, but that isn't really necessary. Do one side completely, then the other -- that way you'll always have an assembled example to refer to as you reassemble the side you're working on.

    The metal retaining ring is fastened with 4 little Torx screws, size T6. If you don't have an appropriate driver and you've always wanted a set of tiny screwdriver bits, the Wiha 75980 bit set (https://www.wihatools.com/esd-safe-mini-micro-bit-set-39-pc) is high quality and works great for these screws and the others on the HD800. And it happens to be on sale at the moment.

    To minimize the risk of a screw head snapping off, barely loosen all four screws first -- just a few degrees -- and then slowly loosen all four a quarter turn or so, working in a cross pattern. Continue, slowly turning a quarter or half turn at a time, and repeat until they're finally loose enough to remove with your fingers.

    The metal ring isn't glued down, but its underside is sticky rubber so it won't come off right away. Gently pull and it will release.

    Once the metal ring is off, gently pull the driver+screen assembly up -- just a little bit -- from its rubber surround. The assembly will still be anchored at the side where the cable socket is, so you'll be swinging it up at an angle. Again, no glue, just sticky rubber:

    [​IMG] [​IMG]

    The plastic screen/mesh is only a press fit on the rim of the driver. Carefully push with your finger or fingernail, not with a tool that can slip and destroy the driver, and separate the two pieces:

    [​IMG] [​IMG]

    I wasn't able to completely remove the screen from the driver -- a photo of whatever Bill-P was referring to as the "plastic lift part" might have helped -- but it's easy to swing the screen up enough to carefully slip the SDR into the center of the driver:

    [​IMG]

    Remember that the SDR is intended to sit flush with the top of the plastic screen, so it will protrude from the driver a bit. You may have to tip it a little to allow the screen to swing back down over it.

    Gently pat everything back into place, set the metal ring on top, and tighten the four screws in a cross pattern, just a little at a time, until they're all snug.

    Do the other side and reattach the yokes to the headband. If you've lost the yoke-to-headband spring, a 1/2-inch portion of the spring from a ballpoint pen makes an excellent replacement.

    Enjoy.
     

Share This Page