The vintage Ortho thread

YH-2 that arrived today came in a different box from the one @dBel84 modded. Specs listed are same. A little different art. Larger sized packaging like HP-2 which makes me think its older. Driver looks the same when peeking through pad driver grill mesh.

 

Email the site owner. He is communicative and helpful ime.
Website says Abyss is authentic… who knows. I thought Abyss said they were made in USA. diyearphonelabs is all stuff from china (genuine or not). They say they have genuine Grado drivers too. Dont know if true.

 

Excellent Victor HP-D90 review by @feilong4

 

Looks and sounds like the HP-2. HP-2 is like Grade A+ condition, this YH-2 is like A-. The pads are great but the soft headband support is cracked and faded, and a few faint scratches on the cups. One problem though, the plug is a little scratchy. It's finicky about how its plugged in. Do it not right and you will get intermittent or no contact. Not hard to find good connection but was throwing off my measurements and giving me fits for a few minutes before I figured out the problem.

Spoiler: YH-2 another one again

edit: Looks like some glue from the packaging got onto plug. Seller said these were "never used" just tested.

 

Wow, I was looking for it for several years before gave up. Almost started to believe it was a myth

 

If you look upstream in the HF thread someone posted a bunch of pics of their collection which included basically every vintage ortho ever mint with box (Victors too). The post was from 2020 or 2021.

 

Yup, found it, a nice collection, sadly not much info besides the photos =\

 

That last YH-2 I purchased turned out to have conical bore magnet holes. Just opened up to mod before sending on their way. Its a subtle difference physically and a mystery if audible. Cool because rare. Maybe keep.

 

Keep indeed . Who knows, with your luck you will pull one of the square "hole" ones out of the bog.

 

Curious if that swirl pattern on the magnet face is from the casting.

 

Also curious. Looks neat.

Not going to post tons of random mods and measurements, just one of first mod attempt.:

Spoiler: YH2 stock vs mod1 and Loki

^ Loki settings = 400Hz@7o'clock, 2k@7, 8k@7
edit: Warning. Tried EQ settings shown. Tone corrected but bass was possibly responsible for giving me a headache. I dont know. Needs more investigation. These dont have the macrodynamics of Emu bass. I think leaving bass EQ alone and appreciating them for their strengths is best. And I do and will. Probably mod more but done posting about mods on this headphone. Except to say the mods on this first attempt were damplifier pro inside cups and driver baffle (without blocking any vents, then stuffing cups with a layer of dense open foam.

edit2: Hmmm. Prefer @dBel84 mod. dB mod sounds quicker with more rounded transients / liquid (mids/highs). New YH-2 prob needs more damping, going to copy dB mod instructions. Forget bass, not its strong suit, but still adequate enough to be enjoyable and of good quality. Highly recommended. $50!

 

I wanted to try blocking all vents to see what happens. But what I forgot about Yamaha vents is that there is a hidden secret vent: the one behind cup metal backplate that covers the headband pivot joint - there is a big air leak there. (cant see backplate in this pic)

Spoiler: YH2 philmod2

Measurements / impressions didnt turn out as expected (more bass and slower transients than expected) and that's when I remembered the secret vent.

Spoiler: YH2 philmod2 vs stock

I don't find the 2kHz peak fatiguing or even very noticeable. Not totally surprising considering @purr1n RS2e pinna bypass theory. The 2kHz peak appears to be an effect of the sealed cup based on @Ishcabible and @rhythmdevils Yamaha cup theory.
To seal cup completely I would need to cover that backplate. I think micropore tape would work well enough here. Micropore is still porous but its low, close enough. I don't have an idea for sealing up completely easily. My objective is to not put dense material directly on back of driver to allow a little more breathing room. Sealing vents with slightly porous materials like with very dense open foam would be better (im guessing). Then some reflection control with felt for example.

 

Spoiler: YH2 philmod3

^ layers of craft felt also added back in

Spoiler: YH2 philmod3

^* some external noise at very bottom of red measurement but you get the idea.

I think the next move would be replacing the butyl taped vents for the less extreme micropore tape.
Quick first impressions is yeah bass lost some macro and slam. Mids/highs have more definition. 2kH peak still non-existent in subjectives. Or maybe I've grown accustom combined with some of that pinna bypass theory, will a/b vs @dBel84 configured YH2 and Emu later.

Intention of philmod is to make a basic mod for anyone to follow. Craft felt and micropore tape easily available locally. Don't need to order some spec foam where shipping costs more than the foam. The damplifier pro (mass damping) cant be harmful, these particular Yamahas are made of cheap plastic...

edit: Tried EQing 2kHz with Loki knob. Loki is not a precision PEQ with q. Loki is tone controls as @purr1n put it. Very light 2kHz reduction via Loki sounded correct. The 2kHz bump does have that exciting front row-center vocal forward Grado style sound. I liked Loki 2kHz control at 10-11 o'clock (which is very little, OFF is 12o'clock). I figure replacing the butyl tape with micropore tape will reduce peak anyway.. We'll see.

 

Spoiler: YH2 philmod4

Spoiler: philmod4 vs stock

I think these could use more damping, doesnt have the liquid transients of dBel84 mod.
Optimally would not use micropore but just right dense open cell foam. Will try adding more felt (or something) for the basic mod since there is more room within cups now due to no fat butyl tape..

edit: The speedy and liquid transients of dBel84 mod doesn't make it sound more natural (i guess more natural in that its less fatiguing) but makes it sound really neat (like Stax maybe). The philmod4 here I feel is underdamped and wanting more damping because its a little piercing/fatiguing. Increasing damping reduces macrodynamics and warmth but increases transients and quells driver ringing (or whatever resonance that is the real source of fatigue, not peaks or edgy overshooting transients whatever). Trade offs. Turning the planar into a more Stax Lambda like sound is preferable. @rhythmdevils you like Stax? Baby Stax Lambda closed back for $50 is still great!

edit2: basic mod philmod is a bust and now I remember why I stopped trying to mod these -> I dont have the power. So I recommend copying dBel84 mod then. Or try those makeup sponges @spoony recommended maybe I dunno - looks pretty good.

 

Official philmod aka Closed mod aka Noob mod aka Dont try this at home without Loki+

Spoiler: YH2 philmod5 + Loki

^mod5 = mod3 + an extra layer of micropore on backplate for better seal

This basically turns the Yamaha into a closed headphone and very nearly full sealed. The backplate sealed with double micropore tape is now the only (barely) vent.

I imagine the disgust ortho ninjas must be feeling right now but hear me out. I think sealing the cup adds a little weight back to the bass*. The unfortunate 2kHz blip is not hellish (see @purr1n RS2e thread) and with a smidge of EQ sounds normal (Loki 8k @ 9o'clock). Sounds like a Grado Hemp but more resolving. In other words it sounds great. The driver is more capable of fine detail if I could even out the highs better (like dBel84 mod with EQ).

Spoiler: Mod Recipe

Seal cup vents (I used butyl tape because moldable, sticky, heavy, wont melt), double layer of micropore tape on backplate (the metal area for headband joint), then a couple layers of felt.

You don't need to use butyl tape to seal cup vents, anything that'll seal is fine, but I imagine addition of mass is for the better (I added damplifier pro to cups). Blutac is easily available locally but its not as good. Damplifier pro and butyl tape are available at Second Skin Audio (credit @E_Schaaf ).

In summary: exxxtra damped ortho driver with its benefits of increased transients, microdynamics, definition, and resolution, plus satisfactory reduction of ringing, with the impact / weight from a closed headphone.

I've been listening to these the past 2hours and excited in thinking I figured out the YH-2 puzzle. Will report back if I find issue after more extending listening. The EQ is necessary for me to enjoy, but that's same for my Emu PH/W.

*weight/impact not like Emu, but no longer sounds like Stax Lamda, combine with vintage ortho richness, speed, sweetness, and now its a complete package.

EDIT: see here for improved update ultimate version director's cut.

 

Cycling through familiar albums for past hour. Not as smooth as Emu. Slight metallic hardness to acoustic guitar and cymbals. Peaky frequency response or driver ringing? Still havent heard a perfect Yam. They are all still slightly fatiguing (even dB’s mod) in the same way in the upper mids and lower treble. His I think is better disguised due to more even upper mids and lower treble. But then tradeoff bass. What a pain.

Still recommend this closed noob mod if you like vintage ortho Yamaha and bass.

 

There is still hope. As damped as I thought a sealed cup could be, it can still get more damped. See @Hands Emu Walnut mods.

 

Spoiler: mod6

Spoiler: philmod6 vs dBel84 modded YH2

Sounds closer to @dBel84 modded YH-2 (a good thing). The foam I used not dense enough. Next to mod7!
Did experiment quickly with EQ. I think it sounds less good with reduction of 2kHz. Thats probably a preference thing now and not more accurate opinion. I've gotten accustom. No apparent fatiguing hard mid/treble as we get more damped but it is still something I notice over extended use which means the ringing is still there just less so. Bass is less now obviously too. Will have to a/b vs dBel mod when done.

 

Spoiler: YH2 mod8 vs mod5

^ mod8 = mod5 but with non-porous tape (regular tape) instead of micropore tape (on back of cup to seal over headband joint air leak). Essentially the cup is now completely sealed. The most bass possible / the most best possible.

The 2kHz peak is not that bad but its noticeable. Vocals a little honk / nasally. Worth the trade off for more bass.

I didn't record all my mod attempts after mod6. What I found after mod5 is that the more I damped the cleaner and smoother the mids/highs (with faster transients in those areas), but the bass became wimpier. No surprise. But I noticed with each incremental mod to increase damping the less excited I was to hear the results...

So do I damp more? Not sure I would prefer. Trade offs.

THE END

edit: see here for 2kHz caveat and eq fix

 

YH2 mod I just made was because I wanted to have a mod that was unique physically and sonically while still being good (subjectively, still first impressions sorta). The closed mod aka noob mod. I havent read all of HF ortho round up (few have) but Im sure someone has tried full-seal before.

Day 2 opinion. I would give 2kHz some EQ. Modifying seal or increasing damp would reduce bass so EQ is best. You could gain more extension and more linear response with some damping and venting but youd lose on bass weight. Pressurization and/or long bass decay due to no outlet is the only way to get some basshead bass from these Yamahas. I have tinnitus activated slightly this morning but that is the case whenever I listen to any Yamaha for an extended period. My love/hate relationship.*

*I have this relationship with two other groups of headphones: Hifiman and Grado.