elysion
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Post by elysion on Aug 1, 2010 7:26:07 GMT
Currently, I'm rediscovering my Sennheiser HD650's and HD580's. I've started this thread because I'd like to collect the available information about modding the HD580/600/650 series. Sennheiser released at least two versions of the HD580/600/650 drivers and I think this deserves also a serious discussion. My HD580's are very old while my HD650's have been bought about 17 months ago. I will compare the drivers soon. Below you'll find a few links that have inspired me: www.headfonia.com/sennheiser-hd650-600-and-580-updated-drivers/www.headfonia.com/sennheiser-hd-updated-drivers/www.headfonia.com/sennheiser-hd580-affordable-reference/Perhaps you have noticed the "zombie" HD580 picture in the third link. At lot of HD580/600/650 parts should be interchangeable. We have already some information in other threads, here a few examples: Mike is absolutely right ! This is how I made my HD650 and Creative Aurvana Live dust filters. Cut a piece of sturdy cardboard to the right shape (smaller then the hole in the pad for the HD650) stretch nylon stocking/sock over a jar or something else that is big enough. Secure it with a rubber band. Put glue on the cardboard ring (everywhere, I used superglue, dries fast) lay the ring on the stretched stocking. Let the glue dry/set. Take it off the jar and trim the edge of the ring. paint the ring (I used a black felt pen). ready.. Does not alter the sound in any way ! I have also seen a couple of posts about replacing the cable of the Senn's and AFAIK at least Rabbit has Senn's that have been converted for balanced use. If you have other modding ideas or something else a fan of the Senn HD580/600/650's should know, please post. BTW: I'm already thinking of getting also HD600's. But I'll have to wait until my budget allows it, that means probably not in the next few months. In principle, I already own more than enough headphones (I know...).
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Post by Deleted on Aug 1, 2010 8:47:28 GMT
a 'veil-lifter' can be added: www.mediafire.com/file/q75063d2cq2fn2t/HD650 veil lifter.pdf What it does? In technical terms 4dB more highs above 15kHz. It brings the 'sparkle' in the sound. it gives more 'tsjing' to the cymbals. Makes it less 'dark sounding'. in the high region it will sound more in the direction of the HD600. It does so in a subtle way as to not change the character of the HD650 too much. other headphones that need a tad more upper treble can benefit too. There are 3 schematics in the .pdf Upper 2 for use between a source and the input of a HP amp. Which of the 2 schematics to use is determined by the input resistance of the amplifiers. The bottom one is for use between the output of an amp and the HP itself (could be in a small extension cord) This circuit can ONLY be used on Low output impedance amps (max 30 Ohms) and also alters/affects the lower region a bit as a 'negative' side effect. The upper 2 are recommended as these do NOT influence the lower regions and have some more effect. Here's a practical version of it on a crossfeed PCB and boxed.
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elysion
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Post by elysion on Aug 1, 2010 17:39:33 GMT
Thanks to Miguel for the link above. WOW, they even have closed-back wood cups for the Senn's.
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elysion
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Post by elysion on Aug 2, 2010 4:23:30 GMT
I have compared the drivers in my HD650's and HD580's. The HD650's have the newer driver type, while the HD580's have the older one. I can't agree with everything that the author has written about the driver version. My HD650's sound a lot "clearer" than the HD580's, but I'm not sure if this is because the HD650's also have more resolution. The HD580's are also very old while the HD650's are much younger. I'm currently listening to both headphones with the PreSonus HP4. That allows me to switch very comfortable between them. I never had a real problem with "veil" and my Senn's. I've liked them always (both types), but in the last few months the K702's got most of my attention. Currently, I'm listening more with my Senn's. There're quite a few good noticeable differences between my HD580's and my HD650's, but you still feel it's the same family (even with different generations of the drivers). IMO both are rather easy to drive for 300Ohm 'phones. Even directly plugged into an iPod the HD580's still sound not so bad (but you're hearing a very noticeable difference if you plug them in a Neco Mosfet V2 or the PreSonus HP4). It's a lot more fun with a good amp. I'm always surprised how good the HD580's still sound. I can't afford to spend a lot of money for wood cups at the moment, but my HD580's would be an ideal target for those wood cups. A closed-back woody HD580 would certainly rock.
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elysion
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Post by elysion on Aug 2, 2010 4:30:19 GMT
a 'veil-lifter' can be added: www.mediafire.com/file/j7d31ij1rmldh3y/HD650 veil lifter.pdf What it does? It brings the 'sparkle' in the sound. it gives more 'tsjing' to the cymbals. Makes it less 'dark sounding'. in the high region it will sound more in the direction of the HD600. I'm curious if that "veil lifter" would have the same benefit for both driver variants and all three models (HD580/600/650). Would everyone like the veil lifter? I'm almost sure we have not only two driver variants. Probably there are more. I can't really believe that the drivers of the HD580, HD600 and HD650 should be all the same. These three 'phones are from the same family and they have a lot of similarities. But they certainly sound not absolutely identical. Maybe I'll have a look at the Sennheiser manuals. Maybe I can identify which parts are really interchangeable or even identical. According to the "Sennheiser HD580: Affordable Reference" review from headfonia.com, the HD580 and the HD600 should be almost identical regarding parts and sound. There was also a HD580 Jubilee edition. This edition was AFAIK a HD580 that had a special finish like the HD600 and had a similar grill to the HD600. Was that HD580 Jubilee more a kind of HD600?
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Post by Deleted on Aug 2, 2010 10:26:13 GMT
a 'veil-lifter' can be added: www.mediafire.com/file/j7d31ij1rmldh3y/HD650 veil lifter.pdf What it does? It brings the 'sparkle' in the sound. it gives more 'tsjing' to the cymbals. Makes it less 'dark sounding'. in the high region it will sound more in the direction of the HD600. I'm curious if that "veil lifter" would have the same benefit for both driver variants and all three models (HD580/600/650). Would everyone like the veil lifter? I'm almost sure we have not only two driver variants. Probably there are more. I can't really believe that the drivers of the HD580, HD600 and HD650 should be all the same. These three 'phones are from the same family and they have a lot of similarities. But they certainly sound not absolutely identical. Maybe I'll have a look at the Sennheiser manuals. Maybe I can identify which parts are really interchangeable or even identical. According to the "Sennheiser HD580: Affordable Reference" review from headfonia.com, the HD580 and the HD600 should be almost identical regarding parts and sound. There was also a HD580 Jubilee edition. This edition was AFAIK a HD580 that had a special finish like the HD600 and had a similar grill to the HD600. Was that HD580 Jubilee more a kind of HD600? I think that this is what Frans made for me but to be honest, I can't hear an enormous difference. It's quite subtle. The stockings work better for me. BTW - I just stretch them across and trim after I've put the pads on, so that there's no need to make a frame. It's just easier.
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mrarroyo
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Post by mrarroyo on Aug 2, 2010 10:42:46 GMT
You may not like the closed back wood cups on a Senn, some who have tried hate it due to the loss of liveliness and quickness. Of course we all hear differently. I personally prefer the HD580/600 because they are not as dark and bass heavy as the HD650.
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elysion
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Post by elysion on Aug 5, 2010 3:33:11 GMT
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elysion
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Post by elysion on Aug 6, 2010 1:15:02 GMT
I'm searching for more informations about the drivers version of HD580/600/650. There was someone on head-fi that had to replace one of his HD600 drivers. He had the old version of it and the replacement part was of the new type: www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/318815/sennheiser-hd600-audio-driver-replacementNo information though if that mixed driver configuration has worked for him. I have plans to mod my HD580 slightly. I'm thinking of a driver cover out of stockings and maybe a new cable and some DIY pads for the headband.
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elysion
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Post by elysion on Aug 6, 2010 1:28:02 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Aug 6, 2010 7:55:51 GMT
a note on the veil lifter filter.
The passive filter between the HP amp output and HD650 (the one Rabbit has) ONLY works on a low output impedance amplifier. When using a higher Ohmic HP amp the effect is much less. This filter is also more subtle then the 2 line filters that are connected between a source and HP amp. Also this HPcord filter affects the lows too masking it's effect a bit.
The upper 2 filters in the pdf give much better results.
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elysion
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Post by elysion on Aug 6, 2010 18:38:38 GMT
A modded HD580 Jubilee with cables from HD650 and closed-back ear-cups made of wood: www.homebuilthifi.com/project/56Nice, beautiful... WOW... The headband cushions of this HD580 Jubilee also seem to be modded. They don't look like the originals. A very informative review about the HD580 Jubilee: www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/218701/review-sennheiser-hd580-jubileeThe author also notes that he is using DT770 headband pads with the Jubilee. That means those should also fit at least all HD580/600 variants and maybe the HD650. I will try to get some DT770 headband pads. My HD580's are in need for new headband pads and if it works that's probably the easiest way (beside the orginal headband pads).
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Post by Deleted on Aug 8, 2010 7:49:13 GMT
After listening extensively to the HD580,HD600 and HD650 many years ago I choose the HD650. Not because of the sonic character but the HD650 had 'cleaner' voices or should I say less distortion. Eventhough I preferred the sonic signature of the HD600 over the HD650 the 'cleanliness' at that time was more important to me and made me buy the HD650. Much later I saw this 'confirmed' by THD graphs on headphone.com.
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elysion
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Post by elysion on Aug 8, 2010 16:57:20 GMT
Stockings are available in a lot of different colours.
I don't like the standard ones in beige. I'll try to get some in other colours, for example in black or dark blue.
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Post by koogar on Sept 11, 2010 22:45:39 GMT
" modded HD580 Jubilee with cables from HD650 and closed-back ear-cups made of wood: www.homebuilthifi.com/project/56Nice, beautiful... WOW... The headband cushions of this HD580 Jubilee also seem to be modded. They don't look like the originals."................................................... Thanks for the nice comments elysion the headband is actually the original one but as with all 580/600/650 bands the foam turns to dust inside .So what i did was re stuff them with microfibre wadding out of a cushion . I removed the band and drilled a very small hole in the back into each compartment i think it was around a 2mm drill bit then poked the wadding in then taped the hole so they probably look a little more stuffed than when they were new but i did not see the point in getting a replacment as they would have ended up the same. Sennheiser like to charge for parts i think a new band was around £20 delivered but that would be a 600/650 version .New earpads are around £45. The only thing that let the 580 jubilees down was they didnt upgrade the cable from the standard 580's .So i emailed sennheiser and complained that a replacement 650 cable was 3 times the price in the UK than the USA and you know what they sent it me F.O.C with a pair of px100's that had just come out Funny thing is i used the same method as you for the inner ear screen my girlfriend gave up some tights for the cause i can not remember what denier they were ;P Oh and the woodys were made out of a neighbours mahogany fireplace mantle they were a bitch to make and there wont be a V2 It wasnt the actual shape that was hard. I just used a router and made a few jigs as guide but getting the proportions was hard and getting them to fit in the resess was fiddly there was alot of measuring . Heres a pic of the back side homepage.ntlworld.com/ruperthirst/Recent%20DIY%20Projects/Audio%20Projects/Audio%20Projects%20Core/Sennheiser%20HD580%20Woodys%20Mod/I drive them with an modded AUNE Mk2 headamp with LM4562 surface mount on ghetto browndogs using DIL8 sockets modded X-fi as source Regards Koogar
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Chris53
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Post by Chris53 on Sept 29, 2010 20:02:01 GMT
Anyone tried these cable upgrades - The reviewer seems to compare them favourably to the Cardas cable tinyurl.com/2vmkwac
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elysion
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Post by elysion on Jun 17, 2011 22:56:07 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jun 18, 2011 17:18:41 GMT
I loved the Precisions and had two pairs. They both went dead because of the silly connection at those plugs and I never got it to connect properly again so went to an hd600 followed by 650.
If the 580's were still available, I'd buy them again now.
Ian
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mrarroyo
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Post by mrarroyo on Jun 19, 2011 13:53:10 GMT
I still own my HD580 and like elysion mine sport the HD650 cable mostly for the convenience of not having to use a 1/4 adapter. I find the Sennheiser sound a bit dark and although I messed with aftermarket cables (silver and silver plated copper) it can get a bit expensive. However there is one modification you can do which will cost very little and IMO will bring out a clearer and more extended top end.
Remove the ear-pads and the oval shaped foam it holds in place in front of the driver. Then use an old ladies stocking and stretch it over the frame, while you hold it stretched snap in place the ear-pads then using a sharp blade cut around and remove the excess stocking. A you can see it would be a simple thing to reverse the mod if you do not like it. Good luck.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 19, 2011 14:56:13 GMT
I'd rather use a young lady's stocking Syd
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Post by Garage1217 on Jun 21, 2011 2:42:25 GMT
Great read Still love my 650's as they sit but maybe one day I will get around to modding them!
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Post by PinkFloyd on Jun 21, 2011 22:32:40 GMT
I'd rather use a young lady's stocking Syd I'd rather use a young lady with stockings on........
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