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Post by PinkFloyd on Jul 2, 2010 20:42:09 GMT
I'd like to just say that the info i have read on this thread has been absolutely fantastic, i just bought a pair of 681's solely on what i read on here. You guys are off the hook as far as modding goes and i take my proverbial hat off to you all  Cheers Raberto  Welcome to the forum. |
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Post by raberto on Jul 2, 2010 20:51:43 GMT
i honestly am gobsmacked at what you guys are doing on here, i didnt even know this stuff existed until yesterday and already i want to mod my 681's to sound/look better! just to clear a question up if you could...
I have also just bought an aune usb dac mk2 and said headphones would you say this is a pretty good entry level setup??
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Post by Deleted on Jul 3, 2010 6:16:02 GMT
It is almost a 'high-end' setup I would say (once the HD681 is modded).
Way above entry level IMO.
Certainly a big BANG for the bucks and won't dissappoint.
Now that you've been 'bitten' and contaminated with 'the headphone virus' you can expect more (and more expensive) purchases in the future ?
Personally I would be happy with your setup and not feel the need to better it.
At least for quite some time.
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Post by PinkFloyd on Jul 3, 2010 9:56:50 GMT
I agree with Frans, the HD-681 / Aune is far from "entry level" with respect to sound quality.... a very cheap entry price to high quality sound..... The HD-681 do benefit from ALL the mods listed here, they are all good in their own right and together really do get the HD-681 cooking on gas. I don't know if Mick is still making the ring sets but, if he is, it's a good idea to get a set of them.... if not my two pence mod does help, but nowhere as good as the full ring set. Have fun!  |
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Post by raberto on Jul 3, 2010 13:24:20 GMT
ok cool, thanks for the advice guys, i am and always have been very fussy over sound quality but have only just got into producing music. i am really excited now about the setup i have coming together.
thanks again
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Post by donuthunter1 on Jul 3, 2010 20:50:19 GMT
Do someone know where to get good cabels und jack-plugs in germany?
Is it useful to sleeve the cables?
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Post by PinkFloyd on Jul 3, 2010 21:26:48 GMT
Do someone know where to get good cabels und jack-plugs in germany? Is it useful to sleeve the cables? Hi donuthunter, Welcome to the forum..... I'm sure somebody from your region will be of assistance shortly.... if not, I can supply you with the parts you need. Mike. |
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Post by raberto on Jul 4, 2010 17:05:46 GMT
hi mike, can you tell me a couple of good cable and jacks please, a mate of mine is pretty handy and is going to replace the casble in my 681's for me.. many thanks jon
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Post by donuthunter1 on Jul 4, 2010 17:19:21 GMT
Imho these Neutriks jack look quite good. Right?!  |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 4, 2010 18:45:37 GMT
The picture is showing a 3.5 mm plug If I could choose a 3.5mm plug for you I'd choose this one:  nl.farnell.com/neutrik/nys231bg/plug-3-5mm-jack-straight-gold/dp/8234663a goldplated plug is only a few cents more expensive and, besides it's looks, it has advantages over the nickel plated one. Gold doesn't sound any better then a nickel plated one and nickel is a better conductor then gold BUT gold doesn't corrode and therefor it makes better contact over a period of time.  They both can get soiled so both will have to be wiped from time to time after extensive use.  Nickel plated ones eventually will make cracking or intermittend connections much sooner then goldplated ones will.  Ofcoarse lots of peeps will claim gold sounds warmer/better...  |
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Post by PinkFloyd on Jul 4, 2010 18:59:35 GMT
hi mike, can you tell me a couple of good cable and jacks please, a mate of mine is pretty handy and is going to replace the casble in my 681's for me.. many thanks jon Hi Jon, I use these Part number 20-2093 (Black housing; gold contacts; 3-pole stereo plug) they're pretty much the best I have come across at sensible money. Mike. |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 4, 2010 19:16:37 GMT
Hi Jon,
The filterbox you requested has a 6.3mm socket so highly recommend to follow Mike's suggestion (6.3mm plug) instead of a 3.5mm plug.
The input plug of the filterbox can have a 3.5 + 6.3mm adapter or the 6.3 plug as Mike describes.
Frans
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Post by raberto on Jul 4, 2010 19:23:56 GMT
i will be using the aune usb dac and i think this has a 6.3 jack.?
just checked and it does, so i will listen to you guys as you have far superior knowledge on this subject than i..!!
Frans, i think i'm leaning towards the filter that has the more neutral sound as i'm using the headphones for monitoring purposes, so a flatter response i believe would suit my requirememts better.
thanks again guys for the info
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Post by raberto on Jul 4, 2010 19:34:20 GMT
mike, there was no cable on the link, sorry for being a complete nooob but i have no idea what cable is good and what is...., well quite frankly .......... shit!
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Post by donuthunter1 on Jul 4, 2010 20:15:44 GMT
The picture is showing a 3.5 mm plug The same plug in nickel that you advise  Edit: Can someone send me the dimensions of the Endcup und Rings, please? |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 6, 2010 0:34:28 GMT
I've got 1 set of red leather pads sitting here..... they are yours for £10 GBP shipped if you want them PM me. Mike. Hi, Mike Thanks for the red leather pads. I thought I should post a photo of my modded HD681's with the red leather pads, with Frans's filter, Mick's rings, and recabled with my DIY Cardas cable and Cardas phone plug:  They sound quite good now , however I am not quite sure about the comfort.  I listened with the leather pads on the HD681's for about an hour, and while the sound was very good, at the end of the hour I felt some discomfort, but I think this will improve as the pads get more supple and conform to my ears a little better. |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 6, 2010 16:08:59 GMT
Update on SQ of HD681 with red leather pads: I had a chance to listen more extensively to the HD681's with the red leather pads, playing more demanding, well recorded music, and my latest impression of them is that they tend to make the phones sound honky, as if through a long tube, with reduced transparency.  IMHO the leather, being harder than soft urethane (and more so, than velour), resonates and introduces some 'small room acoustics' which intermodulate and distort the sound. I took the leather pads off and installed the cheap soft urethane Hong Kong pads from eBay, and the transparency of the sound was dramatically restored. So, while the red leather pads are beautiful, and I thank Mike for sending them , in my opinion they are for looks alone. For serious listening, my cheap soft urethane pads suit me much better! Your mileage may vary. This is strictly the way MY ears perceive the sound as it strikes them. |
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Post by cprinces on Jul 6, 2010 22:01:30 GMT
Hi,
I´m new in this forum.
I'm waiting for a new pair of 681. I want to upgrade them, but unfortunately Mick is no longer doing the set of rings.
I am sand!!!
So I will re-cable and had a filter.
Carlos
P.S. sorry for my english!
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Post by Deleted on Jul 9, 2010 2:07:40 GMT
When I have received my new batch of HD681's I will take 'm off and will vent my opinion on this forum. I hate to bring up an old discussion, and I apologize if I am being redundant , but for me the subject is relevant, for I just carefully removed the stickers from my H681's, modded with your original filter, Frans , which I installed inside the phones, my DIY Cardas cable, and the Hong Kong soft urethane earpads, which are more to my liking than the red leather pads. After listneing for a while, I came to the conclusion that, although sans stickers the sound was more transparent, there was a certain harshness that was quite prevalent, making the sound unnatural, and rather raspy. :(The first impression was that the cans had really opened up, but the 3-D quality, and robustness of the sound was gone. IMHO these stickers/acoustical baffles are there to tame and disperse the high frequencies at the expense of somewhat reduced volume (noticeable, but easily remedied by simply turning up the volume slightly). I then decided to replace the stickers, and the well balanced tone quality of these cans returned. I intend to keep them in. This is MY humble opinion, based on MY hearing. Your mileage may vary. |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 9, 2010 15:47:09 GMT
A couple of days ago I received a beautiful leather headband from Claus, (Thank you, Claus! ), and I thought I should post a couple of photos to show it installed on my modded HD681's. As you can see on the photos, I have added a velvet cushion to the headband to keep the leather, albeit very soft and supple, from sticking to my bald head. I have the soft urethane pads on the phones, which I prefer to the red leather ones (though, sometime later, I will try to tame down or remove their honkiness with some red velvet). In case you wonder, the drivers are not bare -- I have covered them with very sheer pantyhose material for better transparency.   |
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Post by covenant on Jul 9, 2010 17:28:42 GMT
Does the wife know you have nicked her tights? ....or were they yours? |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 9, 2010 18:09:08 GMT
Does the wife know you have nicked her tights? ....or were they yours? You are probably unaware, but I swiped them from YOUR wardrobe!  You must have so many of them that you haven't noticed! |
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Post by covenant on Jul 9, 2010 23:04:59 GMT
Not the black seamed ones!
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Post by Deleted on Jul 10, 2010 2:44:34 GMT
Not the black seamed ones! Sorry!  I didn't know they meant that much to you! And, not only that, but I washed them first before use, so that probably lost some of their charm... But, rest assured that now every time I listen to these cans I will think of you!... |
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Post by JohnnyBlue on Jul 22, 2010 10:05:06 GMT
I've just tried a set of the soft pads on the HD-681s (similar to the ones in imagemaker18's photo 5 posts back), which cost £5 off eBay.
I was expecting greater comfort and little or no change to the sound. I got the former, but didn't get the latter. I was astonished at how much the new earpads altered the sound, and for the worse! Piano sound lost it's tunefulness and there was less oomph in the bass as well. Very disappointing: there's clearly more to earpads than just physical comfort!
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Welcome to the forum.
I listened with the leather pads on the HD681's for about an hour, and while the sound was very good, at the end of the hour I felt some discomfort, but I think this will improve as the pads get more supple and conform to my ears a little better. 
IMHO the leather, being harder than soft urethane (and more so, than velour), resonates and introduces some 'small room acoustics' which intermodulate and distort the sound. 
You must have so many of them that you haven't noticed! 
I didn't know they meant that much to you! 