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Post by clausdk on Apr 2, 2010 20:50:59 GMT
You have PM. Thank you very much for the offer. Of course, I like to get one of the headbands you make. ![:-X](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/lipssealed.png)
I have no problems with the leather headband of my K702. But you're right with the textile headbands. They are simply more comfortable than leather ones. A good example are my MB-Quart Quartphones 200. The are more comfortable than any other headphone I own and have a textile headband. The K702 is also perfect for my head, but the pressure from the headband is really a bit stronger than with the Quartphones 200.
Good new headbands for HD681 and SR850 don't seem to be a problem and I think there are already many possibilites to make them (partially with leather, single-piece thick leather, textile). And additional possibility would be the material used for security-belts in cars. It's already in about the right width, is very durable and very light. Cutting the textile material from security-belts should be easy but it has to be sewed at the cut edges. As I don't own a sewing-machine I probably have to talk with my mother who has one...
Textile headbands do have another advantage: The possibilites for coloring textile materials are almost endless. And you can easily do this at home. Unfortunately security-belts are mostly totally in black.
What I miss are really cheap good replacement pads. You can find replacement pads on ebay (like Claus) or buy them from AKG. But in most cases the pads are almost as costly as the headphones themselves.
A perfect solution would be a cheap textile headband with only a few cut edges to sew together with just as cheap ear-pad replacements. The color for the textile headband should be white because then it would be possible to colorate it with any color available as textile color. I don't own K500/K501's but I remember them to have a kind of textile material used with their pads.
I've also thinked more than once about do-it-yourself pads for headphones. The use of sprayable foams or the foams Claus uses for his aquariums would be a possibility. The "outer shell" of the pads is more of a problem and not as easy to do as headbands. I have a woman in my circle of friends who is tailor. I only see her very seldom, but I can give her a call in the next few days and ask her what she thinks about it. As she is very experienced in her job, I guess she would be very helpful.
I don't have a saddler in my circle of friends, but maybe it's an idea to look for one and to talk with him. I wonder if a saddler could make real leather ear-pads within a good price range (if he makes a production run of them). I'd imagine it's a lot of work and probably too costly. I have taken the liberty to move your reply.. ;D I agree with you on almost everything, I have thougth about making pads in silk, that would be nice on the ears.. The skin I use for the headbands are "softer" than a seatbelt, so using a seatbelt would be more stiff. Colouring is not an option if synthetic materials are used, the do it yourself colour does not stick to nylon etc. some of it does but it is very hard to get the colour even, so cotton would be the way to go.. But I do think it would be quite hot an the ears and would get worn quite fast, for a headband it would be OK, but I do not believe that it would work for earpads, if I could get my hands on some of the velour that are used for many earpads it would also be an option, but you will lose the look and feel of leather/skin, which to me is VERY important. Also the SQ is important. For the softer part of earpads I am waiting for some foam samples, the type of foam that are used in beds (the thing that lies between the madress and the sheats) I hope that "coldfoam" would be reasonable to work with or maybe some of the latextypes, but for now I concentrate on the outher cover.. One should contact a saddler from one of the old eastern europe countries, to do it in the your country or mine, would be way to expensive.. I do not want to go the cheapest way, for two reasons It would not be special/exclusive. Also making something that would cost 3 Euros is to labourintensive and would not be viable in our part of the world, let the chinese make those.. I do hope that I some day in the future will be able to make a living doing these things, so I am very gratefull to Mike, letting me use this forum as a sort of platform for my work, also the reason why I am so cheap and does not make money on it.. As long as I get the shipping charges and a token for leather and glue I am happy (apr 8-10 € a piece, all incl.) and can live with no wages.. Ofcourse I hope that people would pay a bit more, but that is completly up to the "buyers", if they wish to do that and I won't be dissapointed if they choose not to. Doing it like this, will also make the things I make availble for everybody and hopefully spread a bit of happiness on this forum.. The freebees I send out will still be FREE..
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Post by Deleted on Apr 2, 2010 21:28:23 GMT
For the softer part of earpads I am waiting for some foam samples, the type of foam that are used in beds (the thing that lies between the mattress and the sheets) I hope that "coldfoam" would be reasonable to work with or maybe some of the latex types, but for now I concentrate on the outer cover.. Hi Claus, In the paragraph above are you referring to what we in UK call 'memory foam' because I have some available, about 75mm x 200mm x 1,500mm. I've not forgotten about the tan leather jacket but ...... I laid it flat in preparation for removing the unusable pieces and one of our cats has claimed it as her 'bed,' sorry. SWMBO says that I should not cut up the coat until the cat has finished with it!!! Don't worry, the cat is a house cat and very clean ;D . Usually when this happens she gets bored after a while and moves on to the next 'bed' so it may not be a long delay. Cheers, Dave.
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Post by clausdk on Apr 2, 2010 22:09:52 GMT
Hi Claus, In the paragraph above are you referring to what we in UK call 'memory foam' because I have some available, about 75mm x 200mm x 1,500mm. I've not forgotten about the tan leather jacket but ...... I laid it flat in preparation for removing the unusable pieces and one of our cats has claimed it as her 'bed,' sorry. SWMBO says that I should not cut up the coat until the cat has finished with it!!! Don't worry, the cat is a house cat and very clean ;D . Usually when this happens she gets bored after a while and moves on to the next 'bed' so it may not be a long delay. Cheers, Dave. Hi Dave That is why I have a dog, they have no will of their own ![:D](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/grin.png) Is it 1,5 mm thin or are we talking cm, because if it is 1,5mm I have to stack 10-15 layers to get a decent thickness, if it is cm I would love to get my hands on it.. But seeing it is quite heavy, I feel obligated to pay my share of the shipping costs, an other option would be that you in time would end up with the first matching pad/headband. Just let the cat rest, I do love cats but have an allergy, so I am not able to have one, I did have one but it was killing me, so I had to let him go.. ![:)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/smiley.png) I am looking forward to jacket (and foam)..
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Post by mingo on Apr 3, 2010 6:59:47 GMT
I suppose 1,500mm means 150 cm. There is a different use of commas in English and Danish. Am I right?
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Post by clausdk on Apr 3, 2010 7:10:44 GMT
I suppose 1,500mm means 150 cm. There is a different use of commas in English and Danish. Am I right? Ahhh 1,5000 means 1.5 mm in danish or 0.15 cm All in cm we are talking 7½*20*150 cm ?? You are right about the commas, I did not think about that ![:-[](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/embarrassed.png) So putting language barries aside, I would love to get my hands on it ![:(](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/sad.png) I did think that a piece of foam that thin was a bit strange. ![:P](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/tongue.png) Thanks for the help Flemming.. Do you like your headband ??
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Post by mingo on Apr 3, 2010 7:44:04 GMT
Claus was kind enough to give me a headband for my HD681 at the Danish meet. And once again thank you very much for your kindness. It looks and feels very nice, but now the red plastic parts of the headphones look very cheap, so I may have to do something about those as well. Any ideas?
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Post by Deleted on Apr 3, 2010 8:52:19 GMT
I suppose 1,500mm means 150 cm. There is a different use of commas in English and Danish. Am I right? Ahhh 1,5000 means 1.5 mm in danish or 0.15 cm All in cm we are talking 7½*20*150 cm ?? You are right about the commas, I did not think about that ![:-[](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/embarrassed.png) So putting language barries aside, I would love to get my hands on it ![:(](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/sad.png) I did think that a piece of foam that thin was a bit strange. ![:P](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/tongue.png) Thanks for the help Flemming.. Do you like your headband ?? Hi Guys, Yes, your inch interpretation is correct. Sorry I forgot about the different meaning of the comma. 1,500mm is about 1and a half metres in my language. I shall be insulted if any further mention of postage is made, so there!! ![::)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/eyesroll.png) . We have a saying on this side of the North Sea (or do you guys have a different name for that also? ![:)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/smiley.png) ): - "One good turn deserves another". My pleasure. ![:D](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/grin.png) Dave.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 3, 2010 9:05:47 GMT
I have a bed made out of that memory foam. It really takes your shape and is a strange experience when you first get one!!
The Bose headphones use that foam and I didn't like them, so I pulled them apart and changed the pad material etc a good while back.
That foam is quite dense and may affect the sound of the headphone quite a lot. It really did on the Bose. They were much bassier and clogged sounding with the memory foam.
Ian
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Post by clausdk on Apr 3, 2010 9:52:34 GMT
Ahhh 1,5000 means 1.5 mm in danish or 0.15 cm All in cm we are talking 7½*20*150 cm ?? You are right about the commas, I did not think about that ![:-[](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/embarrassed.png) So putting language barries aside, I would love to get my hands on it ![:(](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/sad.png) I did think that a piece of foam that thin was a bit strange. ![:P](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/tongue.png) Thanks for the help Flemming.. Do you like your headband ?? Hi Guys, Yes, your inch interpretation is correct. Sorry I forgot about the different meaning of the comma. 1,500mm is about 1and a half metres in my language. I shall be insulted if any further mention of postage is made, so there!! ![::)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/eyesroll.png) . We have a saying on this side of the North Sea (or do you guys have a different name for that also? ![:)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/smiley.png) ): - "One good turn deserves another". My pleasure. ![:D](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/grin.png) Dave. I will stop insulting you ![:D](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/grin.png) But I will say THANK YOU VERY MUCH
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Post by clausdk on Apr 3, 2010 10:08:31 GMT
I have a bed made out of that memory foam. It really takes your shape and is a strange experience when you first get one!! The Bose headphones use that foam and I didn't like them, so I pulled them apart and changed the pad material etc a good while back. That foam is quite dense and may affect the sound of the headphone quite a lot. It really did on the Bose. They were much bassier and clogged sounding with the memory foam. Ian That is a bit of a surprice, was the bose phone with some kind of cloth ? or pleather/fakepleather ? A "closed" pad normally gives more bass, so it should not give a difference when skin is used, which material there is inside, but I may be wrong, it has happend before ;D ;D (1976 or there about ![:P](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/tongue.png) ).. The difference is very clear if leather pads are being substituted by velour ones, sometime it is a succes and sometime close to armageddon ( I can't spell katastophy ![:-[](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/embarrassed.png) ).. The memoryfoam was something Kolind planted in my mind, he does plant a lot of great ideas in my head, the only problem is that I can not keep up with them.. ![::)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/eyesroll.png) As sonn as the outer part of the pads are in place, I will start experimenting with differnt types of foam.. I would love to have the different types pass along members to get as much input and as good a product as possible.. ![:(](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/sad.png) Silk has also crossed my mind as pad-material, but I am a bit worried about sewing it, my mother tells me it is a nightmare to work with.. ![:-X](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/lipssealed.png)
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Post by clausdk on Apr 3, 2010 10:27:02 GMT
Claus was kind enough to give me a headband for my HD681 at the Danish meet. And once again thank you very much for your kindness. It looks and feels very nice, but now the red plastic parts of the headphones look very cheap, so I may have to do something about those as well. Any ideas? You are very welcome.. Regarding the red plastic Buy a pair of samson 850 ;D ;D ![](http://lh5.ggpht.com/_b5AAIlFTnzk/S7Xo2cvOgiI/AAAAAAAAB8A/aU8trT2igZ0/s640/PICT0925.JPG) You could also spraypaint it, but that requires a special primer, in most cases not always, but I do recall that we had a lot of problems in the late 80s getting paint to stick on those new plastic bumpers.. Maybe a coat of "elephantskin" the rough rubber paint that are used under a car, that will also dampen the cups ![;)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/wink.png) but does not look that good.. ![:)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/smiley.png) One brand is "Carosol".. I have modded my 681 in pieces ![:)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/smiley.png) , so I got spare rings and will try to paint them to see if that is possible at all.. But I will have to wait for warmer weather, as I do not use spraypaint inside..
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Post by clausdk on Apr 7, 2010 16:49:14 GMT
HeliHarris, Ian-Craig10, Kolind, Elysion, Oink1 and Pascal.
You have all been served..let me know when it arrive..
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Post by Deleted on Apr 7, 2010 17:49:05 GMT
Thanks Claus. You're very kind. The memory foam on the Bose headphones is beautifully comfortable. When I was messing around with them, I was trying to get them to sound more open by playing around with the pads. However, I think the density of the pads and the perfect airtight space seal made the bass massive to say the least and leakage caused it to go a bit Mickey Mouse. I ended up throwing them away! The bass was heavily reliant on the seal. I imagine the HD681 with memory foam will be SO comfy. That foam is a nice material. You may get sonic booms from the headphones too ..... ![:o](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/shocked.png) Ian
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Post by pascal on Apr 7, 2010 18:32:00 GMT
Thank you very much Claus. Looking forward to fitting the leather band. Will post some pictures once it gets here.
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Post by clausdk on Apr 7, 2010 18:48:49 GMT
I am still hunting for a sewing machine, it has to be durable and strong and . . . . . cheap ;D ;D But they are all above 500£ ![:)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/smiley.png) If I only had that kind of money for my little adventure, but I could be 10.000.000 £ richer as I write, I have not checked the lottery ticket yet ![:P](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/tongue.png) So still looking to my dear mother inlaw, she has not been giving a call about how she is doing, but I am getting closer and closer to a finished pad ;D ;D Goatskin is cheap, but it is the "mid skin" and only 0,3-0,6 mm thick, I wonder how that would feel on the ears, it must be very soft and the surface a bit like suede I guess...
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Post by clausdk on Apr 7, 2010 18:50:34 GMT
Thank you very much Claus. Looking forward to fitting the leather band. Will post some pictures once it gets here. Thanks for your patience, looking forward to the pictures. There should be some filter wool in also ![;)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/wink.png)
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Post by clausdk on Apr 8, 2010 20:11:53 GMT
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Post by nickchen on Apr 10, 2010 22:39:10 GMT
Just detected that thread, absolutely awesome. I love that ensouled DIY spirit.
Many of my EU customers (distancers & woodies) have great desire for exchange leather pads for their MS1, but JMomeyaudio is too expensive due to customs and shipping (and Jeremy isn't too likeable IMO).
Would that be something for you? ;D
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Post by clausdk on Apr 10, 2010 23:04:17 GMT
Just detected that thread, absolutely awesome. I love that ensouled DIY spirit. Many of my EU customers (distancers & woodies) have great desire for exchange leather pads for their MS1, but JMomeyaudio is too expensive due to customs and shipping (and Jeremy isn't too likeable IMO). Would that be something for you? ;D OHHH YES I have been toying with pads for months now and I am very close to get everything in place and start a small production, but I need some pads so that I can get the dimensions right.. I am in the forsales colums everyday to find me a nice strong sewing machine, but if it is something that you need in a hurry and have "steady" work for me, I can speed up the proces and be off and running in a weeks time or so..I just do not want to throw to much money after things before I get a bit in return for the things I do now. I have also been speaking to some people who can do it all by hand, but that will jack up the prices 10-15 £ per set, so doing it myself on a sewing machine seems to be a better solution.. Let me know then we can find a solution that suits both of us.
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Post by nickchen on Apr 11, 2010 13:10:35 GMT
I personally don't need a "solution", but I could spread your name in other forums or I could send the folks over to you when you've got your infrastructure ready. Principally, you could overtake Jmoneyaudio's leather business completely for the EU area. I guess 40ish € would be a good target price...I can give you the needed dimensions, no problem. I was at the same point as you half a year ago, then I bought a lathe and a sharpening machine, and I asked a friend for occasional help. Good thing, that friend is a hobby photographer, those arty high res pics released at headfi increased demand noticeably. I'm still a hobby tinkerer, but as my day job doesn't outyield that much, the hobby job provides at least a bit gimmick budget that would otherwise amount to zero. Well, we audiophiles are magpies, we like shiny and beautiful things... ![:D](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/grin.png)
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Post by Deleted on Apr 11, 2010 15:25:51 GMT
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elysion
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Post by elysion on Apr 11, 2010 16:11:45 GMT
I found the leather headband in my postbox when I got home late friday evening. Many thanks, Claus! It's looks fantastic! ![::)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/eyesroll.png) In real it looks a lot better than on the pictures. And I like the leather smell. I've had not much time yesterday and hope to fit the leather headband today. If my digicam is still working (bought it in 2002 and the batteries are almost dead), I'll try to post pictures in the next few days. I'll fit it to my Samson SR850 (looking very similiar to the HD681).
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Post by clausdk on Apr 11, 2010 17:06:37 GMT
Elysion: I have fitted one on the samson, when you do fit them just stretch the rubberband and losen the screw nearest the cup, no reason to take it all apart for the switch, it can be a bit irritating inserting the screw again, but just keep calm and work slow ;D ;D Hope you like it when fitted.. Mick: great pictures a little sad that it has the small scruff marks on the side, but that is used skin so not my doing.. ![:D](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/grin.png) I had not even seen them myself. You are too good with a camera ![:o](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/shocked.png) BTW I still got skin for two or three more so send me a PM if you want one.. Next batch will be 1.hand quality skin and with (I hope) matching pads. ![:D](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/grin.png) I figure a set will cost about 30 €, so it is quite cheap when looking at other skin pads, the Beyers are 34 € JMoney is even more expensive and both are for the pads only ![;)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/wink.png) I can make headbands for any AKG model, i Just need either the original band or a photo of the band lying next to a ruler or something like that.. I can promise that they will be more comfortable than the originals..
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elysion
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Post by elysion on Apr 11, 2010 17:12:55 GMT
Just fitted the leather headband. AWESOME! ![:-X](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/lipssealed.png) Again: Many thanks, Claus! ![8-)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/cool.png) It's very soft and I feel absolutely no pressure on the head. It's a big advantage regarding looks AND comfort. Since my SR850 got about 11 days of burn-in – while being put onto a ceramic head – the pressure from the ear-pads has already loosened up and it also sound better than it did out of the box. At the moment I'm hearing a combination of SR850 with leather-headband and stock X-Can V3 with vintage 60's Philips Heerlen SQ tubes (special quality) with goldpins. It's not as good as my K702 with the same amp, but very good for what these 'phones cost. I'm very interested how the stock SR850 sounds without modding the 'phones beside replacing headband and pads. The SR850 are easily available in Switzerland (I'd have to import the HD681 in contrast) and I hope they're a cheap and good option for headphone parties. If the SR850 sounds already quite good after burn-in without costly mods, then it would be no problem for everyone to buy cheap 'phones for party usage. I know a tailor and I have called her today. She was in a hurry (she had guests at home) and I have to try it again later next week. I hope she could help me to make a textile variant of the headband (the leather one is already perfect, but it would be nice to have alternatives in color and look). My mother has a sewing machine and would help me also, but their sewing machine is not good for thick textiles. I was not really pleased with the poor quality screws Samson has used to stick the plastic parts together. Maybe I can find some high-quality (hardened) replacement screws. @ Claus: If my party idea really works out, maybe I can "generate" a couple of customers for you. I'm at the very beginning with those headphone parties. My plan for the next few months are only to make tests of the concept. I don't have the entire equipment I'll need and there're are still a lot of questions to be answered. But imagine: With headphones you have almost total freedom where to make parties. No people complaining about "noise", no bulky PA equipment needed for sound and everyone could get just the sound quality they love the most.
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elysion
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Post by elysion on Apr 11, 2010 17:24:08 GMT
Elysion: I have fitted one on the samson, when you do fit them just stretch the rubberband and losen the screw nearest the cup, no reason to take it all apart for the switch, it can be a bit irritating inserting the screw again, but just keep calm and work slow ;D ;D Hope you like it when fitted.. I DO like it, of course. ![8-)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/cool.png) I've missed your last post because I was already fitting the headband. First I had no clue how it works best to replace the headband. But the proof of the pudding is the eating. I did it exact the same way you have proposed. It was a bit puzzling for my fingers, but not a real problem at all. The downside is that the screws are from low quality stuff. It almost impossible to replace the headband without damaging the screws slightly (they're still usable, but you see they're used...).
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