Grado Mod, SR80 Options

[zer061zer0]

With a little free time and having read quite a bit on modding the Grado phones, I have decided to go about trying the mods I have read.

I am still in the midst of doing it but decided to post some pictures of the inital stages of doing it. Pictures are taken by my girlfriend.

I will update the first thread as I complete the whole mod but meanwhile do give me some inputs such as the sort of cables to use, better alternatives and suggestions like that.

This is my SR80, which I have gotten from a trade. Despite possessing the grado sound, but its no where near the likes of MS2i or SR225. Can't really compare them this way as they are of different value and I understand that they have different construction, voice coil and etc. So hopefully this mod would better improve it.


First up is the headband. It can be remove rather easily by pulling the 2 grip holding onto the driver unit. Pull out each side one after the other.


Then its the driver unit. Removing the casing basically open up quite easily, I tried a few methods but it seems that the heat and spoon method used simultaneouly is the best. Heat the the cans from the side for a few mins, followed by pushing a spoon across the groove and you got the cans open. Too bad I do not have pictures of the process but this is basically what I used to open them up, a hairdryer and a spoon.


This is the grill side with the cover, grill and enamel removed. Similarly the grill can be removed with a little heat and some pushing.


Removing the enamel from the grills, would probably keep them.


The buttons and the driver side, easily removed with a few pressing using my hands.




That's all as of now, I have just gotten the mono jacks, 2.5mm ones but i am still thinking if i should use a 3.5mm stereo on one side.
Anyone tried such mods before do share with me and the rest.

Will post again soon.

[zer061zer0]

The mono jacks gotten yesterday was the wrong size and couldn't fit very well.
Instead I rewired it to be on a one side.

Didn't really have the photos of the work in process as there was a lot of filing involved to fit the plugs in.

This is how the jack looks like in the driver unit, now that its on one side(left) I have to wire over to the right driver over the headband.


A bottom view of the jack itself, this section require quite a bit of filing on the casing to fit it just nice.


The right driver unit.


The left driver with the stock cable reterminate on a 3.5mm jack


The sound did change a little, I feel that there is an increase in clarity, in fact I hear certain things more clearly then i did before the mod. Like background hiss for a particular track and also breathing of the guitarist in another. But i am suspecting that this might be due to the fact that i have no grills on now

There is also slight widening in the soundstage, and there seems to be added depth to the stage. I am very sensitive to the soudnstage so thats the first thing that i noticed. But the depth thingy is quite subjective. However the bass was little lesser then before.


Really hope anyone who have done anything similar before could share some advice or opinions. And now that its done it will be good if someone can recommend me some cables that goes really well with grado phones.

PS, I do not really know how to describe what you hear and normally i judge it by the staging and the "feel" u get from the music. Therefore my opinions are purely personal views of it.

[zer061zer0]

A new grill and new cables


A closer view, I must say that the neutrik 1/4 inch are rock solid looking.
Grills are those taken off the computer heatsink fan, and the cables used are Canare starquad, with neutrik jacks.


Grado modded phones with my amps, Xiangsheng and CK2III


Another look at the phones with the quarter mod on the pads, the next thing would be the padding on the headband

[Stereo_Electronics]

Nicely done, finally a grado mod with decent pictures.

Just curious, I tried the starquad canare but felt the orginal grado sounded better, what about you? The canare starquad sounded rather lean to me and harsh on louder music.

You make me want to strip my grado again....

[loop_]

nice grills. looks really different, but i think i still prefer the grado 'retro' look.

do a review of your diy amp!

[zer061zer0]

Nicely done, finally a grado mod with decent pictures.

Just curious, I tried the starquad canare but felt the orginal grado sounded better, what about you? The canare starquad sounded rather lean to me and harsh on louder music.

You make me want to strip my grado again....

Do try it out, I do share some similar sentiments, sort of lesser extension (less echoy) not sure how to describe that.

What cable have u tried?

nice grills. looks really different, but i think i still prefer the grado 'retro' look.

do a review of your diy amp!

I would love to but its gonna takes a while as I am rather busy these days.

[Stereo_Electronics]

On the SR60 and 80 I've tried Canare, Belden, Mogami, QED, AudioQuest, Klot and a lot of old cables I dig out from my storeroom... I should do it again, this time I'll tried to look for something rare and unusual.

[PPkiller]

paper clip? :-x

[Stereo_Electronics]

paper clip? :-x

I will consider that when I decide to mould the headphone to my head.

[zer061zer0]

On the SR60 and 80 I've tried Canare, Belden, Mogami, QED, AudioQuest, Klot and a lot of old cables I dig out from my storeroom... I should do it again, this time I'll tried to look for something rare and unusual.

I was looking at the cable the other and realise that the stock cables is in fact very thin. i did terminated a mini plug to the stock cable in case i wanna play ard with it.

How is the klotz, starquad too i presume.

How abt the belden and mogami, what models are they.

[Stereo_Electronics]

Mostly starquads. Never underestimate the performance of small size cables, lots of high performance audio cables are not very thick, like my recent favourite crystal cable.


Cystal cable interconnect

[aloy]

another case of not judging a book by it's cover?

[zer061zer0]

Mostly starquads. Never underestimate the performance of small size cables, lots of high performance audio cables are not very thick, like my recent favourite crystal cable.


Cystal cable interconnect

actually i have been very interested in trying out silver cables, but have yet to find a cheap source.

Whats the cost of this Crystal cable?

I was just wondering, how do u spread the cables in a star quad connection.
1L, 1R, 2 G
or 2l, 2r, shield as gnd.

[Fuzzy Fuzzbucket]

nice nice but do u want to change those nickle plated steel grilles to aluminum or stanless steel ones???
those nickle steels won't stay that shiny for long...

[zer061zer0]

Actually they are still shiny untill i have deicided to remove them..
listen to the modded ms1 at stereo sort of put my works to shame..
Anyway I have done some new recabling and the earcup but still not satisfy with the look and sound.

Some updates to my SR80...

recabling to both side with a slightly stiffer wire and added some new design to my earcups, but still unhappy....





This post has been edited by zer061zer0: 6 Dec 2007, 04:38 PM