[OakIris]

This has probably come up before, but my search didn't come up with any posts. (Maybe I have a pin head?!?) The headphones always seemed a bit loose to me, but the woody cups have made the 'phones a bit heavier and this seems to have exacerbated the problem. They feel very insecure on my head, like the slightest head movement will cause them to slide right off.

Has anyone else experienced this? If so, how did you fix it, or do you just live with it? I am leary about trying to bend the headband because I'm afraid of breaking it - I sure can't afford to buy any spare parts right now!

 

[cadobhuk]

Bending the headband wont do you any good,its flexible,its not what creates the clumping force.If want them to be tighter I guess may be Xanadu could mod the mechanism that pulls the pleather strap,to make it pull stronger.

 

[commando]

Grow a bigger head?

The CD3Ks are more loose than other cans - are they actually going to fall off, or are they just looser than you're used to? Mine never came off, but if I moved around they might have threatened to.

 

[OakIris]

Probably they're just looser than I am used to. The headphones have never actually fallen off, but they just don't feel secure. Thanks for the idea, cadobhuk - I'm going to take a look at the strap to see if I can modify it. (Can't afford any more Xanadu modifications right now - he does great work but I have no spare cash.

)

 

[raif]

Quote:

Originally Posted by OakIris Has anyone else experienced this? If so, how did you fix it, or do you just live with it?

yep.
I sold them.


Seriously though, in my own estimate, the cd3k fail in about every conceivable way as a closed phone. They don't isolate and they always feel like they are going to fall off, further defeating their usefullness as a closed solution. They really sound pretty good, but these build issues, combined with their sensitivity to hiss/hum, finally put me off for good.

As for the leather strap issue. Wouldn't that mostly just make the headphones sit higher on your head? I would guess that most of the looseness issue would be related to the flexability of the headband. I could see how tightening the headstrap might reign the driver cups in a bit, but its primary function seems to be to hold the headphones in place vertically. Also, if you pursue this modification, that permanently "specializes" their fit and you might be stuck with headphones that may sit right on your(or anyone's) head.

IMO.

 

[lindrone]

CD3000 was always designed as a comfortable, sit-down headphone with next to no clamping source on your head whatsoever. These things that some think is a "flaw" is actually why I love the CD3000.... they're big, but incredibly comfortable on your head, once you get used to them, anything with any bit of clamping force is unacceptible. I had to stretch my A900 a bit before they were "acceptible" amount of clamping force to me. I can't even stand wearing Sennheiser HD650 for a long duration of time unless they've been really stretched out.

Of course, they're not meant to be a pair of headphone you're supposed to run around with. Why does being a closed headphone automatically mean it has to have the same quality as a portable headphone? They chose to make it closed for whatever reason, but it is decidedly not supposed to be portable, hence those other qualities (tight against your head, isolate a lot of outside noise) isn't all that important, imo.

Despite how people say they leak and doesn't isolate well for a closed headphone, they still isolate more than Sennheiser HD650 and leak less. They're still better than open-air headphone in both of those criteriums.

I think OakIris's problem does stem from the added weight with the wood cups. They weren't designed with those heavy cups in the first place, so the tension in the belt and the clamping force needed for them to stay reasonably well on your head isn't quite the same anymore. I think even R10's wood cup is much ligher than the aftermarket wood cups.

 

[raif]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lindrone Of course, they're not meant to be a pair of headphone you're supposed to run around with.

or look down.
or turn your head faster than 1 degree a second.
or bob your head to the music.
or look up.

I actually moved directly from a cd3k to a hd650. Though the stock cd3k does filter a bit of the higher frequencies the cups actually resonate a bit with lower frequencies.(like people's footsteps)
When I switched to the senn, it ended up being about the same amount of outside interferance with my music. The difference being, I can ignore outside sounds, but footsteps "booming" in my headphones has the air-conditioner annoyance effect on me, it just muddies up the sound.

I am not trying to bash the cd3k, every once in a while I consider going back to them for the great sound quality(with good synergistic equipment of course) but I have to remind myself of these issues everytime because they are what fed me up with the cd3k in the first place.

Just for reference, I have a pretty fat head and had a mane of hair at the time, so I can only imagine what a pain in the butt it must be for people with smaller noggins.

EDIT I used these headphones mainly in the office, not running around outside, mowing the lawn, riding a bike or other portable usage.

 

[cadobhuk]

Tightening the strap wouldnt make them sit higher on your head,it would make them press harder on your ears.The length of the thing under the headband would be the same,just more force pulling it.My woodies sit alrite on my head,but it is somewhat big head.

 

[swalker]

Quote:

Originally Posted by raif or look down. or turn your head faster than 1 degree a second. or bob your head to the music. or look up. ... I actually moved directly from a cd3k to a hd650. Though the stoc.

I can't speak for the CD3000's as I never tried them before but my CD780's drive me crazy sometimes with the looseness just like you mentioned above. I, too find the loosened HD650 to be a massive improvement in that regard after a bit of stretching period.

 

[OakIris]

I am willing to deal with the looseness because of great sound, but I am still going to seek a solution. Hmmmmm - Maybe a giant rubberband would do the trick.

I definitely want to be able to move my head to the beat of the music (that's O.K. to do with CD3000s when you're behind closed doors, right?) I just can't sit totally still when listening to music, or working on my computer, or.....

Anyway, I have no intention of getting rid of my headphones. Maybe I will email Xanadu to see if he can think of a solution.

 

[Xanadu777]

Quote:

Originally Posted by OakIris Maybe a giant rubberband would do the trick. Maybe I will email Xanadu to see if he can think of a solution.

I was thinking the same thing

Maybe there's a better solution. I have a feeling your head is smaller and these seem to be more suited to a larger head, which I happen to have somewhat.

 

[KenW]

Quote:

Originally Posted by commando Grow a bigger head? The CD3Ks are more loose than other cans - are they actually going to fall off, or are they just looser than you're used to? Mine never came off, but if I moved around they might have threatened to.

LOL...you beat me to it although I was going to suggest growing a 'fro!

 

[akio]

Quote:

Originally Posted by raif or look down. or turn your head faster than 1 degree a second. or bob your head to the music. or look up.

i thoroughy dissagree. i bob and weave while grooving to music and they never fall off my head. just learn to trust that they won't fall off - they might feel like they are going to but they never actually do. lindrone said it perfectly - this phone is meant for you to sit down and listen, it really seems to float on your head. after you get into the music a little bit, the entire can really does dissapear from your head. a great feeling! as to the problem at hand, i never thought that putting wood earcups on the cd3k was a good idea, and this shows that the cans were designed to 'dissapear' only bearing a certain amount of weight. sony designed them to fit and feel a certain way, and the wood cups upset this balance. i'm sure xanandu will find a way to rectify the situation without too much trouble

brian.

 

[lindrone]

Quote:

Originally Posted by akio i thoroughy dissagree. i bob and weave while grooving to music and they never fall off my head. just learn to trust that they won't fall off - they might feel like they are going to but they never actually do.

I actually tried this at home the other night.. I didn't have any problems.. unless I was trying to headbang or something. I can even walk around and hop a little bit... just a little bit.

Maybe my head is just big enough to fit it so it wouldn't fall off just by me looking around?

 

[OakIris]

Well, I guess I have a pin head - I sure can't "bob and weave" - I tried it, and the headphones fell off. I don't listen to head-banging music, so it's not as if I am trying to jog in the headphones!

Do you have a solution, Larry???