I had already wondered about that myself. Maybe ask an upholstery if they can help.
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Fostex T50RP Incremental Mods and Measurements
- Thread starter bluemonkeyflyer
- Start date
freemental
New Head-Fier
I checked some information and I think it's HR3020 polyurethane foam
Just performed a home made Mayflower mod - roofing flash tape for the wells, window insulating foam tape for the ladder, cotton wool padding and modelling clay. I noticed that less cotton wool = more bass. I replaced the micropore over the back of the driver where the glue struck through but nothing else. Now - the overall tone is warmer but mids are fuller, particularly male vocals. The sound feels more cohesive now, whereas stock the mids are dry and the bass feels disconnected from the treble. There has been some loss of the beautifully clear highs but I can live with that. I'm going to balance them next, usually that lends a little more clarity. Using standard 105mm flat circular leather pads from AE. I don't like the angled ones.
I have used a 4 pole 3.5mm direct socket replacement before but am going to use some recessed 0.78mm 2 pin sockets I picked up for fun. I have loads of 2 pin IEM cables that need using.
I have used a 4 pole 3.5mm direct socket replacement before but am going to use some recessed 0.78mm 2 pin sockets I picked up for fun. I have loads of 2 pin IEM cables that need using.
Update: Balanced has thrown the soundstage out immensely wide but some of the centre bass focus has gone. It returns when using an unbalanced adaptor. I took a little more cotton wool out to return some of the bass in balanced mode. Overall - I like it. The 2 pin sockets were slightly fiddly, not sure I'd use them again but one of a kind, I guess!
xeizo
500+ Head-Fier
Update: Balanced has thrown the soundstage out immensely wide but some of the centre bass focus has gone. It returns when using an unbalanced adaptor. I took a little more cotton wool out to return some of the bass in balanced mode. Overall - I like it. The 2 pin sockets were slightly fiddly, not sure I'd use them again but one of a kind, I guess!
It sounds like you have your wiring out of phase in balanced mode, the effect is exactly as you describe very wide sound and cancelled bass. If I where you I would check your wiring, just running balanced shouldn't affect neither width of sound nor bass levels.
I always check any modded headphones with a 1 minute fast headphone test on YouTube. Steering, phase and polarity were fine.
Link to video please? Curious how the test works.
I was really surprised too, that's what I thought initially but the test was fine. I had glued up the original 3.5mm socket as it is effectively another bass port and I think some of the cotton wool had shifted around. Once I opened them up and adjusted the cotton wool everything was good.
freemental
New Head-Fier
updated model on the way!
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GREQ
Headphoneus Supremus
That's such a dreadful piece of marketing graphics I thought it was fake.......updated model on the way!
SeEnCreaTive
500+ Head-Fier
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- 269
Yay!
I'm very curious to see.the differences
I'm very curious to see.the differences
Longfellow78
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Feb 8, 2014
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Hello everyone.
I need some advice on modding my T40rpmk3 please. I have the T60 Argon already
I have been trawling the internet and have managed to find pictures of the inside of the original Mad Dogs, the T50rpmk3 argon, and my own T60 Argon, plus I know what is inside the T50rp anniversary, the mayflower mod, and the open alphas. This gives a large variety of different mods, most of which have been tried on this thread.
I'm not an expert but the argon's sound amazing especially soundstage but if I want something that are distinct from those I guess this means less bass, more midbass and mids, and maybe a bit brighter on the treble? I would love to keep a big soundstage though, but wonder if that comes with fat pads, which also bloat the bass a little.
The thing is I don't really know what the different mods do, even though I know what they all are. I was thinking of:
- Paxmate in the cups (no clay or carbon rods) and laddered like the mayflower. Including in the headband screw hole
- No alteration to the back of the driver (e.g. not altering driver back like argons, or adding felt like mad dogs)
- Loosely backed cotton wool in the cup (like all mods)
- Clay on the backside of the baffle like the mayflower, OR small cubes of paxmate like the 50th anniversary.
- Maybe sealing the driver side port vents with tape and surrounding the driver with two layers of 1mm adhesive felt (effectively the same as the mad dogs which are fully sealed, the mayflower which has a rubberized baffle ring, and the argon, which is sealed with rubber glue and felt); OR putting one layer of felt around the driver, but putting the t40rp foam on top (same density as stock t50, so the ports can breathe still - maybe this would be better for mids?
- 1mm adhesive felt to the rest of the front side of the baffle.
This leaves me with the currently closed rear port of the T40rp - I could leave it closed (like Mad dogs) or make it semi-open with a layer of felt like the Argons and mayflower/anniversary. As I want more mids and less bass - I was thinking maybe leaving it closed?
Also earpads - I think I would want something less deep and plush than the Argon Xenons - which I believe are responsible for the mega soundstage but also more recessed mids?
Effectively what I would be making would be a be a blend of Mad dogs (closed cups, paxmate) Mayflower (laddered paxmate and clay on baffle) and Argons (sealed ports and felt on frontside of the driver) OR more open vents with just damping felt and stock foam, with rear port probably closed or semi-open with mid depth earpads - I like velour finish and very soft - not keep on firm pads or leather/sheepskin. Does anyone have any recommendations that aren't crazy expensive (I have the T60rp pads but they are a touch too thin, maybe the Brainwasz or Shure?)
This graph looks interesting, I like the look of the Shure 940 pads, nice bass and mids, velour, not too expensive, very similar to Brainwavz hm5 pleather without such a dip at 3k or the massive drop at 7k...
https://diyaudioheaven.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/t50rp-various-pads.png?w=1228
Thanks for any feedback!
I need some advice on modding my T40rpmk3 please. I have the T60 Argon already
I have been trawling the internet and have managed to find pictures of the inside of the original Mad Dogs, the T50rpmk3 argon, and my own T60 Argon, plus I know what is inside the T50rp anniversary, the mayflower mod, and the open alphas. This gives a large variety of different mods, most of which have been tried on this thread.
I'm not an expert but the argon's sound amazing especially soundstage but if I want something that are distinct from those I guess this means less bass, more midbass and mids, and maybe a bit brighter on the treble? I would love to keep a big soundstage though, but wonder if that comes with fat pads, which also bloat the bass a little.
The thing is I don't really know what the different mods do, even though I know what they all are. I was thinking of:
- Paxmate in the cups (no clay or carbon rods) and laddered like the mayflower. Including in the headband screw hole
- No alteration to the back of the driver (e.g. not altering driver back like argons, or adding felt like mad dogs)
- Loosely backed cotton wool in the cup (like all mods)
- Clay on the backside of the baffle like the mayflower, OR small cubes of paxmate like the 50th anniversary.
- Maybe sealing the driver side port vents with tape and surrounding the driver with two layers of 1mm adhesive felt (effectively the same as the mad dogs which are fully sealed, the mayflower which has a rubberized baffle ring, and the argon, which is sealed with rubber glue and felt); OR putting one layer of felt around the driver, but putting the t40rp foam on top (same density as stock t50, so the ports can breathe still - maybe this would be better for mids?
- 1mm adhesive felt to the rest of the front side of the baffle.
This leaves me with the currently closed rear port of the T40rp - I could leave it closed (like Mad dogs) or make it semi-open with a layer of felt like the Argons and mayflower/anniversary. As I want more mids and less bass - I was thinking maybe leaving it closed?
Also earpads - I think I would want something less deep and plush than the Argon Xenons - which I believe are responsible for the mega soundstage but also more recessed mids?
Effectively what I would be making would be a be a blend of Mad dogs (closed cups, paxmate) Mayflower (laddered paxmate and clay on baffle) and Argons (sealed ports and felt on frontside of the driver) OR more open vents with just damping felt and stock foam, with rear port probably closed or semi-open with mid depth earpads - I like velour finish and very soft - not keep on firm pads or leather/sheepskin. Does anyone have any recommendations that aren't crazy expensive (I have the T60rp pads but they are a touch too thin, maybe the Brainwasz or Shure?)
This graph looks interesting, I like the look of the Shure 940 pads, nice bass and mids, velour, not too expensive, very similar to Brainwavz hm5 pleather without such a dip at 3k or the massive drop at 7k...
https://diyaudioheaven.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/t50rp-various-pads.png?w=1228
Thanks for any feedback!
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Youve got a lot going on in that post. So many variables.
1. Velour pads can be tricky. Its a breathable material that could create new complications depending on the foam used inside the pads. The foam inside would need to be closed-cell or of very low air flow to maintain characteristic sound of non-permeable pad materials like leather.
I tried the Shure pads with Mayflower mod on a T50RPmk3. Did not care for the sound of Mayflower nor the comfort of Shure. Mayflower mod uses a custom foam that essentially seals the front-side vents underneath the pads. This leads to a very warm + bassy signature. The Shure pads are also on the smaller side and I didnt like the feel of the fabric material.
Im a big fan of the T60RP pads. I like the sound and feel. T60RP pads are thin but not so thin as to be supraaural which effects sound and comfort.
Tuning to taste is part of what makes modding worthwhile. Cant be sure what mod to recommend to you exactly because dont know your hrtf, preferences, average spls, upstream gear, music, etc.
You know T50RPmk4 is about to drop. Maybe just wait a bit as it may be completely “better” than mk3.
1. Velour pads can be tricky. Its a breathable material that could create new complications depending on the foam used inside the pads. The foam inside would need to be closed-cell or of very low air flow to maintain characteristic sound of non-permeable pad materials like leather.
I tried the Shure pads with Mayflower mod on a T50RPmk3. Did not care for the sound of Mayflower nor the comfort of Shure. Mayflower mod uses a custom foam that essentially seals the front-side vents underneath the pads. This leads to a very warm + bassy signature. The Shure pads are also on the smaller side and I didnt like the feel of the fabric material.
Im a big fan of the T60RP pads. I like the sound and feel. T60RP pads are thin but not so thin as to be supraaural which effects sound and comfort.
Tuning to taste is part of what makes modding worthwhile. Cant be sure what mod to recommend to you exactly because dont know your hrtf, preferences, average spls, upstream gear, music, etc.
You know T50RPmk4 is about to drop. Maybe just wait a bit as it may be completely “better” than mk3.
The best way is to try the mods described in thread yourself. There are other threads too like on sbaf that might be more easily digestible.
The fastest way is paying someone else but who knows if youll like their tuning and is overpriced considering you can diy to your preferences. Here is a compendium of pro tuner mods impressions and measures that might help.
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