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Author Topic: AKG K551  (Read 7679 times)

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Marvey

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Re: AKG K551
« Reply #10 on: December 11, 2013, 05:59:25 PM »
In some ways, Solderdudes' approach is "revolutionary" because it's doing what speakers have been doing for a long time - having eq/compensation circuits built in. The only headphone which did this was the FA-011 (but with a rather interesting tuning.) Make you kind of wonder why others aren't doing this.
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anetode

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Re: AKG K551
« Reply #11 on: December 11, 2013, 06:26:42 PM »
Ultrasone does it, though to paradoxical ends based on herr Dr.'s ideas of how ears should work.
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Tyll Hertsens

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Re: AKG K551
« Reply #12 on: December 11, 2013, 06:45:17 PM »
Quote from: purrin on December 11, 2013, 05:59:25 PM
In some ways, Solderdudes' approach is "revolutionary" because it's doing what speakers have been doing for a long time - having eq/compensation circuits built in. The only headphone which did this was the FA-011 (but with a rather interesting tuning.) Make you kind of wonder why others aren't doing this.

Yup. it just make so much sense.

Really good work, Solderdude. It's stuff like this that's putting a hell of a lot of pressure on manufacturers. They know we can see what they're doing and it's a bit embarrassing when we fix their shit. Fortunately, they've (the competent manufacturers) got good people and development gear, and I think things are beginning to turn around.
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Thujone

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Re: AKG K551
« Reply #13 on: December 11, 2013, 11:12:24 PM »
This definitely takes modding to a whole new level. Do you think it's possible to add a subtle lowpass filter to the HE-400 to help lower the treble? Or even better, do you think it's possible to add something to remove the tizz? I don't have as much of a problem with the treble as much as the tizziness associated with it.

Anyway, great work, Solderdude. I'm constantly impressed by the work you put into evolving this hobby, even aside from headphone modding. Project Ember continues to blow my mind with every new piece of equipment I throw at it.
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Marvey

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Re: AKG K551
« Reply #14 on: December 11, 2013, 11:22:13 PM »
Quote from: Thujone on December 11, 2013, 11:12:24 PM
This definitely takes modding to a whole new level. Do you think it's possible to add a subtle lowpass filter to the HE-400 to help lower the treble? Or even better, do you think it's possible to add something to remove the tizz? I don't have as much of a problem with the treble as much as the tizziness associated with it.


yes and yes. With HE-400's flat Z, it's easy.


There may be disadvantages though. Crazy SET guys, to varying extent, think crossovers / passive EQ circuits wreck the sound. Another option is digital PEQ
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Thujone

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Re: AKG K551
« Reply #15 on: December 11, 2013, 11:43:14 PM »
No matter how much I tried, I couldn't ever get that tizz to go away, though I could lower its volume to make it less fatiguing. Meh, oh well. I'm an HE-4 fan boy now anyway.
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Hands

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Re: AKG K551
« Reply #16 on: December 12, 2013, 08:34:40 AM »
Quote from: purrin on December 11, 2013, 05:59:25 PM
In some ways, Solderdudes' approach is "revolutionary" because it's doing what speakers have been doing for a long time - having eq/compensation circuits built in. The only headphone which did this was the FA-011 (but with a rather interesting tuning.) Make you kind of wonder why others aren't doing this.

Ever since my first internal headphone mod (JVC HARX700), I've always wondered why headphones often seem to be so under-engineered relative to even fairly inexpensive speakers. I started with car and home audio. Crossovers and proper damping were a normal, expected thing. My first set of bookshelf speakers were the Dayton BR-1 DIY kit, and that was a good opportunity to learn about damping, controlling resonance, a little bit about how crossovers worked, etc. (also did some research on an alternative crossover and how it made the BR-1 better, so I was aware crossovers could directly affect the FR and other aspects of sound). Then you open up a headphone...I think it's pretty sad, but hopefully Tyll is right when he says things seem to be turning around.

Anyway, nice job, Solderdude!
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DS-21

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Re: AKG K551
« Reply #17 on: December 15, 2013, 03:45:10 AM »
Quote from: purrin on December 11, 2013, 05:59:25 PM
In some ways, Solderdudes' approach is "revolutionary" because it's doing what speakers have been doing for a long time - having eq/compensation circuits built in. *** Make you kind of wonder why others aren't doing this.

Agreed, and props to Solderdude!

I always wondered if the size of passive filters wasn't the stumbling block, but I never measured (drivers) and modeled (filters).

Also passive filters are nice because one can take them from source to source without worrying about EQ. K550's actually sound respectable when filtered through the Audyssey Amp iPhone app's curve, but then plug 'em into the MacBook and they're a tizzy mess.
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dogears

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Re: AKG K551
« Reply #18 on: December 31, 2013, 04:56:24 AM »
I have to print and do this soon, thanks so much in advance to solderdude and a happy new year to you guys.
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Solderdude

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Re: AKG K551
« Reply #19 on: January 11, 2014, 09:58:25 AM »
Because not everyone is willing to buy and sacrifice a set HD681-EVO to salvage the felt discs, I have been looking for some alternatives.
I found 2 mm thick acrylic felt and 3 mm thick wool-felt which both perform very similar (measurement- and sound-wise) to the EVO felt.



blue = EVO felt
orange = 3mm thick wool-felt (not acrylic which measures only slightly different)

The FR above is of a modified K551 so NOT just the felt discs but also internal damping and electronic filter components.
I suspect this to work equally well for the K550 which is the same headphone but with a longer cord and no remote/mic.

For Pirates I am offering a set of 2 handmade (so not nicely round !) felt discs for this mod.
price (included shipping) will be a whopping € 2.- when paid with IBAN/BIC and when paid with PayPal € 2.40.
Will be shipping to all countries.
Alas the biggest portion of this price are the shipping costs and PayPal fees  O_o
€ 1.- = around $ 1.35

When you use these felt discs you MUST also do the filter-mod otherwise you end up with a dark sounding headphone.



I will only have a limited amount of material to make them
At this moment I have some black felt 3mm wool-felt and 2mm thick acrylic felt in dark blue.

PM me if interested.

Another option is to look for 3mm thick wool-felt in craft shops.
The material itself usually isn't very expensive and given the results I expect different felt not be perform that different.
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Use your ears to enjoy music, not as an analyser.
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