Topic: Philips Cityscape Uptown (Read 4595 times)

Solderdude · « **Reply #10 on:** December 27, 2014, 10:36:45 PM »

I don't have the HM5 or FA-003 nor any of its OEM's at this point nor any of these pads.

Should I ever have one I will be looking into them.

Deep Funk · « **Reply #11 on:** December 28, 2014, 10:34:53 AM »

In retail it is a matter of time before these headphones are being dumped.

At one point you can pick this headphone up for 20 to 30 Euro/Dollar and be done with it. Stock this headphone indeed sounds acceptable for portable use. Philips has been improving its drivers. Their latest DJ headphones are pretty good sounding.

Solderdude, the modified Philips looks impressive in the measurements.

2BD · « **Reply #12 on:** January 09, 2015, 07:30:26 PM »

Where exactly should I position the felt rings, in the middle of the canvas covering the element or closer to plastic or either side? I did the mods and the sound is pretty damn good at least compared to how they sounded straight out of the box ( I don't have too many sets to compare it to atm), but either my old cans were piss-poor at treble and I'm not used to it or it's still a bit peaky and harsh. The felt is 3mm thick acrylic tho, cause I couldn't find woolen felt that thick.

Solderdude · « **Reply #13 on:** January 09, 2015, 08:07:19 PM »

The felt rings (with adhesive back) are attached to the cups.
The felt discs (without selfadhesive layer) simply are placed on the driver (ear side) and are held in place by the dustcovers that are integrated in the SRH840 and SRH940 pads.
When using DT770 pads you will need 2 felt discs on top of each other.

I have synthetic felt and woolfelt here as well.
Strange thing is that with some headphones there isn't much audible difference when using them and in other cans there is.
In this case woolfelt sounded best.

My ears are also quite old and have to admit that I like neutral to slightly raised treble over subdued.
It is a matter of adjustment of the brain as well and might also be 'reference' related.
When an old M50 was your reference these will sound bright.
When a DT990 was your reference these will sound less 'bright'.

The self-adhesive felt I used inside the cups (against reflections) can be something like this:
http://www.ebay.nl/itm/PodoPro-Chiropody-Podiatry-Self-adhesive-Fleecy-Web-Felt-Padding-3mm-Thick-/321511953333?pt=UK_Health_HealthCare_RL&var=&hash=item4adb9b13b5
or:
http://www.ebay.nl/itm/PodoPro-Chiropody-Podiatry-Self-adhesive-Felt-Padding-2mm-Thick-Hypallergenic-/221455624117?pt=UK_Health_HealthCare_RL&var=&hash=item338fc8a7b5

It's what I use simply because I had 2 small rolls of this left for smoothing edges of a leg cast.
I found a better use for it....

The felt I used in front of the driver is 3mm thick wool-felt WITHOUT the sticky back (you can't use the sticky felt there !.
Bought this stuff in a local 'crafts store'.
something like this:

http://www.ebay.nl/itm/100-Wool-Felt-Fabric-3-4mm-Thick-Mottled-Anthracite-1m-x-1m-OEKO-TEX-/231426356681?pt=UK_Crafts_Fabric&var=&hash=item35e215f5c9

or:

http://www.ebay.nl/itm/100-Wool-Felt-Fabric-Approx-5mm-Thick-Handmade-12-1-Metre-Square-Sheet-/141118888673?pt=UK_Crafts_Fabric&var=&hash=item20db575ae1

2BD · « **Reply #14 on:** January 09, 2015, 08:59:14 PM »

Oops, I meant the discs indeed. In your guide they were a bit off-center in the picture so it left me wondering. I actually got all the parts except the adhesive felt today so I just made the rings out of the same felt as the discs and taped them in for the weekend. I don't feel an express need to change them tho.

Oh, and that sub-bass. I thought my nanotube JVCs were good at it, but damn!

Solderdude · « **Reply #15 on:** January 09, 2015, 10:19:23 PM »

The stickyback felt is just convenient and works just as well as normal felt taped/glued on the cups.
It is only there to lower reflections.
For the silver one I am going to explore shelfliner on the inside and felt ovals on top of the drivers.

I was quite surprised with the results myself.

Nice extende non-flabby somewhat exentuated but non-bleeding bass, excellent clear mids and silky smooth yet highly detailed treble.
I really like it.
No problems driving it from a portable as well.
I bought 2 more of them.. a grey one that will be getting grey DT770 pads and one for spare parts (drivers)
They are out of production AFAIK so the well dries out sooner or later.
Best sounding relatively cheap HP in my book.

Glad more than just me are enjoying this headphone.

I fixed the felt discs in front of the driver with band-aid tape (shown in the article now)

2BD · « **Reply #16 on:** January 09, 2015, 10:59:33 PM »

Yeah, thanks for the awesome guide. I was about to get X2, but I couldn't try them on anywhere and I didn't trust my ears to be refined enough. I'm more than happy with these, even though modding materials and esp. the Shure pads cost me a bit. The highs I complained about earlier seem to be a result of shoddy mixing/mastering on certain tracks. In my books these are at least on par with the HM5, but the more present bass gives the sound more body on low listening volumes which I prefer.

My only gripe is that I couldn't find brown ones with the better cable, and my black ones aren't as handsome as them.

Solderdude · « **Reply #17 on:** February 01, 2015, 09:08:10 PM »

I have revisited the modification article and added some info about the silver/grey version and how to take it apart.
http://www.mediafire.com/view/cv5wevv94gpajrj/Philips_Cityscape_Uptown_SHL9505_modifications.pdf

Fortunately the grey and black versions do not measure and sound very different.
They do have a somewhat different mechanical structure (the 'music seal') which warrants a different approach to removing the pads..
Below the plots of the silver/grey SLH9505-GY(10) version once modified, 2mm synthetic felt is used in this example.

Below a 'stock' SHL9505:

gelocks · « **Reply #18 on:** February 07, 2015, 01:54:00 AM »

Excellent post!!!
I had the downtown model and it was a good on-ear headphone! Your results are freaking amazing really.

MattTCG · « **Reply #19 on:** February 07, 2015, 01:38:51 PM »

I bought a pair of these last year. A friend who knew that I was into hp's asked me to pick out a set for her. Based on her requirements and price range I bought the Cityscape never even having heard them. I gave them a listen before I took them over to her and thought they sounded pretty decent. Well, she wore them about three times and hasn't picked them back up. Maybe I need to "borrow" them and perform a little modding :-)

Author Topic: Philips Cityscape Uptown (Read 4595 times)

Solderdude

Re: Philips Cityscape Uptown

Deep Funk

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2BD

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Solderdude

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2BD

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Solderdude

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2BD

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Solderdude

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gelocks

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MattTCG

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Author Topic: Philips Cityscape Uptown (Read 4595 times)