Hey I'm not too far from you, I am in SF and Jinhua (a few hr from Shanghai), about 6 mo each out of the yr.

Cool. Another trans-Pacific audio lover !

Slight change of plan. Will send both my headphone and the modded pair in to Marv to measure, and see whichever one he prefers. Since the new mod is easily just one extra strip of dynamat and shelf-liner material in the back + Focus Pads A, I think the two mods are pretty much interchangeable.

I have just tried a different version of the mod that allows the stock grills to be used (gives more protection, makes the headphone more durable, etc...) along with Focus Pads A (more comfort, better highs), and I prefer this to whatever version I used at the last meet. Better soundstaging, better depth, better clarity, better comfort, somewhat tighter and more controlled bass (due to less air thanks to stock grill), and also better protection.

Quick and dirty (healthy salt advised, wait for Marv's final measurements!) difference recorded by my iPhone:

Last version (the one at the meet):


The new mod:


Will write instructions for both versions, of course. I think the second mod is closer to stock HE-560 sound, but smoother thanks to Focus Pads A, and made "airier" due to magic mumbo jumbo.

It's the iPhone's microphone's limitations. So don't take anything below that seriously. It does that with every headphone and speaker that I have tried to measure.

(and hence why I'd like Marv to measure...)

Oh, no problem at all. I have been absorbed into modding the Sony Z7, and I think I'm getting good results. Won't be posting a guide for that one because modding it is very tedious, but if Marv would like to measure my pair, I'd be happy to send it along with my HE-560.