Yeah, they definitely don't make them like they used to.

I hope my post won't cause a price hike on these. Currently, there are like... 6-7 of them on eBay in good condition at $40-50 each, which I think... is quite a bargain even if just because getting them makes for a good weekend project. Will post more subjective impressions once I have restored the right side and worked on some ergonomic issues. Potentially: too much clamping force (stretching headband will help) and the stock cable sucks both ways (too thick and coiled). But a cheap recable and probably a DT770 headband pad will do the trick.

Still, would love to get down to the needy-greedy subjectives and pretty plots.

It would be intersting to see how hard these are to drive given the impedance characteristics and two driver design with crossover.

Hope you can get around characterizing the SE-50s Bill. Thanks for bringing them up. Not all folks are familiar with these early types of cans. Including me.

So... my dad would like a listen, so I'll wrap up now at the recabling and tackle it again during the weekend. Will take a quick measurement now.

Pre-measurement subjective impressions: (with tweeter knobs maxed out)

Bass: despite the massive bass driver, this thing sounds very tight, and actually kinda bass-light. Sub bass? Hm... there is rumble for sure, but I can't quite tell if it's super tight or just very rolled-off. My guess? Very rolled off. Low impedance = lots of current. Not a lot of devices can deliver the current needed. They sound like they might actually benefit from something with high output impedance and a lot of current to bring out the bass... but other than that, really quality stuffs. I'm surprised. If I have to guess, this one will probably roll off on the frequency response starting at 40-60Hz, but then it's a relatively smooth curve up to lower mids.

Midrange: I swear... something it does is just so RIGHT. It's not flat for sure. In fact, I think there is a bit of a warm tilt (300-500Hz peak), followed by a peak probably between 1-2KHz for extra upper sweetness, and then a dip at 3-4KHz something. There is edge to strings, so I'm guessing a healthy amount of 5KHz, but doesn't sound sibilant, so I'm thinking a dip at 6KHz, or starting at 6KHz. This frequency response makes the mids sound kinda euphonic, and very smooth. If I have to guess, this headphone has the crossover point around 5-6KHz, since it sounds like the "weirdness" is there. It has "edge", but it's not "sibilant". Also the soundstage is big, and yet so intimate at the same time. It's not the same shiz as S-logic, but it does create the illusion of a more "live" sound.

Treble: just right. Also very sweet and smooth. There is obviously enough clarity and height, but not the usual bad treble I'm hearing from the other headphones around the same price range, or even above. I'm guessing... the peak should be around 8-10KHz, and then it probably keeps going to the extremes, where there is probably another peak, since I'm hearing quite a bit of air, too. It makes this headphone sound kinda "transparent" for a closed headphone.

With the way everything currently goes "Beats by Dre" with their treble rolled to shiz, or "Sennheiser" with treble essentially sounding like spears, this is quite a good in-between, and the focus is the midrange, which is what I like.

Oh, and not hard to drive at all. My iPhone causes my ears to bleed. Doesn't need a crazy amp at all despite low impedance. I'd guess... it's got insanely high sensitivity. And also power handling ain't that good. It distorts at probably around 90dB or so, I think.

Anyway, graphs coming up next...