I approve of this madness!

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As some of you may already know, I've donated my HD800 to science.

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So far, the steps seem perfectly reversible and re-assembleable. Your opening post suggests that you will be going beyond that.

Please give prior warning of that step: the more squeamish may want to avert their eyes 

So when do you put these drivers in the Koss portapro and leave them on a table at canjam ?  or vice versa

HD800 drivers in the Koss portapro housing might actually sound better than HD800s.

Continuing... EFFECT OF METAL MESH

OK, so what are the effects of the metal mesh? Three measurements provided below. The HD800 driver is still held in the basket. See the three FR graphs below - in order:

#1 Metal mesh intact
#2 Metal mesh removed (ripped out) - basket is open.
#3 Metal mesh removed but replaced with a layer of felt and lined with rug liner.

*these measurements are on the V2 rig and most comparable to Goldenears' latter HD800 measurements (HD800 #2 and #3)



CONCLUSION:

The metal mesh of the HD800 is not as permeable as we think. If the mesh removed, the low end drops considerably. If we replace the mesh with a layer of felt, cloth or other material, we still get a massive low end drop. The HD800 is not so much "a driver suspended in air" as we may believe. The mesh is definitely responsible for internal pressurization to maintain the low end. And probably also the culprit for the HD800's diffuse imaging. This explains why the Anax liner mod helps with providing a more precise less diffuse image.

P.S. Do not rip out the metal mesh. At least for now or until a suitable replacement can be found. You will ruin your HD800s. This is an expensive headphone to ruin and only crazy people do stuff like this.


Up next: driver removal