Tag Archives: wood headphones

Build your own Grado style headphones

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Grado

Build your own Grado style headphones tutorial with Symphones V8 drivers

  • Do you have a pair of Grados?
  • Have you upgraded them to wood cups?
  • Are you looking to build your own Grado style headphones?

If the answer to any of these is yes, then read ahead.

So who are Symphones? Symphones started off modifying Grado headphones with their original Magnum modifications. They then went on to develop Grado style drivers that slot right into most Grado cups and aftermarket cups. Today we are looking at the V8 drivers, their latest offering that are very different in design to the V7.
A big part of driver tuning is adding dampening materials to the diaphragm and magnet, and the new V8 have a completely new driver coating.

The V8 drivers in this review are installed in Rholupat spalted tamarind cups with a Grado SR60e headband and SMC connectors to allow for detachable cables. The cable used is made from Van Damme minature starquad.

So what do you need?

Some Symphones V8 Drivers: https://www.symphones.com/shop/symphones-v8

You will then need suitable cups to install the drivers in, the drivers will fit into all Grado cups excluding the PS/GS series. Please take care when removing the old drivers as to not damage the cups you will be installing the drivers into.

Alternatively you can buy wooden cups from a couple of places:

https://www.etsy.com/shop/ShipiboAudio

http://www.rholupat.com/

http://www.ellevenacoustica.com/

https://wabisabiheadphones.wordpress.com/

Once you have the cups you need a headband with gimbals from your old Grados, or a Sony MDR7506 headband. Alternatively Rholupat and Shipibo offer nice leather headbands and also aluminium gimbals and rodblocks.

The Symphones drivers will need soldering to your cable of choice and installing into the cups, to make sure they press fit tightly you may need a strip of insultion tape around the edge of the driver. I have installed SMC connectors into the cups so I can change cables if I need to.

Now you come to earpad selection, Grado OEM pads, or generic cheap eBay ones, take your pick but they all change the sound.

Symphones have tuned the V8 drivers to be used with OEM G-Cush pads, and the main review will be based using those.

Generic G-Cush pads add a little more body to the sound, but are not as detailed and clean sounding as the OEM G-Cush pads.

OEM L-Cush pads also work very well with these drivers, giving them the more aggressive Grado style sound, over the more spacious G-Cush sound.

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READ MORE: Grado SR80e Headphone Review

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Sound:

  • Bass:

The bass is not as full as the newer E series of Grado, but it is more controlled and also extends lower, digging right down into the sub-bass with ease. The bass is still quite Grado like being about quality over quantity but it is cleaner and more separated. The bass never encroaches on the midrange, and the punch is really good on the V8 drivers. Changing the earpads affects the bass the most, with generic G-Cush and OEM L-Cush pads adding a few extra dB’s of bass which may appeal to some people. The bass is more dynamic and full on the V8 drivers than the lower end Grados, sounding more realistic in tone.

  • Midrange:

The midrange sounds like a veil has been lifted, comparing to the Grado lineup you need to go to the PS500e at least to get this level of detail however the V8 are more spacious sounding. They still have the slightly aggressive tone to them, but are far more open soundstage wise. The upper midrange is not quite as upfront as Grados, leading to a slightly less fatiguing sound and also very minimal sibilance unless the recording has it. The midrange sits ever so slightly behind the lows and highs quantity wise, but not enough for it to be classed as recessed. The clarity and separation of the V8’s is what sets them apart from the original Grado drivers.

  • Treble:

The treble from the V8’s is smoother and more refined than the peakier Grado drivers. In terms of quantity it is still up there with most Grados however they are better separated and airy, with less peaks and more effortless extension. I never find them to be grating and they compliment the rest of the sound perfectly. If you are used to more bassy headphones, yes these will sound a little bright, however I find the highs to be quite well balanced with the rest of the range.

  • Soundstage and Imaging

More precise and also quite a lot wider than original Grados which are more direct and in your face. There is a lot of air between intruments and percussion comes through with excellent tone and control.

Conclusion:

These are an excellent upgrade for your current Grados or for a scratch build, they offer a more vivid and dynamic sound over original drivers. They sound as if a veil has been lifted from the whole sound, and the soundstage and imaging is far superior to lower end Grados. Articulate and dynamic lows, crystal clear midrange and sparkly highs, all that you love from Grados but supercharged.

Meze 99 Classic Headphones Review – Yes I Wood!

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Meze 99 Classics -Review- Yes I Wood!

 

In this world, we are used to things either being pretty, or useful. If you’ve ever tried to use a golden spanner, you’d have found it about as useful as a framed picture of your own intestines. However the Meze 99 Classics are claimed to be as good for listening to music as they are attractive; can it be true?

 

The name Meze brings up images of eating al fresco whilst overlooking the Mediterranean, and since the number ’99’ is attributable to a type of ice-cream here in the UK, a very enjoyable experience is brought to mind. We take our minds off food for long enough to put these headphones to the test..

 

Pros:

  • Looks lovely
  • Sounds excellent
  • Good fabric coated cables
  • 1.2m and 3m cables included
  • Hard carry case

 

Cons:

  • Some older recordings can seem overly bassy
  • Cables are a little stiff

 

 

Design and appearance

As mentioned, the 99 Classics do make quite an impact visually; wooden earcups are paired with a headband design which makes a feature of a strong, supporting outer frame. This is coupled with a more yielding strap, suspended to fit the head automatically. It’s a design which might have been borrowed from the Wright brothers; so hopefully this construction of wood, metal and space will enable us to fly!

The Meze 99 Classics are also available in two other versions, besides the maple and silver type in the pictures. These are with a darker walnut wood for the earcups, with either silver details on the headband/earcups (walnut silver) or gold (walnut gold).

Earcups are pivoted where the headband joins them so they fit against the head very nicely, making them both comfortable and effective at keeping exterior noise to a minimum. Cables are a little bit stiffer than they would be ideally, but this is not a big deal.

 

Durability & build quality

Being ostensibly portable headphones (there’s a 3m cable in the box as well as a 1.2m cable with mic), the Meze 99 Classics look as if they can tolerate a bit of hustle and bustle; there are no obvious weaknesses and the cables are quite sturdy with strain reliefs in the usual places. The supplied hard carry case looks very useful for keeping the headphones in top condition.

 

Comfort

The Meze 99 Classics are certainly among the most comfortable portable headphones; the clamping force exhibited by some portables is not needed here; instead the wide and self-adjusting headphone strap helps to keep the headphones in place, distributing the grip around the head and keeping pressure off the ears. The earpads may be a little on the snug size for some and might be a little hot in warm temperatures; we’ve not had any problems though.

 

Sound isolation

These headphones are very good at eliminating outside noise, and are effective in preventing any sound leaking out too. A really good seal can be achieved thanks to the way the headband connects to the earcups, and very little can be heard with music playing, so take care out there!

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READ MORE: B&W P7 Wireless Bluetooth Headphone Review

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Sound characteristics

The 99 Classics are definitely tuned with the mass market in mind, and their sound will appeal to most people who listen to music whilst on the move. It’s a good balance between detail and warmth, with a good bass kick as well.

 

Bass

The Meze 99 Classics should please any bass fan; there’s a roomy feeling sub-bass which seems to surround the head – it’s a good ‘party’ feel. With older recordings, lower frequencies can be picked out, and if you weren’t aware of those vintage basslines before, you will be now! The bass has a certain tangible quality which gives a nice body to proceedings, and has good definition; helped along by an uncluttered midrange..

 

Mids

The fleshiness of the bass is paired very nicely with midrange details, with clear harmonics adding some nice realism and space. There’s a surprising amount of detail, yet the Meze 99 Classics still have a fun sound. The midrange also contributes a spaciousness to the party with its detail; soundstage is actually quite impressive.

 

Treble

Treble is crisp and clear, but still balanced well with the lower frequencies; there’s a natural element to it which takes the edges off. Definition is good; percussion is rendered quite convincingly and wind instruments have a brash rasping quality. Again, this detail contributes to a feeling that the listener is truly in the midst of some fun and atmospheric action.

 

 

Soundstage & Separation

I cannot fault the Meze 99 Classics at what they do here; soundstage is wide, involving and very impressive for a closed back headphone. With midrange and treble harmonics giving a three-dimensional quality to each instrument, good separation and imaging are very successfully achieved.

 

Music Genres Good For and Why

Due to the way the bass response on the 99 Classics picks out bass frequencies from older recordings, these can sound quite different from how we’re accustomed to hearing them. Sometimes this works really nicely, sometimes the added bass gets a little too much. However with dance, rap and pop genres the 99 Classics are in their element and their bass response fits in very nicely. It would be a shame not to mention classical music (the genre the 99 Classics might have been named after) which came as a nice surprise when it was tried; it’s a very wide and engaging performance with lots of air and space. These headphones may have a fun sound, but they can definitely cope with serious pieces too.

Summary

I have to admit to hearing some things for first time whilst using the Meze 99 Classics; a bassline might have a little bit of texture to it which had previosly eluded me, backing singers surround me rather than standing at the back, and synths appear to be fresh and immediate with a new vitality.

The Meze 99 Classics work very nicely with decent gear, but they are also right at home when connected directly to a phone; be careful where you use the Meze 99 Classics because you’ll be dancing before you know what’s happening!