[Jon L]

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?action=gallery;area=browse;user=1086

My modded K1000 with headband taken off, so that the earspeakers can rest directly on my earlobesl.  Much better bass quantity and integration with richer lower midrange.  Better detail all around.

The DIY K1000 cable uses Neutrik XLR with Vampire continuous cast copper wire covered with enamel.

[randytsuch]

My modded K1000 with headband taken off, so that the earspeakers can rest directly on my earlobesl.  Much better bass quantity and integration with richer lower midrange.  Better detail all around.

The DIY K1000 cable uses Neutrik XLR with Vampire continuous cast copper wire covered with enamel.

Hi Jon,
I assume this is in response to the question I posted about your modded 1000's.

Does this mod make it so the speakers are right against your ears?
This would improve the bass, but I think you would lose the soundstage quality of the 1000's.  
I find that when I play with the angle of the speakers, that's the tradeoff I make.  Pointed right at my ear, bass is better, but soundstage suffers.  Angled out to the max, bass suffers, but soundstage is best.  I  compromise somewhere in the middle.

BTW, I made a DIY cable with 12 guage twisted THHN wire, and like it better than the stock cable.  At one point I tried to take the wire cages off to add some dampening to these guys, but I could not get off the @#$#@ screws and gave up.

Randy

[Jon L]

Opening the cages is not hard if you do it in right sequence.  First you angle out the earspeakers as far away from the head as possible, which will expose the 2 screws hiding on the side.  You must unscrew these 2 philips head screws on the side (opposite side of sliding foam pad), which will allow the earspeaker/foam assembly to come off.  

THEN you can unscrew the flat-head screws from the bottom of the "hinge."  You cant' unscrew it all the way from just the bottom, though, and must push with something thin/long from the top at the same time (which is why you need the whole assembly off the headband).  

Then it's easy to take the earphones off from the foam pad assembly.  From there, it's just a couple more screws on the cage assembly itself.

As far as soundstage, even though you can simulate speakers' soundstage by swinging the earspeakers away from the ear, the leanness just is not acceptable to me.  Even before the mods, I preferred the earspeakers closest to my ear.  I'm not one of those people who can't stand images inside their head.  In fact, I prefer a solid, rich, intimate image right there close and detailed.  To me, tone and density, as well as detail are more important for musical enjoyment than soundstage, but I understand some will rank them in reverse.  People with such preferences should not be buying headphones, even the K1000 or even with those Headroom processors IMO.  They should buy regular speakers...

[randytsuch]

Opening the cages is not hard if you do it in right sequence.  First you angle out the earspeakers as far away from the head as possible, which will expose the 2 screws hiding on the side.  You must unscrew these 2 philips head screws on the side

Hi Jon, Thanks for the response.
For whatever reason, I could not loosen those philips screws.  I did not want to apply too much force, but maybe I will try again.

As far as soundstage, even though you can simulate speakers' soundstage by swinging the earspeakers away from the ear, the leanness just is not acceptable to me. Even before the mods, I preferred the earspeakers closest to my ear. I'm not one of those people who can't stand images inside their head. In fact, I prefer a solid, rich, intimate image right there close and detailed. To me, tone and density, as well as detail are more important for musical enjoyment than soundstage, but I understand some will rank them in reverse. People with such preferences should not be buying headphones, even the K1000 or even with those Headroom processors IMO. They should buy regular speakers...

But, there are people like me who sometimes need to listen to music on headphonse because of domestic situations (like two children and a mother in law   ).  So, I prefer speakers, but sometimes I can't listen to them, and headphones are better than no music.

Randy