It had escaped me what I'd done to lessen the clamping pressure of the HE-4s & then I remembered. I brainstormed the problem a few days the last time around & I patted myself on the back for the result (which I also remembered)
The steel band inside the head band starts out as a flat piece that is rolled to a specified radius before the leather is put around it & earcup adjustment pieces are attached. All that needs to be done is lessen radius that the steel band was rolled to by grabbing the headband with both hands evenly spread to either side of the center of the top & spread your thumbs toward each other. Your thumbs should meet (or just about , depending on your hand size at the center on the top of the band. The whole idea is to spread your hands evenly from the center of the band at least 7 or 8" apart. Now using your thumbs as a fulcrum push your thumbs down slowly while pulling up slowly & steadily. In order to counter act the "memory" of the radius bend you will have to bend a few degree opposite of where 90 degrees (or flat was ) . Proceed slowly as once you've "undone the radius" (unless you can find a machine shop with a steel radius roller) it gone, "bye, bye"
I don't know what size head they measured to settle on the measurements for the radius curve for the headband but I'm guessing it was on the smaller size of average. Clamping pressure is about average or slightly less. "Ahhh !!" No concerns other than how nice they're starting to sound.
