# ATH M50 Mod Thread



## TestSubject

Not sure if this has been done before.
   
  Considering:
iPhone Remote Cable mod:

  And a paint job.


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## zammykoo

A detachable mod would be nice. I am thinking of doing this when my V6 cable wears out.
   
  Now the remote cable addition would be cool too if you were to recable it. It looks/feels pretty wimpy. I had one of those but ended up never using it cause it wasn't fully compatible with my old 3g. I need to upgrade my iphone anyway.


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## TestSubject

The pic was just to illustrate but yea im planing to recable. The problem is make a remote that will look good (and work). Maybe salvage the PCB re-solder buttons when im on the go and use the proper cable when home. (Original M50 jack doesnt fit with the Apple bumper anyways).
   
   
http://david.carne.ca/shuffle_hax/shuffle_remote.html
   
  Should i recable the inside of the pair as-well with quality cable?
   
  Planning on painting the logo in blue (or dark red) to make it stand out.
   
  Yea not like that:


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## TestSubject

Or just get something like this:
   

  Remplacement Cable for Beats with controltalk
   
  Even if fake woud be probably better then cooked up DIY made one
   
ebay Link ($ something cheaper since most likely fake)


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## TestSubject

Opened my M50's and removed the damping material, i noticed that the bass sound deeper. Didnt notice anything else in the mids or treble.
   
  is it a first impression of a more opened can? What is the purpose of this damping foam? Outside insolation?


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## H22

Amp or no amp? Assuming no amp due to the nature of this thread,my take is that the M50's sound very good from a good DAP, but with a good amp they are a whole new beast.

I love modding stuff" and I also love my M 50's, but I have to say that personally, the best mod to these awesome cans is a good amp. I like the idea of iPod/pad control, so I'm in on that! But just wanted to let those who don't yet use an amp and have these cans know that a whole new world exists when the M50's have a bit more power pushing them.


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## TestSubject

I am using a Cmoy amp to power my M50's when im on the go and im am building a SSHM tube amp for a desktop use.
   
  Im am trying to find a low profile female conector for the detachable mod. It is not easy because you dont really have a feel for the size when shopping online so i will be going to my local electronic shop to find the best suitable jack to have the least impact on the inside plastic of the cup.
   
  I will be putting a male jack at the end of the cut stock cable when i use my M50's at home. Im sure the Monster remplacement cable with the Apple compatible remote im my best bet when on the go.


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## cyberspyder

I'm actually helping a Head-Fier and recabling his M50's so they'd work with the Shure MPA-3C adapter.


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## TestSubject

Got any pictures? Very nice cabling by the way, seen your album.
   
  What justifies the price of the the Shure MPA-3C adapter?


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## cyberspyder

No clue haha, he just wanted it to work with his adapter. I guess so you can swap it out for a better extension cable at home when you don't need the mic.

Thanks, Brendan


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## Stackzo

@TestSubject
  I've tried replacing the dampening material with cotton which brought out the mids but killed the bass. What I've done now is stock felt dampening material with cotton all around the cup to stop sound reaching and bouncing off the plastic.
   
  Anyways,
   
  I need new headphone pads for my M50s, I'm going to try to make my own headphone pads out of lambskin, wish me luck.


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## necorn

awesome!
 if possible, post pics of the process and finished result and comments in this thread please
   
  http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/486173/custom-ear-pads-pics/30#post_7624132
   
  thread for custom pads


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## TestSubject

Yes keep us posted!
   
  You may consider the DT-250 Velour pads that fits on the ATH M50 (buying some for my M50s):


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## Wasgo

It was done for me. I can take completed pictures when I get home.
   
  I was tired of having to use my cheap iPhone headphones every time I needed to be able to talk hands-free. Using my ATH-M50 I could still talk on the phone before, but I had to listen through the headphones while talking through the phone microphone.
   
  As for why the MPA-3C, I already had one and I didn't pay full price for it, but it works.
   
  Quote: 





testsubject said:


> Got any pictures? Very nice cabling by the way, seen your album.
> 
> What justifies the price of the the Shure MPA-3C adapter?


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## AlexG84

Hello Test Subject,
   
  I own a pair of M50's and I am content with SQ but comfort for me is a definite negative at this point in time. Can you please tell me how the dt-250 pads feel. As they are really uncomfortable I find them really fatiguing =.
   
   
  Cheers, Alex.


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## fubar3

Quote: 





alexg84 said:


> Hello Test Subject,
> 
> I own a pair of M50's and I am content with SQ but comfort for me is a definite negative at this point in time. Can you please tell me how the dt-250 pads feel. As they are really uncomfortable I find them really fatiguing =.
> 
> ...


 
  I find the M50 snug fitting but not comfortable for extended wear.   The HD238 is very comfortable but SQ is not so good as the M50.  So there needs to be a trade-off between SQ and comfort. I now have 3 different phones I use every day.  The M50 is for listening, the others are for background music


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## Pingupenguins

I don't know if this is really a mod, but here is what happened when I tore into some ATH-M50's
   
http://www.head-fi.org/t/586304/full-ath-m50-deconstruction


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## jadawgis732

Hey, just wanted to add my mod to this thread. I performed the removable cable mod, and added in the DT250 ear pads.


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## TestSubject

Looking great, good job!


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## refboy4

Could anybody who has done the detachable cable mod list what parts they used? I can't seem to find a female 3.5mm connection that would fit...
   
  Would it be better to make your own cable or just get a pre-terminated one?


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## Pingupenguins

Quote: 





refboy4 said:


> Could anybody who has done the detachable cable mod list what parts they used? I can't seem to find a female 3.5mm connection that would fit...
> 
> Would it be better to make your own cable or just get a pre-terminated one?


 


  Just flip around mouser and find one.
   
  As for the cable, it's your choice. That's the brilliance of a removable cable!


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## lemonspark

Hey just wanted to ask, i got my Ath M50s, and the cable is too dang long.. Id really love to mod it,
  is there any tutorial here? And I'm planning on using my Beats Solo cable, since i got an extra because i own one..
  Does the beats cable will affect the sound quality of the M50 comparing to the default cable?? 
  thanks!


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## TestSubject

The problem I found was to find a high quality 3.5mm female jack. It need to have the highest conductivity possible. Any recommendations?


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## Mad Max

Switchcraft PCB jacks for sure.


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## Pingupenguins

Quote: 





mad max said:


> Switchcraft PCB jacks for sure.


 


  I actually use those and I find they are pretty large inside a headphone.
   
  I've been using Kycon 3.5mm
http://www.mouser.com/Search/ProductDetail.aspx?R=STX-3100-3Cvirtualkey51700000virtualkey806-STX-3100-3C


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## Mad Max

I've played around with the Switchcraft 35RAPC4BHN2 jack on cables.  My friend loved it, and I liked it too.
   
  I want to try this jack later, but it's rather expensive.


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## Pingupenguins

The problem with those is they aren't threaded so you'd have to glue them to the cup.


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## Mad Max

The Kycon looks good.


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## Pingupenguins

Yup! That's the one I use!


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## ILOVEPOTTERY

To the folks using the DT250 velours, what changes, if any, did you notice in sound?
   
  Over the weekend I listened to a member's M50s using Shure SRH840 pads. They were pretty comfy, but I really liked how it leveled out the bass boom.


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## alv4426

I just got my DT250 pads about 30 mins ago. First off they are slightly smaller than M50 pads so installing them got kinda annoying and I will not be AB-ing them with originals for that reason. I got these pads cause my original pads were pretty much destroyed not because of comfort issues; to me original pads are a 7 on comfort these are like an 8. The first thing I noticed right away is that the isolation and sound leakage is much worse now than it was before. So far the only thing that sounds different is that it seems to be more emphasized on the lower end but in a semi-sloppy way. More usage needed to make sure, hopefully its just placebo effect and it sounds just like the originals. 
  Quote: 





ilovepottery said:


> To the folks using the DT250 velours, what changes, if any, did you notice in sound?
> 
> Over the weekend I listened to a member's M50s using Shure SRH840 pads. They were pretty comfy, but I really liked how it leveled out the bass boom.


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## Zankes

If I want to make detachable cable mod to M50, what I need? Soldering iron 30w, got it yes.
   
http://fi.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Neutrik/NYS231BG/?qs=sGAEpiMZZMv0W4pxf2HiV3OlVHsyQGMd98ZF%252bJIbi20%3D
   
http://fi.mouser.com/ProductDetail/161-7300-EX/?qs=sGAEpiMZZMv0W4pxf2HiV1GLXLqYoI%252bMFnhAMOPJz4E%3D
   
   
  What else after those? Do I need some kind a copper wire? What about where to get good cable to work as detachable cable?


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## lemonspark

if i mod my ath m50 into detachable cables and use dr beats solo cable(since i got an extra), what changes in SQ and everything else should i be expecting?


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## Pingupenguins

Quote: 





lemonspark said:


> if i mod my ath m50 into detachable cables and use dr beats solo cable(since i got an extra), what changes in SQ and everything else should i be expecting?


 


  I don't expect the sound to change. Most stock headphone cables are the same, so there should be little difference.


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## lemonspark

Quote: 





pingupenguins said:


> I don't expect the sound to change. Most stock headphone cables are the same, so there should be little difference.


 


  if u would recommend, should i use the solo beats cable or get another new cable??
  thnks


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## Pingupenguins

Quote: 





lemonspark said:


> if u would recommend, should i use the solo beats cable or get another new cable??
> thnks


 


  Obviously I prefer aftermarket cables, but that is one mans opinion.


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## lemonspark

Quote: 





pingupenguins said:


> Obviously I prefer aftermarket cables, but that is one mans opinion.


 


  So beats solo cable it is yea? haha


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## Pingupenguins

I don't see a problem. If you notice the sound change, you know the quality of the cable. You may want to stick a 3.5mm on the end of your old cable to see the difference.


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## TestSubject

Well it is a Monster Cable after all, it cant be that bad... Or can it?


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## shrimants

Hey guys, specifically TestSubject,

I am also going to be modding my ATH-m50's. I was thinking of doing a balanced cable mod for one thing. I figured i'd leave the wire that goes from one ear to the other and simply cut it close to the termination, and that I would be able to attach L/R +/- to the existing contacts.

Can you show me what both sides of the driver look like witht he m50's disassembled and possibly use a multimeter to figure out what connector/solder area does what?

Also, I saw that Testsubject wanted to paint or color his ath-m50's, the logo and the black part red. My best advice: masking tape and sand paper. First, take off the earpads. then use plastic bags and masking tape to tape off and seal every single thing that you dont want paint on. this is absolutely crucial. If you arent comfortable spilling a glass of salt water on your headphones after doing this, you have not done a good enough job. Next, mask off the A symbol on the cup. use an exacto knife to cut the tape in the exact shape necessary.

You will probably want to sand the A shape the best you can but perhaps it is not terribly necessary. it just helps a WHOLE lot and trust me, it wont screw up anything if you put some scratches in there because the paint will fill it up. After this point you can just do some light sprays of whatever color you want and then do a couple sprays of clearcoat to seal it in. You will want to put some sprays of primer too.

If you arent comfortable with spraying, you can look at the ModMen episode regarding proper spraypaint techniques such as soaking the can in hot water before use, spraying test paper first to establish the thickness and uniform coat etc. Or you can use a paint brush oldschool style. Or you can use white out followed by sharpie, which is kinda reversible too but really janky.

Anyways, i hope we can all work on this together.

BTW i've got SRH-840 earpads on my ath-m50's. it brought the bass down significantly and made the highs kinda harsh. They are perfect for regular listening to me now and sound like beyerdynamics instead, though i'd like the harshness dialed back. Also the bass isnt enough for car listening levels unless I ratchet it to bass boost 2 on my Fiio E11.


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## Mad Max

Try Dynamat Xtreme on the back of the drivers.  That may alleviate the harshness.


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## munchzilla

anyone tried experimenting with different damping materials? I was thinking of getting these and do DT250 pads + detachable cable mod, but would also like to try changing the damping if it helps with reducing bass a bit / tightening it up, and slightly reducing treble if possible.


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## critofur

pls delete duplicate post...


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## critofur

Quote: 





testsubject said:


> Opened my M50's and removed the damping material, i noticed that the bass sound deeper. Didnt notice anything else in the mids or treble.
> 
> is it a first impression of a more opened can? What is the purpose of this damping foam? Outside insolation?


 
   
  The sound that comes off the back of the diaphragm bounces around and comes back through (to your ears) as distortion.  Damping material helps reduce that by absorbing some and may also reduce resonances in the cavity.  That undesired sound is one of the reasons some people prefer "open" headphones.  I wonder if you continue to prefer the sound without the damping material after you have had a longer time to listen to your headphones?  I don't think the manufacturer will bother to put it there without good reason.
   
  It would be interesting to try different damping materials such as the fluffy insulation made from recycled denim ["Ultra Touch"], or, Dow "Safe Touch", lamb's wool, etc.
   
  If you really want more bass, perhaps you could put a tuned port.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
   



testsubject said:


> Well it is a Monster Cable after all, it cant be that bad... Or can it?


 
   
  Monster cable is not _*bad*, _it's just* not better* than any generic cable of the same gauge.  So if you pay more for Monster Cable, you're probably just wasting money.  If the cable looks cooler, or is more durable, or has some other desirable feature then it might be worth buying, but different brands/models of cables do not "sound different" - that's an unfortunate myth.
   
   



> ..Does the beats cable will affect the sound quality of the M50 comparing to the default cable??
> thanks!


 


   
  Unless they are significantly higher resistance cables simply_ do not affect_ the sound.  
   
   



> *munchzilla* /img/forum/go_quote.gif  anyone tried experimenting with different damping materials? I was thinking of getting these and do DT250 pads + detachable cable mod, but would also like to try changing the damping if it helps with reducing bass a bit / tightening it up, and slightly reducing treble if possible.


 
   
  To reduce the treble you could try various thin materials covering the inside of the headphone closest to your ear such as thin foam, felt, a thin bit of insulation/padding (not fiberglass please!  don't want to make your ears itchy).
   
  You could also add a passive electric filter (like a crossover in a speaker).  I would need to measure the impedance after I get my pair before I could suggest any component values...
   
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   
  I wonder what happens if you put some tape (I'd start with electrical tape) over these holes (circled in red):
   
   
    
(Picture from this thread: http://www.head-fi.org/t/586304/full-ath-m50-deconstruction )
   
  I'm not _recommending _that, I'm just curious...


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## KONGONTOWER

*Tried putting some tape over the small holes, no sound difference to my ears. But love the detachable Cable, looking at changing out the ear pads to the* *DT-250, is it worth swapping out?*


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## jazzman7

I just made a mod to my M50s which is very simple:  New angled pads.  
   
  I took delivery of the NVX XPT100 due to a recent sale ($100 for this Fischer FA-003 clone, plus the NXT clone of the in-ear VSonic GR06). 
   
  http://www.head-fi.org/t/624729/review-nvx-xpt100-a-direct-brainwavz-hm5-competitor
   
  Inside of the NXT box were an extra pair of these:
   
  http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_66627_NVX-XRE100A.html
   
  They look like a pleather oval version of the Alpha Dog pads by Mr. Speakers.  The design is a little weird, though, as they are really two "right" pairs of pads.  Basically this means that the seams will be on opposite sides (bottom left and top right) when installed.  
   
  I look at the size and think, if I take out the plastic mounting bracket from them, these might fit the M50s.
   
  Well, it is nearly a perfect fit.  Now I have what might be called ATH-M50 Alpha headphones.  
   
  So, what changes?  Comfort, for one.  The M50s are now super comfortable.  The angled pads mean my ears no longer touch the foam inside of the pad.  In fact, you can even adjust the toe in of the fit to change the pressure between the front and back of the pad very easily -- really useful for longer listening sessions.  Next, they have better imaging.  There might be a bass bump, as well, but I'm not going to swap back and forth to check (don't want to damage the pads).  
   
  On the downside, the pads do have a little play in them when mounted, which means positioning becomes a bit more of an issue when you first put them on.  I think of that as a plus, though, because it helps with long-term comfort.
   
  All in all, a big win.


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## bankai

Hi, does anyone here do this modification on the m50's in LA county ? specifically Pasadena Area. Hoping for a response. thanks!


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## verde57

Anyone know were I can find new *headband trim* for these headphones?


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## THC Butterz

Modded mine last night... forgot to buy a cable long enough to work with my pc, but works great on my phone, also just for laughs I tried to install the pads from my cm storm sirus headset I blew before I bought these, turns out the pads fit like they where made for the m50s


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## dwib44

thc butterz said:


> Modded mine last night... forgot to buy a cable long enough to work with my pc, but works great on my phone, also just for laughs I tried to install the pads from my cm storm sirus headset I blew before I bought these, turns out the pads fit like they where made for the m50s


 
 Those are some big looking pads? How comfortable are those compared to the stock pads? Have you tried the DT-250 Velour pads at all?


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## frbhead

Long time lurker here. 

I did this mod last night on a set that had been a bit hacked by someone else and I am finding that the sound is mono (i.e. left channel coming thru both speakers)

I tested with a multi meter and there is no resistance (60 ohms) from the left circuit to the right circuit. Given that these both connect to the same ground wire this expected? Thoughts? Thanks


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## THC Butterz

Quote:


dwib44 said:


> Those are some big looking pads? How comfortable are those compared to the stock pads? Have you tried the DT-250 Velour pads at all?


 
 No I havent tried the DT-250 pads, but these are super comfortable, but they take a bit of the thump out of the Bass due to less vibration from the cushy padding
  


frbhead said:


> Long time lurker here.
> 
> I did this mod last night on a set that had been a bit hacked by someone else and I am finding that the sound is mono (i.e. left channel coming thru both speakers)
> 
> I tested with a multi meter and there is no resistance (60 ohms) from the left circuit to the right circuit. Given that these both connect to the same ground wire this expected? Thoughts? Thanks


 
 Something is definently wrong there, from g-L or G-R there should be continuity but not from L-R, you might have a bad Jack... I dunno


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## superjawes

frbhead said:


> Long time lurker here.
> 
> I did this mod last night on a set that had been a bit hacked by someone else and I am finding that the sound is mono (i.e. left channel coming thru both speakers)
> 
> I tested with a multi meter and there is no resistance (60 ohms) from the left circuit to the right circuit. Given that these both connect to the same ground wire this expected? Thoughts? Thanks


It sounds like you have a short from the left channel to the right, but with the cable unplugged, I would expect a measurement in that range between channels (basically double the resistance of each driver, and the M50 has an impedance of 38 Ohms according to the specs). However, you can check this by comparing the left-to-right resistance to the left-to-ground (or right-to-ground) resistance. With an unplugged cable (floating ground, which is essentially in infinite resistance or open circuit), the left-to-right resistance should be double the left-to-ground resistance because you are measuring each driver in series.

Basically your unplugged circuit should look something like:

[L NODE] - - - [L DRIVER] - - - [GROUND NODE] - - - [R DRIVER] - - - [R NODE]

But if the channels are shorted:

[L NODE] - - - + - - - [L DRIVER] - - - - +
. . . . . . . . . . | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .| - - - [GROUND NODE]
[R NODE] - - - + - - - [R DRIVER] - - - -+

In this case, measuring from a channel node to ground will have both drivers in parallel (with a resistance of [RL * RR] / [RL + RR]), and measuring between nodes would give you zero resistance (or close to it). Regardless of the values, you should get a better idea of what's going on before you start inspecting the physical construction.

_(I hope that visualization works and is helpful...the "+" and "|" are used to show circuit paths vertically while "." is used for empty space since the forum ignores multiple spaces)._


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## frbhead

superjawes said:


> It sounds like you have a short from the left to right




Thanks for the thorough reply. That was spot on. I actually meant to follow up on this but I was finding this forum a bit difficult to use on android! 

What was baffling me was that the impedance were all checking out when I measured it and given the behavior of the headphones the fault had to be with the female Jack. I tested the impedance with the cable plugged in (but disconnected at the other end) and found that this was shorting the left and right causing the mono output. This came about due to me bending the right terminal on the jack to get it to fit into cup. 

Replaced the jack (luckily had another one) and it's all working! Thanks for the responses. Especially superjawes - I'm sure that should help someone in the future too.


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## Frodo

Not much of a mod really, but it may interest some of you. I had a problem with a broken driver (the right one, perhaps a common fault?) in my ATH-M50s. I couldn't find any original drivers for sale so I replaced them with the drivers from a pair of Koss KSC75s (also 45mm and a near perfect fit). I removed the grille covers from the KSC75s and replaced them with some wire mesh (my attempt at the Kramer mod). They sound good in my opinion (detailed and balanced) and KSC75s are only $13 so it's a cheap mod/replacement if anyone wants to experiment.


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## Lemz

Wow, looks amazing! Do you have pics of the process? I have a damaged ATH-M50 and I'm considering that mod. Just afraid of doing some miswire.


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## aairria

FYI the Brainwavz HM5 earpads fit the ATH-M50 perfectly. There is a velour and pleather option with additional memory foam pleather version. I only tried the pleather and what it does is make these headphones very comfortable. No noticeable change in sound signature, maybe the bass gets slightly more cohesive as part of overall sound. Can post a photo if needed.


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## Frodo

Sorry no other photos, the wiring may look a little confusing at first, but it's not really, you'll work it out quickly I'm sure.


lemz said:


> Wow, looks amazing! Do you have pics of the process? I have a damaged ATH-M50 and I'm considering that mod. Just afraid of doing some miswire.


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## jerrikko

Any idea how do the DT-250 Velour pads compare to the Sound Pro, HM5, HM5 angled pads?


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## Phill360

Today I decided to do the detachable cable mod to my m50s but I have a problem. After wiring it up my right channel became very soft and lacked any vocal or bass. I decided to disconnect the black wires and listen to the right on its own and it sounds normal. I think there may be a problem with the headphone jack I purchased, do you think my assumption is right?


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## Koschei

phill360 said:


> Today I decided to do the detachable cable mod to my m50s but I have a problem. After wiring it up my right channel became very soft and lacked any vocal or bass. I decided to disconnect the black wires and listen to the right on its own and it sounds normal. I think there may be a problem with the headphone jack I purchased, do you think my assumption is right?




Every time I've had that problem, it was backed up by lower-than-expected voltage going through the connection, as verified by a multi-meter. Aka, bad joint, which requires re-soldering. I'd replace the jack anyway, though, if only to give you better loops to work with on the second attempt.


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## daltonlanny

Sorry to revive an old thread.
I recently tried out a bunch of aftermarket earpads on my Audio-technica M50X.
Including stock, Hifiman pleather and velour, Dekoni elite velour, Brainwavz HM5 hybrid, ZMF Ori perforated pads, and Mr.Speakers Ether C angled pads.
None of them stood out, or improved the sound, except one pair, imho.
Most actually degraded the sound one way or another.
The only pair that actually somewhat improved the sound was the Mr. Speakers Ether C angled pads, believe it or not!
They fit a little big, so I used double-wide tape to help seal them.
The bass is tighter, boominess is greatly reduced, the bass doesn't bleed into the lower mids with them, the sound has slightly more body, and is more coherent top to bottom, and the soundstage is wider.
Bass, and the highs are slightly reduced, but that is a plus in my book, as they sound less V-shaped.
There is still a peak around 2 khz or so, and they lack refinement with these or any pads, but I feel that overall the sound is improved over the stock pads, not huge, but noticeable.


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## critofur

I'm always happy to see new posts to old threads - can't stand it when people complain about that.

Nice information.  WOW those Mr. Speakers pads are crazy expensive for just pads!

How do they sound compared to your AKG K340 and Sony MDR-V6 headphones?


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## daltonlanny

Thanks.
No idea.
I haven't owned those two headphones in years.


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## critofur

daltonlanny said:


> No idea.
> I haven't owned those two headphones in years.


Oh, sorry, in your signature it shows those - I thought those are the headphones you own.


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