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Hyde
1119
Feb 19, 2018
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Okay since I've been waiting and haven't got any real feedback regarding Lawton mod, so I've decided to jump the gun and try it myself.
I only got the tune up kit so only driver dampening and cup dampening. I used Dekoni pad that I got from another drop since Lawton pads are too expensive. Also did not purchase Lawton wood cup.
Your mileage may vary. Since any of the above will change how it sound. But in my case I liked the new signature, you might or might not.
It improved details and tighten the bass but at the same time you get less bass (quality over quantity). Also no matter what cup you use it will make it sound like "Lawton Cup" instead of whatever signature your cup originally had (cup dampening overwrites the cup properties).
If you use it on Teak cup it will make it sound more like TH-X00 Mahogany's signature (except more treble and vocal and less bass) so be warned.
For me which was fine since I didn't like the female vocal recessed signature from Teak and was hoping for a bit more treble, so I end up experimenting and liking this new sound. I would say Lawton mod made it more dynamic sounding (lack of better word, but it basically bring up treble and vocal, and tightens bass so overall it sounds "punchier") at the cost of reducing bass quantity (even though quality went up).
I also had to "mod the mod" by cutting a hole in the middle of the foam to get the right level of balance for me. More foam = more treble and vocal, less bass. Less foam = punchier bass. I also tried taking out the foam completely and it didn't sound good, so you need a little bit. Be warned that this is non-reversible because you're cutting into the foam so if you do plan to go head do it in small increments.
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So would I recommend it? Well it depends on what you like. At the moment I have stock TH-X00 and E-Mu Teak with Lawton dampening applied. I like both for different things (was planning to sell one but might end up keeping both).
If you currently don't dislike any aspect of the headphone I'd recommend not touching it. It changes quite a lot of things so you might or might not like the change. If you already like your Teak then DO NOT TOUCH IT. The resulting sound is quite different than the stock Teak sound.
I think for me I liked the TH-X00 side of sound signature a bit more so this end up working for me (since the mod sort of bring it closer to that side of sound).
Let me know if you any other questions. :)
Feb 19, 2018
WyldeBlue
4
Feb 21, 2018
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HydeThanks for the review. I don't actually hang out much on this particular board so I missed the questions you had posed about the Lawton mod. I have two Teaks, one unmodded for my wife, and one "experimental" set for me. I did the Lawton Stage 2 mod with the dampeners, Lawton pads, and new Lawton cups...some custom spalted maple cups that turned out nice, but weren't quite as eye-catching as I had hoped based on the untreated wood samples I was shown.
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Nevertheless, I can confirm at least some of your same observations for anyone who was curious. The Lawton mods definitely change the character of the Teaks. In my case, I would say it enhanced "detail retrieval"...not necessarily a treble boost (though that could be what I'm hearing); but in general, they afford a more detailed and "quick" sound to the mids and highs, especially in female vocals. The sound was not harsh or sibilant to my ears, but you could definitely pick out far greater details in the vocals at higher frequencies. I have a friend at work who does professional audio mixing/editing as a side business and in an A/B test during a listening party I had after work with my two E-MUs, he agreed with my assessment, and did so rather quickly and definitively...the Lawton mods definitely make the E-MUs sound more detailed up high--and they do so rather noticeably.
Did it make things "too bright"...I don't know; I think like you, it depends on what you like. I'll agree that the nature of the bass is also affected, but I haven't decided for certain if it's in a negative way. I like bass...I like snappy, articulate bass with fast transients that don't overpower the rest of the music--I'm not a bass head, but I DO appreciate a more full-bodied sound to a lean (even if slightly more accurate) presentation. To provide some context, I sold my Senny HD-800s in favor of keeping my Oppo PM-1s and now a set of Focal Utopias. The Sennys may have been technically superior in absolutely near-accurate audio reproduction, but I didn't find them as "fun" to listen to than the PM-1 or Utopias because they just kind of laid there, especially at the low end. So back to these cans--to my ears, there's still plenty of enjoyable low end with the Lawton-MUs (hereafter, LA-MUs), and I think the QUALITY of the bass might be a tad more accurate than the unmodded E-MUs, but I think maybe it's the added oomph up high that gives the impression that there's less bass when in fact it's just that the bass is no longer accentuated quite as much relative to the rest of the spectrum. Thus, I'd have to offer similar advice as you...if you really like your Teaks, I don't know as the LA-MU mods will make them appreciably "better" E-MUs... but it will make them DIFFERENT. However, if you're looking for a sound with a bit more "presence" that feels more revealing of the underlying music...and again, based on my findings, notably so...then perhaps the Level 1 mod really is the way to go for you.
Feb 21, 2018
Hyde
1119
Feb 21, 2018
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WyldeBlueHaha no worries I find people usually don't hang around here unless the drop is active. Nice write up though!
I find it kind of hard to find actual user reviews on Lawton mods (except the ones from his website, but those are old and also cherry picked) so it's refreshing to see your reviews. :)
P.S: Woahhhhh Utopia congrats!
Feb 21, 2018
WyldeBlue
4
Feb 21, 2018
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HydeIf I had to do the Lawton thing all over again--I probably wouldn't. Don't get me wrong, Mark was a great guy and very helpful and friendly and informative, but on a purely cosmetic note, the chambers I ended up getting looked very different from the raw blocks we emailed back and forth about, and once finished and polished they ended up looking EXACTLY like what I said I wasn't interested in getting in the first place (wavy blonde wood with no dark/black spalting)...too bad, but that was also the risk I took going "custom" rather than picking a set of chambers that were already featured on the site.
In truth, I think the Lawton ear pads were DEFINITELY worth it in terms of comfort and fit--the sound changes after the absorber mods--maybe so, but I honestly don't plan on reaching for these as my daily (or even serious) listeners. These HPs (and my wife's 'almost' matching set of E-MUs) were destined to go in our bedroom to mate up with the Smyth A16 I've had on reserve for nearly a year so we could get a taste of the Dolby Atmos experience without having to put speakers up everywhere. The Lawton experiment on this pair was simply that...a chance to play around with an identical pair of cans to see what all the fuss was about.
And to my ears, yeah...they definitely make a difference and they DO open up the music to reveal things you weren't hearing before, but they do change the sound signature quite appreciably. In that spirit, I PERSONALLY see them as more a solution to a problem, especially if you're looking for something different or "MORE" than what your HPs already deliver (maybe more presence in the mids/highs, taming some overbearing low end to be tighter and more articulate, etc.) rather than taking already great set of cans to the next level. BUT, my ear is hardly that practiced or ultra-discerning either and I read plenty of reviews about the Fostex TH900s taken to stratospheric heights with a set of Lawton mods on board (which is what got me interested in the first place) so I guess maybe I could just as easily be full of $&!%.
As for the Utopias...thanks...yeah, it was quite a coup to find them at what I considered a reasonable price--and yeah, they really ARE quite exquisite. I don't have the Clear, Elear or Elex to make an A/B comparison like I did with the E-MU/LA-MU set I have now, though I'm teetering on the edge of biting the Elex drop just to have something similar-ish for a set of cans at work. We shall see...
Feb 21, 2018
Hyde
1119
Feb 21, 2018
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WyldeBlueLOL it's ok to be honest I also spend a long time trial and error my way from Denon AH-D2000 (recessed vocal bugged me) then later bought E-Mu Teak (recessed vocal and not enough treble for my taste) then later bought TH-X00 (just right).
Denon AH-D2000 was fixed using Lawton tune up + my own mod (back and forth like 50 times). E-Mu Teak was fixed using Lawton tune up + cutting off the middle part of foam + Dekoni premium pad. TH-X00 is just right, didn't touch it except I realize Dekoni pad improve soundstage by a lot so I ordered another one.
In retrospec maybe I could've saved myself a lot of headache and money by just getting TH-X00 (Mahogany or Ebony) in the first place and then ear pad for soundstage (a lot recommend Eikon pads, I had good experience with Dekoni so I figure I'd stick with it). As you mentioned, Lawton is a great guy but I find it a bit ironic that I bought the kit to make my E-Mu sound closer to TH-X00 lol (granted it's still different enough but not THAT different).
At least I had fun (except my wallet) testing all the combination of things while I was at it.
But yes I hear Clear / Elear / Elex is different enough than the Utopia to make it a DIFFERENT experience. So might be worth it to look into it. LOL this hobby is a never ending hole.
:P
Feb 21, 2018
Sloblo
409
Feb 23, 2018
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HydeI run my thx00 with brainwavez lamb skin angled pads. Must say they hit a great spot in terms of sound stage and detail for a closed pair of headphones.
I’m pretty limited as far as real world experience outside of these and a few pairs of akg sets, but of my sets they’re definitely my go-to for most things.
Feb 23, 2018
Hyde
1119
Feb 23, 2018
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Sloblolol so far out of all the other pads I tried all seems to have better sound stage than stock, though stock still sound the most neutral. But good to know even brainwavz pad also gives better sound stage.
Personally I've tried my friend's HD700, HD800 and demoed LCD2 in store, I think overall TH-X00 sits at the best performance/price/fun ratio.
Feb 23, 2018
austriandude
49
Feb 23, 2018
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Hyde .. this I would not suggest seriously. Too much effort imho This can is fantastic as it is .. just my 2cts
Feb 23, 2018
Hyde
1119
Feb 24, 2018
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austriandudeOh yeah for sure I think what I'd recommend for people is to buy TH-X00 Mahogany or Ebony then you're good.
Feb 24, 2018
Volly
328
Feb 24, 2018
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HydeGreat info mate, damn good contribution to this drop!
Try the Dekoni Elite Hybrids from the T50 series mate, I was amazed what that did to my D2000's.
Feb 24, 2018
Hyde
1119
Feb 24, 2018
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Vollylol T50 pads eh? I think they're slightly different size also Elite Hybrids are so expensive >____<
Though I am interested to try it one day. :)
Feb 24, 2018
ElectronicVices
2937
Feb 24, 2018
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HydeOwn three different Dekoni pads for the X00 Mahogany... Elite Hybrids are definitely my favorite of the bunch (Th900 Sheepskin and X00 Sheepskin)
Feb 24, 2018
Hyde
1119
Feb 24, 2018
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ElectronicVicesCould you explain the sound difference between X00 Sheepskin and Elite Hybrids?
:P
Feb 24, 2018
ElectronicVices
2937
Feb 24, 2018
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HydeSheepskin accentuate the peaks and dips in the FR. You get a bit more bass than stock but a less coherent sound IMO. The 900 pads expand the soundstage but make it a bit wonky, make it a much more U-shaped sound signature (aka withdrawn mids) The elite hybrids seem to dial the bass back a tiny touch but sound the most "stock" to me with greatly increased comfort.
Feb 24, 2018
austriandude
49
Feb 24, 2018
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Hyde... yes I just would say: test it out! My E-MU meanwhile gets more headtime than my TH-x00 purpleheart just love the Emu with Deconi sheepskin and modded atenuation ring much more. Better integration of bass, more silky highs, no peaks and overall musicality the way I like it most .. could not be better for me
Feb 24, 2018
Volly
328
Feb 24, 2018
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HydeTrust me, they fit and the ear hole is bigger as well!
Comfort is superb!
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Feb 24, 2018
austriandude
49
Feb 24, 2018
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VollyI tried BW hybrids first (as deconies were on fedex) but didnt like it at all so just short and swapped back to stock ...there was too much brightness for me This cans really can be finetuned to individual taste
Feb 24, 2018
Volly
328
Feb 24, 2018
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austriandudeI bought mine second hand. The original owner had jmoney angled pads fitted. For the life of me i could not enjoy how it sounded. Congested and lifeless, very v-shaped in a bad way. Swapped pads over from my md t50rp and holy smokes...hello fostex!!! I later grab some hm5 hybribs for my t50s as they sound great with that particular pad also.
Feb 24, 2018
VRacer111
491
Feb 24, 2018
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VollyDo you still have the Jmoney pads? And if so do you know which generation they are (V3 would be the only good ones)? The Jmoney V3 pad has the largest opening and looks like this:
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They are absolutely the best pad I've found for the TH-X00PH, much better than stock when combined with Lawton driver only dampening and custom in-pad attenuators:
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Feb 24, 2018
Volly
328
Feb 24, 2018
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VRacer111I'll see if I can snap a shot up, I dare say the opening on yours is perhaps twice the size of my Jmoney but same shape?! Very stiff and not as plush as say the Dekoni's!
For some OCD reason, I'd rather prefer a round/circle ear cup to the Jmoney.
Feb 24, 2018
Sloblo
409
Feb 25, 2018
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Volly
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Brainwaves lambskin angled. Round hole, thicc in the back xD....
Feb 25, 2018
Volly
328
Feb 25, 2018
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SlobloOhhh...that is sexy asf!!
Feb 25, 2018
jsmiller58
804
Feb 27, 2018
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SlobloWhat about the change in sound?
Feb 27, 2018
Sloblo
409
Feb 27, 2018
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jsmiller58Bit wider sound stage (though that may just be due to the deeper cups), adds a little extension and thump to the low end. Really just adds to all the things that make these a good set of cans.
Feb 27, 2018
RayF
22214
Feb 28, 2018
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VollyDo they include a lint roller with every purchase?
Feb 28, 2018
Hyde
1119
Mar 15, 2018
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ElectronicVicesDamn it I joined Sheepskin last time and forgot to switch my order to Elite Hybrid before drop end. So I end up getting Sheepskin and like you said it just seems a bit unnatural sounding. I guess I'll wait till next drop to get the Elite Hybrid.
In the mean time could you comment on if there's any effect on soundstage? I didn't notice too much difference in Sheepskin but Protein Leather (got from previous drop) actually improved soundstage by quite a bit surprisingly.
Mar 15, 2018
RayF
22214
Mar 15, 2018
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HydeNothing wrong with Sheep skin...
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Mar 15, 2018
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