Vintage Headphones
- Thread starter olddrum1
- Start date
Old_Vinyl
New Member
Pro4AA's
Still need to do nicer restore on my 4AA's, back in 80's, had kitty that liked the taste of the crossover cable from L cup to R cup, need to find something closer to the black stock cable than the readily available grey Radio Shack cable I used, homely but effective...replaced pads when I did the Pro5/LC's.
Still need to do nicer restore on my 4AA's, back in 80's, had kitty that liked the taste of the crossover cable from L cup to R cup, need to find something closer to the black stock cable than the readily available grey Radio Shack cable I used, homely but effective...replaced pads when I did the Pro5/LC's.
restorer-john
Addicted Member
I've got a pair of those too, 2 ways- unbelievable condition- as new in their box. Even the foam in the cups is in perfect condition. The isolation they provide is incredible and they look so cool. I love them but it's a pity they sound like complete ass. I'm yet to hear any 70s headphones that are any good.
I went AKG 500/601/702 and never looked back.
I went AKG 500/601/702 and never looked back.
Another Stax SR-40 owner, along with a pair of Koss Pro 4X. Sold my original Pioneer SE-20A's recently. Senn HD-580's for daily drivers, and Denon AH-C751 and MEE 51's for the plane
I have an original pair of Sennheiser HD414s which I bought in the 70s. Went to a HiFi show in London and listened to every set of 'phones in the show. Thonly ones that were any good were the Stax electrostatics and the HD414s. They compare quite favourably with my AKG K712s. Not much bass though and they don't have the dynamic range. Still sound good however. Also have an old pair of Beyer DT 100s. They sound pretty terrible but good for drowning out the lawnmower.
twiiii
Lunatic Member
My Koss pro-4'AAA bit the dust after many years of faithful operation. Since 1970 more or less. I replaced them with Sennheiser Over hear momentums. I still have my Signet Electrostatics on ear head phones and my Stax electro statics over ear head phones, too. I'm so fond of the Stax head phones I was reluctant to get the Sennheisers, but I wanted something my iMac could drive directly and could be used with my various analog recorders for brief monitoring while not using the main systems loud speakers.
maxhifi
Addicted Member
Is repair impossible? Usually with headphones it's issues with wires, these can be changed easily enough.
olddrum1
Well-Known Member
Quite the historic stash going on there.These are full of nostalgia for me as they came from a stash of gear inside my Dad's console stereo and I remember using them as a wee tot. They were almost bigger than my head at the time....
Realistic Nova10 Headphones
ecdarby
AK Member
Le-Bo TA-311's: Puke green, just as nature intended it.
Do these qualify as vintage? Grado SR1000's
Grado HP1000's
The last two were my luckiest score, ever... right place at the right time. The 200's sound amazing, have never plugged in the HP-1000's. I assume they sound about 98% the same, they both have the same drivers.
Do these qualify as vintage? Grado SR1000's
Grado HP1000's
The last two were my luckiest score, ever... right place at the right time. The 200's sound amazing, have never plugged in the HP-1000's. I assume they sound about 98% the same, they both have the same drivers.
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TrrR
Speaker of the House
I've got a couple of pairs of the Sennheiser HD-414s too. My wife bought them for for Christmas back in the early 80's. Dragged them out of long term storage a while ago to give a listen and the cables have developed a slightly tacky "oily" surface feel. Weird. Washed the cables with warm soapy water but they are still not right. I guess the plastic sheath is deteriorating.
Happily, the headphones themselves still sound amazing!
Happily, the headphones themselves still sound amazing!
ecdarby
AK Member
I've run into that oily coating on old plastic sheathing inside amps and turntables, quite a bit. Windex and a good wiping down with a paper towel will usually take care of it pretty well.
riveraXVX
Active Member
estate sale find last year picked up while hunting with my wife/daughter. our first pair of vintage headphones - a pair of koss pro4aa's with the original manual. nice looking and nice sounding with minimal cleanup needed!
$5 well spent! not sure how everyone else fares for finding headphones but not to often I've run across any older pairs that aren't totally trashed and even then few and far between it seems like!
$5 well spent! not sure how everyone else fares for finding headphones but not to often I've run across any older pairs that aren't totally trashed and even then few and far between it seems like!
Still have & use the Pioneer SE-305s I bought when I got my first Top-40 radio gig back in '76. They've been worked on a BUNCH...new cable, new wiring from cup to cup, etc. Still love 'em after all these years. Also have a couple pair of non-working Pro4AAAs that I should send off to Koss for refurbs.
g..v
Lunatic Member
My best, Koss esp9, from about 1975, are still in good shape. Bought a pair off ebay 3 weeks ago hoping for the best, because I have an extra but untested power unit, but one diaphragm was burned through. The thought of fixing these is fading. I can't seem to find suitable material, including what appears to be very thin double stick tape for mounting up assemblies. The silver painted piece of film measures only .001 including coating.
I also have one esp7 with a bum side, but am hesitant to use it with the good esp9 side.
Seems no one can be trusted with offers for old sets. There's as set of esp6 on ebay now which are claimed to distort above low volume level...I bet those diaphragms are burned through too.
I also have one esp7 with a bum side, but am hesitant to use it with the good esp9 side.
Seems no one can be trusted with offers for old sets. There's as set of esp6 on ebay now which are claimed to distort above low volume level...I bet those diaphragms are burned through too.
mike d
Well-Known Member
I really miss my old Radio Shack cans built by Koss. Can't remember the model number but I replaced the cord a couple of times after I bought them in 77 or so. Every once in a while I see the same model show up on 'Mayday'...a t.v. documentary show about the investigation of airplane crashes. Either the pilot is wearing them in the cockpit or a crash investigator is using them to listen to cockpit voice recorder tape.....usually on a vintage reel to reel!
Tube Sound
Super Member
Koss Pro 4AA's
Found these a month ago. I don't believe they had ever been used, although the box has travelled around. The sales brochure is dated 1974. The price tag is $45 and I paid $45 a month ago. Koss mailed me new ear pads for $3.75 (25% off sale), not installed yet. No charge for shipping. This is one of the greatest companies for warranty on the planet. They sound absolutely beautiful and I don't give a **** if they're heavy.
Found these a month ago. I don't believe they had ever been used, although the box has travelled around. The sales brochure is dated 1974. The price tag is $45 and I paid $45 a month ago. Koss mailed me new ear pads for $3.75 (25% off sale), not installed yet. No charge for shipping. This is one of the greatest companies for warranty on the planet. They sound absolutely beautiful and I don't give a **** if they're heavy.
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dcginc
New Member
One pair of Yamaha HP-1's and one pair of HP-2's. Listening to Naim Radio via the HP-2s right now. The HP-1's I bought new in 77-78 era. The black HP-1's in the photo are those cans. Rewired a few years ago to 4 pin XLR to work with Schiit Audio's fully balanced amp. Put new ear pads on at that time. Before I bought the HP-1s back in the day, i started w the HP-2's. Those went to other family and ultimately disrepair. 3-4 yrs ago bought the set of HP-2's in photo re wired to 3.5mm with new ear pads as well. The headband on the HP-2's was flawless. No break in the plastic/swede headband. Thats on the HP-1's now. Made a floppy leather band for the HP-2's.
. All good stuff. Love the openness of these ortho cans
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I saw this post just now and was going to post about my HP-2's, never thought someone would have just posted about theirs! 
I got them off head-fi a few years ago. They were listed at something like $70, but after I agreed to buy them, the guy discounted them all the way to $25 because the pads were disintegrating and the cord was brittle.
They came with the original box, and besides those things, they work perfectly. I don't use them a lot, but I still really like them!
I got them off head-fi a few years ago. They were listed at something like $70, but after I agreed to buy them, the guy discounted them all the way to $25 because the pads were disintegrating and the cord was brittle.
They came with the original box, and besides those things, they work perfectly. I don't use them a lot, but I still really like them!
