Rhydon

Yes, i should hang around here more often. Love the Magnum Pi. I hear his 'stache has special acoustic properties...

Magnum fans, Symphones will be offering a few final pairs of Full Magnum headphones for interested collectors. The Full Magnum is an enhancement product for the SR325/MS2 headphones that includes our acclaimed V4 drivers, All-aluminum parts including Chambers, Gimbals, Emblems and Rod Tips, available in Black or Silver Anodizing. Some benefits of the Magnum system include: All-Aluminum design: Aluminum is an ideal material for acoustics due to its incredible mechanical properties and accompanying light weight, pushing enclosure modal frequencies many order of magnitude higher than traditional materials, leading to a more refined sound. Custom made high-performance Drivers: Our V4 drivers are capable of resolving finite details and wide dynamic transients. Now in their 4th generation, our drivers showcase optimized diaphragm and magnetic assemblies using carefully selected materials. the V4 drivers ideally compliment the Magnum's high-performance philosophy. For more information on the Magnum design check out the site, www.Symphones.ca This will be the last chance to own an 'All-Aluminum' Magnum headphone. We have a few pairs left and are looking to get them to the right buyers as soon as possible. Contact me for more details.

Sale has ended. Thanks to everyone who ordered.

They do come with a black acoustic cloth on the drivers. They were removed during photos.

Today is the last day for the Symphones Magnum/Head-case discount. We still have a few positions available for interested members.

At the moment we're asking customers to send their headphone to us for recabling.

4 days left!

Thanks Jamie. Everyone, as of now we have 11 openings remaining.

18 positions left.

The new headphone is much more 'refined' than stock MS2/325- bass, mids & highs. improvements are across the board. See my post on the previous page. There is no sonic difference between the SR325 and MS2 post mod- this is on purpose.

Good question- I found the SR325/MS2 to be the 'sweet spot' for our upgrade design. Since it employs some aluminum parts- modifying it to be all-aluminum was more feasible than the alternatives.

Yes. It looks like we will be offering returns for customers of the pre-order run. Details are still being worked- i should have something up by this afternoon. As for the wire- we can solder a new cable during the modification (as long as it does not involve 'making' a cable).

Jeff, The increase in performance is immediately evident- keep in mind i spent more than 3 years working at sound quality improvements- not design or packaging or marketing. There was research budgets, extensive prototyping, even professional acoustic engineers. I feel confident to say there will be no competition to the Magnum enhancement for quite some time. This launch is hard for me as I am very reluctant to promote sonic improvements as i feel this is a conflict of interest. Some people may be asking why didn't we send out a few pairs for reviews? Problem is so much money went into the development of this product- making up a minimum order (25 pairs according to our machinists) for reviews was not possible at the time. What about our prototypes? They have been around the block so many times you wouldn't recognize them if you were holding them in your hands. I hope everyone can explore our website and understand this is not a regular "upgrade"- not even a regular headphone at that. This project was intended as an all out assault on headphone construction, performance, and quality- i think once shipping begins, people will not only be taken back by the performance of their new headphones- but by our efforts as a new and fresh company trying to make our mark in the world.

We've had a few people ask us about the original SR325's- the sonic improvements are identical to the other versions post Magnum. It would give your pair a unique look thats for sure- more like the HP-1000's. As for sonics- the new coating actually works to enhance high frequency response through better controlling the diaphragms breakup mode. Short answer- very much so. All prices are in USD.

We keep the outer-ear cups- the goal of this upgrade is to remove all plastic parts which have a negative effect on sound quality.

ALL Grado SR325 and Alessandro MS2 versions- this includes the original black, silver, i, & is. Rhydon

23 left

24 available

Hey Asr, At this time we prefer to stick with the SR325/MS2.

Hello everyone. My name is Rhydon, i am a long time member of Head-Fi & Head-Case as well as the founder of Symphones. This project is my first venture as a 'member of the trade' here on the forum. Recently there have been a few instances questioning the trust of certain manufacture's and their products. While these situations do not reflect the hard work and dedication of the majority, they have no doubt taken a toll on the community. As a new company offering a unique product, I understand how trust can be important for first-time buyers. While we have spent the last 3 years developing a solid product, i understand how some may remain skeptical. To show our stand behind the Magnum enhancement we will be offering a return policy for first-time buyers. Available to members who take part in the initial pre-order, if you are unsatisfied with the Magnum enhancement you may return it within 30 days for a full refund. Due to the fact the Magnum enhancement contains some processes that are non-reversable, in addition to your refund you will be issued a stock SR325/MS2 in replacement for your original headphone. While we are confident everyone will be pleased with the performance improvements behind this enhancement, our return policy is an effort to build a valuable relationship with our customers and fellow forum members. Sincerly, Rhydon Introducing Symphones High-performance headphone modifications Symphones is a small high-end manufacturing company just begining its venture into the headphone industry. Our mission is to provide competitive reference products at real-world prices. Such a task is not easy and in order to succeed we have pioneered a unique method of manufacturing. Our process involves using already-existing designs and models as a starting point- then, with proven engineering know-how, we develop from the ground up, new technologies, materials, and processes to create our vision of a truly reference design. In showcase of our efforts Symphones is proud to announce its very first product... Following three years of intense research and development, Symphones proudly presents a new benchmark in headphone modification, the Magnum enhancement. Utilizing the Grado SR325/ Alessandro MS2 platform, this state-of-the-art product applies Symphones’ research to enhance three vital elements of headphone architecture – sound chamber, driver and baffle. Our solution is elegant in its simplicity, using superior components crafted from materials each perfectly suited to its task. The result is a retrofit and upgrade package employing new technologies designed to provide maximum performance and seamless integration with your existing headphone. Reminiscent of the legendary HP-1000 and PS-1 headphones, Magnum is the first and only 'all-aluminum' headphone upgrade currently available. Please visit our website and discover what exotic technologies have developed for the Magnum enhancement. In order to start things with a bang we are proud to announce a special limited time offer for Head-Case & Head-fi members. From July 31th through August 21st the Magnum enhancement will be offered at a special price of $399 (reg. $599). Shipping will be flat rate: 25$ US, $18 Canada. International shipping will be calculated on a per-case basis. Estimated ship date is Aug 26th, 2009. To order your enhancement please follow the links to our website and proceed to the order checkout. At the bottom of the page you will see a link for Head-fi members. After using our checkout system you will receive an email describing the necessary steps on how to begin the Magnum upgrade. Magnum is an all inclusive enhancement service- if you do not own the Grado SR325 or Alessandro MS2 but are still interested in this product please contact us at info@symphones.ca prior to reserving your position. Frequently Asked Questions How do I begin my upgrade service? Once you have completed the checkout process, you will be emailed instructions on how to proceed. Depending on your situation, you will either be required to ship us your original headphone or purchase one from a recommended supplier. Do you ship overseas? Yes. Our enhancements are available to headphone enthusiasts worldwide. What sonic improvements can I expect following modification? Every detail of the Magnum enhancement has been designed to enhance sonic performance. However, sound quality is subjective- in this case we prefer to let our customers do the talking. I've noticed there is no fabric protecting the driver, is this normal? We use an acoustically transparent black fabric to protect the driver surface- these 'screens' were removed during photography. All Magnum enhancements have screens protecting the drivers from debris. I am trying to decide which headphone to have modified - which sounds best following modification? The magnum enhancement was designed to be seamless between both models. Whichever headphone you decide to have enhanced - both will have identical improvements in sonic performance. Do you offer the Magnum enhancement for other headphones? The Magnum enhancement is only available for the Grado SR325 and Alessandro MS2 headphones. Can you upgrade my cable? Provided you supply the desired cable with your original headphone, we can attach it during the upgrade assembly at no extra cost. Do you sell the headband forks separately? No. At this time we only offer a complete service. Do you offer a return policy? Yes. Please see above. For all information surrounding Symphones and the MAGNUM enhancement please visit us at www.symphones.ca

Ryan, those use to be my vintage RS-1's! You bought them from Audiofiler, correct? (i think thats who got them from me). Great pair of headphones. I recently grabbed another steal on some vintage RS-1's- some of the darkest wood ive ever seen on a grado. Listening to them in rotation with the HP-2's is great experience- which ever mood your in, either it be something with fun and impact (rs-1) or to hear the musical nuances of quality recordings- you can balance it with the two. Do you still have the HP-2's?

Happy birthday to one of the most hardcore head-fi'ers out there. Rhydon