Rhydon Posted July 31, 2009 Report Posted July 31, 2009 (edited) 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 [email protected] 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 Edited August 3, 2009 by EdipisReks
Asr Posted July 31, 2009 Report Posted July 31, 2009 Will you also work on the Grado HF2, maybe to snuff out the "F1"? (I have to ask)
Rhydon Posted July 31, 2009 Author Report Posted July 31, 2009 Hey Asr, At this time we prefer to stick with the SR325/MS2.
penger Posted July 31, 2009 Report Posted July 31, 2009 What do you do with the old cups? I'm assuming that you're not reusing them based on some of the pictures.
feckn_eejit Posted July 31, 2009 Report Posted July 31, 2009 .......original SR325 a no go, has to be i or is?
Rhydon Posted July 31, 2009 Author Report Posted July 31, 2009 .......original SR325 a no go, has to be i or is? ALL Grado SR325 and Alessandro MS2 versions- this includes the original black, silver, i, & is. Rhydon
Rhydon Posted July 31, 2009 Author Report Posted July 31, 2009 What do you do with the old cups? I'm assuming that you're not reusing them based on some of the pictures. 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.
feckn_eejit Posted July 31, 2009 Report Posted July 31, 2009 ALL Grado SR325 and Alessandro MS2 versions- this includes the original black, silver, i, & is. RhydonSweet! Would I be an eejit for wanting this done to my original SR325s? Sounds like it'll transform the bass but what about refinement up top? You charge Canadian customers in USD or is there a CAD price? Thanks Rhydon!
Rhydon Posted July 31, 2009 Author Report Posted July 31, 2009 Sweet! Would I be an eejit for wanting this done to my original SR325s? Sounds like it'll transform the bass but what about refinement up top? You charge Canadian customers in USD or is there a CAD price? Thanks Rhydon! 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.
feckn_eejit Posted July 31, 2009 Report Posted July 31, 2009 Cool! One of my fav things about the SR325s is lack of boom in the lower registers. While they're not the last word in extension, I've always found the bass really enjoyable and tight. Assume MAGNUM just makes this moar better but along the same lines? Thanks,
Rhydon Posted July 31, 2009 Author Report Posted July 31, 2009 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.
feckn_eejit Posted July 31, 2009 Report Posted July 31, 2009 Thanks for your replies and time, Rhydon. I appreciate and respect where you're coming from. I will toss this around in my head the rest of the day and sleep on it and make a decision tomorrow. Regards,
bhd812 Posted August 1, 2009 Report Posted August 1, 2009 holy fuck its true! a part of me says its not rite but a part says "omg i must have" questions.. what if we dont like it? returns? if i send you a grado ext cable can you use that instead of the regular wire and set it up in balanced? i can send you nuetrik xlr's.
blessingx Posted August 1, 2009 Report Posted August 1, 2009 Is there a photo of the "fronts" or is that unmodified?
HeadphoneAddict Posted August 1, 2009 Report Posted August 1, 2009 Makes me wish that I hadn't traded my SR-325i for a pair of ATH-AD2000 that I eventually sold as well. (in the end, my RS-1 and HD600 beat out those other two)
Tachikoma Posted August 1, 2009 Report Posted August 1, 2009 Have you guys considered doing this for more headphones? ie non-grados? I'm sure an aluminium enclosure will go nicely with my gamma pro drivers Or the HE60 drivers I've had for a while.
XXII Posted August 1, 2009 Report Posted August 1, 2009 Could you elaborate a bit more on the sound improvements of your modification? Are we really talking about PS-1/HP-1000 level? What is the difference between SR-325i and MS-2 as the base model?
skullguise Posted August 1, 2009 Report Posted August 1, 2009 Slightly OT, but Niagara-on-the-Lake is a beautiful place! My wife and I vacationed there in May, and loved it! A nice downtown without any "brand name" stores, the theaters, wineries, restaurants, etc. The Old Mill Tavern quickly became a favorite of ours on the visit! Lots of luck in the venture. I've personally never quite loved the Grado's, despite trying most of them. But the process here looks great.
Elephas Posted August 1, 2009 Report Posted August 1, 2009 I think Head-Case members should get a little bit larger discount than Head-Fi members.
feckn_eejit Posted August 1, 2009 Report Posted August 1, 2009 I'm sure an aluminium enclosure will go nicely with my gamma pro drivers Haha, I was thinking the same thing when I saw those beautiful pics!!
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