When to replace arc/headbond on Stax Lambda?

[soldermizer]

I am a fairly new owner of Stax (about two months) and am very happy with my Lambda Pro. I also have a plain Lambda but haven't used it much yet. As some of you may know, I have been doing some renovations on the Pros, such as making DIY leather ear pads (really, just covering the stock earpads) with leather. This worked quite well. I am turning my attention to other things. Both pairs of headphones arrived without the dust covers. I've found some threads here that debate what material, or whether to even use them.

Another fair target for my "upgrade everything possible to leather" has been the headband. I did this, but the results were quite disappointing. It is fairly easy to disassemble the top, cut a leather piece that is the same area as the default headband, and reassemble everything. There is (if I recall) about 4 tiny screws, two tiny springs, two tiny metal dots, and four plastic pieces that are easily lost. I managed to get everything together with only one stripped screw head to my demerit

It should be noted that the old headband appeared to not have any excessive wear ... it just wasn't made of leather.

Ignoring the new headband, here is perhaps the most lucid question for right now!

Should the phones fit snugly on my ears? With both sets of phones, for a decent fit, the headband adjusters are near the bottom. Everything seems to work ok, but I was wondering if this is a sign that the arc assembly has lost its temper over the years? I am a 6'3" man, so my head is presumably on the larger side, yet the tightness adjustment is at its maximum? Other long time listeners, where (about) does your headband adjuster lie? Should I consider buying a new arc assembly (seeing how I can't make one out of leather easily?)

Should I put in some type of dust covers?

Thanks for any tips.

[mypasswordis]

Put up some pics of the headband. Perhaps it has stretched or whatnot over time, or you just have a small head. When I wear my Lambdas (Pros, Sigs), the adjusters are pretty much exactly at the halfway point.

[John Buchanan]

I am a fairly new owner of Stax (about two months) and am very happy with my Lambda Pro. I also have a plain Lambda but haven't used it much yet. As some of you may know, I have been doing some renovations on the Pros, such as making DIY leather ear pads (really, just covering the stock earpads) with leather. This worked quite well. I am turning my attention to other things. Both pairs of headphones arrived without the dust covers. I've found some threads here that debate what material, or whether to even use them.

Another fair target for my "upgrade everything possible to leather" has been the headband. I did this, but the results were quite disappointing. It is fairly easy to disassemble the top, cut a leather piece that is the same area as the default headband, and reassemble everything. There is (if I recall) about 4 tiny screws, two tiny springs, two tiny metal dots, and four plastic pieces that are easily lost. I managed to get everything together with only one stripped screw head to my demerit

It should be noted that the old headband appeared to not have any excessive wear ... it just wasn't made of leather.

Ignoring the new headband, here is perhaps the most lucid question for right now!

Should the phones fit snugly on my ears? With both sets of phones, for a decent fit, the headband adjusters are near the bottom. Everything seems to work ok, but I was wondering if this is a sign that the arc assembly has lost its temper over the years? I am a 6'3" man, so my head is presumably on the larger side, yet the tightness adjustment is at its maximum? Other long time listeners, where (about) does your headband adjuster lie? Should I consider buying a new arc assembly (seeing how I can't make one out of leather easily?)

Should I put in some type of dust covers?

Thanks for any tips.

I have a boof head and the adjusters are near the bottom of their travel on the Lambda Nova Signature. Please note that the Lambda Pro headphones have a different arc assembly from later phones - and the force exerted on the sides of your head was increased in later models. The pins that attach the arc assemblies to the cases are much smaller diameter than more modern Stax, so a new arc assembly won't fit in Lambda Pro cases, unless the metallic pin receptacle is removed gently.

I find the reduced side pressure of the Sigma very pleasant compared with the greater clamping force of the Lambda Nova Signature.

[soldermizer]

Here is a pic of the removed headband. The one on the the Lambda reg. is very similar. It doesn't show well, but the extended measurements are:

length = 23.5 cm; width (pulled at widest part) = 8.5 cm.

There is no evidence of stretching or other damage to the unit.

My adjustment for my as-yet rarely worn Lambda regular is about middle adjustment for a good "doesn't fall off" fit. Perhaps my Pro's simply have an arc assembly which has lost its springiness?

In any case, my short term lesson on leather-izing my Pro's is: earpads relatively easy, headband not so easy (because for best function, it needs to have the plastic insert thingy, otherwise it just flops around and gets twisted.) Since I have much spare leather, I think I'll just experiment with the "West Virginia" method of covering up the default headband. Film at eleven.

[cetoole]

The later Lambdas (I can speak for my LNS and 404) don't have the plastic bits in the headpad. A reasonably thick piece of leather would work fine and provide sufficient stuffness, just reuse the plastic tabs that connect it to the arc assembly.

[soldermizer]

Thanks for the tip. Next I will probably try (in order, because laziness): gather my "rev 0" leather headband in the center, to figure out how much tighter it needs to be. Cover the existing band with leather (probably top and bottom) = the luxury of leather but lacks the tightening option of the headband; finally, make a thicker headband and re-install it. Stock headband was ok, it was just at the bottom of its adjustment (for biggest heads). Mom always said I was "big headed" but this referred to ego, not a gigantic cranium. If I get something half decent I will report and probaby append it to my DIY tutorial.