[ThePCWizard]

Hey guys, I'm looking to learn how to make my own headphone drivers, I have a rather unique design that I want to test out. I've already designed the drivers in some cad software, nothing fancy but just enough to give me an idea of what the final product may look like. 
 
I'd like to know where I can souce the following parts and materials:

1. Custom Neodymium magnets (Or another type of magnet common in headphone drivers)
2.  Production grade ABS plastic parts. (Important, but I'll 3D print out some test parts if I really have to.)
3. speaker coils, or wire to make speaker coils.
4. Material good for making driver membranes with.
5. An adhesive that can be applied cleanly and accurately. (Not particularly worried about this)

 
And here are the actual parts and their basic dimensions.

1. Magnet with centered hole - 42mm inner diameter, 68mm outter diameter.
2. 42mm ABS inner plastic ring - aproximately 8.1mm tall
3. 70mm ABS outter plastic frame - 1/4 inches deep for magnet, 2mm deep for membrane
4. Magnetic coil -  aproximately 0.07 inches deep, aprox 52.25mm diameter
5. membrane ring - 40mm inner diamter, 68mm outer diamter.

 
If anyone wants to see some CAD sketches or renderings, I can provide them. However I can't provide proper CAD drawings, I still haven't quite figured out Onshape's CAD drawing toolset. If I had access to it outside of school, I would have done this all on Autodesk Inventor.
 
 
 

 

 

[serman005]

What you are doing is really, really cool. Go for it!

 

[przem]

Everything you need should be on Alibaba, and maybe Aliexpress - those two are the biggest marketplace for manufacturers of anything really, but if you're looking for someone to make you custom parts according to your design it will either be very expensive per piece, or you'll have to order in bulk (1000 + pieces in one order), otherwise it won't be worth for them to start a production line.
As for ABS parts see if you can use water pipes from home-improvement markets, if they won't have exact dimensions you need, you can always trim them on a lathe or work on them using any other viable tools.
Stuff like a wire to make speaker coils will maybe available at lunashops.

I've always wondered if it is possible to build a dynamic driver in home conditions, good luck with your ambitious project and don't forget to share!

 

[Music818]

Wow! 68mm magnet. It's crazy for headphone driver!

 

[ThePCWizard]

I know right? I used an online calculator and the pull force from it (if I use a neodymium magnet) is anywhere from 75lbs to 120+ lbs. Although I don't plan on using such a powerful magnet.
 
Here are some screenshots of the speaker.
 


 

 

 
 
EDIT: The magnet in this design isn't actually 68mm, it's been reduced in size to accomodate bass ports on the driver.

 

[ThePCWizard]

  Everything you need should be on Alibaba, and maybe Aliexpress - those two are the biggest marketplace for manufacturers of anything really, but if you're looking for someone to make you custom parts according to your design it will either be very expensive per piece, or you'll have to order in bulk (1000 + pieces in one order), otherwise it won't be worth for them to start a production line.
As for ABS parts see if you can use water pipes from home-improvement markets, if they won't have exact dimensions you need, you can always trim them on a lathe or work on them using any other viable tools.
Stuff like a wire to make speaker coils will maybe available at lunashops.

I've always wondered if it is possible to build a dynamic driver in home conditions, good luck with your ambitious project and don't forget to share!

Thanks! I have access to a 3D printer currently and I believe it's using an ABS filament so I can use that and then sand down the parts to the finish I need, but as far as magnets go they're the only things that really need processional fabrication. Do you know what specific magnets are typically used? I know Neodymium is used in earbuds although I don't need something that strong for a massive 70mm headphone driver, I think iron just might work if I can get it under the right conditions however I'm not entirely sure. Magnets are quite finicky to produce as I'm finding out, you can't simply cut a magnet with a dremel and expect it to work.
 
I think the guys down at Dexter Magnetic Technologies could produce the magnet I need: http://www.dextermag.com/resource-center/permanent-magnet-shape

 

[Music818]

Oh! Don't telling me that you're going to use a ferrite magnet. Most of the IEM, earbud, headphone and high-end headphone are using Neodymium magnet (NdFeB). Compare with ferrite, NdFeB has stronger magnetic force in smaller size, longer lifetime, higher sensitivity.

 

[przem]

Yeah, I ain't no expert on magnets, and I know you can turn iron into a magnet even in home conditions, but I'm not sure it's the best idea. All dynamic drivers I heard of use neodymium magnets. Then again, I'm no expert and I've never heard of anyone making a DIY dynamic driver, so I guess you'll have to experiment.
It would be best to try iron first, since it's much cheaper, and if that doesn't suffice, go for neodymium.
Those pics looks nice, I hope you'll psychically build it and share with us, can't wait to see it!

 

[Music818]

Good luck!

 

[George Morgan]

This is an interesting thread. I've been working on building small drivers that can be arranged for headphone use. The voice coils that I've been making are of the planar magnetic type and have high resistance values that are non-inductive in the audio range. They will use NIB magnets that are arranged in a focused fringe gap magnetic circuit. The VC's are mounted on a Mylar diaphragm and the coils are wound in a flat racetrack form.
 
My plan is to drive the coils with an SE OTL amp of about a watt or two. I'm currently designing and building some triodes of the WE 101D and WE 205D type. Their construction is fairly straight forward due to the planar style electrode geometry. It's actually cheaper to make the tubes than buy working NOS on eBay. The VC's of the drivers can be wound to match the optimum load resistance of the triodes.

 

[100VoltTube]

How is the project going?

 

[NeenerPhones]

I've got an earbud design and a full sized headphone ready to be manufactured. More or less the over ear. I've got to figure out the ports, headband and I can make the part to hold earpads any time. I've got an open back and semi open revision of the blank frame. I've also got a few ideas that are unique and not available to my target market (or at least would be appreciated). I've been looking into starting up a small headphone company but I can't seem to get Beyerdynamic or Audio-Technica to get back to me about using their drivers for a commercial product. My earbuds need a 15mm driver (maybe 14mm), headphones need a 53mm but I can bump that back down to 50. I don't have tools or materials to make drivers, I can't find anybody locally or internationally that can make drivers, i'm 17 and within my years of life, I have not accumulated the knowledge and deep science that a company like Sennheiser or AKG would use to make something that sounds half decent. I figured that product development is a hit or miss sort of deal. I hope you do well.

 

[przem]

  My earbuds need a 15mm driver (maybe 14mm), headphones need a 53mm but I can bump that back down to 50. I don't have tools or materials to make drivers, I can't find anybody locally or internationally that can make drivers

There are plenty of companies on alibaba that can manufacture dynamic drivers according to your specification or can sell you ones they designed and produce and sell to other companies. And those are quite cheap. The only problem is that you need to order A LOT from them, otherwise they won't do business with you. Another option for you would be to experiment with drivers sold on aliexpress or lunashops or wherever else you can find them and see if they sound well with your design. Best of luck to you and don't give up!

 

[RenZixx]

Thanks! I have access to a 3D printer currently and I believe it's using an ABS filament so I can use that and then sand down the parts to the finish I need, but as far as magnets go they're the only things that really need processional fabrication. Do you know what specific magnets are typically used? I know Neodymium is used in earbuds although I don't need something that strong for a massive 70mm headphone driver, I think iron just might work if I can get it under the right conditions however I'm not entirely sure. Magnets are quite finicky to produce as I'm finding out, you can't simply cut a magnet with a dremel and expect it to work.

I think the guys down at Dexter Magnetic Technologies could produce the magnet I need: http://www.dextermag.com/resource-center/permanent-magnet-shape

Just a quick question is the thread dead or are you still working on the driver. Let me know because i really dig your idea and I think its amazing

 

[100VoltTube]

the OP hasn't been online here for almost a year, so he/she might not be making any progress, but IDK about other people.

To my knowledge, while it's easy to make a working dynamic driver (this can be done with some magnet wire, a plastic cupcake holder thing, and some tape), it's probably extremely hard to make a decent one.

Electrostatic drivers are hard to mess up on, as long as you can make one, and planars are as well (I think), as long as you can get a diaphragm etched.