[tranhieu]

Peter check your PM please. 

 

[bhazard]

Awesome chart.
 
Somic MH407. Single Balanced Armature. ~$60.

 

[MuZo2]

Nice document from Peter but not in English.
http://www.audiohead.pl/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/Balanced-Armature-kompendium-wiedzy1.pdf
 
 

 

[tomscy2000]

  Nice document from Peter but not in English. http://www.audiohead.pl/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/Balanced-Armature-kompendium-wiedzy1.pdf

Those are some great teardown pictures!

 

[tranhieu]

  Nice document from Peter but not in English.
http://www.audiohead.pl/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/Balanced-Armature-kompendium-wiedzy1.pdf
 
 
 

If I'm not wrong the author of this article will drop by this thread soon

 

[shakur1996]

Does anybody know what's inside of:

- Earsonics EM32, and

- Spiral Ear 3way Reference and 5way Reference?

I'm not sure whether information about split of the drivers between bass, mids and highs are correct in respect of Cosmic Ears BA4r and Custom Art Pro330v2. I will analyze this and post my doubts later.

 

[piotrus-g]

  Nice document from Peter but not in English.
http://www.audiohead.pl/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/Balanced-Armature-kompendium-wiedzy1.pdf
 
 
 

Good ol' times! Hahaha long time ago.... I meant to make 2nd piece but never found time to do so.

 

[Cryok95]

Gonna check that out.

 

[SilverEars]

subscribed.  

 

[tomscy2000]

  subscribed.  

 
That's great, though there's no subscription necessary. The chart automatically updates itself whenever new information is found by either me or any of the other members contributing. Google is good about that stuff.
 
BTW, I want to remind people that the chart doesn't give people the ability to go and make their own IEM/CIEM --- a lot more technical information is necessary for people to begin to grasp how to design and build a CIEM. The chart is merely here to allow people, already armed with the knowledge of IEM design, to try their hand at DIY designs, with the added knowledge of what has been successful or unsuccessful in the landscape of so many different high-end IEM models. The balanced armature models used in these IEMs are merely one piece of the puzzle.
 
A secondary service of the chart would be to provide manufacturers that offer reshell services a reference for which substitute drivers are suitable in what situations, but that is merely a secondary effect. I know multiple manufacturers of CIEMs keep tabs on this chart, even if they don't state so publicly. My personal belief is that transparency will only help enhance innovation, not stymie it.

 

[SilverEars]

This is indeed a nice thread to get information about different types of BA iems.  It would be nice to have a technical thread about different iem technologies out there.  People could post data sheets, spec sheets about different types of iems and we can enlighten each other on what new iem technologies are out there.  This would help everybody out in getting to know more about the iems. I was impressed when I saw some datasheets of iems.  
 
For example, there is new type of iems out by AT that has dual polarity dynamic drivers, I thought it's really cool they are trying something different.  Also I would like to know more about what Fitear's titanium tubing does.

 

[SilverEars]

Hi, I'm wondering if there are any quality differences of different BA drivers.  For example, do some BA headphone makers use higher quality drivers?  Also, are newer BA drivers better than the older models?  Where do I get more detailed info about all this?

 

[piotrus-g]

  Hi, I'm wondering if there are any quality differences of different BA drivers.  For example, do some BA headphone makers user higher quality drivers?  Also, are newer BA drivers better than the older models?  Where do I get more detailed info about all this?

Yes, there are some drivers developed strictly for high-end audio and pro-audio market.
Yes newer drivers are better especially compared those from around 2000-2005, the biggest change was around 2006-2008 when audio market really started using BA drivers on big scale and companies started developing more advanced deigns with lower THDs, higher outputs more broadband response etc.

 

[tomscy2000]

  Hi, I'm wondering if there are any quality differences of different BA drivers.  For example, do some BA headphone makers user higher quality drivers?  Also, are newer BA drivers better than the older models?  Where do I get more detailed info about all this?

  Yes, there are some drivers developed strictly for high-end audio and pro-audio market. Yes newer drivers are better especially compared those from around 2000-2005, the biggest change was around 2006-2008 when audio market really started using BA drivers on big scale and companies started developing more advanced deigns with lower THDs, higher outputs more broadband response etc.

 
^^ What he said ^^
 
Addendum:
Most people are using these pro audio models for in-ear designs these days, so there's not a whole lot of difference in terms of pure performance. Some manufacturers will order a custom-made version of an existing BA design, mostly to easy their design process. So, a maker like Knowles or Sonion can give a big client such as UE a specially wound version of their BA that has a customized coil impedance, DC resistance, and perhaps pre-existing port damping. What does this do? This enables the manufacturer to use fewer passive components on top of the BA to get whatever frequency response is desired. Using fewer components is more important for designing universal IEMs, because space is an issue. Customized BAs are not usually "technically superior" to a generic version available wholesale from Mouser or Digikey, however, though there are exceptions, when a manufacturer works directly with Knowles or Sonion to create a driver that incorporates new technology, for example. However, there are also times when a certain "old" design is actually suitable for a specific application, such as in these multi-way, millions of driver designs. A driver doesn't have to have the hugest bandwidth, but it should have the best performance within the frequency range that it's intended to operate in. So, newer BA designs are not always the best way to go in multi-BA designs. Like with amps and DACs, the entire design has to be taken into consideration.

 

[piotrus-g]

However, there are also times when a certain "old" design is actually suitable for a specific application, such as in these multi-way, millions of driver designs. A driver doesn't have to have the hugest bandwidth, but it should have the best performance within the frequency range that it's intended to operate in. So, newer BA designs are not always the best way to go in multi-BA designs. Like with amps and DACs, the entire design has to be taken into consideration.

Yes, but even drivers like 2000/CI are redesigned inside with improved shock-proofing over the old design.
 
I would also say the newer designs are better for specific frequency application - like SWFK (ultra tweeter) or 3800 (the most badass woofer) - there's a lot of modifications with newer designs possible like highly inductive coils or Type III damping, but in most cases it's still working on existing drivers families. In most cases as well developing completely new drivers is not necessary.