[jacobgolden]

Hey Guys,
 
So I'd really like to have a way to start taking measurements of my DIY experimental headphones. I know a lot of the pro's use
this beast - Neumann KU 100 dummy head (which runs about $6000) .....
 
I was wondering if anyone has had any luck building their own with a couple of those in ear omni directional microphones and maybe a styrophone dummy display head?
 

Male Mannequin White Styrofoam Head

 

Pyle-Pro PMEMS10 In Ear Mini XLR Omni-Directional Microphone

 
I've heard of people putting mics in their ears but I feel like the the test tone frequencies you have to run through the headphones might not be nice to be blared into your ear. (maybe I could where earplugs underneath the microphones?)
 
not sure if this would work at all but if it did it would be nice....
 
Thoughts?

 

[nikongod]

If you are *just* looking to compare mods, sure why not? 
Since the best headphone on earth (HD800) measures like a joke compared to the worst amp (its military grade!) even a fairly hobbled together rig will help you say with certainty that your modifications did nothing. Or that they did not do what you wanted them to. Or that they did exactly what you wanted them to... 
 
Be forewarned that how you put the headphones on the head has a freakishly large effect on the measured/perceived frequency response. This applies to your own head, and it makes me cringe to see people put their headphones on in a way that just sounds so incredibly wrong...
 
You may also like some of the microphones from core sound, especically if you have any desire to do DIY Binoural recordings of live sound...
http://www.core-sound.com/mics/8.php
 
Or to do a totally DIY solution! 
Tyll once made a (very basic) headphone measurement rig out of one of the auxiliary microphones that plug into the iphone! 

 

[jacobgolden]

Nice one! Thanks for the insight. I guess what would be really helpful after building such a rig would be to try and get a hold of some "good" headphones and to make my own measurements, that way even if the mics aren't as amazingly accurate as something really high-end dummy head at least I know how my DIY setup if measuring say a HD800 and compare that to Headrooms measurement of the HD800 and see how far off I am.
 
Kind of like the concept of mixing music on lower-end monitors (Yamaha NS-10s) if you know how other 'properly mixed' albums translate on cheaper monitors then you can use those albums as a benchmark...
 

 

[Tjj226 Angel]

Quote:

If you are *just* looking to compare mods, sure why not? 
Since the best headphone on earth (HD800) measures like a joke compared to the worst amp (its military grade!) even a fairly hobbled together rig will help you say with certainty that your modifications did nothing. Or that they did not do what you wanted them to. Or that they did exactly what you wanted them to... 
 
Be forewarned that how you put the headphones on the head has a freakishly large effect on the measured/perceived frequency response. This applies to your own head, and it makes me cringe to see people put their headphones on in a way that just sounds so incredibly wrong...
 
You may also like some of the microphones from core sound, especically if you have any desire to do DIY Binoural recordings of live sound...
http://www.core-sound.com/mics/8.php
 
Or to do a totally DIY solution! 
Tyll once made a (very basic) headphone measurement rig out of one of the auxiliary microphones that plug into the iphone! 

Just want to point out that the HD800s are not even close to being the best headphone on earth. You still have the sennheiser HE09s floating around, stax 009/007s, LCD2/3, Ultrasone edition 10, Grado PS1000, AKG K1000 (although they seem to carry a love/hate relationship among different people), and the HE 6 (though I don't care for them). 
 
To be perfectly honest, I did not think the 800HDs are worth more than maybe 400. It is only the build quality that seems worthy of the price. 
 
@OP: Audio technica also makes some good mics for measuring headphones. You might even want to send a letter to inner fidelity and see what they use and see if they can't get you any advice. 

 

[nikongod]

Quote:

Just want to point out that the HD800s are not even close to being the best headphone on earth. You still have the sennheiser HE09s floating around, stax 009/007s, LCD2/3, Ultrasone edition 10, Grado PS1000, AKG K1000 (although they seem to carry a love/hate relationship among different people), and the HE 6 (though I don't care for them). 
 

 
I laugh at this. 
 
The K1000 do some things better than the HD800. The HD800 does some things better than the K1000. 
 
HE90 is pretty pimptastic with the right kind of music. I would say the absolute best with the right kind of music. And absolute crap with the wrong kind of music. Now, where the HE90 works well it has no equal, but the HD800 never fails as hard which is worth a lot in my book.
 
009/007 are contenders and MAYBE I will cede defeat to them. The HE90 outshines them where it shines, but like the HD800 the 007/008 never suck as bad as the HE90 playing a bad track which again puts both STAX offerings higher in my book. 
 
I will not dignify the joke of a rolling prototype sold to consumers with a mockery of their collective lack of soundstage. Good thing Orthos measure flatter than flat, because soundtage exactly as wide as my ears is sad. Sorry. Maybe they will fix this in the fourth or fifth revision. The line forms to the left. 
 
ED10, seriously, have you herd them? bwahahahaaaaa. 
 
PS1000 does some things well, but no. For what they cost you could buy HD800 and RS-1 second hand and have better "ultimate" sound quality and a better representation of what Grado does well! 
 
Your list does not include the R10 or 010. Why don't you list more good headphones instead of the FOTM? 
 
The R10 "disappears" faster than the HD800 on more types of music. Again, a headphone I would cede defeat to. Too bad it measures like crap. 
 
The 010 is insanely picky about head-placement, but when placed well is amazing. Assuming you get it placed well, I would say its a contender. 
 
Ooh, yea, NONE of them measure as well as a cheap amp which was the key point. 

 

[jacobgolden]

LOL! Didn't mean to start a war of which is the 'best' headphones. Engineering aside these things are pretty subjective. I was just looking for a way of getting a slightly more scientific 'snapshot' if you will of my incremental mods. As Listening, Adjusting, Listing, Adjusting is great but can be tricky when said ears are tired, or even the mood of the listener effecting how things are sounding,
 
Quote:

@OP: Audio technica also makes some good mics for measuring headphones. You might even want to send a letter to inner fidelity and see what they use and see if they can't get you any advice.

 
That's a good idea. I think I will send them an email. So How are other DIY headphone builders on Head-fi measuring their work?

 

[MuZo2]

Check for panasonic 61a microphone capsules, they are widely used in DIY speaker measurements. You will have to do some soldering and also create a phantom powersupply. They have quiet flat frequency response.

 

[jacobgolden]

Good tip thanks I'm gonna order a pair of those.
 

 

[Tjj226 Angel]

Hey, I don't mean to thread jack here, but those microphones look like they would come in handy for my project as well. Can someone provide more info on the phantom PSU. and how to make one.