[pinya]

Hello. I'm thinking of trying DIY, and I'm choosing the parts and tools.

I will be a trial and error for the location and size of the back hole,
but it is difficult to remove the cable each time and solder it again again again..

I would like to know how you all do it.
Thanks

 

[Hien80]

Keo xanh 150 ohm và Lcp 80 ohm, dây đồng mạ bạc

 

[mt877]

Today's fun build:

What is it...? PK chrome plated copper 14.8mm shell with MMCX connector, Yuin PK2 Pro 14.8mm 32Ω driver and 3.5mm MMCX 8 Strand Copper Silver Plated Headphone Cable.

So you want to build one for yourself? Go shopping...

Pure copper PK 14.8mm MMCX shell

Yuin PK2 PRO 14.8MM 32Ω speaker

3.5mm MMCX 8 Strand Copper Silver Plated Headphone Cable

High Density Tuning Cotton (foam) horseshoe Pad

Tips: The driver has an open mesh ring used for tuning in a normal plastic PK shell. Do not remove the mesh ring. Apply the high density horseshoe foam with the center of the horseshoe at the top of the driver. That will leave a gap at the bottom of the driver leaving a couple holes and the voice coil uncovered by the tuning foam. If you don't use the high density foam the bass will be thin, with the tuning foam you'll have good bass.

The metal shells I received did not include the short wires needed to solder onto the female MMCX connectors. I had some old earbud cable which I cut x2 1.5 inches (40mm) for each shell. Then I stripped the outer cable jacket and used the 2 inside wires for the MMCX connectors. Red and copper color for right side, green and copper color for the left side. If you order the shells from chitty's store, maybe leave a note with the order asking if they include the short wires for the MMCX connectors. Maybe they just forgot to include them with the shells when I bought them(?).

The earbud foams you use will also affect the sound, so with the base tuning set, use earbuds foams for a little fine tuning.

Have fun and enjoy your own DIY PK Metal MMCX buds!

Share your builds and let's enjoy some homespun buds.

 

[mt877]

Hello. I'm thinking of trying DIY, and I'm choosing the parts and tools.

I will be a trial and error for the location and size of the back hole,
but it is difficult to remove the cable each time and solder it again again again..

I would like to know how you all do it.
Thanks

You can visit: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/0/d/1PRXhXgAr8N-EiNk3K9Cuqd36LeS5JB7ZuFDAgJbTCm8/htmlview#

Then click on "Intermediate" tab for instruction and example.

 

[pinya]

You can visit: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/0/d/1PRXhXgAr8N-EiNk3K9Cuqd36LeS5JB7ZuFDAgJbTCm8/htmlview#

Then click on "Intermediate" tab for instruction and example.

Thank you! That guide will help me.

After following this guide, drilling holes and actually setting them in my ears to check the sound quality,
Open the shell again. Then, depending on the location of the holes, remove the wires from the driver.
Then adjust the holes and solder again.

This is tedious and puts a lot of stress on the driver.
How do you guys solve these trial and error? I wanted to know.

Because I don't know how the holes and pressure will affect it, and I expect it will take a lot of try

Thanks

 

[mt877]

Thank you! That guide will help me.

After following this guide, drilling holes and actually setting them in my ears to check the sound quality,
Open the shell again. Then, depending on the location of the holes, remove the wires from the driver.
Then adjust the holes and solder again.

This is tedious and puts a lot of stress on the driver.
How do you guys solve these trial and error? I wanted to know.

Because I don't know how the holes and pressure will affect it, and I expect it will take a lot of try

Thanks

I have not tried this modification, but if you are using mx500 shell you should be able to leave the driver attached to the cable. The cable should pull through the shell unless you are using a thick cable(?). Then I think you can hold or tape the cable away from the drill bit. The mx500 shell plastic is pretty soft, so you can just hold the drill bit with your fingers and twist to cut a hole. There is a tool called a Pin Vise Drill which allows you to manually twist a drill bit with more control.

Here is a picture:

 

[pinya]

I have not tried this modification, but if you are using mx500 shell you should be able to leave the driver attached to the cable. The cable should pull through the shell unless you are using a thick cable(?). Then I think you can hold or tape the cable away from the drill bit. The mx500 shell plastic is pretty soft, so you can just hold the drill bit with your fingers and twist to cut a hole. There is a tool called a Pin Vice Drill which allows you to manually twist a drill bit with more control.

Here is a picture:

Thank you, I understand. Buy this tool and try it!

 

[Touchowl]

Are there any good drivers at 13-14mm? Tried a 13mm biocellulose from Ali and they were a total bust, but that size seems ideal comfort wise if my E888 is anything to go off

 

[zie5522]

Anyone have tried huayunxin blue and or black 80ohm driver?

 

[Braekfast]

I was kindly reminded that this thread exists in the earbud round-up thread.

These past few months I've had fun tinkering with my diy earbuds using the 32 red dot and 150 blue glue drivers. The 150bg have seen the most usage, since I find them to be more detailed and overall better than the 32 red dot. It's been a pretty enjoyable experience. I'm sure my humble 150bg drivers are nowhere near the ToTL buds from DIY'ers that know what they're doing or from established companies, but there's something nice about using something you've put together yourself.

Now I've been going through the older posts here because, as is typical in this hobby I suppose, I want to try something different. And it seems the 80ohm LCP's from NSC (aliexpress.com/item/1005004259413385.html) have gotten some good reviews here. Is there anyone here who has heard both those and the 150gb who could describe how they compare to eachother?
I've also seen these drivers that are also 80ohm LCP, but from a different company. Not sure how those compare.: aliexpress.com/item/1005004966225519.html

If anyone has some recommendations for other drivers (or earbuds), I'm all ears. I'm really looking for something that is a bit generalist. Something that you can throw any genre at and have sound good. Only real requirement is that it can run from a usb-c dongle, so no 300-600ohm high impedance beasts.

I'd like to try my hand at using some mmcx shells like these for 2-3 earbuds, to switch things up a little from all the mx500 shells I've found:
aliexpress.com/item/1005004034719951.html ; aliexpress.com/item/1005004043500807.html ; aliexpress.com/item/1005004043572394.html ;
I've seen in this thread that some of you have used the wooden shells and the metal open-backed shells in builds before. Would you say they are good alternative to the regular mx500 shells? Do they drastically impact tuning?

 

[Stevehamny]

I was kindly reminded that this thread exists in the earbud round-up thread.

These past few months I've had fun tinkering with my diy earbuds using the 32 red dot and 150 blue glue drivers. The 150bg have seen the most usage, since I find them to be more detailed and overall better than the 32 red dot. It's been a pretty enjoyable experience. I'm sure my humble 150bg drivers are nowhere near the ToTL buds from DIY'ers that know what they're doing or from established companies, but there's something nice about using something you've put together yourself.

Now I've been going through the older posts here because, as is typical in this hobby I suppose, I want to try something different. And it seems the 80ohm LCP's from NSC (aliexpress.com/item/1005004259413385.html) have gotten some good reviews here. Is there anyone here who has heard both those and the 150gb who could describe how they compare to eachother?
I've also seen these drivers that are also 80ohm LCP, but from a different company. Not sure how those compare.: aliexpress.com/item/1005004966225519.html

If anyone has some recommendations for other drivers (or earbuds), I'm all ears. I'm really looking for something that is a bit generalist. Something that you can throw any genre at and have sound good. Only real requirement is that it can run from a usb-c dongle, so no 300-600ohm high impedance beasts.

I'd like to try my hand at using some mmcx shells like these for 2-3 earbuds, to switch things up a little from all the mx500 shells I've found:
aliexpress.com/item/1005004034719951.html ; aliexpress.com/item/1005004043500807.html ; aliexpress.com/item/1005004043572394.html ;
I've seen in this thread that some of you have used the wooden shells and the metal open-backed shells in builds before. Would you say they are good alternative to the regular mx500 shells? Do they drastically impact tuning?

Braekfast,

I have hardly any authority to answer your questions as I'm just as new to DIY (if not newer). For your questions about the alternate shells, in particular, I'll be looking forward to the answers just as much as you are when one or more of the experts chime in here.

But I will say that, after making half a dozen buds, I happened to see the excellent post from @biocomplex a few pages up, and this was the driver at the very top of the list:

...

My current favorite is

15.4MM 64 Ohm Composited Titanium Headphone Drivers Flat Headphone DIY for MX500 Speaker Unit 120dB/W​

can be found at https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004043819762.html

They have most balanced and melodic sound signature of all that will talk about latter. Lows are good, at the point that they literally do have bass compared to a competition. mids and highs are there were you want them to be without disturbing peaks or unnecessary sinking. ...

I bought one and the result was truly impressive, better than anything else I've made (again, admittedly not that many). I've made 3-4 of them now, in fact, just to try out different tunings (and to give a couple away as gifts). If you happen to try it, I'd be very interested to hear your impressions! (And what steps you take to tune it.)

 

[Braekfast]

Braekfast,

I have hardly any authority to answer your questions as I'm just as new to DIY (if not newer). For your questions about the alternate shells, in particular, I'll be looking forward to the answers just as much as you are when one or more of the experts chime in here.

But I will say that, after making half a dozen buds, I happened to see the excellent post from @biocomplex a few pages up, and this was the driver at the very top of the list:



I bought one and the result was truly impressive, better than anything else I've made (again, admittedly not that many). I've made 3-4 of them now, in fact, just to try out different tunings (and to give a couple away as gifts). If you happen to try it, I'd be very interested to hear your impressions! (And what steps you take to tune it.)

Hey, thanks for your reply. You know, I vaguely remember looking at those 64ohm Composited Titanium drivers a whole while back when I purchased my first parts, but I didn't end up ordering them for whatever reason. Maybe I'll order them this time, though I wonder if they're sufficiently different from the ones I've already had (150glue glue, 64ohm blue dot, 32ohm red dot) to warrant the asking price.

Out of curiosity, what are the other drivers you've made buds with? And did you make them in the regular MX500 plastic shells, or did you also use those wooden shells from Biocomplex's post? I'd be interested to hear your comparison.

 

[Stevehamny]

Hey, thanks for your reply. You know, I vaguely remember looking at those 64ohm Composited Titanium drivers a whole while back when I purchased my first parts, but I didn't end up ordering them for whatever reason. Maybe I'll order them this time, though I wonder if they're sufficiently different from the ones I've already had (150glue glue, 64ohm blue dot, 32ohm red dot) to warrant the asking price.

Out of curiosity, what are the other drivers you've made buds with? And did you make them in the regular MX500 plastic shells, or did you also use those wooden shells from Biocomplex's post? I'd be interested to hear your comparison.

Braekfast,

These are the drivers that I played with prior to the 64Ohm Comp Ti:

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256803038841161.html
https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256804840676782.html
https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256803857529689.html
https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256803857532661.html
https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256803840251896.html

I'm not so good at recognizing them by the "glue" or the "dot" or whatever. And again, while I'm disclaiming, let me repeat that I am very much at the beginning of the DIY hobby, having learned to solder and add/remove tuning horseshoes to/from drivers and shell and that's about it! (Others here may remember me as the "dog ate my earbuds" guy, and after replacing the cable I got the urge to try some buds from scratch.)

I'm sure I haven't tuned any of these to their full potential, but when I did try the Comp Ti (https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256803857505010.html), based on the recommendation from @biocomplex, it was immediately a step above to my ears. And in fact, when I performed the simple acts of a) removing the horseshoe from the driver and b) putting a medium foam horseshoe on the MX500 shell, it was quite amazing. That's $20 of material (driver with shells plus cable) and 20 minutes of time, and I swear it sounded better to me than any commercial bud I'd ever heard. Emphasis on "commercial" because I have a Riku Archer and a TGX Serratus and I'm not talking about those. But better than the Monk+, Qian39, X6, PT2021, Faaeal Rosemary, and (here's where I go out on a limb), the Fiio FF3. Even going bass-to-bass against the FF3, to my ears it's not even close.

(To. My. Ears.)

It is a darker bud than most (as you'd expect if it outbasses the FF3 for me), and maybe I just learned that I like darker more than I thought. But no matter what, it's one of only three buds (with the Riku and Serratus) that I listen to regularly. The low notes on a piano are particularly great.

To answer your question about the wooden shells, I did try these (https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256803848420705.html) with the same driver. I wasn't as happy with the results, but then I tried drilling small holes for more ventilation. A definite improvement, but there are probably more steps I can take to get even more out of them. That's why I was so interested in your original post, because there are some people here who know WAY more than I ever will and I was waiting to hear their advice.

In summary: Try the Comp Ti's!

And I'm looking forward to hearing more from you and everyone else here!

 

[jeejack]

Braekfast,

These are the drivers that I played with prior to the 64Ohm Comp Ti:

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256803038841161.html
https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256804840676782.html
https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256803857529689.html
https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256803857532661.html
https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256803840251896.html

I'm not so good at recognizing them by the "glue" or the "dot" or whatever. And again, while I'm disclaiming, let me repeat that I am very much at the beginning of the DIY hobby, having learned to solder and add/remove tuning horseshoes to/from drivers and shell and that's about it! (Others here may remember me as the "dog ate my earbuds" guy, and after replacing the cable I got the urge to try some buds from scratch.)

I'm sure I haven't tuned any of these to their full potential, but when I did try the Comp Ti (https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256803857505010.html), based on the recommendation from @biocomplex, it was immediately a step above to my ears. And in fact, when I performed the simple acts of a) removing the horseshoe from the driver and b) putting a medium foam horseshoe on the MX500 shell, it was quite amazing. That's $20 of material (driver with shells plus cable) and 20 minutes of time, and I swear it sounded better to me than any commercial bud I'd ever heard. Emphasis on "commercial" because I have a Riku Archer and a TGX Serratus and I'm not talking about those. But better than the Monk+, Qian39, X6, PT2021, Faaeal Rosemary, and (here's where I go out on a limb), the Fiio FF3. Even going bass-to-bass against the FF3, to my ears it's not even close.

(To. My. Ears.)

It is a darker bud than most (as you'd expect if it outbasses the FF3 for me), and maybe I just learned that I like darker more than I thought. But no matter what, it's one of only three buds (with the Riku and Serratus) that I listen to regularly. The low notes on a piano are particularly great.

To answer your question about the wooden shells, I did try these (https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256803848420705.html) with the same driver. I wasn't as happy with the results, but then I tried drilling small holes for more ventilation. A definite improvement, but there are probably more steps I can take to get even more out of them. That's why I was so interested in your original post, because there are some people here who know WAY more than I ever will and I was waiting to hear their advice.

In summary: Try the Comp Ti's!

And I'm looking forward to hearing more from you and everyone else here!

How do you like the 32 ohm beryllium composite drivers?
For a dark/warm sound signature 64 comp TI are a very good choice

 

[Stevehamny]

How do you like the 32 ohm beryllium composite drivers?
For a dark/warm sound signature 64 comp TI are a very good choice

Just tried those again to remind myself, and they're solid! I'm definitely a timbre-head, though, especially with violins, and the 64Ohm Comp Ti (for all its darkness) still manages to make the violins sound slightly more pure to me.

One interesting thing I noticed with the higher-impedance drivers I tried (130, 150, 500) was that they all sounded significantly more "distant," i.e. like I'm sitting in the very back row of the auditorium. Of course, there's a very good chance I'm just not tuning them correctly with my limited beginner skillset. I know that every driver type will be a little different, but is there a general fix to help move you closer to the music?