[Budgie]

They are starting to look quite interesting. Sort of a industrial Mad Max look to them. When can I order a set?

 

[setmenu]

Hehe.
I look forward to the day when I can think:

'Now I can concentrate on styling'.

Setmenu

 

[KR...]

yeah! But they look better now, but what will happen when it 100% done?

Ever thought about maybe selling the design to a company if it ends up being really great, since your design is the 1st of it's kind I belive?

 

[setmenu]

KR
First of their Kind?
Well I have not seen this exact layout before myself but ribbon
drivers or planars are not new so I have no idea where that puts
these.
Also I suppose they are in the public domain now,in the
sense there are at least pictures of the drivers.
In terms of commercial value they have a lot against them in manufacturing costs,efficiency etc.
I think the conventional dynamic will rule the roost for some time there.
And in my view for absolute fine precision electrostatics seem to have that one sewn up.

I know there are a number of 'novel' designs out there i.e.
things such as the AKG 1000 and the Ergo heil motion driver phones.
I cannot think of any current planar designs though.
Planars seemed to have had their boom time in 70s and early 80s.

I do have a pair of old wharfdale isodynamics from the 70s and also recently obtained a pair of Yamaha HP2s for comparison to
my own designs.

I suppose my inspiration for doing the ribbons where the wharfdales as I inherited these from my Father and they were my
first proper phone.
I liked them a lot and when the time came to replace them the only headphone that seemed to provide a similar buzz were the
Stax lambdas ...I have been a Stax junkie ever since!

Wishing for a little more bass slam at times coupled with the clarity of electrostatics got me interested in ribbons as I had
heard these transducers in speakers[and generally read good things about them] .

Thus far my phones do have their own distinct character similar to
planar wharfdales[minus their ear side perforated baffle]but
with more slam and natural mids.
They sound dissimilar to the Yams though.

Would I like to manufacture some salable versions?
I do dream of it but I set my sights high[as does the audio world]
and I am not sure yet how far I can practically go with this design.
It does have it's issues so I am not sure how clinical I could
get the things to perform in lab tests.
Sound wise though they can sound even at this stage very nice.
I am used to my Staxs and Beyer Dt931s as reference with their
inherent well lit top ends,which I love.
My phones seem to have a more neutral sound in that area,though I would like more light at times [recording dependent I suppose]but on the whole I am happy.

So on the selling front if I were to do something it would , by my present thinking have to be by way of some exotic limited edition thing using my sculptural skills to make some sort of yummy total package.
After-all art is my profession not audio!

I am kind of embarrassed by even admitting that I would consider
these ending up good enough to sell!

Well I have rambled enough here and will probably cringe at what I have said later.


Cheers

Setmenu

Team ribbon anyone?

 

[setmenu]

I am listening to another pair right now with revised ribbon
tension,through a borrowed Rega elicit integrated amp.

Setmenu

 

[freethetree]

Holy **** thats hot, I gotta bookmark this thread.

setmenu, you are a pimp.

 

[Joe Bloggs]

Ya know, I think Magicthyse would have to cover himself in a coffin before ever touching these phones...

But you are still my hero

Joe

 

[setmenu]

I could chrome them and add red velvet pads..............
mmm could be best suited for a pimp then eh

Setmenu

 

[ServinginEcuador]

Enjoyed reading this thread about your pioneering efforts setmenu!! To produce your own design in a set of headphones is quite a feat. Not many people can say they designed their own headphones, much less something as interesting and innovative as these are!!!

Please keep us posting after a time of listening to them and let us know your thoughts then. And let us know about the MkIIB!!!!

 

[setmenu]

ServinginEcuador
Thank you for your kind comments , I think most people around me think I am rather eccentric[Mad?] undertaking this project.

A MK2b has been made and is the model I am currently evaluating,the revised pole pieces certainly make installing the ribbons easier!
Sonicaly the reduced ribbon tension has been interesting in the way various peaks and troughs have been moved around.
I feel the sound is more neutral now at the expense of a little reduced forwardness but adding a more open and cleaner feel to
sound.
Spending time changing ear pad shape has brought back an element of the forwardness that appealed on the first whilst
maintaining openness and clarity [somewhat like the way stax angle their transducers] giving a Little lift at the relevant frequency again giving the sound an uncanny Stax feel at those frequency's, these things are subtle though.



This project is very interesting and great fun and frustrating in
equal measure.
At the start I was happy just to have had made a pair of things
that made a passable representation of music.
I then wondered how much difference X change would make,
and now I have something that sounds so nice I just have to go
on with it

.
And OH boy that next stage is going to cost!
I need to develop my own diaphragm laminate/material so I can
optimize those resonance characteristics as the polyimide copper
laminates are just too springy.
Even though I believe there is some greater improvements to be
had using my existing materials I cant get away from the feeling
that 'custom' is the way to go.

Still I am now enjoying them equally[well almost] with my Stax setup and have added a couple of truly unique nice sounding phones to my headphone collection.
I think for now this will have to do, as I have run out of
budget for the time being.
Though i do have another set of parts so another tweaked pair
is in the offing but no MK3s for a while

.



Setmenu

Team thingy

 

[kerelybonto]

Setmenu, looks like things are coming along amazingly well. This has to be the coolest DIY audio project ever.

Keep updating us. ...

kerely

 

[Onix]

I really like the way they are starting to look. Would it be rude of me if I ask you how much have you spent on this proyect? Just a round number.

 

[setmenu]

Hi Onix
Over £1000 by now.
I am quite happy with the results[and fun value] considering the amount spent but the next round of ribbbon development is going to up that somewhat.[whenever that happens!]

Setmenu

 

[ServinginEcuador]

Thanks again SetMenu!!! Like many here I am living vicariously thru your posts just thinking about what it would be like to design and build my own headphones that were ribbons!! I pray that these will raise so much curiosity that they become marketable and you are richly rewarded for your efforts. I know those who would purchase them shall be rewarded with the sonic delights they will bring!!

Keep plodding away and making improvements, just make sure to keep us informed as you go!!!

 

[setmenu]

ServinginEcuador
your Comments humble me

thanks.
Being of artistic temperament,I find that I veer from being very
pleased with these to being quite despondent from one moment
to the next[something no doubt common with designers of all
kinds of things!].
I do curse myself for having gotten started on this project at times
so encouragement such as you have provided does lift the mood
at times.
My next ribbon mods are are going to cost some £300-£400 ugh.
But I do need to make these first though before even considering
the new materials.

For the time being though I MUST step back a little to allow the
wallet and ears to recover!
It's gonna be difficult

.

Hopefully I am going to be able to take these phones out of their/my goldfish bowl this week and present them to my friendly
'HI FI' dealer for an audition,that should be interesting as they
do need some objective evaluation!
I will report back on his comments,good and bad.
Cheers

Setmenu