Stuff Jones
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Just been using them indoors with foams. I don't think my ears are too wet!
Earbuds Round-Up
- Thread starter ClieOS
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Just been using them indoors with foams. I don't think my ears are too wet!
JAnonymous5150
Headphoneus Supremus
I just got a major op amp delivery today. My orders from Burson and DigiKey arrived on the same day. This weekend is the first weekend I'm gonna have some DIY fun swapping some op amps, making a couple new cables, and I'm going to make my first serious attempt at making and tuning my own pair of earbuds.
I'll be using the same copper shells that NSC Audio used on the 80ohm LCPs that I love so much because they fit like a glove. If I was shooting for high detail retrieval with slight elevation of the bass and good treble extension with a resistance of 300ohms or less, what driver would my DIYer friends out there recommend I start with? I should add that the bass should be fast, detailed, and articulate in the end bud so I'm looking for the best driver to start with to achieve those results. I'm talking to you @Ronion , @FranQL , @jeejack , @o0genesis0o , @samandhi and all you other guys that pop on here from time to time and discuss drivers.
I'm open to any and all suggestions!
I'll be using the same copper shells that NSC Audio used on the 80ohm LCPs that I love so much because they fit like a glove. If I was shooting for high detail retrieval with slight elevation of the bass and good treble extension with a resistance of 300ohms or less, what driver would my DIYer friends out there recommend I start with? I should add that the bass should be fast, detailed, and articulate in the end bud so I'm looking for the best driver to start with to achieve those results. I'm talking to you @Ronion , @FranQL , @jeejack , @o0genesis0o , @samandhi and all you other guys that pop on here from time to time and discuss drivers.
I'm open to any and all suggestions!
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KokushiTsumo
100+ Head-Fier
Can you buy just the driver or do you need to get the bud along with it?
It just seems to have it all. It is a very good quality driver, is versatile, with good technicalities, and great (and fast) bass. Plus, it has the benefits of a high impedance driver without being so high that you can't drive it from a lower end source.
Now, as for tuning/creating, I haven't made any DIY (hope that doesn't disqualify me), but I have the M2s Pro 150Ti, M4 150Ti, ST10S B&G 150Ti, and the FQL Grand Finale 150Ti, so I do have a bit of knowledge of their sound with differing shells.
If you are talking about the Smabat driver, if you can find it (is discontinued now) the driver for the M2s Pro just needs the connector desoldered. But with the new M4, you might need to do a little more "surgery" on it to get it out of the case they put it in.
Edit: To answer your question, yes you can buy it separately (sort of, as you see from my above response) hehe
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JAnonymous5150
Headphoneus Supremus
Has anyone tried the jcally EP09? It looks like they're trying to compete with the TRN EMA and the whole bery driver plus detachable cable build has me interested at least.
drewbadour
100+ Head-Fier
Is this the NSC 80ohm you like? Link
Already ordered some drivers (32BG, 150BG, and 32KAPH) to learn how to DIY on but also interested in trying out a bunch of other driver types.
What are the characteristics of the 80LCP btw?
drewbadour
100+ Head-Fier
Is it possible to obtain the drivers by themselves? Would be curious to play around with it
o0genesis0o
Headphoneus Supremus
You mean this 64ohm driver?
AU $19.72 38％ Off | 15.4MM 64 Ohm Composited Titanium Headphone Drivers Flat Headphone DIY for MX500 Speaker Unit 120dB/W
https://a.aliexpress.com/_m0iR1He
I would be disappointed quite a bit if this is already “high detail retrieval” amongst DIY drivers. Please tell me higher impedance drivers are better
@JAnonymous5150 I have tried 3 drivers (2 from NCS store). The 150ohm bass driver is cheap, cheery, alright.
Same is the case with the 64ohm Ti comp: Quite okay in stock form, but the soundstage is not widest (still deep, though). The 64ohm has quite modest ear gain, so as soon as you drill any bass hole, it would become boxy and muddy. The trick that I used in the end is reducing the air going though the back of the driver to drop the mid bass. Now, it sounds tight and clear with large soundstage, but the bass is not inspiring. I think I have over dampened the drivers.
The last drivers I have used are salvaged from Nicehck YD30. These are midcentric with decent technical performance. Think of an Etymotic ER2XR but with soundstage. The drivers sound metallic in the stock MX500 shell, though.
So, sorry mate, nothing in particular to recommend
waynes world
Headphoneus Supremus
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Whoa! Even though it's not typicially in my lane, great stuff! Here's an interesting review:
https://progreport.com/charlie-griffiths-tiktaalika-album-review/
I was assuming (hoping) that my ST10S B&G 150's had the "Ti" drivers, but I wasn't 100% sure. But, you did a nice job of answering that for me. Thanks!
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Ronion
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The SMABAT 150ti is the only one I know of but the 130Be isn’t bad. With that shell, I wouldn’t know what to expect, but I’d sure like to hear your impressions.
JAnonymous5150
Headphoneus Supremus
That's the one! It has very good punchy quality to it. The low end reaches nice and deep and remains snappy and articulate. The mids are linear with no emphasis high or low and they have this nice smooth, but detailed presentation going on. The highs extend pretty well and give your cymbals plenty of splash while avoiding sibilance and maintaining that smoothness carried over from the mids.
Basically they just have a nice balanced character with plenty of energy and character and they don't have any major flaws. You can listen to almost anything on them and it sounds pleasing. For what they cost, therer aren't many buds offering that kind of cohesive tuning and versatility, IME. I find myself reaching for them surprisingly often given how many standout buds I have in my collection.
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