[lear-hk]

Back then, people didn’t know that earphones wires can be changed.
By then more wires are available, people realise there’s a lot of fun in it.
Nowadays, people prefer high-end earphones with changeable wire.
Revolution comes fast, here are the earphones with a tuning knob!
 
There are a lot of enquiries to LEAR’s tuning knob, but are not sure about its use. Therefore, Tatco has provided this demo for you all.
 

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The tuning knob idea comes from Sennheiser IE8 & IE80’s manual bass response tuning function. Similar design can be found in ASG 2 & 2.5, which makes earphones more personal.
The benefit of the tuning knob is that it doesn’t affect the earphone’s electrical characteristics such as impedance, or sensitivity , etc.
 
However, its complex structure, low stability, and difficulty in installing would result in a difference between the two ends of the earphones.
 
Since 2012, Tatco has been researching on the design (patent pending) in which the first LEAR BD4.2 with a tuning knob design based on a variable resistor has been released in 2014 (http://www.lear-eshop.com/products/55575cd9e37ec6ae2a000015).
 

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The benefit of using a variable resistor is its stability and variety on the design. The design can be applied into any earphones, resulting a series of different tuning.
 
Most importantly, LEAR’s design does not limit to a single tuning knob but over one knob when needed.
 

A special made 2 tuning knobs design​

 
 
Undoubtedly, the variable resistor would affect the impedance and sensitivity of the earphones. However, this can be avoided with calculations and design.
 
Recently, we have popularised the design on reshelling earphones, so that everyone can enjoy the benefits of personalised characteristics of tuning knob.
 

A  reshelled SONY XBA4  + additional bass dynamic driver + bass tuning knob​

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A reshelled Ultimate ears UE900 + additional bass dynamic driver + bass tuning knob at universal fit design​

 
Some might think that the additional fee for a tuning knob is a lot, but it ain’t much when you think of the cost compared with a new cable!
This a more cost effective way to tune a pair of earphones than having another pair of cable! Ain’t this solution too good to be true?
 
Earphones are better with personalisation!
 
The revolution is coming!

 

[lear-hk]

Earphones with Customised Tuning! (Cont’d)
 
This article further gives a deeper discussion on the development of the earphones industry.
The last article focuses on the earphone’s tuning knob, varying from acoustical design, to electronic design. However, similar designs focus on the lower frequencies of the earphones while the higher frequencies remain unchanged.
 
The fact is, a louder the lower frequencies results in less higher frequencies, vice versa. Therefore, tuning the low frequencies is a very effective way of tuning the whole character of the earphones!
 
Some might immediately relate, that tuning the high frequencies affect the whole tuning as well?
The answer is: definitely! We will focus on tuning the earphones’ characteristics through changing the high frequencies.
 
From Tatco’s memory, there’s a pair of earphones, Sleek SA6 , with similar personalisation tuning function back in 2007. Sa6 was a pioneer to such kind of earphones, its parts can be modified upon your will.
 

SLEEK SA6

 
 
Later, Japanese brand Pioneer released similar “changeable tube” earphones - CLX9 :
 

 
 
 
then later AKG’s K3003 :
 

 
Shure’s SE846 :
 

 
and RHA T10 :
 

 
 
All tonality change of the earphones mentioned above are done by changing configurations, or tubing in order to control the higher frequencies, hence the tonality.
The advantage of it is its easiness, but since they’re all fixed tuning they don’t offer much variety. Users can't get somewhere in between the two tuning offered, that this became its greatest disadvantage.
Not to mention that it requires dissemble and assemble overtime you tune it.
The flexibility of these kind of earphones seem to be limited.
 
Thanks for reading!

 

[B9Scrambler]

Nice post, and an interesting read. Those poor XBA4 shells took a beating, lol.

 

[macbug]

I think the JH Roxanne has an interesting bass tuning knob on the cable itself that might be worth mentioning, not sure if that works the same way you guys did your tuning knob

 

[lear-hk]

I think the JH Roxanne has an interesting bass tuning knob on the cable itself that might be worth mentioning, not sure if that works the same way you guys did your tuning knob

 
As the topic is focusing on the tuning design which built on the earphone's body, so that the tuning design on the cable is out of the discussion this time.
By the way, the bass tuning knob on the JH's cable is really an interesting and clever design for sure!

 

[Strumento]

 
Most importantly, LEAR’s design does not limit to a single tuning knob but over one knob when needed.
 

A special made 2 tuning knobs design​

 
 
 

 
What are the benefits of having an additional tuning knob? Is it for the mid to high frequencies adjustment?  So the knobs are like a physical EQ?

 

[lear-hk]

   
What are the benefits of having an additional tuning knob? Is it for the mid to high frequencies adjustment?  So the knobs are like a physical EQ?

If you are talking about LEAR's design, it will depend on our specific design.
 
If the tuning knob is using for controlling the specific driver unit, it will work like a volume control.
if the tuning knob is interacting with the overall crossover, it will work like EQ as well.
There are still a lot of possible variation by the way.

 

[Strumento]

So is there a knob design for controlling the vent hole size as well other than the variable resistor? Or is the vent hole a complete misconception.

 

[lear-hk]

So is there a knob design for controlling the vent hole size as well other than the variable resistor? Or is the vent hole a complete misconception.

 
The knob of LEAR's design is actually a variable resistor.
The vent hole is not related to the knob by the way.