[piotrus-g]

Anyone can guess why shure chose to use two 2.2 microF caps in parallel instead of a single 4.7 microF in the external crossover for the E5?

Surely the precision cannot be that important ?

Shure has specified that the e5 is crossed over at 2.5 kHz on their website. Interesting that they specify such data.

2x 2.2uF could be cheaper than one 4.7uF?

 

[roughington]

It could also have to do with tolerances too, one could be -4% and the other +3% or something and it would work out a lot nicer than a 4.7 -5%, because I doubt they are testing every cap and resistor they use at the scale they are producing at for most of their line, or they really want 4.4uF rather than 4.7uF

 

[raptor18]

Since the crossover is external, it can also be a "cool factor" with many electrical components
 
And by the way:
 
http://shure.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/3256/~/crossover-frequency-of-e5-earphones
 
Crossover at 2,5 khz, which i also calculated (if the caps are in parallel, which i think they are)
 
But 2,5 khz??? Seriously???
 

 

[Silverprout]

Anyone can guess why shure chose to use two 2.2 microF caps in parallel instead of a single 4.7 microF in the external crossover for the E5?

Surely the precision cannot be that important ?

Shure has specified that the e5 is crossed over at 2.5 kHz on their website. Interesting that they specify such data.

 
Hello,
Are you sure that they are in parallel ?
 
It looks like serial polarized capacitors... 1.1µF

 

[omgflyingbanana]

I know everyone here is all about dropping hundreds of dollars on multiple BAs, but has anyone tried dynamic drivers from Aliexpress? Link to a general search: http://www.aliexpress.com/wholesale?catId=0&initiative_id=SB_20160328135601&SearchText=speaker+headphone

 

[omgflyingbanana]

Also, if anyone needs acoustic tubing, I think teflon tubing will work quite well in a pinch. Here's an Aliexpress link, I think 1.75mm will work great:

 

[omgflyingbanana]

Sorry for the triple post, but I just want to share some info. I've had trouble looking up parts in Aliexpress, which is frustrating since Aliexpress contains a huge amount of easily available IEM parts.

Shells

Someone mentioned they could only find shells that were $38. That's because he searched up "IEM shell". The trick here is to search earphone shell or variants such as earphone shells, headphone shell, etc.

Dynamic Drivers

Too many times have I searched up "Earphone/IEM driver" only to find actual IEMs with things such as "dual driver" in the title. The trick here is to search up speaker headphone, in that exact order. Not "headphone speaker", "earphone speaker", etc.

Cables

Again, I was frustrated because searching up "headphone cable" would result in aux cords and searching up "earphone cable" or "MMCX cable" would result in actual IEMs or wrong cables. The trick is to search up shure cable. I know, it's stupid, but all the sellers like putting a brand in the title. For the TF10 (2 pin connector) cables, I can't really find a reliable search term (Vibro Lab's $25 cable is the best anyway).

Tips

The easiest of all, simply looking up eartips will get you plenty of results. PLEASE NOTE THE SIZE OF THE TIPS, most of the tips on Aliexpress have an inner diameter of around 4-5mm, so it will not work on thin nozzles like Shure's. Also, don't bother searching up "triple flange", just scroll down on the "eartips" search page.

Acoustic tubing

If you search up any sort of tubing IN GENERAL, Aliexpress will give you heat-shrink tubing. The trick is to look up teflon tubing. While these are more rigid, they are extremely inexpensive and will work well. Make sure to note the proper diameter first.

Need more?

A SUPER USEFUL TIP is to add the word "diy" in your search term. Almost every single IEM part I've found had the word "diy" in the title, so if you find yourself with bad results try adding "diy" in your query".

Some thoughts

Needless to say, it is completely possible to make a complete IEM using only Aliexpress. At these cheap price points, I'd say give it a go if you want to try something new.

 

[raptor18]

If i have a driver with an impedance of 10 ohms. What is my final impedance for the whole setup (left and right)? 20 ohms? What does the amplifier "see"? How do manufacturers specify impedance?
 

 

[piotrus-g]

  If i have a driver with an impedance of 10 ohms. What is my final impedance for the whole setup (left and right)? 20 ohms? What does the amplifier "see"? How do manufacturers specify impedance?
 

depends on impedance vs freq curve
Amplifier will see impedance of (driver1+driver2)/2 as they are driven in parallel so essentailly you can take impedance of one driver.

 

[Furco]

Glad to see the veterans keeping this forum alive and well. I haven't been reading for a while and just got caught up. Some classic questions keep popping up and some new ones are asked. I think that's awesome.

Cheers!

 

[raptor18]

Thank you Piotr and i fully agree Furco, you learn a lot from the masters.
I hope to become an expert myself in the future. I'm also doing this to learn more about electronics, so i want to learn everything about how the drivers work electrically, so i need to learn how amps work too.
 
Which is the best way to extend high frequencies, create a horn like 1.5 mm->2 mm->2.5 mm ID or stay all the way at 2.5 mm?

 

[RenaGuil94]

Anyone know where to get those metallic sound resonators (titanium sound tube etc?)

 

[ForceMajeure]

  Thank you Piotr and i fully agree Furco, you learn a lot from the masters.
I hope to become an expert myself in the future. I'm also doing this to learn more about electronics, so i want to learn everything about how the drivers work electrically, so i need to learn how amps work too.
 
Which is the best way to extend high frequencies, create a horn like 1.5 mm->2 mm->2.5 mm ID or stay all the way at 2.5 mm?

Using a horn should extend the higher register and also smooth out some peaks along the way. The problem is that everyone's ear canals is different and for some it might actually be to aggressive or accentuates peaks on the spectrum for a certain person. You wouldn't believe how much the ear canal shape affect mids and trebles perception (it is common to not be symmetrical for one person then the brain kinda helps out rectifying the asymmetry).
 
The best way to know if it suits you is to test it yourself, DIY's advantage
 
One way of making a horn shape canal is to make it within the shells canal like Vision ears/Rhines/Jomoaudio...

 

[raptor18]

  Using a horn should extend the higher register and also smooth out some peaks along the way. The problem is that everyone's ear canals is different and for some it might actually be to aggressive or accentuates peaks on the spectrum for a certain person. You wouldn't believe how much the ear canal shape affect mids and trebles perception (it is common to not be symmetrical for one person then the brain kinda helps out rectifying the asymmetry).
 
The best way to know if it suits you is to test it yourself, DIY's advantage
 
One way of making a horn shape canal is to make it within the shells canal like Vision ears/Rhines/Jomoaudio...

 
I think i understand what you mean.
Do you mean to drill the shell for the sound tubes with a cone drill? And then just place the sound tube at the entrance of the drilled hole? How would you fix the sound tube to the shell, is friction enough?

 

[MuZo2]

One way of making a horn shape canal is to make it within the shells canal like Vision ears/Rhines/Jomoaudio...

 
Its not a horn.