[alanwcruz]

wow ... Thanks for the link, but they are very expensive at approx USD$ 30 each!

Are you happy with them? Is there anywhere that you can buy in bulk quantities (ie a box of 50 etc) without taking out a mortgage?

I am a bit peeved with the MMCX connectors on the latest expensive (approx $700 earphones that i bought. One side is very loose and falls out constantly, the other side is so tight that its almost impossible to remove the connection once you have plugged the cable into the earphone. So i am trying to find something that is better for when i start to build my own.

Very happy with them! They look great!

I too started out trying to use MMCX connectors and had the exact same problems you have, two pin connectors seemed pretty flimsy so I kept away from them until I found these: https://es.aliexpress.com/item/West...32780056629.html?spm=a2g0s.8937460.0.0.rkzczT

They are two pin female sockets but are recessed, this gives them a very strong and unflimsy build quality, no problems with connectors falling out or getting loose, they work great and are not so expensive. I use them on all my builds, except for my premium personal pair that have the JH connectors

 

[aussietanker]

I use them on all my builds, except for my premium personal pair that have the JH connectors

Awesome. I might do the same

And thanks for the link to the others. I have added them to my CIEM "Wish List"

 

[Im1fan2nv]

I finally got there. Thanks to everyone for the help!!
An Extra Shout Out to Tomekk and Shilohsjustice

 

[Shilohsjustice]

Hello all, here is a fun one for you! I did accomplish one thing which I wanted to update everyone on.

These were colored with the Alcohol Ink! I must say I am absolutely impressed with the colorability and the outcome.

These are triple driver CI-22955 and TWFK wired GK style with red damper on CI and green damper on TWFK. Faceplates are abalone and zebra wood with mmcx connector.

 

[aussietanker]

Hello all, here is a fun one for you! I did accomplish one thing which I wanted to update everyone on.

These were colored with the Alcohol Ink! I must say I am absolutely impressed with the colorability and the outcome.

These are triple driver CI-22955 and TWFK wired GK style with red damper on CI and green damper on TWFK. Faceplates are abalone and zebra wood with mmcx connector.

They look absolutely awesome. I think that the colors are fantastic and seem to have a great "depth". I also love the zebra wood. It's one of my favorite faceplate materials. (not that i have actually made any as yet - just the look i mean)

Just out of interest, where do you buy abalone shell from? Is it a real shell and how do you get it an even thickness? Is it hard to work with. I imagine that the edges would be a bit "crumbly" if you are trying to cut it.

 

[Shilohsjustice]

They look absolutely awesome. I think that the colors are fantastic and seem to have a great "depth". I also love the zebra wood. It's one of my favorite faceplate materials. (not that i have actually made any as yet - just the look i mean)

Just out of interest, where do you buy abalone shell from? Is it a real shell and how do you get it an even thickness? Is it hard to work with. I imagine that the edges would be a bit "crumbly" if you are trying to cut it.

One word ☝ Veneer and yes it’s real, it’s your best friend. I use veneer wood as well which is what a lot of the Pros do. Remember when you dome clear Fotoplast/Egger over it looks solid. I buy the abalone in sheets non-backed. Loctite 495 bond beautifully to it, and when I’m doing edges I hold my Dremel and dome stone bit like the picture below. It allows it to put a back angle which allows the “weld line” of Fotoplast to overlap it making a nice seamless edge.



For those waiting on the retro-tutorial going back to the roots of UV Nail Polish I am still waiting for the UV Polish to arrive.

I am excited to show everyone my latest project, I redesigned my universals to be better ergonomically and with more room for drivers. Below is my 6-driver prototype with a HODVTEC TWFK and SWFK. I still have some tweaking to do but I’m pleased with the results this far. Thank you @piotrus-g for answering my question about the SWFK capetance via his instagram.

 

[aussietanker]

I redesigned my universals to be better ergonomically and with more room for drivers

Thanks for the info re veneers

What changes did you make to the design of the universal? I think that i read (on here?) that Shure has the "best fit" or "most comfortable" fit/shape/design for a universal. I don't have a shure in my collection of IEM's. Any thoughts on that at all?

 

[Im1fan2nv]

It has a GK with a HODVTEC in parallel, CI and HODVTEC going out through hypodermic needle tubes (yes my ear canals are small LOL) a red damper on the high's going out a 2mm tube. I get a great sonic orgasm with the sound these deliver!!
.

I tried this in a round about way and although I didn’t listen to them, the FR curve didn’t look so good and my various xover networks didn’t help. I used a GV and added a CI to it in parallel. Did you do anything different?

Oh, and with my recent success on making hollow shells, I tried some color.

 

[alanwcruz]

I tried this in a round about way and although I didn’t listen to them, the FR curve didn’t look so good and my various xover networks didn’t help. I used a GV and added a CI to it in parallel. Did you do anything different?

Oh, and with my recent success on making hollow shells, I tried some color.

Hi there, I had to go at it for 4 tries before I got the sound right, my first try was joining the tubes on the HOD and the CI to a 2mm tube while using a red filter on the TW to another 2mm tube, this sounded almost identical to just the GK alone. Second try was separating all drivers to individual tubes, one for HOD, one for CI and one for TW all 2 mm tubes, this sounded a bit different but the tubes got squashed and the sound on both CI and HOD got blocked. After this I got myself some 20G needles to use as tubes, this was better, the tubes no longer got squashed but the sound got totally destroyed, I no longer had any treble whatsoever... I was about to give up when I read here that tube diameter affects sound and it's recommended to use small diameters on lows and large diameters on highs.

So the last try was to keep the needle tubes for the HOD and CI and use the 2mm plastic tube on the TW, my god what a difference! Sparkling high's and warm punchy bass, I'm a fan of classic rock so I fired up TIDAL and played Jethro Tull's Hunting Girl (Steven Wilson Remix) [96/24 PCM Stereo], I haven't had earphones ever sound this good!

I'm in the process of putting together a measuring rig to get some curves, very interested to see how it compares to the good stuff everyone else has been making.

 

[Einencool]

I finally got there. Thanks to everyone for the help!!
An Extra Shout Out to Tomekk and Shilohsjustice

Hi, can you tell us, what you have changed on your Set Up, or what makes the Difference
I sometimes have the same Problem especially with the clear material.

Thanks and greetz Chris

 

[aussietanker]

So the last try was to keep the needle tubes for the HOD and CI and use the 2mm plastic tube on the TW, my god what a difference!

What are needle tubes and where do get them? I've got super small ear canals as well : (

 

[alanwcruz]

What are needle tubes and where do get them? I've got super small ear canals as well : (

Hypodermic needles come in different gages, 20G are the thickest ones I could get my hands on, gonna try with these once they arrive: https://es.aliexpress.com/item/12pc...108.1000016.1.129e8ca5IN4SvS&isOrigTitle=true

I saw a couple of guys here using metal tubes, and hypodermic needles was the closest I found to those metal tubes. Anyone care to share where you get your metal tubes?

 

[jbr1971]

Hypodermic needles come in different gages, 20G are the thickest ones I could get my hands on, gonna try with these once they arrive: https://es.aliexpress.com/item/12pc...108.1000016.1.129e8ca5IN4SvS&isOrigTitle=true

I saw a couple of guys here using metal tubes, and hypodermic needles was the closest I found to those metal tubes. Anyone care to share where you get your metal tubes?

I did some looking around and found that you can buy various diameters of bendable metal tubing that people use for crafts, etc.

Unfortunately it does not look like there are very many sources for small outer diameter tubing, but the following links should give you an idea of what is available:

https://www.hobbylinc.com/htm/k+s/k+s9870.htm

https://www.hobbylinc.com/htm/k+s/k+s9831.htm

https://www.hobbylinc.com/htm/k+s/k+s9830.htm

 

[alanwcruz]

I did some looking around and found that you can buy various diameters of bendable metal tubing that people use for crafts, etc.

Unfortunately it does not look like there are very many sources for 2mm outer diameter tubing, but the following link should give you an idea of what is available:

https://www.hobbylinc.com/htm/k+s/k+s9870.htm

Problem with copper is that it turns green when in contact with skin and sweat, I didn't want to risk dermititis inside my ear, so that's why I went with hypodermic needles, they are made from surgical grade stainless steel so they are safe for contact with the human body.

 

[jbr1971]

Problem with copper is that it turns green when in contact with skin and sweat, I didn't want to risk dermititis inside my ear, so that's why I went with hypodermic needles, they are made from surgical grade stainless steel so they are safe for contact with the human body.

Good catch. Never thought of that.