Gamerphile
500+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Jan 14, 2009
- Posts
- 588
- Likes
- 11
Name your headphone brand of craving and there is a big chance they are popping new 'phones like ice cream booths on a hot summer day right now. You want a taste of it all but the waiting time is long and so are the lines. While the cones may be bigger than ever so is the bills to get in on the action. But what can you do besides reading up on Head-Fi?
Well there is the always the classic of going down the amplification and source path and matching the coming wonder with a new high quality item for your source chain to deliver some distraction. For many that is how ever expensive and some have already been down this path and found what they needed this time around or just simply refuse to go down that road again already or ever again. So what else to we have?
Well there is Do-It-Yourself. Thats what I personally like the most and its sure to deliver relative long term distractions even for engineering people like my self. So would even call them an everlasting obsession with no end - but after all isn't that what Head-Fi is all about?
There is many advantages to DIY. You can do some pretty neat things you can't buy anywhere and you often learn new stuff about both technology and craftsmanship. So what can be done DIY? Well unless you are a newcomer to the scene you should know the answer to that by now: just about anything. At least with the right suppliers of parts and that sweet custom stuff that adds the last layer of details and just can't be made at home.
So what can one do DIY?
Electronics
Topics included: Source equipment like computers and red book readers, DAC's, amplification, interlink-cables, headphone replacement cables, headphone mods and even headphones if you can find a supplier of the driver units. For most of these you will find tons of guides, how-toes and first grade blueprints etc. right here on Head-Fi and other head- and audiophile spots of gathering. Using your gear in a new way, making it mobile or transmitting it to another room is also a path the DIY greedy follow with great returns alike. One of the solutions I've seen with the greatest returns is a basement storage solution feeding via WiFi or wired network a noise free DIY digital board in the listing room which in turn source your DAC via USB or S/P-DIF. All this is can then be remotely controlled by a wireless enabled touch device such as a mobile phone or table PC. Eliminating all noise from fans and hard drives in the listing room, saving on the electric bill and you never have to get off the couch to change a CD again. This even works for multiple sourcing devices in other rooms and with lossless playback. It should also of course be a bit-percect solution with the right settings. It is how ever not an easy project for average DIY guy with the current solutions and guides how ever - but something I'm looking into at the moment. Who knows maybe I'll get off the sofa my self and make my own solution - after all I'm an engineering student with embedded and networked hardware/software solutions and audio technologies as my specialty. BTW as my profile will tell you I also used many hours on silencing my desktop PC as my desk is one of my main areas where I enjoy music - it can be a bit costly if you must have a heat beast like mine for gaming such but you can really get far even with the hottest beats. I strongly recommend the silentpcreview site for figuring out what or how to do that - the author of that site even had to make a semi-pro measurement room in his house because many component today makes less noise than the noise floor in most homes.
Others
Well there is quite a few things which doesn't involve soldering or computer savvy skills to work on as a DIY person in the Head-Fi community. Materials such as leather, wood, metals, glass and plastics are all found in headphone related items and mods. Everything from modifications to the headphones to cases and cabinets for your items. Room modifications might also be an idea such as providing clean and better placed power[outlets], comfy seating area for long listing sessions, damping of the room noise floor by isolating walls, doors and windows and so forth. Stands for headphones is very popular and has a very useful thread right here on Head-Fi - I'm currently also looking into this my self, trying to make a one off solution for hanging on walls solely based on custom glass work. If it turns out nice and cheap I'll be sure to let everyone else use my blueprints - spirit of true DIY.
Well now you got some ideas - hopefully they will keep you busy till your new headphones finally reach your doorstep.
Oh and of course you can do one other thing while playing the waiting game - becoming a contributing member on Head-Fi like me
Well there is the always the classic of going down the amplification and source path and matching the coming wonder with a new high quality item for your source chain to deliver some distraction. For many that is how ever expensive and some have already been down this path and found what they needed this time around or just simply refuse to go down that road again already or ever again. So what else to we have?
Well there is Do-It-Yourself. Thats what I personally like the most and its sure to deliver relative long term distractions even for engineering people like my self. So would even call them an everlasting obsession with no end - but after all isn't that what Head-Fi is all about?
There is many advantages to DIY. You can do some pretty neat things you can't buy anywhere and you often learn new stuff about both technology and craftsmanship. So what can be done DIY? Well unless you are a newcomer to the scene you should know the answer to that by now: just about anything. At least with the right suppliers of parts and that sweet custom stuff that adds the last layer of details and just can't be made at home.
So what can one do DIY?
Electronics
Topics included: Source equipment like computers and red book readers, DAC's, amplification, interlink-cables, headphone replacement cables, headphone mods and even headphones if you can find a supplier of the driver units. For most of these you will find tons of guides, how-toes and first grade blueprints etc. right here on Head-Fi and other head- and audiophile spots of gathering. Using your gear in a new way, making it mobile or transmitting it to another room is also a path the DIY greedy follow with great returns alike. One of the solutions I've seen with the greatest returns is a basement storage solution feeding via WiFi or wired network a noise free DIY digital board in the listing room which in turn source your DAC via USB or S/P-DIF. All this is can then be remotely controlled by a wireless enabled touch device such as a mobile phone or table PC. Eliminating all noise from fans and hard drives in the listing room, saving on the electric bill and you never have to get off the couch to change a CD again. This even works for multiple sourcing devices in other rooms and with lossless playback. It should also of course be a bit-percect solution with the right settings. It is how ever not an easy project for average DIY guy with the current solutions and guides how ever - but something I'm looking into at the moment. Who knows maybe I'll get off the sofa my self and make my own solution - after all I'm an engineering student with embedded and networked hardware/software solutions and audio technologies as my specialty. BTW as my profile will tell you I also used many hours on silencing my desktop PC as my desk is one of my main areas where I enjoy music - it can be a bit costly if you must have a heat beast like mine for gaming such but you can really get far even with the hottest beats. I strongly recommend the silentpcreview site for figuring out what or how to do that - the author of that site even had to make a semi-pro measurement room in his house because many component today makes less noise than the noise floor in most homes.
Others
Well there is quite a few things which doesn't involve soldering or computer savvy skills to work on as a DIY person in the Head-Fi community. Materials such as leather, wood, metals, glass and plastics are all found in headphone related items and mods. Everything from modifications to the headphones to cases and cabinets for your items. Room modifications might also be an idea such as providing clean and better placed power[outlets], comfy seating area for long listing sessions, damping of the room noise floor by isolating walls, doors and windows and so forth. Stands for headphones is very popular and has a very useful thread right here on Head-Fi - I'm currently also looking into this my self, trying to make a one off solution for hanging on walls solely based on custom glass work. If it turns out nice and cheap I'll be sure to let everyone else use my blueprints - spirit of true DIY.
Well now you got some ideas - hopefully they will keep you busy till your new headphones finally reach your doorstep.
Oh and of course you can do one other thing while playing the waiting game - becoming a contributing member on Head-Fi like me
