[jude]

​

NOTE:  If you can't see the embedded video above, please CLICK HERE to see the video.​

 
At the recent Summer 2013 Los Angeles Head-Fi Meet, Dan Clark from MrSpeakers pulled me aside to share a secret...
 

 
...and that secret was the world's first production 3D-printed headphones. It was MrSpeakers' upcoming flagship planar magnetic headphone, and, after a furtively arranged listening session, I placed an order on the spot.
 
That top secret headphone was the MrSpeakers Alpha Dog--again, the world's first production 3D-printed headphone--and, in this Head-Fi TV News Flash, we give you an exclusive first look at the Alpha Dog before it's unveiled for the first time to the public tomorrow (August 9, 2013) at the California Audio Show.
 

---

 
FAQ (updated 2013-09-26 0257 EDT)
 
Q. Where can I get Alpha Dog cable connectors?
A. LINK
 
Q. When will the upgrade program details be announced?
A. It will be announced by this Saturday (September 28, 2013).
 
Q. How does the 3D printing change the sound compared to injection molding?
A. Two ways: increased rigidity and damping cleans up the time domain response; and the double wall with internal lattice improves isolation.
 

---

 
Products mentioned in the video:

 

1. MrSpeakers Mad Dog planar magnetic headphone
2. MrSpeakers Alpha Dog (balanced cable) planar magnetic headphone
3. MrSpeakers Alpha Dog (single-ended cable) planar magnetic headphone

 

---

 

Video produced by Joseph Cwik and Jude Mansilla
 

---

 

We will occasionally post Q&A episodes of Head-Fi TV.  If you want to submit any questions (or comments), you can do so via email to tv@head-fi.org.

 

[Theogenes]

Subbed! Can't wait to hear these... love the focus on neutrality and improved treble. Be interesting to see who can compare them to the Paradox, as they seem to have similar goals regarding sound signature.

 

[Mach Supremacy]

Looks interesting, I can't wait for 3D printing to really take off. The innovation will be monumental once printers go into mainstream applications. Want custom cans? Make em!

 

[Armaegis]

Colour me intrigued... 

 

[defguy]

 Can't wait to hear this when it becomes available!!

 

[Fearless1]

Awesome!

 

[thatBeatsguy]

Custom-made headphones using 3D printing...
 
I wonder if CIEMs could be 3D-printed? Shell costs go down, down, down. Re-shelling will be cheaper and easier.

 

[PanamaHat]

I was on board until I heard they were $600. Still they look incredible.
Dan, hope you see this, congratulations man. You're a great guy catering to this community and you're absolutely killing it with these headphones. So congrats 

 

[miceblue]

Hoooooly mackerel this looks awesome and promising! I didn't like the speed on the Mad Dog 3.2, but this Alpha Dog sounds really great!

Jude, have you heard LFF's Paradox-modded T50RP before? If so, would it be possible to compare the two eventually?

 

[drm870]

The true sign you're a geek: You're more excited about the usage of 3D printing than anything else.

 
Anyway, looking forward to reviews!

 

[a_recording]

I totally predicted this in the comments section at Innerfidelity in March
 

 
Looks like I was exactly right - except that it took 5 MONTHS, not years.
 
(Please don't take this to mean I'm implying that someone took this idea from me. Anyone could look at the T50RP modding community and look at the 3D Printing scene and put two and two together, and MrSpeakers most likely had this idea years in the making.) 
 
I'm kinda sorta actually bummed though because I had a pipe dream of being the first to do this despite having no autocad skills or a 3D printer. Ah, c'est la vie!
 
Anyway, for my next prediction: we will have an open source 3D printed Fostex T50RP variant. Let's just be safe this time and say.... 6 months?

 

[nehcrow]

Oh my god I want I want... but $600!? Dayum.
Wonder how they compare to the likes of HD800 and T1 though

 

[audionewbi]

I like what I saw in the video but why not compare it against closed back over 1000? The point I am trying to make is how do they come against the very best and how do they fall behind?

 

[Niyologist]

I figured this was gonna happen eventually.

 

[iRo-Fi]

Looks really good. Looking forward to more impressions, might even pre-order if i'll sell some of my stuff.