[pila405]

Hey Pila, good question! The version of GrapheneQ we are using in the headphones is not the most cutting-edge version of the material but it has been thoroughly tested for environmental stability and lifespan. Even though it is not the stiffest material we have, it is still very impressive. Internally, we refer to it as “aGQ”. It is 43GPa @ 20kHz with a density of 1.6g/cm^3. That puts the speed of sound in the material at 5184m/s (speed of sound in air is 343m/s). In order to calculate the first bending mode, we use √(E/∂^3) or speed-of-sound/density. This is the same formula for the first bending mode of a flat disk. aGQ comes in at 3.240, more than three times higher than PET (1.057) and almost double aluminum (1.746).


It is also worth pointing out that the damping factor in aGQ is extremely high. The loss factor in aGQ is 0.066. This is 30 times more damping than Aluminum (0.002) and double the damping of PET (0.035).

Cheers!

Thanks for the quick and informative reply!

May I ask what are the properties of your most cutting-edge version of GQ?

 

[robert-eric]

Thanks for the quick and informative reply!

May I ask what are the properties of your most cutting-edge version of GQ?

Our most recent GrapheneQ version, which we are still engineering, is currently 74GPa @ 20kHz. This provides a speed-of-sound of 7024m/s and a normalized first bending mode of 4.7.

We've been seeing improvements month over month and our target is to hit ~100GPa in the next 6-12 months.

 

[Slater]

Our most recent GrapheneQ version, which we are still engineering, is currently 74GPa @ 20kHz. This provides a speed-of-sound of 7024m/s and a normalized first bending mode of 4.7.

We've been seeing improvements month over month and our target is to hit ~100GPa in the next 6-12 months.

So the Kickstarter backers will be getting the 43GPa version, correct?

 

[robert-eric]

So the Kickstarter backers will be getting the 43GPa version, correct?

That’s right. Although the new version of GQ is performing well in the lab, there are a lot of steps that need to be taken to be sure a material is ready for consumer products. Once we finalize the chemistry, we still need to subject it to environmental testing, accelerated lifespan testing, safety testing, and real-world use tests. The aGQ that is in the Ora headphones was our best material about 18 months ago and it took at least 9 months to be sure it was ready for a consumer product. It will probably be 9-18 months before we have our new material fully finalized and tested.

 

[Midgetguy]

That’s right. Although the new version of GQ is performing well in the lab, there are a lot of steps that need to be taken to be sure a material is ready for consumer products. Once we finalize the chemistry, we still need to subject it to environmental testing, accelerated lifespan testing, safety testing, and real-world use tests. The aGQ that is in the Ora headphones was our best material about 18 months ago and it took at least 9 months to be sure it was ready for a consumer product. It will probably be 9-18 months before we have our new material fully finalized and tested.

I see. Unfortunate that the timeline for our more stable version is still pushed to summer (was hoping more winter/spring as originally thought because I don't use my headphones much in the summer), but that's just kind of how designing/testing goes. I understand the reason for not having the most recent version in the GQ headphones. That's the thing about materials design and engineering; if you want to put the absolute best version of what you're making into a consumer product that's going to last, then you'll never end up getting anything to the consumer because by the time all the validation and durability testing has been done for one version, you're already developing a better one that hasn't been subjected to validation or durability tests yet.

Any early thoughts about some sort of mini upgrade program that people could participate in if they wanted the newest material? Since your design seems easier to take apart and service than some others, perhaps it could be like Sennheisers HD6 series where you could change out the driver capsule.

 

[Slater]

Any early thoughts about some sort of mini upgrade program that people could participate in if they wanted the newest material? Since your design seems easier to take apart and service than some others, perhaps it could be like Sennheisers HD6 series where you could change out the driver capsule.

Yes to this x 100!!

They’ve already shared that the driver/baffle assemblies are modular drop-in units. So this would be a genius move.

Look what Tesla did with the original Roadster owners. It was kind of like a cooperative relationship.

 

[FireDragon76]

Graphene is not too rare in earbuds. I recently bought some iHaper earbuds off Amazon for $9 that claim to have graphene drivers. Based on the sound they produce, I see no reason to doubt that. They are the flatest, cheap earphones I have ever listened to.

A larger headphone with graphene drivers could be a gamechanger and deprecate alot of headphones, just based on my experiences with the little earphones.

 

[SoundHelmet]

Graphene is not too rare in earbuds. I recently bought some iHaper earbuds off Amazon for $9 that claim to have graphene drivers. Based on the sound they produce, I see no reason to doubt that. They are the flatest, cheap earphones I have ever listened to.

A larger headphone with graphene drivers could be a gamechanger and deprecate alot of headphones, just based on my experiences with the little earphones.

i am pretty sure all "graphene" iems out there are graphene coated mylar which is leagues behind what ora graphene q is aiming for.

 

[FireDragon76]

i am pretty sure all "graphene" iems out there are graphene coated mylar which is leagues behind what ora graphene q is aiming for.

Probably, but graphene on mylar apparrently works much better than mylar alone:

https://www.innerfidelity.com/content/1more-triple-driver-over-ear-headphones

 

[HungryPanda]

We will find out in the end

 

[Midgetguy]

Probably, but graphene on mylar apparrently works much better than mylar alone:

https://www.innerfidelity.com/content/1more-triple-driver-over-ear-headphones

Neither of you are wrong AFAIK. I'm pretty doubtful of any IEM that says it uses a graphene driver since it's almost certainly not a high graphene content the way the Ora has designed their driver. And I will continue to think that until someone shows the science like how Ora has shown they're making a high-graphene content driver rather than a mylar driver enhanced with graphene. Any reinforcement of mylar will strengthen it to help with that response. After all, that was the intent of things like titanium and beryllium coated drivers used in some IEM designs.

 

[actorlife]

Edit

 

[trellus]

...wait, so someone has actually heard one of these ORA GrapheneQ headphones?

 

[AlwaysForward]

...wait, so someone has actually heard one of these ORA GrapheneQ headphones?

Yes. People have heard them.

 

[AlwaysForward]

That’s right. Although the new version of GQ is performing well in the lab, there are a lot of steps that need to be taken to be sure a material is ready for consumer products. Once we finalize the chemistry, we still need to subject it to environmental testing, accelerated lifespan testing, safety testing, and real-world use tests. The aGQ that is in the Ora headphones was our best material about 18 months ago and it took at least 9 months to be sure it was ready for a consumer product. It will probably be 9-18 months before we have our new material fully finalized and tested.

Awesome. Thanks for the update and info. I plan to continue tracking the progress of this technology, it’s potential in Audio is quite substantial.

Currently, some of the phrasing I’ve seen seems to suggest that if you “may do another run of (kickstarter G-Q)” models from the KS & that you may be considering other potential product development opportunities from this proverbial launch springboard. (Either licensed or in house)

Will you be sharing any product growth direction initiatives for what you are pursuing after this initial “Zero To One” MVP phase?