[Xaero252]

I have a pair of ATH-m50s (not the highest end cans, I know, which is actually why they are the target of this mod) Which I plan on modding for the purpose of switching out the cable.

I also happen to have a boom mic from a broken Creative Fatal1ty headseat, and was hoping to turn my ATH-m50s into a dual-purpose pair of cans.
 
For the interconnect from the headphones to a regular amp/source device I was thinking of using Canare star-quad cable with either neutrik or pailiccs terminations. (3.5mm)
 
For using it with a mic I'm not sure which cable to use, or which plugs/jacks.

For example, the iphone has a 3.5mm plug on the bottom that works fine with regular headphones, but when you plug the headset that comes with the phone (it has 4 contacts vs 3 on the 3.5mm jack) it works for both outgoing and incoming audio
Where can I find a surface mount version of this? Also, where can I find a 3.5mm plug with 4 contacts?

From there I was going to have it Y-split to a Microphone 3.5mm jack and a headphone 3.5mm jack to use as a standard PC headset. This way I can just disconnect the mic and the cable when I leave my PC and connect up to a hopefully shorter cable for regular listening/listening on the go.
 
Sorry if I am unclear on what exactly I want to do, I'm not really sure how to word it so it makes sense.

 

[deadsea]

I have a pair of ATH-m50s (not the highest end cans, I know, which is actually why they are the target of this mod) Which I plan on modding for the purpose of switching out the cable.

I also happen to have a boom mic from a broken Creative Fatal1ty headseat, and was hoping to turn my ATH-m50s into a dual-purpose pair of cans.
 
For the interconnect from the headphones to a regular amp/source device I was thinking of using Canare star-quad cable with either neutrik or pailiccs terminations. (3.5mm)
 
For using it with a mic I'm not sure which cable to use, or which plugs/jacks.

For example, the iphone has a 3.5mm plug on the bottom that works fine with regular headphones, but when you plug the headset that comes with the phone (it has 4 contacts vs 3 on the 3.5mm jack) it works for both outgoing and incoming audio
Where can I find a surface mount version of this? Also, where can I find a 3.5mm plug with 4 contacts?

From there I was going to have it Y-split to a Microphone 3.5mm jack and a headphone 3.5mm jack to use as a standard PC headset. This way I can just disconnect the mic and the cable when I leave my PC and connect up to a hopefully shorter cable for regular listening/listening on the go.
 
Sorry if I am unclear on what exactly I want to do, I'm not really sure how to word it so it makes sense.

The 4 contact jack (TRRS) can accept the typical 3 contact plugs. You'll want that for the headphone side. Try mouser or RS if you're ok with buying online. Providing which country you're from might help too.

And since you already have a boom mic, Why not just attach a jack to the end and you then have a detachable mic? Slightly trickier with the internal wiring but someone's done it before on these forums. I just can't seem to find the thread. Might have been a AD700 repaint. Memory's a bit fuzzy.

http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/484176/dark-knight-ad700-gaming-mod-lots-of-pics

Apparently my memory's not so bad afterall.

 

[rembrant]

I approve of this mod. I like the idea of being able to plug in a mic boom right into the phones if you need to. You could even get fancy and make it a stereo mic. They sky is the limit.

 

[Xaero252]

My original intention was to have a detachable mic.
 
I was thinking about that, the mic I have has a TRS 2.5mm plug on it, so it is presumably stereo. In the case of using stereo audio and a stereo mic I would probably have to use two separate cables one for the mic, and one for the headphones themselves, right?
Unless they make a TRRRS but now we're just getting ridiculous. 
Maybe if I use a different type of connector on the headphone side, and retain the TRS connector on the other end, since Canare Quad-Star cable has a shield and 4 conductors its presumably possible to use it for the application, sharing the ground line between the mic and headphones.

So basically, now I need to ask a better set of questions:

1.) Will sound quality be affected if I share the ground line between the headphone and microphone functions of the headset?
2.) If I use the shield of the Star-Quad cable for the ground, am I potentially defeating the purpose of the shielding?
3.) My mic has a TRS connector on it, so it is indeed stereo,  correct?
4.) What low profile connector can I use on the headphone side that accepts 5 (or 4 with a shield contact) seperate conductors?
5.) If either 1 or 2 will affect sound quality, are there any cables that have 6 total conductors?
 
 
Quick edit:
What about something like an RJ25 connector? I'd like to stay away from those, since they are usually pretty brittle, but I may be able to find a metal one. I think thats about as low profile as you can get right?

 

[steventrev]

Bump to this as I am in very a similar situation: hoping to make a modular headset with removable mic.
My assumption is that almost all headset mics are mono even if it's with a TRS connection.
 
So assuming a mono TRS mic, and a 4 conductor cable is run in to a TRRS, is the mic's ring & sleeve then connected to ground?
 
Thanks in advanced.