Some "DIY" Closed Backs

[treys1]

Well, I know it's not as DIY as some of the projects here, but I ordered a bunch of stull off AliExpress to play with and this is the first set I focused on.

I've got under $200 bucks in them with the cable & pads, and they sound pretty freaking good so far! Still playing with the tuning a bit, but I'm pretty happy with them.

They are:

• 100mm Walnut cups.
• 50mm Beryllium Drivers
• OpenHeart Cable
• Angled Sheepskin Pads

I've got some Second Skin Damplifier Pro in the cup and on the plug jack and ~20 grains (the only weight small enough to match) of wool batting in each cup so far.

After a bit of listening, I covered all but 3 of the baffle holes and added some cloth in front of the driver. Doing it all externally for now until I am sure what I want, then I'll open them back up and apply it inside.

 

[treys1]

Been in and out of them a few times now. Where I'm currently at:

• More deadening tape.
• Up from 10grains (went down to 10 from the original 20 at one point) of wool to 14grains, and this time its cut from the sheet instead of pulled / wadded.
• A layer of thin 15ppi foam on top of the wool.
• 1 piece of "low density wool paper" and a piece of 2mm felt in the back of the pads.

The sheet of wool vs. stuffed and the foam on top is to make sure I am keeping everything in the cup and not compromising the baffle seal with stuff wedged in there. Cleaned up my tape job and finished he seal holding the driver to the baffle.

Sounding pretty good right now.









Some graphs comparing to a set of Elegia, Meze 99 Noir & ATH-WP900. These are the green line on all 3:

 

[treys1]

 

[treys1]

A couple more of these have gone together since I started the thread!

With some 300ohm Beryllium drivers (K100 from Aliexpress):




And some 32ohm Titanium drivers (also from Ali):




64ohm Beryllium drivers (K100):

 

[AsciiJC]

Considered trying your own housings? I use to use premade shells but once you start modelling you never wanna stop!

Amazing photos btw

 

[treys1]

Considered trying your own housings? I use to use premade shells but once you start modelling you never wanna stop!

Amazing photos btw

Thanks!

I haven't thought about that just yet, but never say never.... lol

 

[treys1]

Have been playing with dampening in the cups quite a bit over the last few months, as well as various drivers and adjusting the tuning on the back of the drivers themselves. I have also been avoiding having anything in front of the drivers, detail seems better if you can tune what you want on the rear of the driver and in the cup.






Getting my tunings a good bit better than when I first started (top of thread):

 

[treys1]

Opened the ports (and beveled the hole) on either side of the headband bolts in the Brazilian Pear a good bit (they were tiny pinholes), made a HUGE improvement to the bottom end response.





Also, pulled the melamine foam from this pair and went with some felt over the top of the deadening tape on the rear of the cup.

 

[BCool]

What drivers do you think work well for closed-backs? I saw you mentioned the K100 in the other thread but I'm hoping you have some cheaper recommendations

 

[kenny518646]

Have been playing with dampening in the cups quite a bit over the last few months, as well as various drivers and adjusting the tuning on the back of the drivers themselves. I have also been avoiding having anything in front of the drivers, detail seems better if you can tune what you want on the rear of the driver and in the cup.

Getting my tunings a good bit better than when I first started (top of thread):

Hi, have you figure out how to decrease the peak of 5~8k? (either close or opened back is okay) My last DIY headphone is really sharp, I believe there is a peak at 6~8k, hoping to find a way to lower it down.

 

[treys1]

What drivers do you think work well for closed-backs? I saw you mentioned the K100 in the other thread but I'm hoping you have some cheaper recommendations

Sorry I missed this! I am actually enjoying the "D9200" drivers in the closed backs that I opened the side ports on quite a bit.

 

[treys1]

Hi, have you figure out how to decrease the peak of 5~8k? (either close or opened back is okay) My last DIY headphone is really sharp, I believe there is a peak at 6~8k, hoping to find a way to lower it down.

The best way I have found is to increase the bottom end, effectively raising the ratio of bass to treble thus making the headphones "darker" sounding.

 

[treys1]

Latest Set (300ohm K100 Beryllium Drivers and Mexican Pear Shells):