[deroberg]

First off, I know I can buy "better" ear buds than I can make, but I don't want to do that.
 
I have never been able to justify spending much on headphones, so my standards are not very high.  Typically I will drop 30 bucks on a pair and expect them to last a year if I am lucky.  I am close to needing a new pair, and I am interested in making a decent set.  I have all of the resources and know-how to make a quality housing and good ear inserts, but I can't find any drivers to use.  My goal is to create something unique that will last.  Granted, the wiring is always the first thing to fail on any set of ear buds I have owned, but I have never owned a pair of ear buds worth fixing.
 
I have done a lot of searching, and I know it's a long shot, but does anyone know where I can find some decent quality drivers?  I would rather not cannibalize a set of new ear buds to create my own, but if there are decent drivers to be harvested from some otherwise crappy and cheap ear buds I would consider it.
 
Another thing that bothers me is the shock I sometimes get in my ears from the cord rubbing against fleece or similar fabric in dry weather.  Is this just a result of crappy insulation on the cord or would I need a shielded cord to fix this? 

 

[kaixax555]

If you are looking for BA drivers, Mouser is a good place to start
 
And you will need acoustic tubing + acoustic dampers as well
 

 

[deroberg]

I didn't even get into looking at BA's yet, but I am now.
 
One thing I have noticed is many ear buds are rated for a range of around 20-20k Hz.  When looking on mouser, that range is tough to find in appropriately sized drivers.  Do headphone manufactures stretch this number a bit through testing, or are they actually using speakers rated for these ranges from the driver manufacturer?
 
As far as the tubing and dampers, is this for using bigger drivers away from your ears, or for the short distance from an in ear driver through the ear canal?

 

[bhima]

Quote:

I didn't even get into looking at BA's yet, but I am now.
 
One thing I have noticed is many ear buds are rated for a range of around 20-20k Hz.  When looking on mouser, that range is tough to find in appropriately sized drivers.  Do headphone manufactures stretch this number a bit through testing, or are they actually using speakers rated for these ranges from the driver manufacturer?
 
As far as the tubing and dampers, is this for using bigger drivers away from your ears, or for the short distance from an in ear driver through the ear canal?

 
This is because most BA drivers by themselves can't properly reproduce that large of a frequency range like a dynamic driver can. Hell, since you are trying to build it yourself you should definitely consider multiple BA drivers... at least 2 but 3 would be ideal

 

[kaixax555]

Actually making your own earphones or IEMs should be done as a pet project and not truly making something for cheap or anything

 

[deroberg]

It is a project, with a budget.  If I really just wanted cheap I'd do the same thing I have been doing for years: buy cheap headphones.
 
I am an engineering student.  I have resources to carry out a project, but I don't have much money to throw at this.  However I am finding these things really are not that expensive.  I suppose most of the value in these things is wrapped up in R&D.
 
Basically, I am content with the sound quality of the headphones I use but I want something unique and durable.

 

[feverfive]

Naked drivers???  Did Danica Patrick make a more explicit Go Daddy commercial?  Hahaha, just kidding

 

[kaixax555]

For a start, I guess you should read this, all 101 pages of it
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/430688/home-made-iems/1500

 

[deroberg]

Oh I've been at it for a few hours.  I didn't know what I was getting in to.
 
This might be fun.

 

[Parall3l]

I'm sure with enough money you can get your taxi driver to strip naked...
 
Jokes aside, naked drivers should be available from electronic part suppliers.