[Viber]

Gah, can't find them anywhere that ships worldwide!

Notice "component-hk.com" and replica sites are most likely a scam! so if you see them for 4$ a piece try to avoid those.

btw, notice this description of the Vali's drivers:

"Vali is equipped with unique 50mm drivers using ultra-lightweight paper composite diaphragms that are exclusively designed with award-winning manufacturer, Peerless® by Tymphany. They offer great sensitivity, while reducing unwanted resonance and distortion. Its audio performance is then carefully tuned by our Russian engineers to ensure that nothing falls below excellence."

 

[Viber]

No. On partsexpress, digikey and some other places. I bought from digikey and got free global shipping.

I just noticed Digikey are selling these in a different variation! notice the pictures:

Digikey:

Parts-Express (vali edition?)

 

[nick n]

Peerless makes 2 types, a 40mm ( your first picture ) and a 50mm ( your lower picture )
One of the sites uses a wrong image for their listing, or did at one time.

 

[Viber]

Peerless makes 2 types, a 40mm ( your first picture ) and a 50mm ( your lower picture )
One of the sites uses a wrong image for their listing, or did at one time.

You are correct, but it is an opening for DigKey to make a mistake. I would MAKE SURE before ordering from them.

 

[Roderick]

I just noticed Digikey are selling these in a different variation! notice the pictures:

I think that picture is from another peerles driver they sell. So (hopefully) it is just a mistake. Specs and pictures on documentation are of the vali driver.

Edit: sorry, somehow missed Nick n's reply. I'll report back when I receive mine. Then we'll know which they are selling.

 

[Roderick]

Drivers I bought from digikey are vali drivers. It was fastest shipping ever. Ordered on 24th, parcel was at finnish customs on 26th. I paid the the fees and got the drivers delivered home the day after. Distance from customs to my house is 500km and it was delivered by car the whole way.

Not bad for a free delivery

 

[Roderick]

Great... On closer inspection 5 out of 6 drivers are dented. One is easy to fix. Four look pretty bad.
When you pile fragile magnetic things stuff happens.
I had same thing happen with tonlen drivers I ordered from ae. they were great and send me new ones

It's not brainsurgery to pack the drivers. I sold sony F1 driver couple of weeks ago and did this. It will stay in place and when covered nothing can touch the driver.

Guess I'll have to find out digikeys customer service is as good as their shipping system...

Edit: had a chat with digikey customer service. They will ship me 5 new drivers free of charge and make sure I don't have to pay new custom fees. Did not even ask pictures or detailed description of what had happened. Took like two minutes with their online chat. Nice

 

[frank2908]

Do you know where to source biocellulose driver from? I have been searching all over digimeys, aliexpress but can't find any, except replacement driver of the th900( which sound like the next best idea for my diy project)
https://www.fullcompass.com/prod/507385-fostex-1471548843-driver-element-for-th-900

 

[Roderick]

There are some on ae. Here is paperi/silk https://m.ru.aliexpress.com/item/2045034643.html?trace=storeDetail2msiteDetail

"Mushroom" driver https://m.aliexpress.com/item/32900...d=3123amp-mEeFENiOe8mqFRPioMnuqA1541401807784

Bio-cellulose
https://m.aliexpress.com/item/20369...d=3123amp-mEeFENiOe8mqFRPioMnuqA1541401807784


Not bio-cellulose but pretty interesting https://m.aliexpress.com/item/32900...d=3123amp-mEeFENiOe8mqFRPioMnuqA1541401807784

B&w biocell

https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/bcNYuqPe

 

[GREQ]

I'm not sure if it was mentioned in this thread, but I read something from a guy who bought a bunch of different drivers of aliexpress that it's almost always a gamble.
A lot of the stock he purchased were factory rejects that don't meet specifications with large ohm-reading deviation or audible distortion problems.

Of course, the validity of the statement is impossible verify and may not hold true today.
Since then there are a lot more 'DIY driver' sellers with a lot more interesting variety to cater for the DIY market.

 

[Roderick]

In a way that would make sense. There are alot replacement drivers for well known headphones that atleast look identical. I wouldn't be surprised If someone decided to make extra buck by selling factory rejects. Afterall allmost every headphone driver is made in china even though if it was built for sennheiser or some other big name brand.

Like the p7 driver I mentioned. It is peculiar looking driver and I'm not sure If just making copies would make much profit. But If you had "free" drivers to sell that had failed qc...

 

[kman1211]

In a way that would make sense. There are alot replacement drivers for well known headphones that atleast look identical. I wouldn't be surprised If someone decided to make extra buck by selling factory rejects. Afterall allmost every headphone driver is made in china even though if it was built for sennheiser or some other big name brand.

Like the p7 driver I mentioned. It is peculiar looking driver and I'm not sure If just making copies would make much profit. But If you had "free" drivers to sell that had failed qc...

Sennheiser makes their own drivers, where they are made generally depends where the headphone is manufactured whether Germany, Ireland, or China. You can generally tell if a driver is outsourced or not if it’s unique to the company in design or not (i.e. German-made Beyers are distinct in their membrane, capsule, and magnet design). But yes almost all drivers are made in China.

 

[Roderick]

What I ment was even though sennheiser designs the drivers themselves but once the manufacturing process is outsourced to china who knows where the drivers end up eventually. But yeah... I don't think I've seen any sennheiser/beyerdynamic drivers on China sites. Except for one T1 driver which is a obvious copy.
Akg is another thing though... I've seen quite a few akg driver look a likes on youcart etc... Sadly no k812 yet

 

[GREQ]

I've seen one or two sennheiser clones on aliexpress.
Not sure if I'd ever touch them.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/50m...lgo_pvid=1334a4af-9791-4374-8240-a9aeac60b555

 

[Roderick]

Ah... I've seen those. Weird ones... They don't even try to pass as original.