[VictorHalgaard]

Hi there, i am considering embarking on a huge project, of making a top to bottom 100% custom headphone out of raw aluminum and brass, but i just want to have an idea of what the sound results might be first.
I expect to use a Denon D7000 as base model and use its drivers. I hope to replicate the inside shape of the headphone as well, but does anyone have any ideas about what this "alumification" might do to the sound? 

 
Thank you very much! 
Victor Halgaard 
 

 

[AzraelDarkangel]

I love the look of brass. Could be very interesting. I would cover the inside wall with dampening material, but you can experiment to see what works.

 

[VictorHalgaard]

Heh yea...I just dont really have 1000$+ to throw at an experiment, so I'd like to have an idea what I'm doing first
 

 

[Loquah]

What material is inside the driver housing of the D7000s normally? The key will be the difference between the old material and the aluminium.

 

[AzraelDarkangel]

I'm in the same boat but wood is easier to carve without special machine tools than Aluminum and Brass. I still have not figured out for sure the Gimbal design or whatever you call it. Shape and size of the inside cavity behind the driver would probably have the largest effect on sound followed by resonance of the materials used.
 
I love the look of polished wood which my design will have alot of.

 

[VictorHalgaard]

Quote:

What material is inside the driver housing of the D7000s normally? The key will be the difference between the old material and the aluminium.

Nothing but the wood as far as i remember - at the moment, that would be Ebony wood...
 

 

[Loquah]

Because wood has a degree of softness to it, it will dampen reflected sound inside the chamber much more than aluminium which will reflect sound more like a mirror reflects light (the wood reflects sound like frosted glass reflects light).
 
Another thing to note is the shape of the chamber as AzraelDarkangel mentioned. I expect if you look at the existing Denon cups, they'll be assymetrical in some way to prevent the formation of standing waves. In other words, you'll need to build some minor angles, curves or irregularities into the shape so it doesn't become an echo chamber for certain frequencies. Alternatively, you could probably use a small amount of soft material (dakron, rubber, sponge, etc.) to absorb a little high frequency sound, prevent reflections and also give you an easy way to adjust without having to recarve the aluminium/brass.

 

[brat]

I wonder what is the goal of this... experiment? Obviously not sound improvements (the "designer" goesn't even know the properties of the materials he has chosen.

). Maybe just aestetics?

 

[kiteki]

I have a feeling you will achieve success with your endeavours.

 

[VictorHalgaard]

Quote:

I wonder what is the goal of this... experiment? Obviously not sound improvements (the "designer" goesn't even know the properties of the materials he has chosen.

). Maybe just aestetics?

I did know, i just wanted to be sure i were right, which i was so far. Apart from aesthetics the goal is to make the headphone virtually indestructible, so i can take it with me anywhere without fearing for hurting it...
 

 

[kiteki]

 
If wood and metal have an affect on sound quality, all I know is the Audio Technica A2000X sounds much better than the W5000.
 
 

 

[Nepenthe]

I recently redid my kitchen floor with cork tile and absolutely love it -- warm, soft, absorbs some sound.
 
Wonder how cork would work as a headphone enclosure.

 

[Kevin Brown]

Are you sure and all aluminum/brass headphone won't be too heavy?
 

 
I have Alessandro MS2i's (Grado SR325is's) which is Al and plastic, the HF2 which is Al and wood, and the RS2i which is mostly wood.  The RS2i's are a lot lighter than the M2Si's and the HF2's.  And Grado housings look to be about 2/3's the size of the Denon's you mention.
 

 

[wuwhere]

You may have to line the aluminum with a dampening material like sorbothane. Then you have to measure the resonant frequency of your finished aluminum cup. You would need audio test instruments to do this.

 

[Nepenthe]

Quote:

You may have to line the aluminum with a dampening material...

Like a wet paper towel?