[PalmerTech]

Maybe this should be in the BST area, but I figured that the people I want to talk to don't read much there.

I am looking for someone to help me out with making some custom headphones with a very specific twist: They need to be integrated with a ski goggle strap in some fashion.  Yes, I know there are things out there that put full size cups on the band with a clip, but they pull the strap away from the head and are generally uncomfortable.  I want something that allows the strap to go over most of your ear, staying close to/touching the head along the entire length.  Long term comfort is the number one priority.  I can go into more detail with anyone who is interested, but my website should give you an idea of what I am trying to accomplish: http://www.oculusvr.com/

I have a few thousand dollars to throw at this, and I would like to work with several people at the same time.  A few hundred to each person for an initial mockup and then a few grand to refine the best one is my current plan, but I am open to other offers.



 

 

[Armaegis]

I think trying to integrate a closed/sealed headphone into a strap is going to be cumbersome at best, and painful at worst. A suspended ear-speaker would be far more flexible, (perhaps connected to the VR set on an arm) but probably not what you're going for.
 
An iem design could work, but that's a lot of extra fiddling for something that should be quick to put on and off, and probably prone to breakage.
 
If going with a cup design... I could consider a second strap. The first and larger one to support the VR headset, the second looser one to hold the cups over top. This will let you support the headset without putting all that extra pressure onto the cups and hurting your ears. The second strap could even be attached to the first (otherwise you'll have to untangle whenever you want to put the headset on); it just has a lower elasticity and/or more slack to it.

 

[EuphonicArin]

hmm, this seems like quite the interesting project, and I would be quite interested, BUT it would be nice to be able to know weight figures for the oculus, and or a target weight for the whole thing, as well as power requirements, so that we know what kind of driver we are going to be looking at, otherwise this could be an project to help increase the growth of the oculus and even possibly revolutionize the way headphones are fitted

 

[AudioCats]

what is wrong with custom IEM? If one can afford a VR system, I suppose the extra $80 for a custom mold is not a big deal.

 

[nikongod]

  what is wrong with custom IEM? If one can afford a VR system, I suppose the extra $80 for a custom mold is not a big deal.

 
The OP wants someone to design a commercial product for him. 

 

[nikongod]

  The OP wants someone to design a commercial product for him. 

 
And DIYers work cheaper than real designers. 

 

[nikongod]

  And DIYers work cheaper than real designers. 

 
Even though the vast majority of ski helmet companies have slots for headphones like the Skullcandy Casette

 

[nikongod]

  Even though the vast majority of ski helmet companies have slots for headphones like the Skullcandy Casette

 
But dont forget that many people think that breathing through a tube is cooler than wearing a helmet... 
 
So at least a few MFRs make various hats with pockets for the same headphones (and others of a similar style) mentioned above. 

 

[AudioCats]

   
But dont forget that many people think that breathing through a tube is cooler than wearing a helmet...
 
..

good idea!
 
Make a gas-mask type apparatus that has video, audio and smell ! Talking about VR....you can even cut off air supply when the game is over to tell the game he is now "dead".... now if the player fall asleep during the game, then he might really die of suffocation

)

 

[PalmerTech]

  I think trying to integrate a closed/sealed headphone into a strap is going to be cumbersome at best, and painful at worst. A suspended ear-speaker would be far more flexible, (perhaps connected to the VR set on an arm) but probably not what you're going for.
 
If going with a cup design... I could consider a second strap. The first and larger one to support the VR headset, the second looser one to hold the cups over top.

 



Yeah, a closed design is going to be tough.  I have been mocking up some cups that level the band straps close to the face of the earcups to reduce pressure, and it seems to work.  Like you said, though, cumbersome.  IEMs are an obvious solution, anyone can use them already.  It would be nice if the headset had an integrated audio solution that nobody would object to, and IEMs are pretty hit and miss with people who are not used to them.  The issue with a second strap is that the headset already has an overhead strap, so this would be a total of 4 straps.  Not crazy, but gets back to being cumbersome and hard to adjust.
 
Quote:

  hmm, this seems like quite the interesting project, and I would be quite interested, BUT it would be nice to be able to know weight figures for the oculus, and or a target weight for the whole thing, as well as power requirements, so that we know what kind of driver we are going to be looking at, otherwise this could be an project to help increase the growth of the oculus and even possibly revolutionize the way headphones are fitted

 
The current developer kits weigh in at around 380 grams.  Target weight is not too important for something like headphones, since they are so close to your head.  The weight at the front of the Rift is a much bigger problem, especially the inertia you have to deal with during high speed head rotations.  A 30-40mm driver is probably around the right size.

  what is wrong with custom IEM? If one can afford a VR system, I suppose the extra $80 for a custom mold is not a big deal.
 

 

Not a problem for many of us, maybe, but IEMs take a bit of getting used to for average people.  I use HD800s myself, but even a basic audio solution built into the headset will be better than the garbage headphones a lot of people use.  

 

   
The OP wants someone to design a commercial product for him. 
 

 
Yes, a component of one.  I would love to spend some time on this audio project myself, but I am stuck doing too many other things.  DIY people are often the ones that come up with the most innovative solutions to problems, most of the people working at Oculus (including myself) are from the DIY electronics community.
 
@Audiocats: The issue with a gas mask system like that is not getting the scent into the headset, it is getting it out.  It is hard to design a system that can effectively spread scent and get rid of it when needed, especially in such close quarters. Most aerosols leave way too much residue on surrounding material. 

 

[EuphonicArin]

   



Yeah, a closed design is going to be tough.  I have been mocking up some cups that level the band straps close to the face of the earcups to reduce pressure, and it seems to work.  Like you said, though, cumbersome.  IEMs are an obvious solution, anyone can use them already.  It would be nice if the headset had an integrated audio solution that nobody would object to, and IEMs are pretty hit and miss with people who are not used to them.  The issue with a second strap is that the headset already has an overhead strap, so this would be a total of 4 straps.  Not crazy, but gets back to being cumbersome and hard to adjust.
 
Quote:

  hmm, this seems like quite the interesting project, and I would be quite interested, BUT it would be nice to be able to know weight figures for the oculus, and or a target weight for the whole thing, as well as power requirements, so that we know what kind of driver we are going to be looking at, otherwise this could be an project to help increase the growth of the oculus and even possibly revolutionize the way headphones are fitted

 
The current developer kits weigh in at around 380 grams.  Target weight is not too important for something like headphones, since they are so close to your head.  The weight at the front of the Rift is a much bigger problem, especially the inertia you have to deal with during high speed head rotations.  A 30-40mm driver is probably around the right size.
 

Not a problem for many of us, maybe, but IEMs take a bit of getting used to for average people.  I use HD800s myself, but even a basic audio solution built into the headset will be better than the garbage headphones a lot of people use.  

 
 
Yes, a component of one.  I would love to spend some time on this audio project myself, but I am stuck doing too many other things.  DIY people are often the ones that come up with the most innovative solutions to problems, most of the people working at Oculus (including myself) are from the DIY electronics community.
 
@Audiocats: The issue with a gas mask system like that is not getting the scent into the headset, it is getting it out.  It is hard to design a system that can effectively spread scent and get rid of it when needed, especially in such close quarters. Most aerosols leave way too much residue on surrounding material. 

what if we used a planar/orthos design (since some of them are somewhat heavy), or a multidriver design like the k340m (they used an normal dynamic driver for bass and low mids, and electret supertweeter for the rest of the FR), or heck even grab a closed headphone driver with decent imaging and sound staging (like the denon d1100k/hp700, or nuforce hp800, or even some sennheiser drivers) add a heavily dampened cup (using some nuplast or something) then put it together with some large cheap velour earpads and then we can start moving on to cable placement and other stuff. 

 

[Armaegis]

I think designing for a sealed cup design isn't going to work. Too much fiddling with placements and straps getting in the way. Better to go the way of the Denon Dx000 design which have elevated bass response but don't require the pads to seal against your head. On the matter of attaching cups... how about do away with the whole extra straps or pivoting arms thing and just velcro them to the existing straps? So now they'll just hang there and not put any extra pressure on the ears.
 
With those two points in mind, that pretty much frees you to design the cups however you see fit (though probably with a weight limitation).

 

[bucket indeed]

I was also thinking about the driver from the T50rp (ortho), or perhaps the sealed driver capsule thingy out of a Senheisser (I've only seen the HD201 myself, but it sounds like many of the cheaper Senn's have them).  Then again, any on ear hp would work.  It's really just a matter of making a clip that spreads the load and has a little spring to keep them on the ear.

 

[Armaegis]

I don't think Fostex will sell the drivers separately, and for something like the Oculus they're not really ideal. They take a lot of power and need damping to sound their best. Ideally we want something that is simple, easy to power, and small/light (driver and cup altogether).

 

[bucket indeed]

  I don't think Fostex will sell the drivers separately, and for something like the Oculus they're not really ideal. They take a lot of power and need damping to sound their best. Ideally we want something that is simple, easy to power, and small/light (driver and cup altogether).

I sorta talked myself out of that by the end of the post, lol.  Does Koss source their drivers directly, because the KSC-75 driver (or variant) would probably be a good price/performance option?