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3D Printed Aurora Borealis style headphones

tknx

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Joined
Jul 25, 2019
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Hi all - I posted this over on a couple of other forums, but ASR is where I spend the most time and wanted to share this. This is pretty much near final except for I don't think the headband is perfected. I don't have a GRAS to measure, but they sound decent to me. I have a simpler version where the earcups snap together without screws under design, and I also want to make a version where the driver is suspended like a microphone to isolate it from the rest of the earcup to see if that improves sound - but unfortunately stuck with subjective analysis.

Original version by /u/mwildebeast

Tools​

  • 3D printer and filament - I have a Prusa Mini and just use regular eSun PLA
  • Soldering iron - I highly recommend the TS100P or T80
  • Solder

Parts​

Store#PartNameEst. Price
Digikey2DriversPeerless by Tymphany HPD-50N25PR00-32$20
Redco43.5mm jackSwitchcraft 35PRM3$10
Redco1Internal wiringMogami W2893 Miniature Quad Microphone Cable$5
Aliexpress1Cable - 0.5m16 Core Litz Cable for Headphone - 3.5mm stereo$15
Aliexpress1Cable - 2m16 Core Litz Cable for Headphone - 3.5mm stereo$30
Amazon1EarpadsBRAINWAVZ Round Memory Foam Earpads$25
Amazon1M2 x 25mm screws and nutsVIGRUE M2.5 assortment screw kit$0.50
Amazon1Headband coverGeekria Hook and Loop Headband Cover$15
Amazon4HeatshrinkHeatshrink (Optional)
Amazon1'Cable sleevingCable sleeving (Optional)
TOTAL~$100

3D prints​

Prusa Mini with Prusa Slicer and the following settings:
  • Bobstro settings
  • 50% infill (I would absolutely use this for Earpad Plates, but you can lower for the rest of the parts)
  • No supports are needed for the earcups - but the headband does need them

#Earcup Prints
2Driver Clamps
2Earcups
2Earpad Plates

#Headband
1Headband top
2Headband adjustors
2Yokes

Instructions​

  1. Print out the earcups. When they are done, start printing out the other parts while doing the rest of the work.
  2. Cut a 12-inch length of the Mogami and pull out the wires - you will use this for the local wiring on each side
  3. Insert the driver in an earcup with the soldering points facing to the rear of each - the narrower space between the two jack inputs
  4. Put the 2 jacks in loosely, don’t bother tightening, and measure the wires.
  5. You are going to wire all three leads to one another - so measure and cut the wire for all three to go there when twisted together. You are also going to wire a black and a colored wire to the driver, so cut those two wires from one of the jacks to the driver solder points
  6. You can pull these out and solder it all together and reinsert it and do the same for the other side - do one side for right and one side for left as follows:
    • The black tied together wire goes to the longest terminal
    • The red wires go to the shortest terminal (2 on the right side, 1 on the left)
    • The blue wires go to the middle terminal (2 on the left side, 1 on the right)
  7. Twist the shorter wires going back together and then solder them to the driver - left solder point use the colored wire and right solder point use the black wire on both sides so they stay in phase
  8. Sandwich the back plate, the earcup and the earpad plate and use the M2.5 x 20mm screw from the back to tie it all together.
  9. Align those philips screws you savage.
  10. Attach the earcups to the headband and run the 0.5m wire between the earcups, you might have a bit of excess which you can loop up and over the top of the headband.
  11. Add in the headband cover over the wire
  12. Stick on the earpads on each side.

Simplification​

  • If you don’t care about dual-siding the ability to run one cord, skip the jack on one side and solder the earband wire directly to the driver.
  • If you don’t care about having a single cord, you can put a jack in on each side, skip the earband wire and wire up the drivers from each jack. You need to solder to the jacks on the ground (longest) and the middle length on both sides in that case.

Additional thoughts​

  • The Brainwavz pads are cheap and well reviewed, but these Dekoni might be a good choice as well.
 

xarkkon

Active Member
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May 26, 2019
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Cool! Any photos of the end product?
 
OP
T

tknx

Member
Joined
Jul 25, 2019
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@xarkkon these are a couple that are a slightly earlier iteration and have a hardwired cross cable instead of 3.5mm jack that I made for my daughter.

Differences are a hardwired cross cable; I used a bit of mounting hardware from another pair of headphones to connect the earcups, and different Switchcraft plug.

IMG_1758.jpeg
IMG_1759.jpeg
 

xarkkon

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May 26, 2019
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Looks very good. Well done!
 

Wolf

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Nov 21, 2020
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I've used those Peerless drivers in a pair of sacrificial frames and love them!
 
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