DIY isolation headphones

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curtiswyant
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DIY isolation headphones

Post by curtiswyant » Sat Nov 19, 2005 3:32 pm

I think I blew a pair of my Extreme Iso 'phones :cry:
I've got a few pairs of moreme headphones sitting around, any advice on how to make them more isolated? I'm thinking styrofoam...or something. :idea:

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rolandk
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Post by rolandk » Sat Nov 19, 2005 3:55 pm

How do you mean "blew"? From excessive volume, or did you accidently yank on the cable and break the wires? If the speakers are bad I've read that you can send them back to the manufacturer and they will fix them.

I just broke the cable on mine a couple weeks ago and fixed it by cutting it 6" below the Y and soldering in a 1/4" TRS connector. Then hooked up to a coiled extension cable, and then a regular straight extension cable. The idea here is if you yank on it hard, either the coils will absorb the shock or it will just unplug.
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bradb
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Post by bradb » Tue Nov 22, 2005 12:20 pm

This is something i attempted...

I got the craziest isolation headphones I could find, something like 30dB attenuation. If I remember right they were, Leightning L3's (???). I got some MDR-7506 drivers, you know the "standard" sony cans. I intended to wire it all up, but then I tried my shure in-ear monitors UNDERNEATH the isolation phones. When placing mics for drums, there was still alot of leakage.

I'm basically saying that its pretty hard to isolate for loud sources, like drums, which you basically want to be able to attenuate.

It could work for strings or other quiet things. And actually it did work for guitar amps.

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Marik
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Post by Marik » Tue Nov 22, 2005 12:45 pm

For loud sources I use Shure in-ears, with industial ear-muffs from Grizzly on top.
I don't think anything could give better isolation. There is still some leak, but it is heavily attenuated.

I would not attempt DIYing isolating headphones. The drivers should be designed to work in a closed box. Even then, it is extremely hard to make a closed can, which would sound fair at the best.

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