DIY Isolation Headphones

[bradb]

Hi everyone,

Good to find this forum. I've been accumulating gear for awhile and just put that on pause to start/finish some DIY projects.

One is to make a equal/better HN7506 pair of isolation headphones. These are offered by Remote Audio for $285 which is a bit steep for my tastes.

Anyway, the cans used in the HN7506 are from a company called David Clark. They don't have the best attenuation, 23dBNRR or so. I found the industry leader (with 31dB NRR) The Leightning L3 and purchased a pair for $20, also they are cheaper than the David Clarks. Next I sourced some used 7506 drivers for $20 and I have a cheap headphone cord to work with.

Some issues I want to run by everyone for advice/discussion.

1) I need a good way to secure the drivers into the muffs. The interior of the muffs is a think foam, there is space for the drivers, but how do you secure a metal disk with no attachment points to a foam chamber? any ideas?

2) Next, after just laying the driver in the muffs and soldering on a headphone cable and listening, the sound is lacking body and bass. I imagine that I need some sort of sealed enclosure behind the driver... also perhaps the exaggerated highs are ment to penetrate whatever foam is in place over the driver.

Maybe the issues above are related, i may be able to easily mount the 7506 driver when it is enclosed in its original housing AND get better bass response.

Also, as far as wiring this up, i plan on running some enameled x-former wire under the sticky foam pads so as to not compromise the seal between the pad and ear and also to not have to drill thru the muff.

thanks for any help,
bb

 

[aronaut]

hey man.

yeah i've gone through the same process. the 7506 drivers alone in the iso cans won't cut it as you've alreay heard. The drivers need a baffle for the bass response. my solution was to keep them in the original 7506 housing (just the flat part that the drivers are mounted on) and cutting the outside shape of it down to fit snuggly into the shell of the cans. put some foam in behind it as well and try to keep the driver as close to the ear as is comfortable. I just used Peltor cans ordered from Mcmaster-Carr. they have a slim design one, although being less db, is more comfortable for drummers (won't fall off the head).

where did you source the drivers from? i've just been cannibalising.

Aron

 

[bradb]

Hi Aron,

Thanks for the reply.. I'm gonna get the baffles somehow. I got two drivers from www.duo-audio.com.

Did you start with a pair of 7506s and just demolish them?

How are you running wires into the cans?

BB

 

[buschfsu]

diy isolation headphones?

koss porta pros, snap them out of thier bases and press them into a 20db set of shooting ear muffs from the local hunting store.

great for tracking drums

 

[aronaut]

yeah, just took apart some 7506's, used the same cable, drilled a hole in the can for it, then ran a smaller cable over the head band (zip tie it or similar) to the right can. i'll see if i have anymore 7506 parts at work (i'm in Brooklyn too)

i don't see anything on that website about selling individual drivers, they have a stock of them?

A

 

[bradb]

I posted a request on craigslist for some broken 7506 headphones and the guy who runs that site responded. He's got a few of the drivers in stock right now he says, not many tho...

i think i can get around drilling into the shells by running some thin wire under the sticky pads.

It would be awesome if you have some of the driver housings laying around, or even a cord, please let me know!

thank you!

 

[bradb]

Currently, I'm thinking that I'm just going to use my ear muffs with my Shure E2c ear buds, rather than trying to mount some 7506 drivers in these muffs. I imagine this would give me even more attenuation...but still..

if any of you guys have a totally trashed pair of sony 7506s or V6s, I'd love to have 'em.

bb