Introduction: Beats by Ashley and Danielle

For this project we are going to show you how to make your own headphones as well as letting you be as creative as you want.

Step 1: Materials

  • 2 28 Gauge copper wire (approx 2 arm lengths)
  • 4 Neodymium magnets
  • 1 Auxiliary plug
  • 2 Plastic cups
  • Sandpaper
  • 1 Nail (any size)
  • Wire cutters
  • Cardboard (as much as you want)(optional)
  • Red Firefly tape (as needed) (optional)
  • A bag of popsicle sticks (use as many as needed) (optional)
  • 1 pair pliers
  • 1 soldering iron

Step 2: Preparing the Coil

  1. Find the copper wire of the gauge that you want to use, the higher the gauge, the smaller the diameter of the wire. (we used 28 gauge)
  2. Measure out 2 arm lengths of wire and cut it from the spool of wire using the sharp end of the wire cutter.
  3. To make the voice coil, wrap a piece of tape, sticky side up on a pen. Then tightly wrap the metal wire around it, making a coil. The more coils you have, the louder the sound will be. (We used 26 coils of wire). Make sure you leave around 6 inches of wire on each end of the coil.
  4. Slide the piece of tape off of the pen and trim the excess tape around your coils. You have now made your voice coil.
  5. Sand the ends of the coil,(about 3 cm up) with sandpaper to remove the enamel on the wiring.

* The enamel on the ends of the wire works as an insulator and stops it from conducting current to any other wires in the system.*

* The voice provides a path for the electric current to travel through and strengthens the magnetic field. It also provides as a temporary magnet when current is flowing through it.*

Attachments

Step 3: Assembling the Diaphram

  1. Choose the material of the cup that you want to use.( We recommend plastic since it is a more solid material that can still vibrate freely)
  2. Once you have chosen your cup, take a nail or any other sharp object and puncture a hole in the centre of your cup.

*The diaphragm amplifies vibrations and pushes sound waves in different vibrations.*

Step 4: Putting It All Together

  1. Lay the voice coil over the hole in the cup and attach the coil using tape
  2. Place a magnet above the voice coil and below the cup to help secure the magnet as well as increase the magnetic field.

*The magnet will eventually act as the thing that helps attract and repel the temporary magnet (voice coil when connected to a power source) which helps to create a vibration creating or amplifying the sound.*
*The magnet provides a permanent magnetic field and the voice coil provides a path for the electric current to flow through*

3. Repeat steps 1-9 to create your second headphone.

4. Tightly wrap one sanded end of one headphone to one sanded end of the other headphone to join the two headphones together above the head, keeping the current running through them both.

Step 5: Attaching the Audio Jack

Attach the remaining ends of the wiring, one to each terminal by slipping each remaining end of the wires into the small holes in the terminals and twisting them around themselves to secure them. (make sure the two wires are not touching).

Step 6: Decorating Your Headphones

  1. Decorate your headphones however you want. (Be as creative as you want)

*We recommend covering the wiring as well as the cups with some form of material*

Step 7: Finishing Your Design

  1. Detach your wires from your audio jack and thread your wire on your audio cover.
  2. Re-attach your wiring to the terminals and solder them on tightly.
  3. Fold the two top prongs on the audio jack inward using a pair of pliers.
  4. Screw the audio jack in, covering the terminals.
  5. ENJOY (enjoy your new headphone creation)

Step 8: Troubleshooting

  • If the sound is not coming out or is extremely quiet, mave the wires around near the auxiliary cord, it may have moved away from the metal or the wires could be touching.
  • Make sure the magnets and the voice coils do not detach or separate from the back of the cup or else the diaphragm will not vibrate.
  • If the distance between the ears is too far, use a headband to conform them to the distance of your head. (It will make the sound louder and giving you clear audio)