DIY Bluetooth Headphones [Sony MDR-V6 Wireless Mod]

Go wireless with DIY bluetooth headphones.

PARTS NEEDED

Sony MDR-V6 headphones (or whatever headphones you got): http://amzn.com/B00001WRSJ?tag=griffhammo-20

Jumbl Bluetooth receiver: http://amzn.com/B00HJBBBL0?tag=griffhammo-20

RadioShack 1/8” stereo jack: https://www.radioshack.com/1-8-stereo-in-line-audio-jack/2740274.html RadioShack 1/8” stereo plug: https://www.radioshack.com/1-8-stereo-phone-plug-2-pack/2740284.html (Although I'm sure you can find these cheaper at monoprice.com—I just walked into a RadioShack so I could have them same day.)

Senal leather replacement earpads: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/884080-REG/Senal_smh_padl_Genuine_Sheepskin_Leather_Earpads.html/BI/19987/KBID/13229

OR TO MAKE THINGS EASIER, just get these Audio Technica ATH-M40x headphones that have a removable/replaceable 1/8" cable: http://amzn.com/B00HVLUR54?tag=griffhammo-20

Step 1: Chop Off the Cable.

Like a mad man.

Step 2: Solder a New Jack On.

Step 3: Connect to Bluetooth Receiver.

Comments

[isaacacheampong]

Hi, Thanks for the post. Is it possible to customise for your own sounds when the headphones are connecting or disconnecting? How is this done please? Thank you.

[dgateley]

Thanks for the heads up on the Jumble BT receiver. I got one and rarely has anything so exceeded my expectations. I do a lot of critical listening and combined with my Creative BT-D1 USB transmitter and into my AKG K702 phones I can't hear any change in the music at all on the test tracks I've accumulated as torture tests.

All the BT receiving hardware I've tried starts cutting out just at my porcelain throne and this does so at the same point.

In my tests it reliably gives 6.5 hours listening starting from a full charge and can be charged while listening if you want to carry a small backup battery to extend that. This is an unusual and welcome feature. I have several 'phones that are going to get a 1/8" inline plug/jack modification to shorten the cord just enough to velcro the little Jumbl to the top of the head strap.

[kmpres]

I like this one. Been thinking of making my own bluetooth headphone instructible but, happily, you beat me to it. As I don't have a decent pair of headphones, nor stereo, nor even a TV, I'll have to do this to a new pair of phones and Jumbl receiver and then use them on my laptop computer, which serves as my only media source. The ability to use these phones in their original form is appealing as no permanent damage is done - always a big thing with me. However, I do have one caution. All bluetooth sets produce a sync lag with video sources due to the time required for compression and decompression of the audio signal. Some means of re-syncing the two will be necessary. I imagine software can do this, but every time you go from wired to bluetooth and back will require a re-sync. Do you have any experience with this? I do mostly streaming video and DVDs.

[pughalv]

this is a nice and awesome project

[robbied]

I think this is a really simple way to remove the tangle from headphones. It could be catching on your armrest or just getting in the way. For those that are saying you'll lose quality, what are you using to generate your sound output? Seriously your phone/mp3 player etc are not going to put out recording studio quality sound to start with.

[dgateley]

Thanks for the pointer to the receiver. Smallest I've seen but the price for that seems to be battery life, of course. The 4.0 version has micro-USB in for power and plays while charging so external sources like phone recharging batteries can be used to get it back up without interruption. No idea what the charge time might be with one of those batteries. If you have one could you check that out while its playing the next time your receiver is depleted?

What is your experience with the range of the device? It's just got to reach my porcelain throne. :-)

Ah, for an old fashioned fix-it shop where I could drop off a pair of phones and get the jack/plug inserted for me. I hate that job enough to pay for it.

[griffinity]

I have the 2.0 version, and I get about 3 hours of playback before charging—not sure how long the charge time is. The range isn't great. It reliably works at 10 feet, but once I leave the room, I have trouble.

[robbied]

You could open the unit and fit a larger battery inside the headphone to extend run time (if there is space).

There's a guy on Ebay selling converted earmuffs that have a 20 hour battery life.

[hariz.hent]

One of the stupid upgrades you can do to normal quality headphones. BT receivers COMPRESS audio. Please consult profesionals before doing something stupid to expensive headphones.

[Chakazuluu]

You didn't have to be so negative with your comments- there are more helpful ways to communicate...

[griffinity]

Bluetooth is commonplace for wireless headphones. I also expected a significant drop in audio quality, but was pleasantly surprised that the difference is negligible. I'm a professional filmmaker—it's not like I'm using bluetooth to sound mix; I'm casually listening to music on an iPhone.

[Cody Heiser]

Great project! But a tip when soldering is to heat up the wire and apply the solder to the wire (not the iron). But it looked like you didn't have much room here, so this might be an exception :).

[Dani65]

Really love this idea! Would it be possible to do to smaller headphones that fit in your ears?

[ASCAS]

Excellent project! I never knew "The Griffin Hammond" is here in instructables! :3

[ninuxi]

good project! I don't like wireless for professional, but anyway is better to use quality jack connector, not this plastic component
bye

[ANDY!]

If you DJ, and don't all that cable shizz ^^^^^

[Magitor]

How to ruina great headphone :D

[griffinity]

The beauty of capping the chopped-off cable with a jack means they still function normally as wired headphones.

[Ballesss]

True story

[caitlinsdad]

How do the headphones sound with the bluetooth link? The reason to use a set of V6s is for the studio quality.