Introduction: Homemade Hi-Fi Headphones
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About: Tim Anderson is the author of the "Heirloom Technology" column in Make Magazine. He is co-founder of www.zcorp.com, manufacturers of "3D Printer" output devices. His detailed drawings of traditional Pacific I…
These home-made hi-fi headphones work as well or better than Sony or Bose noise-canceling headphones.
Unlike the commercial products, these block outside noise instead of canceling it. Listen to music or books on tape without hearing traffic noise, screaming babies, etc. I've been making these for more than a decade. People sometimes ask "isn't it dangerous not being able to hear?" No. Talking on a cellphone shuts off most of the brain whereas listening to headphones is no more dangerous than say, being deaf. Lots of my friends use these units and no harm has come to anyone.
Step-by-step Instructable is here.
- Cost: $20
- Time to make: one minute
- Difficulty: none
Unlike the commercial products, these block outside noise instead of canceling it. Listen to music or books on tape without hearing traffic noise, screaming babies, etc. I've been making these for more than a decade. People sometimes ask "isn't it dangerous not being able to hear?" No. Talking on a cellphone shuts off most of the brain whereas listening to headphones is no more dangerous than say, being deaf. Lots of my friends use these units and no harm has come to anyone.
Step-by-step Instructable is here.
17 Comments
13 years ago on Introduction
Lol, I wouldn't call these "Hi-Fi". Those crappy drivers you put into those ear muffs are not at all High Fidelity...
14 years ago on Introduction
i have build it before i saw this video
14 years ago on Introduction
I'm sure they work very well, but the don't look the best for walking through the shopping center or at the sk8 park...
14 years ago on Introduction
WOAH! heheh, now i know why the instructible isnt included, it takes hehe, LESS than 60seconds to make...been toying with the idea fro some time as well, however, never got up to doin it..Great Job man! oh, btw, isnt there any sound loss where the wire enters the Jackhammer Headphones (muffs)? thanks a million!
15 years ago on Introduction
GREAT idea timanderson i had this idea myself but you helped a LOT
15 years ago on Introduction
ya, i did this to my 25 dollar vic firth drumming noise cancelling headphones, because if you want to buy drumming headphones that have speakers in them, it costs about 125 bucks, so ya, great for drummers in home studios....such as myself lol. great video.
15 years ago on Introduction
an alternative for Jackhammer earmuffs are Shooter's earmuffs, available at any Gun Shop.
16 years ago on Introduction
Thanks. I tried it and it works great
16 years ago on Introduction
Sure you can still have videos in your Instructable, but if they can stand alone, you can also post them as a just a video.
16 years ago on Introduction
KipKay did this a while ago:
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/548578/headphone_hack_make_you_own_noise_eliminating_headset/\
I actually did it too a few weeks ago with good results using a 2 dollar set of earmuffs from harbor freight:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=43768
And a 5 dollar set of RCA headphones from a Family Dollar store.
7 bucks, nice headphones for lawn cutting/leaf blowing, etc
16 years ago on Introduction
awesome! looks cool!
16 years ago on Introduction
yea why?
Reply 16 years ago on Introduction
Since we now have a video section, it makes sense that you can find the video here and the step-by-step instructions an Instructable. Some people really just want to see videos and others just like to see each step with text and photos.
Reply 16 years ago on Introduction
:-\ i thought you could update an instructable with anything (add a vid if ya want)
Reply 16 years ago on Introduction
Here I thought Tim was having a "senior moment".
16 years ago on Introduction
I'd rather go for some AKG's ..........
16 years ago on Introduction
I love this. MAKE featured this in an earlier issue and I've been meaning to make myself a pair of these. I've just been too lazy to head to my local hardware store to get the jackhammer ear-protection.