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In ear headset - a cheap project

cnpeters

Well Known Member
Wanting an in-ear headset without the extravagant prices commanded by commercial vendors, I decided to roll my own. Total cost was $70 ($50 for the Comply headset, $10 for the Shure inline volume controller, $10 for heatshrink, Radio Shack project box. I contributed the mic and plugs from a gutted AvComm PNR cupped headset). I tested the set yesterday in the air, and it worked well. ATC said sound quality was fine (with a tone to stop bugging them after the third radio check). Noise attenuation of the Comply foam tips was a little better than my PNR cupped sets (QFC) - I'll try to borrow an ANR set to compare. Comfort was far better - flew 1.5 hours, didn't notice set or earpieces.
I roughly followed the links below, but as with Pete Howell, I just used the Shure volume controller and did not use any transformers, pots. Made things real easy.
http://www.canardzone.com/members/nickugolini/CuplessHeadet/cupless_headset.htm
Here's Pete Howell's VAF write-up: http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showpost.php?p=146229&postcount=12
http://www.cozy1200.com/geeklog/article.php?story=20070427102533266


p1020145am8.jpg


This is the completed set. I tried two earbuds - the Shure E2C @$65 (better sound quality for music) and the Comply set @ $50 (very comfortable tips, a little better sound blocking). Also note the Shure inline volume controller lower left - that plugs into box, then headset into that. Of note, I wanted a separate jack so I can take the headset away and use it for the mp3 player, etc.


p1020155qm5.jpg


Here is the in vivo pic - I'm using the Shure ear buds, but used the Comply ones mostly inflight.

Details of construction:


p1020143zv5.jpg


Frame - To make the wire frame, I used some wire from a leftover Van's piano hinge. I made a prototype wire with a coat hanger, shaped for a bit until it felt comfortable - don't forget to move your head in all directions to ensure the set and mic stay in place. I then bent the hinge wire to the shape of the coat hanger template - these two steps alone took an hour. The trick with the latter is to try and 'roll' bends and not get kinks.
After wire hookups, heatshrink was applied for a more finished look. On my next set, I will try and keep the mic wires running along one side of the frame wire with epoxy before heatshrinking to provide a more polished look.
In the pic, the mic was just sitting here. I did not trim down the original AvComm mic, but others have. Weight was irrelevant, so I will do same next time. Plus, muff fit better on bigger mic body, and there was no time spent floxing a new body.


p1020141yh2.jpg


Here is the box - original headset wires from plugs come in, re-attached mic circuit chip (used to be in head cup) to appropriate wires, ran earphone wires to 1/8" stereo jack. On the latter, the planes I fly are mono intercoms, so I put a jumper between the right and left channel jack terminals - I will change this later when the RV is done, as I intend on a stereo set up. For the mic wires from the box to the mic, I used a piece of 2 conductor RCA patch cord from the scrap bin. Cord entries to the box were protected with strain relievers from the original headset. A little epoxy ensured no slippage.

That's about it. Works well, was cheap, and only was about 5 hours of work.
Thanks to Pete Howell and the others who blazed this fun project ahead of me,
Carl
 
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Cool project, and thanks for letting me know about the the Shure inline volume controller...I was working on an audio project this week (putting sat. radio on my motorcycle through an intercom system) and was wondering if there was a a simple way to ad an inline volume control. Thanks!
 
Great IDEA!

I went out to the hangar yesterday and found a 10 year old stereo headset that was replaced by a newer model long ago. I felt like a kid again riping it apart. I salvaged the rubber grommets and the volume control and drew out a schematic of the original wiring before taking the electrical harness apart. I went to Fry's electronics and bought some long heat shrink rubber tubing and nothing else, mainly because they didn't have any of the other stuff I was looking for! Unbelieveable!

Next stop, Radio Shack. They have it all. I bought a Project Box.

A 1/8" Stereo Panel Mount Jack.

A bag of assorted Grommets.

And a 6 foot stereo cable with two plastic coated wires and a shield for the mike.

I also picked a really cheap circuit tester to make sure I made the connection (arr-arr).

Got my smarts from Wikipedia. (since I don't know Jack about Jacks)

I am going today to Target to get these battery powered noise cancellation earphones. I have a friend who rides Harleys and swears by them.

Here's my progress so far. I will make the neckpiece this afternoon and connect the mic:
headset.jpg
 
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This looks like a great project and that all the real thinking is already done! Think I'll build a set to go along with the QT Halo's I bought at OSH. No use having my lovely co-pilot wearing those old Sennheiser ANR's. One question, however. Wouldn't it have been simpler to just put a 1/4" to mini plug adapter into the headset output and plug the earpieces in there? I have a couple of those, both stereo and mono. I don't know if Radio Shack handles them anymore, but I think I bought them there. I don't know if there is a .206 adapter or not.

Also, if we are heading that direction, why not wire up the panel with mini outputs/inputs instead of the 1/4" and .206" plugs that go back to the days when we hand-cranked our phones? I talked to the proprietor at QT about this and it makes no sense to use such old technology today. IMHO, anyway. Thoughts?

Bob Kelly
 
Makes perfect sense - like the idea. The project box was originally done as per the links I posted since extra parts were added (tranformers, etc). I just copied the same idea, but didn't need to add any electronics for the mic circuit. I may do your idea if I can find the adapters. Also, putting in the 1/8th jack on your panel (or desired place) makes sense - will probably put both conventional and this jack in, so can switch headsets around if desired.
 
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I'm going to totally copy you. I have a couple of broken headsets, I'll steal mics off of. This is cool and totally exciting. I'm gonna save $900 :D
 
Wing_Nut said:
Could you use something like this for the mic? Might be quieter and get rid of the around the neck microphone holder.

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/t...arentType=index&parentId=cat130007&id=0025098

Couple issues - I can not stand something gripping around my neck, and the reviews were less than flattering. Position issues brought up by at least 3 of the reviewers. Don't know the quality, but that whole set is only $30, so mic quality probably not great. You would have to do some research with it.
At least by gutting an old headset, I knew exactly what I was getting into with the mic quality. Plus, my wire frame is really not noticed, even with extreme head turns, flexion and extension, since I took care to adjust the proto coat hanger first. If you decide to go this route, I would love to get your opinion after testing.
 
One Step Further

I think that the ?In the ear headset? could be a terrific product and very satisfying project. I have studies all of the afore mentioned write-ups and even built my first wire frame, to which I added a yellow wire nut to simulate the mic and wore around the house for much of yesterday afternoon. Yes, I did get some smirky smiles from the family, but I can handle that. Wow!! Is that ever comfortable!!.

I don?t have an old headset to scavenge, so I need to find suppliers for the following needed items:

Please think of this with stereo sound in mind.

Mic socket, mic and muff ? Needs to be noise canceling and tiny
Mic circuit chip ? Perhaps what Clarity Aloft uses.
Molded cord w/plugs ? Sure, I could make something up, but it wouldn?t look as good.
Transformers ? Still not sure if I need those or not??
Schematic ? It would be nice to have a diagram to assist in the wiring.
I?m sure that some standard wiring color code is used and that would be nice to know

It would also be helpful to know what wiring needs to be shielded. I just happened to have some, really small, shielded wire, if needed.

I?m sure that I?m not alone here and that there are a lot of us RV addicts that would love to build our own ?In the ear headset? but we need a little extra help with the process.

All advice appreciated

Tom
 
Tom,
Really can't help much, as I would have to research mics from scratch and with some trial and error to see what would work. I just don't know enough about it. That is the beauty is using an old headset - the research and work was cut WAY down.
Some of the parts you mention can be found at Radio Shack or other electronic suppliers, including the mics. I just don't where to start on the latter. You can buy a passive inexpensive stereo headset off ebay for $60 or so ($100 for a new AV-200, and I believe has stereo plug though wired for mono) and have everything you need - will cost as much by buying separately. It still will be way cheaper than the commercial in ear sets.
For a schematic, all I did was trace the wires and write them down and reconnect - this was mainly needed for the chip that I relocated to the project box. Thus, I can't write up a schematic if you buy parts separately as I don't know what they will be. By not buying a used headset, you will create at least three times the work and pratically no savings in money.
Good luck,
cp
 
Some Progress

Thanks Carl. I?ve made a little progress in the process. I?ve ordered the Comply HC-NR10 headset. For $60, it provides the complete stereo headset, including a volume control, everything that I need for the receive side, with the exception of the correct plug on the end to accommodate a standard aircraft jack. Surely I can figure that out. In fact, my hope is to find an adapter so that I can use the in-ear headset for other purposes, if desired. My plan is to keep the in-ear headset and headband/mic, as two separate units.

Now for the headband/mic assembly: As I mentioned, I have a sample headband fabricated. I found, in my old goodie box, a brand new David Clark M-7A mic, still in the package. I had bought it a long time ago, thinking that I had a bad one, which turned out to be wrong. I think that it was only about a $30 item. I do have a couple of good functioning DC headsets, but I won?t scavenge parts off of them. They will stay in my Cub.

What to do?? Do I break this new mic apart to see if there is a chip in there? My thoughts are that there is. This mic assembly is a bit larger than it would be if I separated the chip from the actual mic itself, as you did, but I don?t think that it will add objectionable weight to the headband. I may just try attaching this to my headband with a small cable and a mic plug on the end to see if it even has a prayer of working. Can?t wait for my comply headset to get here. I?m excited!!

What am I missing here? The way that I see it, with the above approach I think that I only need the following items:

Headset plug adapter - to go from the headset cord plug to the A/C radio jack
Mic plug - to go on the end of the headband mic cord and plug into the A/C radio jack
And some wire. Did you use shielded or not?

Thanks again for the follow up. I really want to make this work.

The Saga continues,

Tom
 
You might try RST Engineering, I purchased a headphone kit, audio panelkit and intercom kit many years ago. The head phone kit included wire, microphone, connectors etc. They sell replacement parts, but they aren't specifically listed on their website. http://www.rst-engr.com/index.html
 
Started building an in-ear headset...

I didn't have an old headset to scrap parts from so I had to start from scratch...

Radio Shack: $60
noise reduction ear plugs with comply plugs and inline volume control
project box
6' stereo cable for mic
assorted grommets
misc connectors
1/8" stereo headphone jack

Aircraft Spruce: $70
headset extension plugs
headset "Y" box
shrink tube
4' piano hinge pin
noice cancellation mic

$130 so far-
 
Tom,
Try Radio Shack (here - http://www.radioshack.com/sm-1-8-stereo-jack-to-1-4-stereo-plug-headphone--pi-2062468.html ) and others for the plug adapter. Will work fine. So will the mic as you describe. No, I didn't use shielded wire from the project box to the mic, nor are the ear bud wires shielded. No noise.
For your mic, why don't you just tape it on your head wire to see if it too heavy or bulky? To counterbalance, run the mic wires around the frame wire and exit off on the other side, so the weight of the free hanging wire counters the mic and mic boom. If it is still too bulky, then you will need to cut apart, but try the simple way first and test. Then you just need the .206" plug.
Good luck and keep everyone posted.
Carl

Thanks Carl. I?ve made a little progress in the process. I?ve ordered the Comply HC-NR10 headset. For $60, it provides the complete stereo headset, including a volume control, everything that I need for the receive side, with the exception of the correct plug on the end to accommodate a standard aircraft jack. Surely I can figure that out. In fact, my hope is to find an adapter so that I can use the in-ear headset for other purposes, if desired. My plan is to keep the in-ear headset and headband/mic, as two separate units.

Now for the headband/mic assembly: As I mentioned, I have a sample headband fabricated. I found, in my old goodie box, a brand new David Clark M-7A mic, still in the package. I had bought it a long time ago, thinking that I had a bad one, which turned out to be wrong. I think that it was only about a $30 item. I do have a couple of good functioning DC headsets, but I won?t scavenge parts off of them. They will stay in my Cub.

What to do?? Do I break this new mic apart to see if there is a chip in there? My thoughts are that there is. This mic assembly is a bit larger than it would be if I separated the chip from the actual mic itself, as you did, but I don?t think that it will add objectionable weight to the headband. I may just try attaching this to my headband with a small cable and a mic plug on the end to see if it even has a prayer of working. Can?t wait for my comply headset to get here. I?m excited!!

What am I missing here? The way that I see it, with the above approach I think that I only need the following items:

Headset plug adapter - to go from the headset cord plug to the A/C radio jack
Mic plug - to go on the end of the headband mic cord and plug into the A/C radio jack
And some wire. Did you use shielded or not?

Thanks again for the follow up. I really want to make this work.

The Saga continues,

Tom
 
Just Finished....

I would like to make one myself, could you guys help me out and make a shopping list from scratch??

Aircraft Spruce: some part #'s

A1060 Black Mic 11-04838 $17.50 (noise reduction mic)
http://www.aircraftspruce.com/pdf/2008Individual/Cat08553.pdf

Headset Extension 5' 11-10640 $39.00 (great b/c you don't need to wire plugs)
http://www.aircraftspruce.com/pdf/2008Individual/Cat08557.pdf

Cable Junction Box 11-02743 $6.30 (fits perfectly)
http://www.aircraftspruce.com/pdf/2008Individual/Cat08557.pdf

misc heat shrink tubing-?
piano hinge wire (6')-?

Radio Shack:
small 2pack 3.5mm stereo jack panel mount $2.99
assorted grommets $(approx)2.99

noise reduction stereo headset with comply tips with inline volume control $39.95
(or you could get the shure or something better someplace else)

No pictures right now, but here's what I did-

THE WIRING:

I took the cable junction box (it has one wire in port and 2 wires out- like a Y) and drilled a 1/4" hole in the side to mount the mini 3.55mm stereo jack inside.

I took the headset extensions and separated the wires (mic/phones)

MIC- the little jack (mic) wire runs THROUGH the cable junction box UNCUT. I left about 6-8inches from the jack to the junction box. Cut the female connector and strip back the casing 1/4". peel back shielding, cut red wire (not used), the black and the uninsulated common are wired into the mic.

You want to install the mini grommets on the wire before installing in the box and mic.

PHONES- the big jack wire you cut to extend beyond the cable junction box about the same distance to the middle of the box. strip back the wire to reveal the red, black, and common. INSTALL GROMMET NOW.

If you have a mono headset- the red and black get tied together. You solder the red/black to the two leads on the back of the 3.55mm jack and the common gets soldered to the side tab. Make everything nice and tight to fit inside the little junction box. AGAIN- for mono, red and black are joined. For stereo, they need to be separated.

Install the grommets and screw the little cable junction box together! Install the nut on the 3.55mm stereo jack and you're done with that part!

THE HEADSET:

I ground the MIC down to remove the material where the mic would attach on a standard headset boom using the 3m wheel.

I used a vice to bend the steel piano hinge wire and compared it to the Quiet Tech Halo headset I have. The piano hinge wire is STIFF- it's good because it rebounds like a spring. I found it good to bend around the head and tab down at a 45deg angle past the ears.

FLEXIBLE BOOM: I wanted to be able to adjust the mic slightly. We experimented and found a 10-14ga copper wire worked great (a 4" scrap from wiring the garage). We wrapped the steel pin and copper wire with a bare 24ga multistrand wire and soldered it together on high heat (700deg). Then I cleaned up the joint on the 3m wheel. The copper is more flexible than the steel pin. Practice once before doing the final- we used an alligator clip to hold it together to get some solder on it.

TEST FIT- ADJUST- TEST FIT- ADJUST- ETC.....

I planned on using 1min epoxy on the copper wire to the mic- so I taped it onto the wire temporarily to get the alignment pretty close before gluing.

OK EVERYTHING LOOKS GOOD! YOU'RE READY TO PUT IT ALL TOGETHER!

You need to install the shrink wrap first. I kept the stereo headset separate so I could replace down the road. The mic wire worked best for me running over the ear and then off the headset. Before you wire the MIC and mount the MIC, slip the heat shrink over the MIC WIRE, copper wire, and onto the steel hinge pin wire up to where you want the wire to come off the headset. DON'T HEAT SHRINK YET! Then install smaller heat shrink tube around the other side to slip inside the larger heat shrink for a nice fit and finish(leave it a little long and trim RIGHT before heating).

Wire the MIC- black and uninsulated common. Doesn't matter which side. I had to solder a 20ga lead onto the wires to get them to the right size to use the screw down posts on the MIC. Make sure the MIC wires are secured in the MIC.

Mix up your Epoxy- HINT- use more catalyst to insure a quick setup- that's the colored stuff. spread a little on the mic (I had the wire install on the flat back side of the MIC so the MIC was closer to my mouth.) then use a small pair of vice grips to hold the wire and mic together. Add more epoxy to the wire to fill the fillets. LET SETUP!

After the epoxy is non sticky (Vise grips still on), you can slip the Heat Shrink down to fit over the wires to the MIC to make a clean looking termination at the MIC. Once everything is looking good with the heatshrink- HEAT IT UP!

Install MIC muff- GO FLY!

CAVEAT EMPTOR!

I wired up the box and mic and then tested everything in the cockpit before moving onto final assembly.

FLIGHT TESTING:

I went and flew for about an hour with the DIY headset and my Dad wearing the Quiet Tech Halo. It was so quiet, for a moment I thought there might be something off with the airplane. Previously, I couldn't get the gain set correctly on other headsets MIC and the cockpit noise overpowered the noise reduction and squelch. Not so now.

The only issue I could determine was the loose wires from the headphones. A little wire management would do wonders. I'm glad I kept the headphones separate from the headset- the radio shack noise reduction headset is a little cheap and the inline volume control is VERY sensitive. It's nice to be able to switch out headphones. The noise reduction on the MIC worked very well in conjunction with my 2 place intercom. I noticed for the first time that one of my radios is putting out more static than the other. Some clips to keep the wires loose so they don't pull when you turn your head is important as well, I would get some noise bleed around the ear plugs if turned my head sharply because the wires pulled a little.

The little cable junction box is GREAT! smaller than my HALO junction box.

Overall- For less than $100 (depending on your headphone choices) a good project to save $250 over the HALO and even more over the Clarity Aloft.

Of course the packaging is nothing close to the QT Halo, but that's $150 more for fuel!
 
Howdy,

I found the links to this forum after stumbling across Drew Chaplin's website while trying to 're-find' Nick Ugolini's "Cup-less Headset" website...

After taking inspiration and some ideas from all of the those who have made these... and finally sourcing an old headset (a Telex Airman 750 -100 model)... I have started work on my very own In Ear Headset...

I have built the frame, attached the boom mic from the Telex, wired up a junction box with the aircraft plugs, a 2.5mm socket (for mic line) and a 3.5mm socket for the headset... I've tested the mic (using a home built adapter that lets me plug it into the PC) so I know thats working OK...

However I am now having some issues sourcing the in-ear headphones... I would like to get a set of the Comply NR10's with the inline volume control, but they are not available locally within in New Zealand.

There are plenty of retailers online who sell them, but they either will not ship to New Zealand, or will only use Fedex/UPS etc and want to charge as much (if not more) for the shipping as for the headset itself!

The cheapest I have found so far are B&H (www.bhphotovideo.com) who charge $69.95 for the headset and $36.05 for the shipping...

So can anyone recommend a retailer that:

a. sells the NR10's
b. will ship to New Zealand
c. will do so for less than US$20! (I dont mind waiting 2 or 3 weeks for standard postal service)

Failing that, perhaps someone can recommend some alternative earphones, that a compatible with the comply tips, that I might be able to source locally...

regards,
Jared

Update 29/10/2007: Yay... A friend of mine currently living in New Jersey is coming back to New Zealand in December... he has kindly offered to 'courier' these back for me... so the Hearing Components NR-10's have been purchased for US$70 and shipped for US$4.95... now I just need to wait for a few weeks to get my 'phones!

I tested the frame, mic and box in one of the aircraft over the weekend... UNICOM was reading me at 5... granted it was sitting on the ground with the engine off, but its nice to know my dodgy soldering was OK ;) now I just need to get a ride as a passenger so I can test the mic inflight to make sure that it cancels noise as well as I hope it does!
 
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Success!!

I finished and tested my new, homemade, in the ear, headset. I used the Comply NR10 earphones with the volume control. The first one that they sent me was intermittent, but the replacement that they sent works perfect.

I took the advice of previous posts and kept the systems separate. I built the mic part from piano wire, (the 3rd headband was the charm) a complete David Clark M7A noise cancelling mic, thin, shielded, mic cable, PJ068 mic plug, and some heat shrink. Total investment was right at $100, but I already had the little mic.

Try it, you'll like it.

Tom
 
So the M7A is a complete mic unit? ie. it contains all the circuitry so you only need to wire it to the plug?

I am just thinking of alternatives to butchering a headset for the Mark II ;)
 
Wow.. Great thread..

I just ran across and old Telex headset tonight that might be great to try and rig up one of these.. I have seen some in videos and always wondered how they'd do..

Maybe I'll roll my own..
 
The Mic

Yes, the M7A is a complete mic. All you need is to get two wires from it to the mic jack plug, and the thin shielded mic cord is super light. One note; it is a little more bulky than a split system. It is not objectionable though, and you eliminate the need for a box hanging in the middle. It is just a matter of putting a plug on the end of the cable and plugging it in. I was never a fan of these project boxes hanging on the cord.

I found a slick way to make the physical transition from the wire head band, to the free hanging mic cord. Take a piece of heat shrink, about 1 1/2" long and poke a hole in the side, about half was down. Now string that on your headband from the non mike side, starting in the end of the shrink and coming our the side. Next feed the mic cord completely through the shrink. After shrinking, this makes a clean transition, coming down the back of the ear.

Good Luck

Tom
 
Hey guys-

I'm sitting here looking at a set of Telex Airman ANR 200's that are about 15 years old.. They are ANR jet headsets and while looking at them, I thought: Has anyone thought about using a current ANR headset and wiring up the new in ear buds to the unit?

Seems like you might get the best of both worlds..

Jeff
 
Ear Buds inside standard headset

FWIW: I have been using a set of off-the-shelf Etymotic ear buds, with a Radio Shack in-line volume control. I put them on first, then put my OLD DC headset on over the top of the earbuds, and plug only the mike in.

Great noise reduction, and much better clarity, even in my very noisy T-6. And if the ear buds fail, I can use my standard headset as a backup.

Down side: a wire jungle! If I can ever get a round tuit, I'd like to put a small jack inside each earpiece for each earbud.:cool:
 
I took the frame+mic up for a test run over the weekend... I may have hit a bit of a snag. :(

The mic seems VERY sensitive (and loud)... just leaving it sitting on the seat, it would start transmitting constantly on the intercom... even after fiddling with the squelch.

The wierd thing was, if I picked it up and held it close to my face to simulate wearing it, it would 'cut out' like you would expect... I think I need to adjust the mic gain and try again. Luckily there is a potentiometer on the circuit board, which I believe allows you to alter the mic gain...

If this does not work I may need to source another mike :(
 
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ORDERED!

From Spruce:
Electret microphone (11-04838) $17.50
Foam mic cover (11-04840) $1.50
5' stereo headset extension (11-10640) $39.60
Cable junction box (11-02743) $6.30
Total from Spruce (with shipping): $71.62

Radio Shack "Comply" Headset (with volume control) $32.09
Radio Shack 1/8th stereo phone jack $3.20


Total so far: $100.19

Radio Shack will provide the heatshrink, 1/8" stereo headset jack and assorted fittings. I'm not sure how well the cheapy microphone will work, but it's about $60 cheaper than the David Clark model, so it was worth a throw of the dice.

Think I'll try a TIG welding rod for the frame, but I've got to play with it first to see if it's stiff enough. I hope to get the kinks (err...smooth bends) worked out and make another for my father-in-law for Christmas.

As an alternate approach, one could eliminate the junction box and plug the earphones directly into the panel via a converter plug (11-02746, $3.45) You would then need to buy only the mic cord (11-10625, $26.90) and you'd save a few bucks to boot. You'd end up with two completely different, extremely simple components.

I'll let you all know how it works out.
 
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I would be interested to know how the cheapy mic works out... as I have just found out that we have a Spruce rep here in NZ... :)

They do a bulk order/combined shipping every week or so, to help minimise shipping to NZ... so I may be able to get one at a 'reasonable' price if it turns out that my current one is unsuitable...
 
Works good! Spruce Mic...

I would be interested to know how the cheapy mic works out... as I have just found out that we have a Spruce rep here in NZ... :)

They do a bulk order/combined shipping every week or so, to help minimise shipping to NZ... so I may be able to get one at a 'reasonable' price if it turns out that my current one is unsuitable...

I've been using my headset for about 10 hours of flying and the MIC works great!

I'm having a small problem with the headset jack- but I think it's a builder error.

The MIC works very well- highly recommend it for the money!

PS_ my Halo broke! I'm down to one headset. The homebuilt!
 
I've been using my headset for about 10 hours of flying and the MIC works great!

I'm having a small problem with the headset jack- but I think it's a builder error.

The MIC works very well- highly recommend it for the money!

PS_ my Halo broke! I'm down to one headset. The homebuilt!

Glad to hear the Spruce mic works well. I was a bit concerned because it is so much cheaper than any of the other offerings. With regards to the headset jack, is there room in the little Spruce cable box to mount a headset jack and a micro switch? I'm thinking about trying to make mine switchable between mono and stereo? I'm certainly a novice when it comes to wiring (read that as, "I'm a total newbie,") and would appreciate any advice on how to do this. I can't wait to try 'er out!

UPDATE: I went to Radio Shack to pick up the 1/8th jack and found the "Comply" earphones that jcmcdowell mentioned:


As jcmcdowell discovered, Radio Shack has cheapy Comply earphones WITH an inline volume conrol AND an extra set of Comply plugs for $39. Even better, it's on sale right now for $29. Went to the parking lot to try it out on my iPod, and then went back inside and bought another set - they work great!

The volume control is tiny, as you can see:



UPDATE 2: I'm taking the RadioShack earphones back. I tried to use them to listen to my iPod while cutting the grass, and they simply don't provide enough noise attenuation for my liking; I don't see how these would work well in an airplane. To that end, I've been very skeptical of the Comply claim of 42dB of noise attenuation, and now I'm just about convinced that the only way to achieve that number is to use a solid plug of the material jammed in your ear. The one thing keeping me from writing them off completely is that so many of you swear by them. It makes me wonder if the RadioShack brand lets in considerably more sound through the actual earphone (the plastic part) than the Comply brand does - the "you get what you pay for" concept. I originally wanted to avoid batteries, but I think I'm going to try some of the cheapy (my new favorite word) in-ear ANR headphones. Till next time...
 
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Success!

time for a wee update...

Firstly, I adjusted the mic gain using the pot on the circuit board I had removed from the 'donor' headset... I had tested it in an aircraft last weekend, and while the engine was not running, I had played with the squelch on the intercom system and the mic was operating as it should... so I was confident it would be ok.

Additionally, my 'courier' from the US dropped by work the other day and handed me the earphones... the NR-10s are a nice matt black, have an inline volume control and come with a carrying pouch and have one set of slims (too small) and a set of the standard foam plugs (just right)...

nr10_pouch.jpg

nr10_closeup.jpg


I was going to take them flying, but I was heading up with my instructor and wanted to wait until I was solo, so I could plug my other headset in as well and have it ready as a backup in case everything turned to custard. So, in the meantime I mowed the lawns with them (plugged into my mp3 player) and they worked as well if not better than my usual ear protectors... although I am a little dubious about the 40dB claim... also, I have found that if I wrap the cable up and over my ears (Shure e3c style), it significantly reduces the amount of noise transferred along the cable from 'rubbing' on clothing etc.

Anyway, I finally got a chance to go flying today, after I pulled the pin yesterday due to the cloudbase... and the end result, with homemade boom, telex 750 mic & NR-10 earphones is...

wooohooo!

I flew for 1.4 hours today, and it was fabulous... no bulky headset making my head all hot, sweaty and uncomfortable... I could wear my sunnies without the legs breaking the seal on the earpieces... and it was so light I barely knew it was there! bliss...

Headset_Mk_I.jpg


Now I know that the earphones are suitable, I will need to tidy the unit up a little (finishing some of the headshrinking etc), order some spare foam plugs and then I think I will start work on the Mark II version using the Spruce cheapy mic...

Thanks to all for the info and inspiration...
 
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Grrrrrrr

Ok... small update:

I have had to 'hard wire' the mic to the circuit board and dispense with the 2.5mm plug and socket...

The mic starting cutting in and out... which is very annoying on an intercom as it starts clicking and popping in your ear, even when you're not actually transmitting or saying anything, as the intercom adjusts to the mic signal dropping in and out. At first I thought my 'awesome' soldering had given way, but it turns out the 2.5mm socket was a little dodgy... and any sideways pressure put on the 2.5mm plug would be enough for some of the contacts in the socket to disconnect from the plug. So, I tried swapping it out for a slightly different model...

Unfortunately, it was just as bad... so I tried a different 2.5mm to see if it would help to reduce the pressure on the plug and therefore minimise the chances of the plug and socket contacts coming apart, but that was no good either...

at which point[1], I decided that the setup it was just going to be too unreliable, so I just hardwired the mic cable (a slightly more robust curly one I borrowed from a telephone operators headseat) directly to the circuitry and have had no issues since ;)

The curly cable is a little heavier, but is nice as the natural 'give' in the cable means it does not pull on the headmount and acts like cable relief. And by using the clothing clip that come with it, you do not notice any extra weight.

Its slight less modular, although the mic boom has a plug on it anyway... so if the mic dies, I just need to find another -100 model Telex Airman 750 to butcher :rolleyes:


[1] I should also note that by this stage I had burnt my finger and scorched my desk with the soldering iron, pretty much melted a 2.5mm plug and raised my BP by around 30 or 40 points due to frustration with the whole stupid thing :eek:
 
Sale on the NR-10 earphones

I just ordered a pair for me, they are now on sale from $79.95 down to $39.95. This is the straw that broke the camel's back, I've already started my roll-you-own headset using my brother's old headset for parts. I got the headband formed from piano hinge, and I must say it came out quite nice. Worse case scenario is that the old mic from my brother's headset doesn't work and I have to spend $17.50 at ACS for a new one. Otherwise I'm looking at less than $70.00 for a new homemade system!!! Check out the link for the sale on the Comply High Tech Noise Reduction NR-10 Earphones HC-NR10:

http://www.harriscomm.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=19138
 
same here....

I also had problems with the earplugs cutting in and out and finally decided to hard wire the the ear plugs in and shrink tube the wires up the mic wire to the headset to reduce the mess of wires..

Still my favorite headset.
 
db reduction?

I just ordered a pair for me, they are now on sale from $79.95 down to $39.95.

http://www.harriscomm.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=19138

It looks like a good deal, but I'm not sure about the quote they have about "noise reduction at an average of 48 decibels" for these. 48db seems really high (or low, however you want to look at it) for a average noise reduction.

According to the following chart. The Shure and Bose in ear phones don't have that good. And if you were too actually take the avarage of them it would be closer to 35 db for the Shure.

But still for $39 it's probably a good deal. Did somebody already rate these for sound quality compared to the Shure or Bose?

noisereduction.jpg
 
I don't know where they REALLY fall on the NRR scale, but let me tell you, I was IMPRESSED!! I must first say that you have to make sure you insert them into the canal correctly or your results may vary quite a bit. These headsets kill more sound than I ever imagined. I haven't taken them up yet, but I am positive they will be keepers for me! I flew with the Bose X headsets before that cost like $800 and these earphones will kick the Bose's butts! Just my opinion...
 
Outstanding results with my DIY headset!

I've been using my headset for about 10 hours of flying and the MIC works great!

I made my own In-the-Ear headset using piano hinge wire, heatshrink, and parts scavanged from an old headset; but I opted to not have a junction box at all. I bought the Comply High Tech Noise Reduction NR-10 earphones on sale for $39.95 (normally $79.99) at: http://www.harriscomm.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=19138.
I scavanged the noise-cancelling mic and .206" mic plug from an old headset that hasn't been used in years. I left the mic and the noise-cancelling circuitry in place and just made an aluminum backing plate that used JB Weld to afix the mic, circuit board and rod from the do-it-yourself headset boom. It was a simple and effective way of mounting the mic. Note that it is all hid by a foamy mic windscreen. For plugging in the earbuds I used a 1/8" to 1/4" adapter from Radio Shack, for under $5.00. I am using this as my prototype and will make a final one with all new parts that fixes anything I think needs adjusting in the prototype. Below are the pictures and my performance evaluation after a couple hours of use.

Here is the bent piano hinge covered in shrink wrap:


Here is the mic I tore out of the old headset:


Here is the completed Prototype #1 headset without the foam windscreen on it (notice it plugs straight into the .206" mic plug with no "project box needed":

As for the performance, it was AWESOME! I had no problems with the mic or the earphones. In fact, with the NR-10 earphones it was dead silent in flight even in my VERY noisy RV-7A. Honestly, the headsets killed all the noise, I have owned ANR headsets and even flew with the $1,00 Bose headsets and these ear phones blew them all away. They are VERY comfortable, I can't even tell I have them in! As for the prototype headset, it worked great, but I did notice that when I moved my head around it would move a little and every once in a while I would have to adjust the booms position. But it was VERY comfortable and I have learned how to make the next one so it doesn't move around. The only problem I have had is that the earphones are so good that they are 300 times more efficient than stock headsets. So when I took a friend flying yesterday with conventional headsets on I had to turn the radio volume real high for those headsets to hear at a normal level, I then had to adjust down the volume on the Comply NR-10's with the inline volume control on the unit so that it was all the way down so that the volume was comfortable for me. So I have deduced that in order to make all things equal I will have to have my passengers use the Prototype #1 headset and I will make a second set for me (Prototype #2) so that we are on the same page for volume and mic and all the other settings. Besides, after flying this way I will NEVER go back to normal headsets!!

So on to Prototype #2, I had to adjust the headband a little so I would have a headset that doesn't move at all. I also decided not to scrap any more headsets for parts and to just buy new parts from Aircraft Spruce. SO I ordered the following:

11-00702 .206" COMMERCIAL MIC PLUG $6.95
11-04838 HEADSET MICROPHONE A1060 BLACK $17.50
11-04840 HEADSET MICROPHONE WINDSCREEN $1.50

I will add these parts to my new Prototype #2 headset, along with another pair of NR-10 earphones on sale for $39.95. So for $65.90 I will have a totally new unit with earphones, that is a modification of the first unit, and should stay in place REALLY well and last probably forever! Below is a picture of the now bent and ready for completion Prototype #2, I changed the bend around the ears and had it drop down a couple inches so that it goes beneath the protruding part of the back of my skull. This seems to make it stay in place a 100 times better. I also moved the wire exit point from the back of the unit to the front (ala my Halo headset), this is much nicer to me. Check out the pics:

This is the mic that ACS sells and I will install on Prototype #2, although it will be covered by a new foam windscreen:


This is Prototype #2, the mic will mount at the end where the two white wires now come out (missing mic, windscreen and mic plug), note the change in the shape of the headband:
I can't wait for the UPS guy to come this week with my Aircraft Spruce parts, probably only take about 20 minutes to make a couple solders and such and I will be in business! I am truely sold on these in In-the-Ear systems. I bought a Halo headset http://www.quiettechnologies.com/ a couple weeks ago to try out and and I must say it is a GREAT system, although I will not be keeping it. I like the fact that he used the hearing aid technology, but the flopping tubes drive me crazy!! The manual for the Halos say not to cut them down that they have to remain the length they are. That is too bad, it just bothers me for some reason. The one thing I did not try is to put the Comply tips on the Halo headset, it would probably be a great improvement to the Halo. The stock Halo earbuds kill a lot of the noise, but they are NOWHERE near as good as the Comply tips. For you die hard Halo users you might want to try the Comply tips on your unit, if they fit you will instantly fall in love! For me, the Halo's are a very competetively priced at $349.00, but for my money the do-it-yourself's I made are as good, or better than, the Halo's and are about $300.00 less in price.

Just my 0.02 cents...
 
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RE:

Travis

I like your DIY head set and really like your experience using it. I am going to follow your lead. I do have one question. What wire does one use to put the.....
11-00702 .206" COMMERCIAL MIC PLUG $6.95
11-04838 HEADSET MICROPHONE A1060 BLACK $17.50......together.

Thanks for any info and detail plus I will look forward to Number 2 head set results.

Frank @ SGU RV7A....last 100000000000000000000details:eek:
 
Travis

I like your DIY head set and really like your experience using it. I am going to follow your lead. I do have one question. What wire does one use to put the.....
11-00702 .206" COMMERCIAL MIC PLUG $6.95
11-04838 HEADSET MICROPHONE A1060 BLACK $17.50......together.

Thanks for any info and detail plus I will look forward to Number 2 head set results.

The highly technical answer is the smallest guage wire you have in stock. I don't even know what guage the wire I used was, it was some excess "signal" wire I had from something in my avionics from a couple years ago. I only say smallest guage possible because that is what will determine how fat your mic boom becomes. Its not like you have to protect the wire from burning due to amperage. Just use whatever you have, no need to buy something just to get a little thinner. I would guess you have some 20 awg wire from your panel wiring and such.

Good luck...
 
RE:Thanks

Travis

Thanks for the info and yes I do have a bunch of various sizes wires........let the fabrication fun begin......OH sorry first another order from aircraft spruce!!!!!:D

Frank @ SGU RV7A............one more to add to last 10000000000000details
 
Just got a pair of the NR-10 from the source listed in this thread - VERY comfortable, and really nice sound. Did not hear at all low-moderate house noise (I mean not a bit of noise!) - will try with the plane soon. Sound quality on music was better than my Shure E2c's, and much more comfortable. No static in the inline volume controller. Forty bucks is a steal. Time to make my second set - after reading a number of these posts, I will scrap the project box as I posted originally and do separate plugs. BTW, I have now flown multiple times with that original set (NR-1 and Shure E2c buds) and have had no issues with my sound reception, ATC hearing me, or balancing the volume against the pax.
 
Here's the start of mine. Still waiting on the goods that I ordered to come in. I've had this on my head for the last 2 hrs and have had no discomfort whatsoever.

headsetframe.jpg
 
Be advised, the below listed mic plug from Aircraft Spruce does not fit the standard mic jacks in our planes. I don't know why they sell them or at least don't advise they are not the standard aircraft mic size, even though they are VERY close to correct. Just wanted to warn anyone thinking about getting one.

11-00702 .206" COMMERCIAL MIC PLUG $6.95
 
Comply NR-10 Evaluation

I bought a set of Comply NR-10?s and find their smallest tips to be uncomfortable even after wearing for an hour. I do have very narrow ear canals. Comply?s sound is more natural than my older, inexpensive Lightspeed ANR?s. Even though the Lighspeed?s sound is a bit tinny, the control tower sounds somewhat clearer. I do have a high-frequency hearing loss. I tried using the smallest tips for the Halo headset and found them to be comfortable, but I have not flown with them.
Leland
 
Quick question here... The piano tuner was here today and I talked him out of about 4 feet of 19ga piano wire - nice stuff! After making a 'template' headset using .032 safety wire I formed the prototype with piano wire.

My question is... how is the wire supposed to fit behind your head? Is it intended to rest on the back of your neck, or is it intended to just circle around behind your head with the only real touch points being around your ears?

I'm asking this question because as I put heatshrink over the piano wire I had it dangling off the non-mic side of the headset and that seemed like a pretty good point for the wires to attach. I can give a good pull on the loose end of the 4' heat shrink tube and it does'nt cause the mic to move, and it doesn't hurt my ear at all.

If I place any weight on the wire frame behind the ear it causes the frame to pull downward until it touches my neck, leaving the mic boom up at eye level. I also found with my safety wire prototype that if it rested against the back of my head then as I turned my head the mic boom moved up and down. At the moment I've got perhaps 1/2" clearance between the piano wire and the back of my head. Not having ever seen or tried a Clarity Aloft or Halo I'm wondering if this is the right configuration or if I've missed the boat?

PS: Thanks to those who're sharing info on this topic. I was ready to lay out the big $$ for Clarity Aloft's but have been convinced to try the "homebrew" headsets. Even with purchased components it's still likely going to yield two headsets for less than 1/3 the price of a Clarity Aloft unit...
 
On mine, the wire contacts around the ears and across the back of my head (the occiput for you anatomically minded folks). The mic boom comes around gently touching the side of my face (as in the original pics per page 1 of this thread) - then the mic foam piece touches the lips at times. The weight of the mic and boom counter the weight on the back (and the slight pull of the exiting wires behind the left ear a couple inches), but there is always contact with the back wire. When I made the malleable wire prototype, I spent some time bending it to the shape of head and ears, then walked around a little turning my head various ways until I had it where the mic would not drift much from in front of my mouth. Once satisfied, then use the prototype wire to template the actual stiffer wire. Wore it 2.5 hours yesterday with the NR-10's - didn't feel the least bit of pressure. With a conventional headset, I was always ready to get them off ASAP. They will easily outlast my bladder in comfort.

Quick question here... The piano tuner was here today and I talked him out of about 4 feet of 19ga piano wire - nice stuff! After making a 'template' headset using .032 safety wire I formed the prototype with piano wire.

My question is... how is the wire supposed to fit behind your head? Is it intended to rest on the back of your neck, or is it intended to just circle around behind your head with the only real touch points being around your ears?

I'm asking this question because as I put heatshrink over the piano wire I had it dangling off the non-mic side of the headset and that seemed like a pretty good point for the wires to attach. I can give a good pull on the loose end of the 4' heat shrink tube and it does'nt cause the mic to move, and it doesn't hurt my ear at all.

If I place any weight on the wire frame behind the ear it causes the frame to pull downward until it touches my neck, leaving the mic boom up at eye level. I also found with my safety wire prototype that if it rested against the back of my head then as I turned my head the mic boom moved up and down. At the moment I've got perhaps 1/2" clearance between the piano wire and the back of my head. Not having ever seen or tried a Clarity Aloft or Halo I'm wondering if this is the right configuration or if I've missed the boat?

PS: Thanks to those who're sharing info on this topic. I was ready to lay out the big $$ for Clarity Aloft's but have been convinced to try the "homebrew" headsets. Even with purchased components it's still likely going to yield two headsets for less than 1/3 the price of a Clarity Aloft unit...
 
Thanks for the quick response, Carl. Guess I should go back to the drawing board on my "prototype" to get it to fit closer to the head. Of course when I mention this to my wife she tells me I shouldn't have any trouble making it fit - just bend it around the corners of a square block and that should be close enough! ;-)
 
Ok folks, here's my iteration of the DIY headset.

I used the Comply NR-10 earbuds, the cheapo aircraftspruce mic, mic plug from spruce, 1/8" to 1/4" adapter plug from spruce, stainless piano hinge wire I had laying around. Total project cost, about $65.

Notes:

I tried wrapping the earbud wire around the headband to minimize wire proliferation, however, I found the NR-10 wire too short. So now, all I have on the headband is the mic. I run the earbuds separately.

Conveniently, the spruce mic works without any additional electronics. The + side of the mic connects to the ring of the mic plug and the - side connects to the sleeve of the mic plug.

I used the spruce mic as is. I expoxied the mic to the mic boom.

For mic cable, I used some RCA jack cable I had laying around.

The .206 mic plug from spruce is slightly too big for standard mic plugs. Problem easily solved by fine sanding the plug a little.

On the ground and with my ipod, I compared the NR-10's with my Halos. For my ears, the Halos sound crisper and richer and clearer. It's not that the NR-10s don't sound good, they do--it's just that the Halos sound REALLY GOOD.

The last 2-3 inches of my headband is #12 solid copper wire from Ace hardware. I connected the solid copper wire to the stainless headband using a steel do-dad which I got in the do-dad section at Ace hardware. A very secure fit with no soldering. Having some flexibility in the boom is ALOT better than no flexibility.

My DIY headband is very comfortable, at least as comfortable as the Halos. Following previous people, I first made a hanger wire template for the headband then bent the stainless accordingly. I struggled with this bending stuff--it is not a strong point for me.

The headset and earbud weigh a total of 1.2 oz, very light.

It's been windy so I'm waiting for a nice day to fly. I'll follow up with a flight test report.

Paul


img0848.jpg

img0849.jpg

img0852.jpg
 
Spruce Mic Connection

My mic project is nearly complete also, but I don't find any markings on the mic that tells me what contact is + and what is -. Situated with the flat part towards your mouth and the hinge point outboard, which one is it? Or does it matter?

I'm using telephone extension cord for the pigtail from the mic headset. Flexible, gray, and the wire is easy to solder and install D-sub sockets onto.
 
I'm assuming your mic is on the left side. If so, I found the lower female receptacle to be the + side. If you look into these receptacles, you will see that one is brass plated and the other is not. I made a guess that the brass plated one was +, and that seemed to be the case.

Paul
 
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