Has anybody made an ELS headphone?

chinsettawong · 5th November 2008, 05:22 AM

I am making an ELS headphone. So far I am biasing it at around 1200V. But yet, the sound is still too soft. I am using a 6L6 SE tube amp to drive it though. I wonder if I were to use a more powerful amp to drive, will I get louder sound?

By the way, my spacer is 0.5mm and I am using "food plastic wrap" as diaphragm.

chinsettawong · 5th November 2008, 05:26 AM

atarashi · 5th November 2008, 06:43 AM

hi,

well, i built an esl headphone a few years ago, unfortunately it was destroyed in a car accident...
but, one thing i can tell you for sure, there is no need for 1200v bias in an esl headphone!
i ran mine at around 600v, driven by a 6sn7 amp and volume was plenty (though we might have different spl requirements...)

brgds
michael

chinsettawong · 5th November 2008, 08:13 AM

Hi Michael,

Could you please let me know the kind of 6sn7 amp you used to drive the ESL headphone? Did you build one purposely for driving it?

What was the thickness of the spacer you used? Is my 0.4 mm spacer good enough?

Wachara C.

atarashi · 5th November 2008, 08:24 AM

hi,

yes, it was an purpose built amp.

if i remember correctly i had an 0.5mm spacer...
your 0.4mm spacer should be fine.

how do you drive your headphones?

brgds
michael

chinsettawong · 5th November 2008, 09:33 AM

I use a line transformer 100V / 4 ohm to connect to my diaphragm and stators and use a 6L6SE amp connecting through its 8 ohm output to 4 ohm of the transformer. I am going to try 8 to 8 ohm and 8 to 16 ohm.

Well, I guess I need to build an amp for it. Any suggestion on the circuit?

Wachara C.

SY · 5th November 2008, 10:41 AM

That's very nice! What did you use to make the diaphragms conductive?

atarashi · 5th November 2008, 11:24 AM

hi,

did you measure the output of your 100v transformer?

and yes, what did you use to coat the diaphragm?

michael

chinsettawong · 5th November 2008, 11:44 AM

I use liquid soap for coating the diaphragm.

How do you measure the output of the 100V transformer?

One side of the transformer is connected to the amp and the other side to the stator. So, I really don't know how to make a measurement.

Will it be okay to connect the transformer to output of a pre amp instead? Will the sound be even less?

atarashi · 5th November 2008, 01:23 PM

i'm just guessing, but your preamp wont be able to drive it.

well, to measure it you need a signal source and a volt meter, connect the voltmeter across the secondaries our your transformer and apply a sine to the input of your setup...
(if you don't have a signal gen. there are a lot of free ones for your pc)

don't zap yourself ;-)

maybe the mass of your diaphragm is to high?

michael

5th November 2008, 10:41 AM	#7
SY diyAudio Moderator Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Chicagoland Blog Entries: 1	That's very nice! What did you use to make the diaphragms conductive? __________________ If there's a sucker born every minute, where do the rest of them come from?

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5th November 2008, 06:43 AM	#3
atarashi diyAudio Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Vienna	hi, well, i built an esl headphone a few years ago, unfortunately it was destroyed in a car accident... but, one thing i can tell you for sure, there is no need for 1200v bias in an esl headphone! i ran mine at around 600v, driven by a 6sn7 amp and volume was plenty (though we might have different spl requirements...) brgds michael

5th November 2008, 08:13 AM	#4
chinsettawong diyAudio Member Join Date: Jun 2006	Hi Michael, Could you please let me know the kind of 6sn7 amp you used to drive the ESL headphone? Did you build one purposely for driving it? What was the thickness of the spacer you used? Is my 0.4 mm spacer good enough? Wachara C.

5th November 2008, 08:24 AM	#5
atarashi diyAudio Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Vienna	hi, yes, it was an purpose built amp. if i remember correctly i had an 0.5mm spacer... your 0.4mm spacer should be fine. how do you drive your headphones? brgds michael

5th November 2008, 09:33 AM	#6
chinsettawong diyAudio Member Join Date: Jun 2006	I use a line transformer 100V / 4 ohm to connect to my diaphragm and stators and use a 6L6SE amp connecting through its 8 ohm output to 4 ohm of the transformer. I am going to try 8 to 8 ohm and 8 to 16 ohm. Well, I guess I need to build an amp for it. Any suggestion on the circuit? Wachara C.

5th November 2008, 11:24 AM	#8
atarashi diyAudio Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Vienna	hi, did you measure the output of your 100v transformer? and yes, what did you use to coat the diaphragm? michael

5th November 2008, 11:44 AM	#9
chinsettawong diyAudio Member Join Date: Jun 2006	I use liquid soap for coating the diaphragm. How do you measure the output of the 100V transformer? One side of the transformer is connected to the amp and the other side to the stator. So, I really don't know how to make a measurement. Will it be okay to connect the transformer to output of a pre amp instead? Will the sound be even less?

5th November 2008, 01:23 PM	#10
atarashi diyAudio Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Vienna	i'm just guessing, but your preamp wont be able to drive it. well, to measure it you need a signal source and a volt meter, connect the voltmeter across the secondaries our your transformer and apply a sine to the input of your setup... (if you don't have a signal gen. there are a lot of free ones for your pc) don't zap yourself ;-) maybe the mass of your diaphragm is to high? michael