Heya all!
I've been building mainly headphones for about 3 years now, and I am starting into speaker design. I am fairly confident I am pretty good at what I do considering I work in the Audio industry for CAD modelling for In ear Monitors, but I just wanted to ask about there being resources on a specific topic:
Building speakers from scratch - the voice coil especially.
I know this is a bit of a rabbit hole, and potentially a very dangerous one. However, it is one I am wanting to go in to. I have contacts for headphone and loudspeaker magnets, so I am all sorted there, and the structure of the driver is easy done. The membrane I can easily figure out myself, but the voice coil is a little daunting when it comes to headphone design. While I understand it is easier for loudspeakers considering the lower impedance, are there resources available that I can be given a shout for headphones? Like how much length is
needed to get to a certain impedance, and what material it should be attached to so the coil doesn't break apart. Other additional info would be helpful!
I have spent the past few hours looking into this topic, and the headphone subject has incredibly scarce information which is why I am here. Just need a bit of help on the voice coil and I would love to update the progress in this thread.
Thanks!
I've been building mainly headphones for about 3 years now, and I am starting into speaker design. I am fairly confident I am pretty good at what I do considering I work in the Audio industry for CAD modelling for In ear Monitors, but I just wanted to ask about there being resources on a specific topic:
Building speakers from scratch - the voice coil especially.
I know this is a bit of a rabbit hole, and potentially a very dangerous one. However, it is one I am wanting to go in to. I have contacts for headphone and loudspeaker magnets, so I am all sorted there, and the structure of the driver is easy done. The membrane I can easily figure out myself, but the voice coil is a little daunting when it comes to headphone design. While I understand it is easier for loudspeakers considering the lower impedance, are there resources available that I can be given a shout for headphones? Like how much length is
needed to get to a certain impedance, and what material it should be attached to so the coil doesn't break apart. Other additional info would be helpful!
I have spent the past few hours looking into this topic, and the headphone subject has incredibly scarce information which is why I am here. Just need a bit of help on the voice coil and I would love to update the progress in this thread.
Thanks!
gomper has had some experience with this - https://www.diyaudio.com/community/...d-coil-driver-loudspeaker.352790/post-6171333
For dynamic drivers which range from 6 to 13mm
or likely 8 to 10mm for most buyers
30 to 36 AWG wire
For balanced armatures
36 to 42 AWG wire
much like larger audio versions.
heavier wire is used for more power/bass with higher inductance
as trade off. Then wideband to treble armatures use smaller wire
for less inductance.
Usually adjustable magnets and dampers for lower frequency control.
Doubtful youll be winding 42 AWG since tolerance and care needed
is very high
Knowles has high power armatures down to 10 Hz
and high frequency past 40 kHz
Something even multiple Chinese newcomers cannot touch.
Market moving towards balanced armatures.
non of them will share their reed or diaphragm designs.
Im sure your aware it has moved to 1, 2 and 4 armatures
with 2 to 3 way crossovers.
Common read material is beryllium copper or phosphorus bronze
for both wideband and ultra high applications.
Some stainless steel.
ultra High frequency usually titanium or beryllium copper
Mainly PET or Mylar for the Diaphragm
and ultra high frequency usually Beryllium
or likely 8 to 10mm for most buyers
30 to 36 AWG wire
For balanced armatures
36 to 42 AWG wire
much like larger audio versions.
heavier wire is used for more power/bass with higher inductance
as trade off. Then wideband to treble armatures use smaller wire
for less inductance.
Usually adjustable magnets and dampers for lower frequency control.
Doubtful youll be winding 42 AWG since tolerance and care needed
is very high
Knowles has high power armatures down to 10 Hz
and high frequency past 40 kHz
Something even multiple Chinese newcomers cannot touch.
Market moving towards balanced armatures.
non of them will share their reed or diaphragm designs.
Im sure your aware it has moved to 1, 2 and 4 armatures
with 2 to 3 way crossovers.
Common read material is beryllium copper or phosphorus bronze
for both wideband and ultra high applications.
Some stainless steel.
ultra High frequency usually titanium or beryllium copper
Mainly PET or Mylar for the Diaphragm
and ultra high frequency usually Beryllium
I am mainly looking into 40-50mm drivers, I apologise, I should have been more specific.
What has me curious is that it should technically be possible with basic machinery to produce the voice coils have been around for a long time, just if I am to make them, where and how do iI aquire these.
I still can't tell if you are asking about typical loudspeakers components or those for headphones. There are seemingly contradictory statements in your posts.
I apologise, I struggle with speech issues and try to make sense with my words. I would appreciate understanding now that I have mentioned that.
I will make it clearer then, 40-50mm headphone driver voice coils. The gauge wire needed, and preferrably machinery that can produce it that are not large and in smaller quantities.
I wasn't trying to be critical of your posts, just pointing out that I wasn't sure what you were after. It's a common issue when someone is describing a scenario they are very familiar with to others that don't know their project. I apologize if I offended you - that was not my intention.
Oh no worries! I just try to make sense and quite often I don't. None taken. Thank you for clearing up with me, I do appreciate that.
After a few days of self discovery and looking into this topic, I am going to build my own machine dedicated to making my own speakers.
"Wait, how are you going to do that?"
Good question! With a bit of maths, correct ratios and understanding the production process with some help from a few people, I plan to make my own coil winder, press and glueing mechanism that allows for a consistent amount of glue to the membrane. While everything in this won't be eletctrical, and all mechanical, I firmly believe it is very possible.
I will post semi regular updates on this. Will take many months and I will definitely go mad, but I know its possible.
"Wait, how are you going to do that?"
Good question! With a bit of maths, correct ratios and understanding the production process with some help from a few people, I plan to make my own coil winder, press and glueing mechanism that allows for a consistent amount of glue to the membrane. While everything in this won't be eletctrical, and all mechanical, I firmly believe it is very possible.
I will post semi regular updates on this. Will take many months and I will definitely go mad, but I know its possible.
I made a winding machine that can wind thin wires. Believe me, it's not easy nor cheap. Have a look at ukcnc, they have some nice winding devices and can make you a custom one. Doing it by yourself is not likely to become any cheaper than what they offer, unless you can get away with lower precision.
Literally just got off the phone in contact with one of their guys (who was very lovely by the way) and he said it would do the work I need, I think you just saved me a few thousand!
Looks like I am buying one of their machines.
Great, glad to hear this!
(I have no relations to them btw)
If you plan to use glue or other fluid stuff for your coils maybe ask them if they recommend some kind of protection...
(I have no relations to them btw)
If you plan to use glue or other fluid stuff for your coils maybe ask them if they recommend some kind of protection...
That seemed to be the issue with most of the DIY and really cheap commercially available options I saw also. They seemed to have problems accurately spacing the wire or they were relying on a skilled operator to do it.
Whichever way you go, let us know how it works out. There's not a lot of info about coil winding like this, so it would be nice to hear about someone else doing it well.
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If you want to see my diy winder go to this post (find the string winder page in the teensyStep online documentation): you will find a lot of details about how this can be done. But it took me years and way more money than those UKCNC machines cost...
Hi,
The best way would be to reverse engineer , take a blown driver of the ohms, vc dia & xmax etc you would like to make and measure the wire gauge and analyze the type of wire - copper , ccaw, al. etc.
Below is a trial diy way to get one going in making a vc - hand winding
1. Take a PVC pipe and cut a V shape , that the pipe can be compressed
2. Use Kapton / Paper similar to the the vc being reversed engineered
3. Cut the VC paper , a little bit oversize - as the extended part can be trimmed before fixing the dust cap
4. Fix the VC paper on the pvc pipe with tape keeping a small gap between edges.
5. Mark up the vc winding height
6. Roll epoxy glue over the winding area with a paint brush (epoxy glue - flowy type)
7. Wind the 1st layer by hand - and tape it, let the epoxy set a while, put epoxy over the 1st winding layer
8. Place the 2nd layer of winding over the first
Hand winding is not difficult - needs some patience and dexterity
9. Cut n tape the wire on to the PVC pipe n let it dry
10. Once Epoxy is touch dry - press the pvc pipe to release the coil - the V shape cut will facilitate the compression of the pvc pipe to release the coil
11. Heat with blow dryer of in an oven to set the epoxy.
Hope it helps , Suranjan
The best way would be to reverse engineer , take a blown driver of the ohms, vc dia & xmax etc you would like to make and measure the wire gauge and analyze the type of wire - copper , ccaw, al. etc.
Below is a trial diy way to get one going in making a vc - hand winding
1. Take a PVC pipe and cut a V shape , that the pipe can be compressed
2. Use Kapton / Paper similar to the the vc being reversed engineered
3. Cut the VC paper , a little bit oversize - as the extended part can be trimmed before fixing the dust cap
4. Fix the VC paper on the pvc pipe with tape keeping a small gap between edges.
5. Mark up the vc winding height
6. Roll epoxy glue over the winding area with a paint brush (epoxy glue - flowy type)
7. Wind the 1st layer by hand - and tape it, let the epoxy set a while, put epoxy over the 1st winding layer
8. Place the 2nd layer of winding over the first
Hand winding is not difficult - needs some patience and dexterity
9. Cut n tape the wire on to the PVC pipe n let it dry
10. Once Epoxy is touch dry - press the pvc pipe to release the coil - the V shape cut will facilitate the compression of the pvc pipe to release the coil
11. Heat with blow dryer of in an oven to set the epoxy.
Hope it helps , Suranjan
You can make something like this for your voice coil winding
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/dXMKrkgknLBZQSic/
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/dXMKrkgknLBZQSic/
I also customized and build my own winding machine which is computer controlled to wind my own voice coil with self bonding CCA wires.
Another solution is to get one of this and modify it
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006075981658.html
Another solution is to get one of this and modify it
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006075981658.html
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