A pretty amazing Hifi headphone kit- the Head(amame)!
Introduction
Until I built a pair of Head(amame) headphones, I didn’t know what I was missing. I know that may sound a bit cliche, but it’s the honest truth! The difference between these headphones and those from Apple, Amazon, Skully Candy, Bose, Beats, or some other brand at a big box retailer is that Headamame are “Hifi“, aka High Fidelity. I would not consider myself an expert when it comes to Hifi headphones, but I am a musician and regularly use high quality in-ear monitors, so I can “hear” the difference. I truly do believe that these are the clearest headphones that I’ve ever listened to.
What’s the big deal with HiFi anyways?
HiFi is all about experiencing audio in its purest, true-to-life form. Folks that are into HiFi, also known as “audiophiles”, tend to invest extraordinary amounts of $$’s into top-notch gear like premium speakers and amplifiers, cables, etc. All for the purpose of hearing intricate details, with the goal of getting an immersive and authentic listening experience. Hifi audio lets you enjoy your favorite music (or any audio, really) with exceptional clarity, which may give you a great appreciation of the depth of sound.
Can you really tell a difference?
Prior to getting the Headamame’s, I was primarily alternating between a pair of $25 gaming headphones on my gaming PC, and a $500+ pair of Apple Air Pod Max headphones for TV, music, and general purpose listening. The Headamame kit I purchased was the “Experience 50mm w/ Mic” version, and it cost $121, including shipping, after a 15% off promotion. Without any doubt, I am able to hear significantly more clarity in the Headamame’s vs. the others.
It’s hard to define what “more clarity” sounds like in written form. When I started listening to the Headamame headphones, I immediately noticed the subtle sound of reverb, chorus pedals, and even quiet taps of finger picking on classic rock songs that I’ve been listening to for… 30+ years. It was a bit of a surreal experience hearing what I was missing. The other headphones just tend to blend the sound together- which honestly also sounds pretty good- but it glosses over the finer details and layers of music. Another way to think about this is to compare HiFi to the realm of resolution in HDTV. While many folks may think 720p is plenty good enough for resolution when watching TV, especially from a distance. But, compare that to 4K and you’re going to see quite a difference, especially if you are a bit closer. And, as with many things in life, once you know there is a better way, it’s hard to go back!
But wait.. there’s a bit more to it!
After doing a bit of research, I learned what sets Hifi headphones apart from your every day pair. High-fidelity (Hifi) headphones outperform regular headphones through key features like premium driver quality, a broader frequency response for detailed sound, impedance matching for optimal power transfer, ear pads, and the type of back (open-back and closed-back) used. The use of quality materials and construction contributes to durability and comfort, while high-grade cables minimize interference. All of the aforementioned features have been taken into consideration in the design of the Headamame’s. The drivers seem to be known for high quality, and were carefully selected (and are “Peerless by Tympany” brand). The cable is also a mini XLR, which is quite a bit heavier than anything I’ve ever used before. Headamame offers both an open-back and closed-back design- I chose the closed-back, because sometimes I have a noisy environment.
Don’t just take my word for it. I did come across a blog article from Trav Wilson, who has a much more significant audiophile experience and interest than I do, and speaks highly of the Headamame’s in his conclusion. I encourage you to check the article out here,
But.. aren’t these a lot of work to build?
My video outlines all the steps, and most folks (especially those familiar with 3d printing) should find the process simple.
Keep in mind that in addition to buying for the parts kit, I also had to print parts (pictured below). You will likely want at least two rolls of filament (for color purposes), and use a good quality PETG, ABS, or ASA. PLA is not a great choice because it tends to be brittle, and could break if you drop them. I chose a Green Gate 3D Recycled PETG that I had available as shown in my video. Expect to spend around $25-30 for a few rolls of filament if you don’t already have some already on hand. That obviously raises the price of these a bit when factoring in the filament, but if you’re like me, you’ve got plenty of spare filament sitting around.
Not sure what colors you want? There is a handy color planner linked from the website, too. You can preview any hex color on any part. Check it out here.
Estimated time to print parts: 4-8+ hours, depending on your printers size and speed, # of parts/colors, etc. Plan a day for printing to be on the safe side.
Estimated time to assemble: <1- 2 hours, depending on skill level. I’d rate this project as very beginner friendly, and it’s especially easy if you watch the video and follow along.
Why the Headamame and not something else?
I didn’t do a ton of research on hifi headphones, and I admit this was a bit of an impulse buy. When I was watching Joel Telling’s 3d printing holiday charity stream, I heard him announcing the Headamame headphones as one of the raffle prizes.
What are some other options?
Headamame also sells pre-printed headphones, fully assembled. Prices start at around $215, so you will be spending about $100 more on them. Not a bad option if you just want to jump in, but I’d recommend going with the kit so you can get the full experience. As far as others beyond that? I don’t have enough experience with other hifi headphones to make a recommendation, but from what I can see prices start at $250 and go up from there.
What else should I know?
Once you build your pair of headamame headphones, you can request a serial number after filling out a form. This is very similar to what you do after you complete your Voron 3d printer build, which I think is fun and cool. Oh, that reminds me, I still need to submit mine!
It may also take you a bit of time to get them to sound exactly how you want them to. I found the level of bass (on the 50mm driver version) a bit too heavy. I ended up installing an equalizer (APO) and a front end/config (PEACE). I use the “high boost” eq setting most of the time.
Links here, you will want them both if you are on Windows:
APO Equalizer: https://sourceforge.net/projects/equalizerapo/
PEACE Equalizer Extension for APO: https://sourceforge.net/projects/peace-equalizer-apo-extension/files/Configurations%20(presets)/
So what do you think? Interested?
Be sure to check out the video below where I cover the build process and my initial impressions. If you want to buy a pair, head over to the Headamame website and tell ’em I sent you!
