Build Your Own 3D Printed Bluetooth Headphones

August 5, 2022 by Tom Nardi 18 Comments

A few years back, [Shannon Ley] wondered how hard it would be to build a pair of Bluetooth headphones from scratch. Today, we have our answer. The Homebrew Headphones website is devoted to just one thing: explaining how you can use common components and some 3D printed parts to build an impressively comprehensive pair of wireless headphones for around $50 USD.

The headphones pair a CSR8645 Bluetooth audio receiver with a TP4056 USB-C charging module, a 500 mAh LiPo pouch battery, a pair of Dayton Audio CE38MB-32 drivers, and replacement ear covers designed for the Bose QuietComfort QC15. Some perfboard, a couple buttons, a resistor, and an LED round out the parts list.

All of the components fit nicely into the meticulously designed 3D printed frame, and assembly is made as simple as possible thanks to an excellent step-by-step guide. It’s all so well documented that anyone with even basic soldering experience should be able to piece it together without too much fuss.

Of course, these aren’t the first 3D printed headphones we’ve ever seen. But the quality of the documentation and attention to detail really make these stand out.

Make “Wireless” Earbuds Truly Wireless

October 7, 2019 by Kristina Panos 9 Comments

[Don] bought some off-brand Bluetooth earbuds online that actually sound pretty good. But while it’s true that they don’t require wires for listening to tunes, the little storage/charging box they sleep in definitely has a micro USB port around back. Ergo, they are not truly wireless. So [Don] took it upon himself to finish what the manufacturer started. Because it’s 2019, and words have meaning.

Finally, he had a use for that Qi charger he’s had lying around since the Galaxy S5 era. [Don] pried the earbud case open with a guitar pick and found a nicely laid-out charging circuit board without any black goop.

Once he located ground and Vcc pads, it was just a matter of performing a bit of surgery on the coil’s pins so he could solder wires there instead. Miraculously, the Qi coil fit perfectly inside the bottom of the case and the plastic is thin enough that it doesn’t interfere with the charging.

Want to try it for yourself? [Don]’s done an excellent job of documenting this hack, with clear pictures of every step. Soon you’ll be able to rid yourself of all those pesky USB cables.

Of course, [Don] still has to plug the charging base into the wall. If he ever wanted to add another level of wireless, he could always retrofit the base coil into his laptop.