Summary of 6 months review of the open-source Ploopy Headphones

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In a YouTube video titled "6 months review of the open-source Ploopy Headphones," the reviewer Ana shares her experience with the headphones, which are open-source and open-hardware, allowing for customization and DIY manufacturing. Despite encountering issues like pipe wire detection problems, Ana used the headphones for sound design, gaming, and music production on both Windows and Linux. She interacted with developers, learned about design challenges, and found the planar magnetic drivers unique despite some challenges, considering them a worthwhile investment. The headphones offer a unique design with customizability, a Raspberry Pi DAC for open-source software configuration, and an open-back design for comfort, although not portable due to noise leakage. Ana also mentions issues with power consumption and assembly but appreciates the headphones' build quality and customization potential for audio enthusiasts.

  • 00:00:00 In this section of the YouTube video titled "6 months review of the open-source Ploopy Headphones," Ana shares her experiences with using the headphones for the past six months. She attended Sono 20203 and presented the headphones, allowing people to try them out and receive positive feedback. The headphones, made by Canadian company Ploopy, are open-source and open-hardware, allowing users to manufacture their own units or customize parts. Ana encountered an issue with pipe wire detection but resolved it by restarting the software. She used the headphones on both Windows and Linux for various purposes, including sound design, gaming, and music production. Ana also interacted with the developers on their open Discord channel and learned about the design challenges and limitations of the headphones. The headphones are 3D printed, open-back over-ear headphones with planar magnetic drivers, which are known to be expensive. Ana describes the unique features of planar magnetic drivers and shares that she has had some issues but considers them a worthwhile investment despite the high cost.
  • 00:05:00 In this section of the YouTube video titled "6 months review of the open-source Ploopy Headphones," the creator explains that the video is sponsored, meaning they received the headphones for free but were not paid to make the video or influenced in their review. They received a pre-assembled pair in the color red, unlike what is shown on the Discord server. The creator attempted to assemble the unassembled kit but lacked the skills and opted to receive a pre-assembled pair instead to ensure accurate representation of the headphones' quality. The assembly process involved sliding the driver assemblies into the headband, connecting the cables, and attaching them to the computer. Despite the lengthy discussion about assembly, the creator emphasizes that it's not the main focus of the video.
  • 00:10:00 In this section of the YouTube video titled "6 months review of the open-source Ploopy Headphones," the reviewer discusses the unique features of these headphones beyond their standard USB audio functionality. The headphones come with a Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC) containing a Raspberry Pi microcontroller chip, which can be reprogrammed and configured using the open-source Ploopy Headphones Toolbox software. Users can customize the equalizer and other parameters, even creating presets. The reviewer notes some difficulties saving presets to the headphones themselves. The headphones are also comfortable, with a light clamping force and open-back design that allows for easy wearing over glasses. Despite some chair noise in the background, the reviewer praises the headphones' comfort and lack of pressure on glasses frames, making them a long-term wear option.
  • 00:15:00 In this section of the "6 months review of the open-source Ploopy Headphones" YouTube video, the speaker discusses the headphones' unique features and customizability. The open design allows for easy communication without removing the headphones, and the build quality feels solid with a good mechanical design. The headphones come with interchangeable 3D printed springs for customizable clamping force. The speaker praises the headphones' customizability, as users can print their own parts and modify the firmware. He imagines the possibility of adding RGB LEDs and suggests that this level of customization is unmatched by other headphones.
  • 00:20:00 In this section of the YouTube video titled "6 months review of the open-source Ploopy Headphones," the reviewer discusses the headphones' aesthetics and portability. The reviewer expresses their appreciation for the skeletonized design and customizable parts, such as the tuned resonators. However, they note that the headphones are not meant for portability due to their open-back design, which makes it difficult to block out external noise. The reviewer demonstrates how to disassemble the headphones for easier carrying but finds it challenging. Overall, the Ploopy Headphones are best suited for studio or home use.
  • 00:25:00 In this section of the "6 months review of the open-source Ploopy Headphones" video, the reviewer discusses the assembly process and some issues with the headphones. Upon receiving the headphones, they arrived in three pieces, which made them easier to fit into a backpack. However, assembly was required when wanting to use them. The headband was symmetrical, but inserting one of the parts required some force. The reviewer also mentions a problem with the headphones consuming a lot of power, which necessitated the use of a dedicated amplifier, digital analog converter, and equalizer box. This box, which runs on an overclocked Raspberry Pi microcontroller chip, is always warm to the touch. The reviewer considers adding a radiator to cool the chip but has not yet done so. Despite these challenges, the headphones have impressive bass when equalized.
  • 00:30:00 In this section of the "6 months review of the open-source Ploopy Headphones" YouTube video, the speaker discusses some issues they encountered with the headphones and their power requirements. The headphones, which have a wooden logo, can draw five watts of power, and the speaker initially experienced issues when plugging them into a USB port on the front of their PC, which did not provide enough power. This resulted in the headphones shutting down. However, when plugged into the back of the computer, the problem was resolved. The speaker also mentions that the headphones get warm and are not suitable for use with phones or tablets due to the drain on the battery. Another issue is the low sensitivity of the headphones, which makes achieving high volumes difficult without using a limiter or reproducing the necessary EQ curve in software. The speaker also shares their experience with physically distorting the sound through experiments with different frequencies and volumes. Overall, the Ploopy Headphones are described as fun to play with despite their quirks.
  • 00:35:00 In this section of the YouTube video titled "6 months review of the open-source Ploopy Headphones," the reviewer discusses the challenge of producing high volume sound without distortion due to the headphones' limited headroom. They suggest using the KDE Plasma 6 or 5 option to make volume sliders go above 100% to apply gain to the digital signal before it's sent out. However, they also point out that the gain staging is puzzling since the volume control in the system only controls the analog gain stage, and digital distortion cannot be removed by turning down the volume. The reviewer suggests that all game staging should be done in the digital domain and leaving the amplifier at full blast all the time, but this would come at the cost of audio fidelity. The reviewer also explains that the KDE Plasma's extra gain is applied to the digital audio, and all processing, including pre and post gain, happens in the digital domain before the signal reaches the amplifier. The reviewer shares their preferred settings for gaining volume without distortion.
  • 00:40:00 In this section of the YouTube video titled "6 months review of the open-source Ploopy Headphones," the speaker discusses the challenges of gain staging and volume control with the headphones. He explains that turning up the pre-equalizer (EQ) too much can result in distortion, requiring the user to adjust the digital source volume instead of the system control. The speaker also mentions the use of a Raspberry Pi 25 40 chip and a PCM 360 codec by Texas Instruments. He notes that the headphones have a natural EQ response with a focus on the base and high frequencies, leading to a default EQ that reduces bass and boosts highs. However, boosting the bass too much can push the peaks into digital clipping territory, resulting in nasty distortion. The speaker suggests that the headphones' designers have squeezed a lot out of the chip and are pushing it hard, with 15 bands of EQ and custom filter options available, but cautions that users need to be careful to avoid blasting their ears. Despite the challenges, the speaker speculates that the lack of open-source headphones on the market may be due to the difficulty of designing them.
  • 00:45:00 In this section of the YouTube video titled "6 months review of the open-source Ploopy Headphones," the reviewer discusses the challenges and limitations of the headphones, which are based on a community-designed, open-source project. The headphones are highly sensitive and require a dedicated amplifier for optimal frequency response, but they are not efficient and can't go as hot as desired, consuming a lot of power. The reviewer also mentions the issue with the cable, which has a protective rubber thing on one end but not on the other, causing a mess and tension on the connection. Despite these limitations, the reviewer finds the headphones to be cool and fun, worth checking out after learning how to deal with the volume and cable issues.
  • 00:50:00 In this section of the "6 months review of the open-source Ploopy Headphones" video, the speaker discusses issues they encountered with the headphone cables. The braiding of the cable was putting tension on the connectors, causing them to bend and potentially break. The speaker discovered this when they experienced crackling and loss of sound in one headphone. To resolve the issue, they suggested clamping the cable to prevent the spiral design from putting tension on the connectors. The speaker also mentioned an unintended "reverse stereo" setting in the headphones' software, which they believe was a mistake during manufacturing or design. They advised against using the deck for anything other than the Ploopy Headphones due to its high voltage output. The speaker then shared their limitations in assessing sound quality and their experience using Audio Technica 50 xbts before switching to the Ploopy Headphones.
  • 00:55:00 In this section of the YouTube video titled "6 months review of the open-source Ploopy Headphones," the speaker expresses his sadness over the lack of repairability and spare parts for the Ploopy Headphones, but acknowledges that they are still usable, albeit with challenges such as wearing glasses. He then goes on to discuss his use of other audio equipment, including the HyperX Cloud 2 headphones and Binger K8 monitors, which he highly praises for their sound quality. The speaker, who has extensive experience in music production and sound design, finds the Ploopy Headphones to have excellent sound, despite some volume and clipping issues. He describes the headphones as having a deep, punchy base and well-controlled sound, and notes that the stereo field seems wider. Despite the challenges with the Ploopy Headphones, the speaker's positive experiences with other audio equipment shine through.

01:00:00 - 01:05:00

In the "6 months review of the open-source Ploopy Headphones" YouTube video, the speaker shares his positive experience with the headphones, praising their exceptional sound quality produced by magnetic drivers, which he compares to attending a live concert. He mentions a limitation of volume and the need for a limiter after the EQ in the deck, but is satisfied with the sound and lack of complaints. The speaker also discusses the cost-effectiveness, with the pre-assembled kit costing approximately $189 US, 173 Euros, and $255 Canadian dollars for the self-assembly kit. Despite some shortcomings, such as requiring their own power source and a bulky brick, the speaker notes that the Ploopy Headphones have received favorable comparisons to more expensive headphones. He expresses his excitement about the company and encourages viewers to check out their offerings, including mice and keyboards, despite not being able to provide a more technically advanced review due to budget constraints.

  • 01:00:00 In this section of the YouTube video titled "6 months review of the open-source Ploopy Headphones," the speaker shares his positive experience with the headphones, particularly the magnetic drivers which he finds produce an exceptional sound quality. He compares it to attending a live concert and feeling the bass in your chest. The speaker expresses his satisfaction with the sound and lack of complaints, but mentions a limitation of volume. He explains that the amplifier in the deck box is maxed out and the only solution would be to implement a limiter after the EQ in the deck, but he is not skilled enough to do so. The speaker also discusses the cost, with the pre-assembled kit costing $255 Canadian dollars, translating to roughly $189 US and 173 Euros, and the self-assembly kit costing $135 Canadian dollars, making it significantly cheaper. The speaker concludes by mentioning that testimonials online suggest the headphones offer good value for the sound quality.
  • 01:05:00 In this section of the YouTube video titled "6 months review of the open-source Ploopy Headphones," the speaker discusses the surprising value of these headphones, which offer planar magnetic drivers at an affordable price point. Despite their shortcomings, such as requiring their own power source and a bulky brick, the speaker notes that they have received favorable comparisons to much more expensive headphones. The speaker expresses his excitement about the company and the unique sound quality of the Ploopy Headphones, despite not being an audio expert himself. He also mentions that he has been in contact with the company and is grateful for the opportunity to review their product. The speaker expresses regret that he cannot provide a more technically advanced review due to budget constraints but encourages viewers to check out the Ploopy Headphones and their other offerings, such as mice and keyboards.

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