One of my favorite makers in the world has a new video show called KNOW HOW – Tim Anderson shows how to make an old favorite of ours, Jackhammer headphones –
These home-made hifi headphones work as well or better than Sony or Bose noise-cancelling headphones.
Cost: $20
Time to make: one minute.
Difficulty: none.
As seen in my article in Make Magazine volume 5
Unlike the commercial products, these block outside noise instead of cancelling it.
Listen to music or books on tape without hearing traffic noise, screaming babies, etc.
I’ve been making these for more than a decade. People sometimes ask “isn’t it dangerous not being able to hear?” No. Talking on a cellphone shuts off most of the brain whereas listening to headphones is no more dangerous than say, being deaf.
Lots of my friends use these units and no harm has come to anyone.
instructables : Jackhammer Headphones – Link.
Related:
From the pages of MAKE:
Jackhammer Headphones. And a discourse on blind men, chipmunks, whales, and the future. From the column Heirloom Technology. MAKE 05 – page 56. Subscribers–read this article now in your digital edition.
8 thoughts on “Jackhammer headphones on a new show with Tim Anderson – KNOW HOW!”
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Only issue with this project and cars is legality. Yes, being deaf to what’s around you as you drive isn’t as bad as talking on a cell phone (motorcycle lore has it that cell phone drivers have been scientifically proven to be as bad as drunk drivers on the road) but not according to the eyes of the law. I’ve been stopped recently with earbuds on and I recieved my warning. Duly noted, filed under C. This was in VA, so local conditions and cops may vary.
also, deaf people are used to being deaf. hearing people generally aren’t. I’m not real keen to try doing anything important with any of my senses impaired.
Oh nice, this is a really good video and also a very simple and great DIY! Great job dude!
I made these for use during lawn mowing back when I was 10 or 11, say…17 years ago, when I mowed all the neighbor’s lawns for gadget money. Worked great. I figured that when the lawn mower’s running, you can’t really hear much anyway and need to depend on your vision. So it’s better to listen to the radio or some music instead of a Briggs&Stratton engine.