Who would step up to the throne, to replace Sony? Searching around for a bargain price, I settled on the Gemini DJX-03 headphone. Why? Well, mainly because of their striking resemblance to the Sony MDR-V300 (an improved variant of the MDR-V150) – I had to see if they were for real. Arriving within a week, I was well chuffed, since I could now restore audio pleasure back into my working day.
Gemini are a known brand in consumer electronic goods, so I’m not sure what the deal is with these cheap looking Sony clones. With their gangster inspired logo (on tacky transparent green plastic), thin cable (I hear noise) and unpolished plastic construction, they actually sound better than the Sony MDR-V150. Well, a bigger driver and gold-plated terminal are nice touches, contrast to the overall construction.
A week later, I noticed something very very odd about these two-faced Gemini impostors. The left and right ear-cups are actually the wrong way around (and I could feel it!). If you see the image above, you’ll notice the (non-centered) swivel sits lower on the right side of the cup for the Sony, yet for the Gemini it sits lower on the left. I remedied this fault by unmounting the cups from the headband (removing a screw and a pin) and swapping them around. Alteratively, you can wear them backwards, since the headband is symmetrical. Good one Gemini!
The plot thickens
A few days later, I arrived at work to a pair of dead Gemini cans. Something, or someone in the night had fractured the tip – probably with a quick, snapping motion only see in horror flicks. So, two headphones dead, within 2 weeks. Crazy, double crazy. Was it the “Phantom Cleaners”? I’m not sure. Surely I wasn’t so clumsy? Either way, I wasn’t impressed. Consulting a fellow IT DJ at work, I made the decision to fix my headphones (using replacement metal connectors from Maplin). Boy was I in for some fidgety hard labour, yet did I know.
What was required
- Wiring diagram (tip is left, ring is right, sleeve is ground)
- Replacement connectors, 3.5mm (£1.28)
- Soldering iron with smaller tip (£4.00, horay for clearance stock!)
- Silver solder (£2.00)
- Pocket knife, pliers, workbench (a vice would’ve been handy)
Firstly, I had to cut through the rubber to expose the wire – trying to keep the cable as long as possible.
Inside, my wires were a shoddy mess. After removing the casing, I stripped back the four wires and tried to burn/melt their thin plastic shielding (else it wouldn’t solder the the metal – adhesiveness was my biggest problem).
Testing for connectivity is important. On my second pair, I found it best to bind the rubber cable to the connector (using a pair of pliers), to prevent the wires from moving as I soldered.
Finally, after multiple attempts (fu*ken h*ll) audio quality was restored – now with a bit of “bling” factor.
Gemini DJX-03 Specifications:
- Cost: £14 (incl. shipping)
- Type: closed-back
- Transducers: 40mm drivers
- Frequency Response: 20-20,000Hz
- Sensitivity: 102dB
- Impedance: 16-52 ohms
- Weight: 125g
- Cable length: 1.4m
- Style: foldable with reversible earcups
