You may remember the other post I published regarding the people on Twitter that helped me with research for my second Genius Hour project. Well, this is a reflection of the end product.

As I stated in a previous post, I was researching on headphone design: how headphones work and what makes some headphones better than others. I chose to do this because I have always loved music. From weeks old to now, I have almost always had music playing around me. From my parents’ 90s pop and jazz to my EDM, there is only one way to listen to it personally: headphones.

Research proved to be very useful. I always wondered how simple things like small electromagnets and a thin piece of fabric/paper could replicate something as beautiful as music. It taught me that the electromagnets turn on and off at high speeds, attracting and repelling the paper/fabric at high speeds. This causes a vibration and that vibration is the sound you hear.

I also learned what makes some headphones sound better than others: it depends on the quality of the materials that make up the headphone. Also, many people prefer more bass in their headphones. In order to hear the bass, the headphones have to be as airtight as possible.

This project not only helped me gain some knowledge, but it also helped me grow as a person. It helped me understand the value of the simple things we take for granted and how much effort is crammed into something that we consume without second thought. This project also allows me to start helping others around me. By knowing information like what makes some headphones better than others, I can recommend brands and products to people who need assistance. Here is a link to the project.

For my final Genius Hour project, I plan on continuing my research on music. This time, I will give myself the ultimate challenge: I will make my own EDM track. I plan to make this project help the community around me by sharing my creations with them, providing them with a variety of entertainment. I will also post this and future songs that I will hopefully make on Soundcloud, where listeners can listen, remix and download the music for free.

Thank you for reading my post on my 2nd Genius Hour project. There will be another one as soon as I finish my 3rd and final Genius Hour project of the year.