Philip Kaplan doesn’t just go out of the box. He blasts it to smithereens
Headphones that vanish into thin air. Bass you can feel in your soul without waking the neighbors. These aren’t pipe dreams. They’re the brainchild of Philip Kaplan, the DistroKid founder who’s taking DIY audio to new heights.
Known online as pudjam667, Kaplan is like the mad scientist of headphones who creates solutions to problems you didn’t even know you had. His designs range from wool-filled ram horns to multi-kilogram orbs, looking more like props from a sci-fi film than audio gear.
But, Kaplan’s not just pushing audio boundaries; he’s obliterating them with style. So audiophiles and casual listeners alike are left wondering: what strange, impossible-looking device will he think up next?
Well, our team had the chance to interview Kaplan to answer just that.
Meet the Creator
Before he became the brain behind DistroKid, Philip “Pud” Kaplan spent three decades improving his skills as a computer programmer.
But his true love? That’s always been the search for perfect audio.
For Kaplan, his journey in the DIY headphones space isn’t just a hobby. It’s the culmination of a lifelong obsession with music and sound.
“I’ve been obsessed with audio and music as far as I can remember. I grew up with cassettes. And as a lifelong heavy metal drummer had always wondered why tape and speakers never sounded like the real thing,” he shared.
“Then when I was around 13, the world switched to CDs. I still remember being blown away by the improvement in sound quality.”
As a heavy metal drummer in his youth, Kaplan developed an ear for detail that would help him in his future work.
His studies at Syracuse University, where he learned about audio production, also gave him a deep understanding of acoustics. Here, he studied transducers, learned about standing waves, and figured out the Nyquist Theorem.
Kaplan’s eureka moment came in the form of the Koss Porta-Pro Jr. back in the ’90s.
“That was the first time I heard quality bass. The thump of a kick drum started to sound real.” he shared.
But it wasn’t until 2012, that Kaplan truly fell down the rabbit hole of headphone acoustics. And, this started when he acquired his first pair of open-backs, the legendary Sennheiser HD600
Today, Kaplan’s designs show his unique vision: a mix of acoustic performance and new forms. He draws inspiration from audio pioneers like Dan Clark Audio, KEF, and Sonos, admiring their ability to “unconventional acoustics to greatly improve sound.”
But it’s not just the big names that spark Kaplan’s creativity. He’s quick to praise the knowledge found in the online audiophile community as well.
Of course, since he’s also Distrokid’s founder, we had to ask if his work with DistroKid influenced his headphone design in any way. His answer?
“A bit of the opposite; I’d say that my interest in sound & acoustics influenced DistroKid in several ways. Sonics are important to me, but music is art, it’s subjective, and all artists have different ideas for how they want their music to sound.”
“But if the artist wants help getting a more traditionally “radio ready” sound, DistroKid has optional features that can help. From simple “loudness normalization,” to an automated mastering service that uses advanced algorithms to fine-tune the sound.”
Pud’s Headphones
When Philip Kaplan shared his first pair of homemade headphones on Reddit, he didn’t expect much. Yet the excited response to “Beef” – his bass-heavy creation – pushed him to keep stretching the limits of headphone design.
And the audio community? Well, they are all ears.
Here are some of his best creations so far:
- Beef: The Bass Monster
- Blasphemy: Closed-Back, Open Sound
- Polycule: The Ultimate Social Listening Experience
- Pinnus: Headphones? What Headphones?
- Cephalopods Max: Wireless Wonder
- Ol’ Thumpy: The Sub-Bass Powerhouse
Beef: The Bass Monster
Kaplan’s Beef headphones show his uncanny ability to address the shortcomings of traditional cans. With a laser focus on delivering punchy, detailed bass, these headphones are set to give flagship models a run for their money.
In his own words:
According to Philip, the idea for Beef came from a late-night tinkering session.
With newfound confidence and a Fusion 360 tutorial from YouTube, he laid the groundwork for Beef’s unique build.
He crafted and assembled them using 3D printing in under an hour. Then, he made the ear cups with fenestrated leather from Alibaba, while Peerless by Tymphany drivers – a favorite among DIY enthusiasts – deliver the sound.
Blasphemy: Closed-Back, Open Sound
The ‘Blasphemy’ headphones may have been Kaplan’s first step outside what you’d think headphones should look like.
Inspired by Bowers & Wilkins’ Nautilus speakers, these headphones sport curved ram horns attached to the ear cups, with a wool-filled transmission line that makes a winding path for sound waves.
But, the “Lucifer chic” horns aren’t just for show. They work to dissipate back waves, improving both sound clarity and listener comfort.
Besides being the “coolest looking,” Kaplan says this model also marks a personal first. He didn’t just use the typical 3D printing technique for this. Instead, he also used a free-hand drawn “spline” to make the complex shapes of the horns, a technique that he first doubted but eventually mastered.
As for how the community took it, some Redditors were confused by the large horns. But, many saw the humor and logic in the design.
User DeepJudgment commented on their effectiveness despite the unconventional look, saying:
Another defended the design’s practicality despite its strange nature.
Polycule: The Ultimate Social Listening Experience
The Polycule headphones take a new approach to shared listening. With four earpads and multiple output jacks, these cans allow up to five people to join in on a very close audio experience.
Kaplan explains that the dynamic drivers used make the same sound quality from both sides. This makes sure that everyone linked into this connection hears the same stereo sound, no matter where they are in the chain.
It’s like creating a human centipede, but more in terms of sharing audio, not gore.
These headphones got some debates going, though.
Some commenters got into serious talks about whether the headphones would be out of phase or not. Others went as far as to suggest making listening furniture that could be sold with the headphones.
Pinnus: Headphones? What Headphones?
Adding a touch of humor to stealthy listening, the Pinnus headphones, named after the ear pinna, are Kaplan’s cheeky attempt at “invisible” headphones.
These oversized cans have ear-shaped covers that sit over the actual ear cups, copying the wearer’s ears – but in a funny, exaggerated way.
Needless to say, the Reddit community had a field day with the pun-tastic design.
Cephalopods Max: Wireless Wonder
Taking ideas from their “Blasphemy” cousins, Cephalopods Max have a horn-shaped backwave chamber filled with wool to keep the sound crisp and clear. Except, this time, the horns are curled.
The cool part? These headphones have a modular Bluetooth design made with a removable FiiO dongle. This lets users easily switch between wireless and balanced wired connections, which is something you won’t see in today’s Bluetooth headphones.
Surprisingly, many of the comments were positive. In fact, one user even scored a possible headphone collab with the DistroKid founder.
Ol’ Thumpy: The Sub-Bass Powerhouse
Kaplan’s latest creation, the Ol’ Thumpy, is a bass-head’s dream come true. These eccentric cans employ a Helmholtz resonator tuned to a deep 60Hz, mimicking the low tones produced by blowing across a Coke bottle – but with enough sub-bass to rattle your ancestors.
And, his early tests show promising results:
These headphones aren’t just big, though. They’re literally heavyweights.
Weighing over 1kg, Ol’ Thumpy might seem like a real headache waiting to happen. But Kaplan assures doubters that they’re surprisingly comfortable, even for long listening sessions.
The Process Behind the Madness
When you first see Kaplan’s headphones, you might think he’s all about the wild looks. But look a little deeper, and you’ll find there’s a reason for this seeming madness.
Kaplan’s true aim? To make headphones that break the mold, both in sound and looks.
So, for Kaplan, the striking visual elements aren’t just for show – they serve a purpose. It just so happens that pushing the limits of acoustic performance often results in unusual shapes.
“I’m mostly focused on acoustic performance and experimentation. Which a lot of the time results in a weird or unconventional shape. For example, I knew I wanted to make a long “transmission line” to capture the backwave, and then figured why not make it look like devil horns,” Kaplan explained.
“Some of my experiments don’t look odd at all, but that’s not as interesting in photos; just in sound or functionality. So I admit I’m drawn to the weirder looking experiments, which are more challenging and fun to make.”
But, the journey from concept to creation is no small feat.
According to him, it starts with digital sketches in Fusion360, followed by the painstaking process of 3D printing prototypes. These can involve up to 80 distinct parts, each requiring meticulous fine-tuning for a perfect fit.
It’s a labor of love that would make any DIY audio enthusiast’s head spin.
When it comes to tuning, Kaplan’s a Harman curve fan – specifically, the 2018 Over-Ear version. But like any true audio lover, he’s not afraid to put his own spin on things, especially as a self-proclaimed bass head.
You’ll also notice that he usually goes for Peerless by Tymphany drivers.
But, while these drivers are his comfort zone, he did say he’s currently planning on using different drivers, too.
It seems like Kaplan is on the edge of going further out of the box. But, he surprisingly has one big problem: finding high-quality headbands.
This is because most off-the-shelf options don’t meet his high standards, and making his own is beyond what he can do with his current setup.
What Can We Expect Next?
Of course, Kaplan’s journey is just beginning. In fact, he already has many ideas for future projects that I know all of us are eager to see, and projects he hasn’t shared with others yet.
For instance, he has what he calls the “Decibelle concept“. Born from a wish to create safer, more social headphones for kids, these open-back cans allow young listeners to stay connected to their surroundings while enjoying their music.
There’s also the unreleased Grand Cru concept, which uses large diffusers (are those wine corks?) in the headphone earcups.
He even imagines headphones with interchangeable drivers, adjustable acoustic properties, large external mute buttons or slots for micro-SD cards. It’s enough to make any gear-head excited.
But the pièce de résistance might be just around the corner.
He hasn’t fully revealed what it is. But that’s something we’re all eager to get our hands on.
Also, while most of his works so far are over-ears, Kaplan also doesn’t avoid IEMs and TWS earbuds.
For example, for those who find AirPods a bit too small, watch out for his upcoming “AirPuds” – a funny take on Apple’s common earbuds, made bigger for maximum impact.
And, if you’re wondering how you can get at least one of his creations, well, there’s some good news for you.
“I’d like to make a small number of complete headphones on pud.com and sell them inexpensively so folks other than me can hear them.” he says.
“I did make an HD600/650 closed-back mod, with a backwave dissipation horn design like the Blasphemy, that I’m going to make the files public and free when I show the design publicly. Someone on Reddit gave me the idea to call them “HD666” which I love.”
In the end, Kaplan’s goal is to make new, high-quality headphones available to more people.
He plans to offer a limited run of complete headphones through his official website at affordable prices. And, you can line up for them now. Six of his designs are shown on the site, where you can sign up for updates on your favorite models.