Speaker mod turns iPods into shells of their former selves

There's certainly plenty of reasons not to turn a pair of iPods into some portable speakers -- difficulty, inevitably poor sound quality, pains of regret -- but we're guessing that the sight of the creation above will prompt at least a few folks to start scavenging for parts. Apparently taking some lessons learned from previous Altoids tin speaker mods, Jordan Horwich crafted these for a total cost of $100, which includes the cost of some front and back iPod panels and some rather extravagant shipping rates. As you might expect, the entire project is a tad tricky, and involves a good bit of soldering, plus some Dremel work to make everything fit just right. Hit up the link below for the complete details and parts list.
















Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Flashpoint @ Jan 1st 2009 8:25PM
How's that BASS performance?
Flashpoint @ Jan 1st 2009 8:25PM
How's that Bass performance now?
RioRyan @ Jan 1st 2009 8:38PM
About the same as it was the first time you asked.
Eli @ Jan 1st 2009 8:51PM
Why is Bass a proper noun now?
konshuss @ Jan 1st 2009 9:13PM
probably on a scale between 'clock radio' and 'wristwatch'.
Ray @ Jan 1st 2009 8:26PM
Does it have an iPod dock?
CJ @ Jan 2nd 2009 7:25AM
Well, no.
They're first-generation (possibly second) iPods, which means it has a straight FireWire/USB port, instead of the Pop. port on all the current iPods.
gplpark92 @ Jan 1st 2009 8:27PM
thick as fuck
Freestyle Farfetchd @ Jan 1st 2009 8:32PM
As the old playground adage goes.... "Talkin' about yourself again?"
Sorry, had to. =)
AVG @ Jan 1st 2009 8:37PM
Forget playgrounds. This would have best been responded to with a TWSS.
CJ @ Jan 2nd 2009 7:29AM
Two Whole Subway Subs?
They're pretty thick, and, well, they're WHOLE Subs, so they're even thicker.
Bluxfire @ Jan 1st 2009 8:27PM
Why dont apple do this themselves? Apart from destroying the market for ipod speaker/dock things of course...
i think it would be pretty good if you could have a clickwheel/speaker in the front of your ipod
Bluxfire @ Jan 1st 2009 8:45PM
actually seeing all that wiring and shit in there i dont think its such a good idea anymore
Valicore @ Jan 1st 2009 8:30PM
Oh that is so awe... oh wait, no.
design natin @ Jan 1st 2009 8:31PM
I like an ipod with a real speaker...
http://gizmodo.com/assets/resources/2008/01/ipod-comp.jpg
Game_playa @ Jan 1st 2009 9:39PM
This is fake then?
design natin @ Jan 1st 2009 10:19PM
Real speaker means... it has a superb sound.. not the crappy sound. Happy New year!
Game_playa @ Jan 1st 2009 11:28PM
Oh Alright
noyp @ Jan 2nd 2009 10:55AM
Well, a speaker doesn't HAVE to have good sound, and who's to say this won't sound good? Have you built one of these yet?
RioRyan @ Jan 1st 2009 8:37PM
Haha, I thought there was something screwy still being displayed on the screen till I realized that's the battery and wiring in there :P
Bizam! @ Jan 2nd 2009 9:24AM
Totally with you there...I saw the same thing at first...
Minilap @ Jan 1st 2009 10:10PM
Nice, Finally the crappy ipod was put into good use. Oh crap I'm so gonna fade away now.
mos @ Jan 1st 2009 10:33PM
Portable speakers less than $100.
collide007 @ Jan 1st 2009 10:59PM
Nice Idea, but $100? Aint worth it for the crappy sound your gonna get, payed $30 for mine, did the job while the need lasted. It would be quite easy to hide the batteries and wiring, nice bit of white perspex with maybe a design on it. Unless that is that the creator went for the 'seethru' style like the imac went through. I hated that, I don't like seeing the inards of anything all the time. (I like to hide everything in cupboards).
Josh @ Jan 2nd 2009 12:06AM
Just to finish turning the internet inside out on itself, I want to get an old iPod housing and modify it to carry around my Altoids.
NoAndThen @ Jan 2nd 2009 12:35AM
@Josh: That's a great idea. Post internet-art is an interesting new style.
As far as these speakers go however, give me the $100 and i'll build you a pair of speakers that'll shit on those for that price, and have enough left over for the beer I drink while I build them.
And they won't look like an iPod.
robjennings @ Jan 2nd 2009 12:37AM
Pangs. It's pangs of regret.
Josh @ Jan 2nd 2009 2:08AM
And what do you think pangs are, smart guy?
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/pangs
james @ Jan 2nd 2009 11:57AM
I'll be impressed when he gets mini lcd panels in the square holes that display album art on one and play time information on the other.