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.

[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.