Speaker replacement project

Please let me know how it goes. If it works I'd be very interested in doing the same thing to mine. BTW, how much did the speakers cost?

 

The generic speakers on AAO is rated at 2.5W.
There's space in the middle of the laptop. You won't get better sound though. The current speaker position are the best place to put the speakers internally. The soundwaves are suppose to bounce off a solid surface and the bounce up to you.

 

Unfortunately, that's exactly my problem. Probably 99% of the time I'm using my One it's sitting on my bed and my comforter makes a very poor sounding board. I could probably fashion a little platform for it out of a clipboard or something, but even when it's on a hard surface it's often too quiet to make out speech over any kind of background noise. I've been wanting to beef up the speakers ever since I first heard them so I really hope this upgrade turns out to be viable. Although I'm not looking forward to dismantling my computer again it'd be well worth it if it works.

 

i just recieved my dv6000 speakers today. they came in a plastic housing which was a pain in the @$$ to take apart. but they did come with the right speaker connector! they're about twice as thick as the original speakers, but they will still fit. all i need to do is solder the connector back onto the speakers (the wires ripped apart while trying to take the plastic enclosure apart) but it will probably be at least tomorrow by the time thats done. the speakers in the AAO are rated at 1 watt each. these new altec lansing ones are rated at 1.5 watts each. im not really looking for LOUDNESS, as the old ones were loud enough. but altec lansing has much better sound QUALITY overall, which is what im looking for. the original ones sounded very tinny (tin... as in the metal, not tiny as in small ) where as HP laptops sound more like desktop speakers. as for the price, i picked them up on ebay for $8 with free shipping.

 

I am not getting any volume in XP and I have checked all the volume controls. Headphones are fine, hope this speaker mod is the fix.

 

If you want speakers I use these external Ipod speaker with a on/off switch works great.

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.2185

 

Well, I finally finished my speaker replacement mod. It turned out awesomely. heres some pictures and a comparison video:

 

Great, so how do we get some volume?

I have some 1 watt usb powered speakers which have fine volume, so 1.5 watt speakers should be even better...

Maybe a usb powered speaker amplifier between the speaker and motherboard? What do you think?

 

Perhaps that would work. Honestly, i think its loud enough the way it is. But I was actually thinking that maybe if I would've wired the speakers to the headphone port internally, it may give you some extra volume. Headphones are much louder on the AAO than the speakers, and I bet that the amplifier running to the speakers is toned down to only output 1W MAX, where as the headphone port most likely uses a different amplifier with a much higher output. It's worth a try!

 

:lol: Hardon. Every mornin' bud

I have thought about putting a 133uF cap in series with the speakers to cut off frequencies below 180hz, the speakers do not have an audible output at that frequency anyways.

I ran a frequency sweep with TrueRTA and you cannot hear the audio until about 200hz, the frequency response drops like a stone under 150hz

I am too lazy to source and install the caps though.

I think it may lower power draw by blocking "unused" low frequencies.

google my screenname and you will see I am a bit of an audio nut as well

The tiny speakers have a good sensitivity, so it is best to keep them, but by removing unaudible frequencies you should be able to clean up the audio and save a little power in the process.

Any non-lazy people want to give it a try?

Mike

 

disregard all of my statements that the newer speakers are still quiet. i just watched a few youtube videos, and they are LOUD! they're almost as loud as my desktop 5.1 surround speakers :shock: I guess it was just that one song that sounded so quiet (Its the only song I tested it with yesterday) So I guess this really is the way to make it louder as well as make it sound better at the same time. I wish you all luck with your own speaker replacements!

 

Already ordered my replacement speakers, Thanks for going first...

 

Just remember when you're putting them in, if they're as thick as the ones I used, you're going to have to slide them down a bit. If you look at the pictures I took, I had to slide them down to the edge of the holed-plastic grill. They were literally twice as thick as the original speakers, and if I would have put them in the same spot as the original speakers, The motherboard wouldn't have fit back into place.

What kind of speakers did you order btw?

 

HP DV6000

 

Ah cool. Let me tell you right now, its going to be a bitch to get the speakers out though. It took me a good 20 mins of breaking plastic and cutting/melting through the plastic with a heated exacto knife to finally get the speakers out. Good luck to you

 

Heated exacto knifve?

I don't have one of those.

 

you just need an exacto knife, and a lighter. hold the blade over the flame and cut through the plastic. it cuts like butter for about 2 secs, and then you need to hold it back over the flame.

 

jerryt: where did you order those HP DV6000 speakers?

I can't seem to find them on ebay or through a google search.

Thanks

 

Ebay search "DV6000 speakers".

14 hits at the moment.
One Ebay store with 10 units in stock, "Buy It Now" at 9.99
http://cgi.ebay.com/HP-PAVILION-DV6000- ... ltDomain_0

 

My speakers arrived. Totally enclosed in plastic....

Is it not better to leave the speaker enclosed?

Certainly the one which already has a low profile?