The Apple diyMod: My Take on the Famous iMod [56k killer] Featuring 3G, 4G, 5G and nano 1G! - Page 66

Sounds good, Ramblingman (at least I hope it does ).

What kind of info were you looking for, Fallen? I don't actually know if C53/C54 is L/R, so you're going to have to do some trekking. Open her up, remove the LCD screen to find the silkscreen labels for the dock inductors, desolder the usual culprits, then solder a very short wire from here to there. I think it's fairly straightforward, but a clever guy such as yourself could figure something out if it doesn't work out. ruZZ.il did the mini 1G if you need any more insight.

Looks like the mini is making a comeback. I guess Apple was wrong about the nano after all.

I'm sorry to hear about your iPod, iQEM. I really couldn't tell you what was happening with your iPod. Did you mess anything up when diyModding it? Check around the Wolfson, the headphone jack, anywhere you did any work. Kinda basic diagnostic testing but that's all we can really go on here.

As the rest of you know, I never stop thinking about improving this thread. I rediscovered an iPod repair/parts website which, as luck would have it, has another set of guides for opening iPods. They make the iVue, a clear front panel for iPods so you can look uber cool with an inside view of your iPod. I try to look for websites that offer not only an iPod repair service but also the parts for us DIYers to replace free of labour and shipping charges. I present, Rapid Repair: iPod Repair, iPhone Repair, Batteries, LCD Screens and more!.

Good news. I finally got around to hooking up my VitQs to my diyMod. I didn't think that the sound could change so much, but after a bit of listening, I did pick up on some minute details better with the Qs than the BGs. It also seemed like the bass was a bit boomier and separation was a little better too. It's not as practical a solution as the BGs because the BGs can fit into the iPod; the size difference is exponential. I'm just working on some different docks, so I'll give it more time for enjoyment. Nevertheless, initial reports are positive.

Absolutely fantastic work, Ramblingman. I like how you personalized it exactly to your needs. I especially love how well you routed your wires. Lemme guess, 30AWG or 28AWG wires? I'll go with 28AWG. And what kind of caps are those?

Again, great work and fine photography. Thanks for sharing.

Good luck, iQEM!

I added some gallery-type links to the OP. I finished another diyMod for someone recently, and it feels good to be able to hear its music flowing into my ears.

Further report on the BG/VitQ situation. I tried VitQs and found it to have a nice sound. My test methodology was to pass reference tracks through an inattentive mind and see what differences my mind could pick up. The reasoning behind this type of test is that the mind filters out that which remains relatively constant; think morning routines and "waking up on the wrong side of bed." If something changes, your mind will be all, "wtf^ mate?" Through some quieter passages in Explosions in the Sky's latest album "All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone," I picked up on an egg keeping the beat during "The Birth and Death of the Day," something that usually wasn't as distinct and clear through the BGs. FR balance seemed quite similar to the BGs as well. Then I tried VitQs bypassed with BGs/BGs bypassed with VitQs. I heard absolutely no difference with this setup. I could hear a very faint click every time I went from bypassed to unbypassed and back, but beyond that there wasn't a real noticeable difference. As always, YMMV. I did like the VitQs as a final result, but I probably won't be using it for some time. I have to try it in my MAX next, but I need some time to acclimatize to its sound before the swap (see methodology reasoning above).