[ProchargerF4]

I've been trying to find info on possibly installing MMCX connectors like shure IEMs have so you get the benefit of using high quality cable and replacing them if anything happens. It seems that they would be sturdier than wires soldered directly onto the driver also. I have MTPC's and I honestly don't trust the cables to hold up for very long, but I love these phones and I would hate to discard them because of worn out cable. Has anyone attempted this? If so, how was it done? Or is there a reason this just isn't possible?

 

[DanMar]

Going to install MMCX socket on Brainwavz M5,  possibly Vsonic VSD3S. M5 needs drilling the cable hole to 3.5mm for socket.

 

[ProchargerF4]

Going to install MMCX socket on Brainwavz M5,  possibly Vsonic VSD3S. M5 needs drilling the cable hole to 3.5mm for socket.

Any info on how to do that?

 

[DanMar]

Now I have no possibility to post images, will post when will have possibility. Sorry for bad English.
For this operation needed:
-Earphone (in some situations there is no opportunity to install socket);
-Drill;
-MMCX sockets (I took the round shaped sockets, it is easy to insert them into the drilled hole);
-Piece of cable (to connect the speaker with the socket);
-Soldering iron and solder;
-Glue to put pieces together (there is some peculiarities with the type of glue).
Firstly I thinked about the free space in the metal housing of my Brainwavz M5 to install the socket. In the M5 there is enough space. So my sockets are 3.5mm in diameter, I opened the housing of earphone (metal housing of M5 was glued with a successful sticky adhesive, in this case housing is opened wih a knife placed between the seams), unsoldered cables, untied the knots, took out strain reliefs. Many of metal earphones are glued the same way, so there is ability to repair them and glue many times. Cable hole on M5 was like 2.5 or 3.0 mm dia, so I took 3.5 burr and easily enlarged the hole in aluminium hosing.
Every model of earphones is diffirent, so here kind of the engineer mind is needed .
My sockets well get into the shell of M5 so I need just to solder and secure them with the piece of plastic and/or glue. I will put things together with epoxy glue. Soldering: the central contact of mmcx connectors/sockets is "+" and outer contact (shell of connector/socket) is the mass or "-". Earphone cables usually use the red (in right earpiece) and green (in left earpiece) cable for "+" and yellow/gold-ish colored cable for "-"(mass).
With plastic earphones I think manipulations are the same, only concern is free space for sockets and method of securing their position...
- Do not overheat the dynamic driver!
- You lose warranty while disassembling the earphone!
- I take no responsibility for the losses occurred during the execution of actions described by me!
- MMCX sockets are known for losing contact over time, so those manipulations may not be worth the result.

 

[DanMar]

MMCX sockets are known for losing contact over time, so those manipulations may not be worth the result.

 

[ProchargerF4]

More sturdy than wires soldered on directly though right?

 

[DanMar]

Relatively... Generally wires are not soldered directly, they tied in knots and only than soldered.

 

[DanMar]

Here is the photo of my work
 

 

[ProchargerF4]

Where did you buy the connectors?

 

[DanMar]

 
At the radio store.

 

[ProchargerF4]

can you please be more specific?

 

[DanMar]

In what aspect? I have not done yet the M5 I'll post images when there is a result.
As for MMCX, I ordered sockets from local online radio components store (Ua), MMCX coaxial connectors were in the RF connectors category (they are used in wi-fi modems, routers, antennas).
Maybe there is wider selection of sockets at amazon or ebay, if you can not find them anywhere...

 

[DanMar]

So here are finished M5s with MMCX connectors, some photos of installing process. I've noticed that location of socket is the most important part - it was hard to put all in place because of lack of space, so the hole and socket must be further from dynamic driver, as between them also places the wiring. The housings were so hard to put together so I've used the vise. You can see white triangle plastic piece - it holds the socket and while assembling I've covered it with epoxy too, in the end cut it a little becouse housing didn't want to fit propelry.
 

 

 

 

 
 
Replaced the Vsonic VSD3S connectors with MMCX here.

 

[Katert]

I know this is an old thread, but I was searching the internet for more topics like this. I want to try adding mmcx sockets to my RHA T20 (I accept the risk), but I was wondering if more people have been doing something similar on this forum in the mean time.