Help with Earbud Mod for Xperia Neo

[ffp]

Hi, I'll buy a new earbud to use with my smartphone, but i want it to have good quality and a button and mic to answer calls. As my phone is "old" (xperia neo, 2011) and usean old earbud audio jack (OMTP) instead of the new on (CTIA) i can't find a decent earbud with mic for it. So I'm thinking in using an adapter like this one:

http://store.griffintechnology.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/h/e/headphone_adapter-1.jpg

So, does this reduce the sound quality? And what can i do about the length of the cable (adapter+earbud will be almost 2m), can i just reduce the earbud cable, cutting and solding back?

 

[jedishrfu]

Hi, I'll buy a new earbud to use with my smartphone, but i want it to have good quality and a button and mic to answer calls. As my phone is "old" (xperia neo, 2011) and usean old earbud audio jack (OMTP) instead of the new on (CTIA) i can't find a decent earbud with mic for it. So I'm thinking in using an adapter like this one:

http://store.griffintechnology.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/h/e/headphone_adapter-1.jpg

So, does this reduce the sound quality? And what can i do about the length of the cable (adapter+earbud will be almost 2m), can i just reduce the earbud cable, cutting and solding back?

Breaking the cable and soldering it back will make it very fragile and it probably won't work well.

Instead consider doing some kind of cord wrapping like what is commonly done with electrical cords
by folding them up and then wrapping the remainder around the folds and through the loop at the end.

Here's one example where some made a wrapping frame:

https://www.google.com/search?q=cor...1%2Fwrapqarw-cord-wrap-by-to-mo-ni%2F;640;640

and here's a mummified version:

https://www.google.com/search?q=cor...ve.com%2Fmummy-headphone-cord-wrap%2F;500;358

 

[ffp]

Yeah, i think this is the best solution. Maybe put it inside a retractable thing like the one used in pc mouses... I've seen someone do it in instructables website.

But wrap it very firmly won't damaged it? And what about the adapter? Does it reduce quality or the sound quality is related to speakers only?

 

[jedishrfu]

Yeah, i think this is the best solution. Maybe put it inside a retractable thing like the one used in pc mouses... I've seen someone do it in instructables website.

But wrap it very firmly won't damaged it? And what about the adapter? Does it reduce quality or the sound quality is related to speakers only?

Dont wrap too firmly. I would make my smallest loops about the size of my smallest finger to be safe.

With respect to your adapter I can't say. My initial feeling is it will be okay since the length isn't too long.

 

[meBigGuy]

The audio out is wired straight through the adapter, so should be unaffected. The internal microphone won't be the best.

The main quality problem with these cheap adapters is that there is usually 1 tiny ground wire that is common for the mic and audio (in the cable). Therefore there is crosstalk due to the audio running through ground causing a voltage on the mic input. It may or may not be an issue for you. (probably won't be ---- I use mine with a spectrum analyzer app so I can see the crosstalk.)

Also, they are usually pretty poorly built and will split apart at the first abuse.

I cut mine and soldered it at the connector and covered it with hot glue. Or, you could buy a connector at Radio Shack. Or you could split it apart and modify it internally. The wires are definitely hard to work with.