Successfully modified my iPhone earbuds!

[lsfjosh]

I couldn't find the thread where someone was asking if you could replace the iPhone earbuds with the Apple In-Ear buds but I figured it out and it works!
The earphones that came with the iPhone were killing my ears after 20 minutes of use. My trusty Apple in-ear buds that I have had since around 2004 still work and are very comfortable for me so I decided to take the risk and swap them out!

I used this site to figure how to take apart the in-ear buds:
http://www.macosxhints.com/article.php?story=20070206114816172

and this video to finnish the process:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLzs5aHv3jI

Here are a couple pictures
On the left is the newly modified iphone headphones with the replaced earpieces. On the right is the old in-ear bud cord and the iphone ear phone parts.

 

[mcdj]

I tried this but the in-ear buds seemed glued shut. How did you open them?

 

[greenlander]

I assume call answering/etc is lost in the process?

 

[mcdj]

I assume call answering/etc is lost in the process?

No no! That's the whole point/beauty of doing the bud transplant...good sounding/fitting buds with mic/button functionality.

 

[SheepNutz]

I just did mine tonight, using the same method and earbuds as shown in this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLzs5aHv3jI It was harder than on the video though, because getting both the apple and the new earbuds apart was a daunting task. I had to pry them apart with an exacto knife. It was well worth it though!

 

[dphamily]

I just did mine tonight, using the same method and earbuds as shown in this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLzs5aHv3jI It was harder than on the video though, because getting both the apple and the new earbuds apart was a daunting task. I had to pry them apart with an exacto knife. It was well worth it though!

I seem to be the only one who likes the apple earbud (the iphone are better quality then the ipod ones)

 

[lsfjosh]

I tried this but the in-ear buds seemed glued shut. How did you open them?

My in ear buds actually came apart rather easily. Maybe cuz I've had them for 3 years? They are held together by a reddish, pasty glue like substance that can be coaxed apart with minimal effort. But at any rate, the iPhone ear buds were harder to get apart than the video. I used a thin knife to pry them open since I wasn't going to be needing them and didn't care if I scratched them up.

I seem to be the only one who likes the apple earbud (the iphone are better quality then the ipod ones)

The standard earpieces that come with the iPhone AND iPod hurt my ears. I guess I just have the wrong kind? I think they sound great but I just don't like having sore ears when I am listening to music.

The earbuds I replaced them with don't come with iPods. They are apples own version of IN-EAR phones that have a small soft rubber funnel system that rests comfortably in your ear, and have better bass response as well.

Check them out here. Very different than the ones that come with iPods.
http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore.woa/wa/RSLID?mco=17F6F30F&nplm=M9394G/B

I assume call answering/etc is lost in the process?

Nope! I tested them out with a call right after The button still works for calls and the iPod song pause and skip features works as well!

 

[siurpeeman]

i'd love to do this with my apple in-ear headphones. but i don't have a soldering iron or hot glue.

 

[Royale w/cheese]

I seem to be the only one who likes the apple earbud (the iphone are better quality then the ipod ones)

No, your not. I love the new apple buds, ipods and iphone. Hate the in ear phones, I took them back, so I don't know why anybody would want to transplant them on their new buds. But I guess the replaceable pads work for some. To each their own.

 

[gootz]

Dude, how did you get your in ear buds apart? I managed to get the silver ring off but how do you get the rest of the bud to come apart? I don't see a seam or its glued very good? Can you post pics?

Thanks

Edit/update: I just finished and they sound awesome and my ears are happy again. I was missing my in-ear apples. Thanks for the motivation to do this.

 

[SheepNutz]

i'd love to do this with my apple in-ear headphones. but i don't have a soldering iron or hot glue.

I skipped the hot glue step. I don't think it'll need it. I can always resolder it if I need to. You can pick up a soldering iron dirt cheat at the hardware store. You don't need a real fancy one, or a $5000 PACE soldering/desoldering station like I have at work.

 

[eescabar]

Wirelessly posted (ipwn: Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU like Mac OS X; en) AppleWebKit/420+ (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/3.0 Mobile/1A543a Safari/419.3)

I just finshed my transplant... It's good to my ears.



I messed it up the first go around, and thought I'd wasted $60 worth of head phones.

 

[Krue.ian]

I couldn't find the thread where someone was asking if you could replace the iPhone earbuds with the Apple In-Ear buds but I figured it out and it works!
The earphones that came with the iPhone were killing my ears after 20 minutes of use. My trusty Apple in-ear buds that I have had since around 2004 still work and are very comfortable for me so I decided to take the risk and swap them out!

I used this site to figure how to take apart the in-ear buds:
http://www.macosxhints.com/article.php?story=20070206114816172

and this video to finnish the process:

Here are a couple pictures
On the left is the newly modified iphone headphones with the replaced earpieces. On the right is the old in-ear bud cord and the iphone ear phone parts.

[doublepost=1481006269][/doublepost] Check this out. What I done.