Speaker 'module' for Android?

[MikeyBugs95]

I'm wondering if there are any 'modules' to add a stereo speaker capability to Android phones. I'm not asking about modules like the Moto X Mods or the LG Friends type but ones that can plug into the headphone jack or USB port on the phones.

If none exist, I would be interested in trying to design such a device. I can do CAD designing easily... Electronics and speaker/sound engineering are a completely different world to me. Would anyone be interested in helping to attempt such a project.

If the rest of the post does comply with forum rules, I can remove it and accept all that comes my way.

If any sort of project is feasible, viable or comes to any sort of fruition, I need to make the disclaimer that NOTHING is guaranteed and I DO NOT guarantee anything not make any claims to. I am NOT offering a product or service. This is NOT an advertisement. I do NOT offer any guarantee of success. I DO NOT guarantee ANY form of payment or compensation for helping or showing interest with this endeavor. I DO NOT guarantee that anything that comes out of this endeavor will result in a marketable or commercialized product. Messaging me asking about my plans for such a product DOES NOT signify your interest. Messaging me with interest DOES NOT guarantee employment, compensation or any sort of reimbursement now or in the future. I am NOT offering employment. As of right now this is a mere exploration of possibility. 2

All I look for, if this would even be a product that isn't yet available, is guidance and support in whether this could work and if so what direction to head in.

 

[ratsttam]

You mean like the literally THOUSANDS of bluetooth speakers that pair with just about any smartphone made in the past 5+ years??

 

[MikeyBugs95]

Not quite. I was thinking of something smaller that just plugs into the phone itself. In this sense it would be more akin to the wired speakers. But it would be like an extension of the phone. Just as Moto Mods increases the capabilities of the phone by physically attaching devices to the phone itself, that's what I would plan this for.

In that sense, does anything of this sort exist that is NOT a Bluetooth or wired speaker?

 

[ratsttam]

Not quite. I was thinking of something smaller that just plugs into the phone itself. In this sense it would be more akin to the wired speakers. But it would be like an extension of the phone. Just as Moto Mods increases the capabilities of the phone by physically attaching devices to the phone itself, that's what I would plan this for.

In that sense, does anything of this sort exist that is NOT a Bluetooth or wired speaker?

A quick search with your more specific requirements rendered "not much". I did find some that just plugged into the headphone port and just hung out there. If you're looking for something that fits more like a case, I don't think anyone has designed anything like that yet. I would love to see a high quality stereo speaker (it's the one thing I really miss from my M8 and M9, the stereo speakers). However, short of having an adjustable case that spring clamped to the phone, OR to design it specifically for one model or another, you've got your work cut out for you.

I'm envisioning something like those linear spring loaded cell phone clamps for cars, except with speakers mounted on the ends, maybe using bluetooth, maybe having an aux plug (i'd do bluetooth personally, works with anything even if the aux port is blocked). I'm sure you can mock something up and maybe even get a kickstarter going. Count me in as a backer if you do

 

[MikeyBugs95]

This is what I'm thinking of. The USB-C plug is just what I have as an option there. Because of the way in which I modeled this, the height and width can be easily increased or decreased.

 

[MikeyBugs95]

I actually added holes now. Does anyone have any idea as to a speaker/controller/electronics that would have to go in here to turn what is now a fancy shell for electronics into what could be a speaker? I need to model the electronic "guts" so I can model the brackets and support structure. I don't know what to look at or for.

I don't know what people think of the design. I personally like it but as of now it's just a fancy dongle design. What I need now is to find the depth of the case I have now, factor that in, hollow/the USB-C plug, export it to STL, and test out on the phone. Just to see what it looks like and test the alignment of the plugs.

I also wouldn't start a Kickstarter or crowdfunding just yet until I know if the concept is a viable consumer product or is even manufacturable. I could take the 3D printed prototype design and carry it around and all people what they think of the prototype and concept. If enough people show (or feign) interest, then it's worth a pitch to a real manufacturing engineer/company/crowdfunding campaign.

 

[hallux]

The challenge you're going to run into is that there are so many different ways that interface can be designed, the spacing can be so different from device to device so a single design with only one set spacing won't work on every device, it would also be a draw on the phone battery. This is why bluetooth with it's own battery is such a desirable setup. It's universal and minimal extra draw on the device battery itself.

 

[MikeyBugs95]

Currently this is just one setup. this is based on the jack/port arrangement on the V20. The headphone male-jack and USB-C insert can be removed or moved if needed. I modeled this in a parametric, non-history based modeling software so I can edit it as needed. One reason to not model it as being a Bluetooth speaker is that (aside from there being hundreds of them out there) this design can now utilize the Quad-DAC in the V20 without the need of a separate DAC as long as good quality speakers and electronics are used.

Unfortunately, I have no idea how to proceed. I can't find any speakers or electronics that could be used and I don't have much experience in this electrical and computer engineering.

 

[J Dubbs]

The challenge you're going to run into is that there are so many different ways that interface can be designed, the spacing can be so different from device to device so a single design with only one set spacing won't work on every device, it would also be a draw on the phone battery. This is why bluetooth with it's own battery is such a desirable setup. It's universal and minimal extra draw on the device battery itself.

As mentioned above, nobody will want a speaker set that is drawing power off the phone itself, when phone battery life is already being maxed out.
It'll need to be self-powered like all the other speakers out there.

 

[hallux]

Currently this is just one setup. this is based on the jack/port arrangement on the V20. The headphone male-jack and USB-C insert can be removed or moved if needed. I modeled this in a parametric, non-history based modeling software so I can edit it as needed. One reason to not model it as being a Bluetooth speaker is that (aside from there being hundreds of them out there) this design can now utilize the Quad-DAC in the V20 without the need of a separate DAC as long as good quality speakers and electronics are used.

Unfortunately, I have no idea how to proceed. I can't find any speakers or electronics that could be used and I don't have much experience in this electrical and computer engineering.

Move/remove the headphone jack all you want, it wouldn't work on my Nexus 6P without using Bluetooth as my headphone port is on the opposite end of the phone from the USB-C port. My phone would need a wire from the headphone port to the device in order to get audio that way.