Filed under: iPod Family, Hacks, How-tos, Cult of Mac, Mods
Second generation iPod shuffle mod: Shuffle Phones
Alexander wasn't too happy that his brand new second generation iPod shuffle shipped with the previous generation iPod earbuds. The fit and fidelity of those 'buds just wasn't cutting it - so he took matters into his own hands and rigged up a pair of Shuffle Phones. "In an effort to correct the earbud shortcoming," he says," I realized I could combine headphones and a shuffle into a cords-free wundermusik contraption." The goal was to combine the portability of the iPod shuffle and high fidelity of full size headphones - while keeping the cords virtually invisible and to a minimum.
This isn't the first time the iPod shuffle has been integrated into a pair of headphones. Alexander himself even proposed it for original shuffle. So consider this incarnation Shuffle Phones 2.0. THe process is very easy, of course. Just clip your new iPod shuffle onto your favorite pair of headphones, wrap the cord tightly and neatly around the headband and plug it in. The shorter the cord, the better it looks, but do you best with what you've got. Alexander's Sennheiser HD 212 Pros have an unusually long 10-foot cord, but it still looks pretty cool.
As Alexander points out, due to the additional bulk, this rig isn't so great for jogging or exercising, but for studying, strolling or other low-key activities it works out quite well.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Paul said 9:29AM on 11-05-2006
Alexander says this is a mockup, but even as a mockup wrapping the cord around the headband and clipping the shuffle to it is not a mod. A mod implies some loevel of hacking, painting, cuting, glueing...ANYTHING! It's not even orginal, see Macally's mTune: http://www.macally.com/spec/ipod/mtunen.html
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Laurie said 9:50AM on 11-05-2006
Paul, I think you're equating a mod with a hack. This is a mod in the true sense of the word - it's a modification.
modification - noun - the action of modifying something. That's what he's done, isn't it?
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dave said 10:19AM on 11-05-2006
welll, actually.... no. He didn't modify a single thing. He just clipped it to a different set of headphones. I like the idea, but this is neither a mod nor a hack. Now, if he had removed the clip from the back of the shuffle, affixed the shuffle to the actual side of the headphones, and maybe removed ohhh... I dunnno.. 9.9 feet of headphone cord, then yeah, this would be a mod. As it stands now, this is "A cool place to CLIP your shuffle too". Nothing more.
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Todd said 10:36AM on 11-05-2006
yikes. the thought of tryign to wrap the thick cord of my grados around!
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www.turbino.dk said 11:54AM on 11-05-2006
I am addicted to this kind of evolution.. revolution.. etc.. Ipod´s are what google is til microsoft....the new best and better thing..
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Steffen said 12:24PM on 11-05-2006
You guys should take a look at the shufflemania Flickr pool:
http://www.flickr.com/groups/shufflemania/pool/
;-)
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Paul said 1:29PM on 11-05-2006
Sorry to disagree Laurie. He hasen't modified anything. I would say it is a configuration. He has taken stock parts and placed them where they are most useful to him. Like Dave said, cut off 9.9 feet of cord and it's a mod.
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Aaron MCGrattan said 5:33AM on 11-06-2006
those headphones have such a high power consumption i wouldnt see his shuffle battery lasting much inbetween charges.
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Ed said 7:37PM on 11-05-2006
Would you like to post a picture of the extension cable I attached to my headphones on another slow news day?
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bobics said 9:03PM on 11-05-2006
I put my Nano in my shirt pocket. Then I mod it by putting it in my pants pocket.
I don't want to be that guy anyway who wears the large dorky looking headphones on the street. The street is for earbuds.
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Rhys said 11:26PM on 11-05-2006
I'm pretty sure that those headphone (Being Pro DJ headphones) you can actually detach the head phone cord from the earphones themselves. Then if he could get hold a shorter cable (or make one) then it would look much nicer.
And hey, there is nothing wrong with walking around with huge headphones on. I'd rather use large headphones and enjoy the comfort and audio quality, than sacrifice it to avoid the odd look from some random passing by.
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Richmond said 6:21AM on 11-06-2006
time and time again - if you want hi-fidelity music, even strapping the shuffle on bose headphones won't do it. please also take a look at the source of music and not just the delivery, if you know what i mean. if you don't, just move right along.
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Galley said 9:03AM on 11-06-2006
FWIW, the 2G shuffle will fit inside a Sony EX-71 case, as long as you are not using the extension cable.
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Joakim said 8:42PM on 11-06-2006
@10
Those aren't professional DJ headphones (they don't isolate well enough and have cables to both phones instead of just one and then bridge over the headband) and having detachable cable as a criteria for a professional headphone is just ridiculous.
Check out the Sennheiser HD 25 for professional DJ headphones.
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