Introduction: Game Boy Color Upgrade Speaker DS

This instructable will display how to UPGRADE a speaker from a Game Boy Color to a speaker from a Nintendo DS or DS Lite. This is a significant upgrade in sound quality- it is louder and does not have that tiny buzzing noise that classic speakers have. It's a really easy modification. It only takes about 10 minutes and requires the most basic soldering skill.

IMPORTANT: THERE IS ALWAYS THE REMOTE POSSIBILITY OF DAMAGING SENSITIVE COMPONENTS.

Parts list

1)Game Boy Color

2) Phillips screwdriver, small

3) Tri-wing screwdriver or bit. This is meant for Nintendo products and can be bought on eBay for about $2.

4) Soldering iron

5) Game (to test before and after)

6) New speaker - search ebay for Nintendo DS speaker- they are about $3 each

7) Case to keep the screws in

8) Utility knife (not pictured)

9) Solder. Only a drop is needed.

Step 1: Removing Screws

There are 6 tri-wing type screws on the outside of the game boy. I have encircled them so they are easy to identify.

Remove these screws and put them into a container- they are small and easy to lose.

Pop off the back cover.

On the motherboard, you will see 3 Phillips screws. Remove these as well and put into the container.

If you mix up the screws, just remember that the Phillips screws are shorter than the tri-wing.

Step 2: Removing the Motherboard

Before attempting to move the motherboard, you must disengage the ribbon cable.

This is thin and can tear, so adjust carefully.

On the sides of the cable there are 2 little slide switches. Slide them up and the ribbon cable will slide up and out as well.

When putting it back together, remember to slide the cable in first, then lock the pins. Now the motherboard can come out.

P.S. This is a very good time to clean the button pads, as they get dirty- remember that this is a pretty old system.

Step 3: Upgrading the Speaker

The old speaker is attached with 2 wires.

Remove the speaker with a soldering iron- you can easily see that the old speaker is quite corroded.

The new speaker has 2 little contacts/soldering points.

Solder the wires onto the new speaker- it does not matter which wire goes to which contact/solder point.

On this speaker, only a drop of solder is needed to put hold the wires in place.

Note that this speaker does NOT fit into the original hole.

Trim the speaker port (marked in the picture in RED) with a utility knife and just snap out. It is thin plastic and easily manipulated.

Now close everything back up, you are done! Remember to test before you put all the screws in.

Good luck!

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