P157SM heavily modded speakersystem

Alright boys, after a lot of tinkering, months of work I finally finished my own modded notebook speakers version and am very satisfied with the result.

For those who want to achieve the same, I will tell you already now, it's WAY easier to buy an external speakersystem rather than working on your notebook, it really isn't as simple as just shoving some different speakers into your system, there are far more factors to a decent sound. You can easily expect months of work despite have a good idea on how to work on your own speakersystem.

I will be making a video in a couple of days explaining what I did and how this project came to be for those who like me really hate having external speaker.

Here are the results after a couple of months after starting working on the sound system:

Spoiler

First months of working and main problems:
On the comparison video you can hear that on stock the sound was extremely tinny and downright terrible. When making the volume really high it would be really irritating for the ears. The main issue with Clevo notebooks are that the speakers are unfinished (more on that on the video when explaining how I worked on that) and the subwoofer was really small. The subwoofer was barely bigger than the speakers and didn't really do anything due to driver issues, ironicly the actual build was decent, unlinke the unfinished speakers.

After months of work and tinkering, I build myself a new subwoofer, I also had to mod the sound drivers due to the drivers not sending the correct singals. Yes, the sound drivers are also a huge problem, for reasons unknown to me the drivers seem to not bother sending low frequencies to the subwoofer, which made titles with bass sound weird when previously listening to a better sounding notebook, radio etc, due to the bass entirely missing.

More months until the finished product:
After months and months of research, tinkering, configuration and rebuilding, I finally got the final version done. It was a huge load of work, when looking back I am happy that I got it to where it stands. Right after I started this whole project, I never imagined I could get this kind of sound out of my notebook.

Compared to earlier versions:
Compared to the earlier version above, the sound is much more full and richer, the bass is truly there and even on high volume the system won't start "screetching". The maximum volume is also in a different league compared to the previous version. The subwoofer is also capable of playing really deep bass which I didn't expect it to be able to, I didn't to a subwoofer test just yet, but I will do that as well to see how low the frequencies can actually go. The final version is not even compariable to my first earlier versions.

So here it is:

Spoiler

Some information on how I recorded this:
Basicially I put the notebook on my bed, recorded the video with my phone, due to the problem that my phone has a ****ty microphone I connected my podcast microphone to another notebook and had it on my lap. Then i started recording. The image must have looked hilarious if someone would have seen it.

Funfact:
Due to the rather powerful vibrations of the subwoofer, I sometimes listen to loud music while putting my feet next to my notebook to massage my feet.

 

Nice work. I wish more manufacturers would put decent speakers in their notebooks out of the factory, its way easier using the integrated speakers than lugging some external ones around. My old Dell XPS L502X had some of the best speakers i've heard on a stock laptop (at least at the time), perhaps I will try and shoehorn them into something else one day when the GPU finally dies.

 

You would be right, the subwoofer of the L502x / L702x are really strong ones and so are the speakers. The problem here is once you went through the whole process you will realize how much time and effort it takes to get the right sound out of your system, it's painful and mostly requires a lot of patience and tinkering, I'm not suprised that a lot of manufacturers do not invest the time and effort into the sound due to the fact that it's barely a selling point since most are using headsets or external solutions.

Not to mention the design complications you will have since both speakers and subwoofer do need quite some space, which is almost impossible given the "thin trend" which is going on.

 

True, there is no way i'd get them in my M17X without blinding myself cutting through the magnesium palm rest plate - and without losing the expresscard slot, SD reader and Blu Ray drive.

Then again actually if I only ran it with 1 GPU I could remove the second GPU fan and stick a subwoofer in there. It would probably be an acoustic nightmare though, but perhaps i'll give it a go when i've sorted everything else out.

 

Unless you plan on building an amp into it then it's a no win situation. In my case I already have an amp from stock, in your case you need to not only build a subwoofer but also an amp that won't blow the speaker or get blown by the speaker. I'll cover it in my video when talking about it.

 

Well done, congrats!

Does modifying the audio driver require specialist knowledge? I wonder if I could do something in my p170em with the analog jack output(headphones 2.0) in which the term "bass" does not exist at all...

 

You have the same speakers as I do, So I can pretty much tell you already that you'll have to replace / work pretty much on everything. The speakers are unfinished and the subwoofer is pretty small. If you want decent sound out from your system you'll also need to make custom drivers and fiddle with a lot of settings to make everything work, every speaker has a specific frequency & load they can handle and start distorting if you go past it for instance.

If you would install my drivers for instance and run on max volume you would blow your subwoofer in a matter of seconds and your speakers would distort pretty heavily but still be fine.

I can try and see if I can find a solution to improve your sound quality, it won't be anything near a good sounding system but it will be a noticable improvement.

 

I like the concept of doing what you did, but for me, it was far easier to get an external speaker. (a BEM mini cube for portable situations) Or just use headphones/IEMs.

 

Jep, as I mentioned, only if you for some reason really really dislike carying external speakers around as I do this would be an option. It's so much easier buying some bluetooth speakers rather than working hard on your own speakerset.

 

Any tutorial or something to show what speakers you swapped to if not using software mods?

 

You don't simply swap. You have to build your own actual speakers. Every notebook has different speakers which are all custom build, you'll have to do the same if you plan on getting better speakers.

Also software is also important because you need your amp to give enough power to the speakers, otherwise you'll get very silent speakers.

 

Can't just buy speakers and cut out the parts u don't need to make em fit?

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You need as much air as possible, it's important to use all the space you can to create boxes, because the speakers get their depth from compressing the air. When you have to small boxes or in clevos case none (lol) you get extremely tiny sound.

 

Provide any internal images?

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I am currently at work so I can't right now. I'll make a video on how I did the whole process once I can finally find some time.

You need to look at a lot of stuff, for instance how many watts to your AMP provides and how many your speakers can handle. You can't just buy some random speakers and put them in.

For instance when you have an AMP that can provide up to 3 Watts per speaker and buy some 1.5W speakers, what basicially will happen is that the speakers will get so warm and start to melt. If you buy speakers which can handle up to 5 Watts then the speaker will be really quiet. Also the box and how you make the box will determine how much bass your speakers will be able to provide.

I liked having a rather heavy and deep bass so my subwoofer was build like this:


If you want a more balanced sound you need to make a sealed box.
Also it's very important that you can control your AMP with proper software. For instance the XFI software provided by Clevo is utter garbage It will limit your system completely and produce very bad sound even on good speakers.

For instance on my P157SM the sounddriver did the sound like this:
- very highs speakers only
- Highs on mostly speakers + Sub
- Mids on Sub only
- Lows mostly speakers + sub
- very lows not present

This is very noticable when you already have a notebook or another sound system that provides proper sound. The notebook on stock really doesn't utilize the subwoofer nearly as much as it should.

This is my sound drivers I run on:


I created my own personal sound drivers (dB = danishblunt) and made it compatible with Dolby DIgital Studio because it's EQ is quite good compared to other solutions.

 

How did you make your drivers? If you want/have time to explain.

Also, current laptop speakers are a joke, my old old Asus N53SM has bigger speaker and speaker boxes than what is today called subwoofer on laptops, and Clevos in particular have a joke of a sound system with tiny oval speaker in tiny boxes, with lots of space around, whyyy...

 

Depending on your notebook your speakers might even be unfinished. In my case my speakers were unfinished products. They were open, meaning absolutely tinny and bad. Can you tell me what model you have?

 

Dont have a Clevo, worked in a repair center for multiple brands that also did insurance service, got some Clevos, the speakers where always hillariously small, and yes, the glue/welding of the parts of the boxes where also sub-par.

But Toshiba is the same, only the old old Qosmios had good sound, the rest, 10mm or smaller drivers.

 

yeah those with harmon kardon where really good. L702x beats them still tho, they went ful on yolo with those speakers and subwoofer.

Also it isn't always about the size of the speakers. Some are big, but have small boxes or very terrible performance. I've seen big 1.5watt speakers with a small coil, causing them to sound bad.

 

@ Danishblunt I have a clevo p750dmg and my right speaker is crackling every 2 month after replacement, I want to change it with better one. I dont know which speaker compatible.I know your first topic watt is important, *what is the other important things?* *Which speaker would you suggest?* How can I know my speaker model number to know other information off my speaker.(I just know its onkyo)

 

Normally speaker watts are printed on the bottom of the speakers. I don't know the speakers on the P750. However you know that you need to build your own boxes once you found speakers right? Because if you buy different speakers the boxes will obviously be different from what you have on your P750. Also you need to have solderthings ready in order to solder your cables.

 

What do u mean by boxes?

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Those boxes where the speakers are in.

 

Ok I know those so u need small ones in your laptop?

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Well obviously yes. You need to build them yourself because you can't flatout buy boxes for your notebook.

 

Can't just take the older speaker out our new one in or carve a bigger hole for the new ones to fit?

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íf you can make it fit, go ahead, but it's very unlikely. Most speakers look like this:


Good luck janking that in without modyfying anything.

You can buy good speakers and cut them out, then building your own boxes as large as possible in your notebook.

Also it's very important to note, that the resistance (ohm) should be the same as your previous speakers.

 

Thanks for respond, I can handle solderthings but boxes not my thing. Can you suggest good 2w and 4w speakers for your device eventually they are clevo I can try carve thing and pray. I'II find my watt somehow. I don't like carry external speakers.

 

It really depends on your depth of the case. Some speakers are higher than others and could possible not fit. If you want other than P750 stock speakers, then I'm afraid you need to build your own boxes. Maybe you can find a 3dprinter at school or something to design and print some boxes?

I build my own speakers from the stock P157SM speakers, they were rather good but had the problem that they sorely lacked a box. Due to the very limited height I made long boxes, the subwoofer was completely custom tho.

If you got the depth and your speakers are around 2Watts and 4ohm, then you can try some older MSI GT 70 speakers, you need to cut them out of the boxes and then make your own, then solder the wires to your connector so it fits your board.

EDIT:
Can you at some point dissassemble your notebook and show me how much room you got? ou got 2W speakers.

 

Of course, I never disassembled it so much yet but I will try. My warranty just end January, I m working about bios, vbios modding and egpu.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/MSI-17-3-034-GT70-MS-1763-Left-Right-Internal-Speaker-Set-/121721324820

https://www.ebay.ie/itm/MSI-GT70-GT...978777?hash=item25e5d8c599:g:BloAAOSw0A9aFfxG

I found these two.

 

It's important that you see how much space you have first, because after some research it seems you have VERY limited space.

If my research proves to be correct GT 70 speakers won't ever fit, unless you plan on cutting your mainboard.

 

I came here but there must be two screws to remove top cover but I just broke one clips in my keyboard. Its hard to dissambly but if 870dm has the same size speaker with me I have its picture.

 

Thanks for the video, it confirmed it. Your space is extremely limited. MSI speakers will not fit. You need to find flat 2Watt speakers and then you need to build your own boxes fot them, there is no other way for you.

 

what did you build your boxes out of?

 

used a 3dprinter, but esentially you can use whatever you want as long it's airtight, so anything will do really.

 

do you know a big the P870DM Speakers are? I cant seem to find anything on it

 

The speakers of the 870 are bigger and also worse, quality wise they are garbage as well. The only speakers with really decent quality and being flat are ones in macbook pros, but I don't know how much space the boxes need to let the speakers be good.

 

Then maybe macbook pro speakers can be okay, 870dm speakers same with 750dm? I dont know maybe. I can just buy a bluetooth speaker:
*cambridge soundworks oontz angle 3* they say oontz 3 is jbl level speaker. I just did paper clips method for heat.

 

Bluetooth speakers might be a good idea. The problem here is that the 870DM speakers are completely different from 750DM.They have way bigger height, while your P750 speakers are rather tiny. You'll have to put extreme amount of work into it even with macbook speakers. I'd recommend going for bluetooth speakers, except if you really really dislike external speakers like me.

 

I hate it to but there is something I cant do it for now and without cable I put it somewhere like there in the room and I click connect boom. What would you recommend about bluetooth speaker? do you know anything about it?

 

Bluetooth speakers don't need to be connected each time, your notebook and the device connect once, then they will save each other. You can then simply go to your notebook and switch from your audio to the bluetooth audio. You can do some shenanigans with Stereomix to get sound from your notebookspeakers and the bluetooth speaker. I can't recommend you any speakers if I don't know your budget. Typically bluetooth speakers run via a USB cable into either a notebook, USB power bank or adapter to the wall, but also have a battery, so you could technically carry it with you and use it for some ours on battery if you want to do that.

 

Stereomix, notebook and speaker both working together thats awesome I like it, thanks for the idea my budget under the 50 bucks I 'm thinking now hp roar plus 15w speakers.

 

@Danishblunt

How much vertical room is needed to install a subwoofer?

I know a specific answer would depend on exact speaker height+airspace+box, but what's a general guideline value?​

I was thinking....
My P650 doesn't have a whole lot of empty space (that I see) to put a subwoofer or other speakers, except in the 2.5" drive bay. It seems that a speaker box could be 3-D printed to use that space and install a subwoofer pointing down out the vent hole.

But:

1. Would it still be possible if one of the two 7 mm SSD slots contains a drive?
2. Does/Should my motherboard even have a connection to add a novel subwoofer (yes, I'm ignorant!)
3. If physically added, is it problematic getting the software to utilize the subwoofer/extra speakers?

 

Well in your case that's a no win situation to add a subwoofer. To my knowledge the P650 doens't have an amp for the subwoofer, unlike the P157SM. I was able to mod a subwoofer into the case and system because I had an amp for it.

You do however have rather large speakers in your system. With proper mods I think you can get acceptable sound out of it.

 

lol, the things I find out about this notebook... tsk tsk
But, it was the best all-around choice for me so I won't complain too much!

Putting my specific laptop aside, out of curiosity, what about the 2.5" drive subwoofer/speaker idea? Generally possible?

 

I mean it depends on your height in that case but generally yeah of course. You could 3D print a case and get a subwoofer in there no problem. The subwoofer in my P157SM needs around 3CM height. So a 2.5Inch bay would likely be to small for mine,but you can get a smaller one in the case.

 

Why are there no pictures of this in light? Show us the build itself and what parts were used, or am I missing the link in the OP for this? All i see is two super dark videos that basically show nothing but a keyboard and display in the dark.

 

It's about the sound, not the actual notebook or my bed.

 

I had the exact same notebook, specifically a p651sg with a gtx 980m, total thickness is 30mm. I shoved a gt70 subwoofer in the dual 2.5'' hard drive bay and wired up the connectors, the black, negative wire went to one speaker and the positive red wire went to the other speaker thus sharing the load on the amp. I passed the wires to the speaker connector through a gap in the palm rest.

I had to melt down the enclosure to 29mm from 40mm and it had so much bass that it actually sounded like a proper stereo speaker system. I went through so much work to get it right as the subwoofer rattled everything in the laptop. Therefore I had to put rubber padding all around the sub. I would say it was worth it but before I sold my system the amp started to fry and the right speaker crackled on high volume, I guess there was too much load on the amp after all.

Fun fact I made half my sub enclosure with normal tape. I slighlty melted it afterwards so the tape would not come off when the subwoofer was on full blast.

It's worth it until the amp can't handle it lol.

For future subwoofer modders: the best subwoofer for size and thickness is either the gt72s subwoofer or the gt70 subwoofer, both will blow the dell l502x out the water literally or any other subwoofers, I've done so many of these mods over two years that my go to sub is the gt70 one when needed to do a mod. The enclosure doesn't matter the size of the sub, flexibility and wattage matters, more flex = lower hz of bass.