How to: replace M1 MBP speakers (A2442) || RotarySMP

[@JCWren]

I've repaired a few ThinkPads and replaced the battery in one of the MBPs. With the right tools it's all pretty straightforward. After watching you go through this one, next time I'd skip the whole battery disconnecting thing. For a speaker replacement I really don't see it being necessary. The more connectors you disconnect and reconnect, the better the odds of damaging one.

[@RotarySMP]

Hi JC. Yeah, I guess they are just being cautious.

[@vincei4252]

Props on attempting to fix the machine yourself. I don't touch Apple anything on general principle due to their behavior and hostility towards the right to repair. Good on ya.

[@RotarySMP]

I am no Apple fanboy. I got this simply due to its optimisation toward video editing at low power. It excels at this, with no throttling on battery, and no screaming fan under load.

[@jameshisself7375]

That is why I always do, just to rub their noses in it. While it is true that the average Mac owner is an incompetent technophobe, that doesn't mean you or I are.

[@jonofalltradesmasterofnone832]

@@jameshisself7375as on my other comment I use them because they are quick and robust and you are right most people by them as a fashion item but the they run fusion and Final Cut Pro much faster than a pc with dog slow windows.

[@iteerrex8166]

Yes, thank you to everyone who makes great instructional videos. Last year I had to clean the cooling fins of my laptop, and without this nicely done instructional video, which said to basically take the whole computer to bits (not exaggerating), it would’ve been a demolition project.

[@RotarySMP]

I feel the same. I wold not have done this without that Ifixit procedure, but with it, it was pretty easy.

[@DreadedOne509]

Amazon sells rolls of adhesive backed magnetic strip (magnet tape essentially), I'd think that a thin strip on the outside of the case near the open ports would capture most if not all of the swarf. Maybe saving you from having to do this again, or at least delaying the inevitable.

[@RotarySMP]

Good idea, but then I'd have swarf on the outside driving me nuts.

[@Johannes58934]

A friend that works in a welding shop gave me his old phone and I realized that the speaker didn't work... Yep, full of metal derbies! Glad to see the repair went down without any hiccups! I learned a long time ago, not to replace the cover until I see it working. I was thinking that you could have put some clear tape over the speakers to keep the nasties out... And still let the sound out! Or, keep it out of the shop!

[@RotarySMP]

I think these speakers need move a fair bit of air, so I doubt they would sound good taped up.

[@pauldorman]

The most troubling thing I find about this type of job is working out the best place for the toe clamps

[@RotarySMP]

Good call Paul. I guess Apple's venders machine those large thin panels with vacuum fixtures.

[@WoLpH]

For future cases, I would suggest getting some ceramic/plastic tweezers when working on the power cable :) I know from experience that it's easy to get a short...

[@RotarySMP]

Thanks for the tip.

[@ligius3]

@@RotarySMP A non-conductive tip.

[@MaxNippard]

​@@ligius3 ha!

[@HAGmbHkeG]

When taking devices like these apart, I would take extra care to note which exact screw goes where. The story goes something like this: On a phone they used some M2 screws that were 0.3 mm longer than the other ones used in the device. If you mixed them up the longer screws would puncture a flat cable and create a short, frying the board. Granted this was a MacBook, so probably not built so they need 0.3 mm to make a difference, unlike in a phone where everything's even more crammed in there. Then again, it's Apple we're talking about.

[@RotarySMP]

The Ifixit instructions did have a note for the only place where there were two length screws, and that was the bottom plate. Otherwise the three other screws I had to remove all just went back where I removed them.

[@stuartstephens]

I had to replace the battery in my MacBook Pro. Dealing with the tiny connectors inside was a little intimidating but nothing broke. The replacement battery came with the necessary tiny Torx drivers to open it up, so that was a plus.

[@RotarySMP]

Did you also find an Ifixit instruction? That was really good for the speakers.

[@stuartstephens]

@@RotarySMP Yes, Ifixit was a good resource. The battery came with a tiny instruction sheet, but the text was microscopic and it was poorly translated from Chinese to English so it wasn't very useful. Of course, the only problem is I wasn't able to view the instructions online while I had the computer apart and I don't have a second computer, so I had to print them out.

[@torhemligt487]

I use masking tape to remove metal dust and filings from my laptop speakers. I've also tapes some coffee filter in front of the speakers to keep the dirt out.

[@RotarySMP]

Does the coffee filter muffle the sound from the laptop at all? These MBP have the best sounding speakers of any laptop I ever heard (until the swarf and chips wreck them).

[@torhemligt487]

@@RotarySMP I don't think it muffles the sound but the computer is a kinda crappy Dell so it never sounded that great. I just taped the filter over the speaker grill on the inside of the case.

[@SeishukuS12]

When I was working at the weld/machine shop, I destroyed quite a few cell phone speakers that way... So annoying. Even the phones with fabric covering the speakers weren't safe, the fine grinding dust would still find it's way into the speaker. Great video on replacing the MBP speakers, hopefully I won't have to open up my Wife's, but at least it doesn't look too bad compared to some of Apple's other devices.

[@RotarySMP]

I was surprised how easy this was.

[@Rustinox]

That's nice, the colour of your guitar picks almost matches the colour of the other tools you use.

[@RotarySMP]

Hi Michel, a coincidence :)

[@RB-yq7qv]

maybe a very thin brass or aluminum screen along the air track would save 90% of the junk entering the unit

[@RotarySMP]

Could do, maybe next time.

[@rallymax2]

A great side project. Getting to see the amazing electrical and mechanical engineering is a treat. Maybe you can put some light/sparse foam in the baffles. I don’t think it would distort the audio too badly.

[@RotarySMP]

I will try to be more careful about keeping it swarf and dusty benches :)

[@MaxNippard]

Really enjoyed the guitar though the video. Thanks

[@RotarySMP]

Thanks for the feedback on that Max. Music is the hardest part to get right.

[@philhermetic]

Ifix it are really good! In a previous life in a computer shop we occasionally were asked to fix laptops, they were a lot bigger then and more accesible! Thank the lord i am no longer doing it , not for a living anyway! Perhaps you could clean the old speakers with a stronger magnet and keep them as replacements? Phil

[@RotarySMP]

Hi Phil, I considered trying to clean the old ones, but it seems the voice coil is severed completely from the diaphragm on one, and half on the other.

[@philhermetic]

@@RotarySMP the metal fragments have been drawn to the centre and jammed the diaphragm in its max position and the signal coil has dragged the wires off! I have a little gizmo for a future project which is the voice circuit from a laughing bithday card, it has been kicking around on my bench, and guess what has happened to the speaker!! Phil

[@Paul-pl4vy]

I agree with comments to add a filter to the open ports. Some upen cell fish tank filter may be ideal.

[@RotarySMP]

That will have to wait for the next disassembly.

[@thaiexodus2916]

Electrostatic dirt magnet with a computer attached. I recognize your step by step methodology from turbine engineering class.

[@RotarySMP]

Thanks for watching :)

[@thaiexodus2916]

@@RotarySMP Thanks for the video. On that particular line, revisiting Ohms Law: W/A=Eeeewww! When lightning strikes the high line near your house - the ground lead to your computer is not always your best friend.

[@theinfernalcraftsman]

Had this video been my anyone else other than maybe Louis Rossman I would t have watched. I have a severe allergy to fruit. 😂 Very well done and good camera work. Good background for the laptop as well.

[@RotarySMP]

Thanks Robert. I realised this would interest my normal audience much, but it needed doing, as I could not find another video on this model.

[@theinfernalcraftsman]

@@RotarySMP Nothing wrong with that at all. Like the better half said just make the videos you want to. This video will pay well over time for others needing to do the same. There are allot of people that I watch and they will do something off topic but I don't care part of watching them is not just for the topic but because I enjoy watching them. I have had issues with steel dust on the speaker and microphones of cell phones as well... Someone has their phone in their pocket or near by when sanding and grinding etc. You think they would learn... I'm amazed that my old shop laptop is still working.

[@dougaldhendrick3497]

Good luck with using that in that metal dust filled location, I suspect a shorted chip or component on MOBO could be a likely event at some future time.

[@RotarySMP]

Yeah, it is surprising that didn't already happen.

[@steveggca]

Sunday morning mac repair with Mark .👍

[@RotarySMP]

Yeah, I was surprised how well it went.

[@steveggca]

@@RotarySMP It gave suprisingly little resistance to being repaired ,and not just for a mac.

[@SalmoTrutti]

Nice one Mark. I have something of a love / hate relationship with Apple- they're simultaneously the best and worst computers I've owned.

[@RotarySMP]

So far I have been pretty happy with this. It is the first apple I have owned, but it does what I bought it for well.

[@murrayedington]

I've had the same problem on my Dell XPS15 and Lenovo X1 Carbon. With the Dell I was simply able to remove all the magnetic powder from the speakers with a neodymium magnet, although I had to remove the rear cover to access them. The Lenovo may have to wait for now, as it's my work laptop. This is the cost of using a laptop in a workshop or factory environment. You might be surprised how much crap is floating about in the air, even in a supposedly clean environment - I've found contamination in electronics assembly factories, often not helped by other adjacent lines using airlines to "clean" components before assembly. The only answer is positive, filtered ventilation for critical stations.

[@RotarySMP]

Thanks Murray, I really dont expect to avoid this issue either. I will try to wipe down the bench before plonking down the laptop though :)

[@yagwaw]

IFixit are legend!

[@RotarySMP]

Yeah, that was a brilliant instruction.

[@MurrayC]

You're a braver man then me, well done

[@RotarySMP]

Thanks Murray. It was surprisingly easy. That Ifixit procedure is really well done.

[@Myrulv]

Nice video as always! I have the same Mac myself, non problems so far, and luckily we have 5 years waranty in Norway.

[@RotarySMP]

That is a really nice warranty period. To be fair, I consider this my handling error, rather than an Apple issue :)

[@steveg4iwr]

Great video. I'm an apple fan as generally more reliable the windows stuff.

[@RotarySMP]

These ARM based laptop's are pretty amazing for video editing. I really like that it doesn't heat up or throttle performance on battery, and lasts for ages.

[@dlstanf2]

Listening to you with my Buds and your audio separation from channel to channel was driving me insane. I'm an old Jet Mech so hearing is not the best anyway, but thanks.

[@RotarySMP]

Sorry about this. I used a different work flow, using my Atem switcher to record it all in one go, and screwed up the audio.

[@624Dudley]

Seriously impressed, Mark! 👍 Good on ya for taking the risk.

[@RotarySMP]

Thanks Doric. It was much easier than expected. That IFIXIT procedure was excellent.

[@donkultgen4643]

The machined aluminium cases on apple products are rather impressive. I remember reading somewhere, that for a few years they literally bought all the cnc machines capable of making something that size and tolerance. (Seemed hard to believe.)

[@RotarySMP]

I wonder how many scrap parts get produced before the tool paths are completely dialed in :)

[@tinygriffy]

Maybeee.. have an old speaker magnet around you could use to wipe the surface you want to put your mac on ? ;) ... congrats to the successful repair ! ... really nice music :) I am surprised that thing still works at all.. metal grind on the mainboard could be (irrevivable) instant death. pressing both thumbs the magic continues !!

[@RotarySMP]

Thanks, I will be a little more careful where I put it down in future. :)

[@GeoffTV2]

Good job. - Heather

[@RotarySMP]

Thanks Heather. Glad it works still :)

[@joedowling5452]

Those connectors are so small a delicate. A steady hand and magnification required. I understand the theory behind disconnecting the battery but wondering if it is strictly necessary. A good part of the time spent was dealing that.

[@Johannes58934]

just remove the battery?

[@RotarySMP]

They are mostly tiny ZIF connectors, but then the touchpad connector has that miniture DIL, with a metal plate screwed over it. Seemed like a weird design decision.

[@RotarySMP]

The battery doesn't come out without doing those steps, and more.

[@vincei4252]

@@Johannes58934 I've probably watched Louis Rossmann, Paul Daniels and Paul S remove Apple batteries several hundred times. If you're not replacing the battery it isn't worth if because they are also glued in. All those delicate connectors run the risk of being damaged too if you go for the battery.

[@vincei4252]

@@Johannes58934 unbelievable, KZbin censored my comment about not removing the battery if you can avoid it.

[@briantaylor9266]

I suspect, now that you're aware of the issue, that you'll take preventative steps in the future. Do I see an enclosure cabinet with external speakers in your future? Nice video, nice music.

[@RotarySMP]

I doubt I will be systematic. My behavioral change will hopefully be wiping the bench down before I plonk the laptop on it :)

[@ColinLennard]

What can I say? I was just getting into what you where doing. I was wondering as you can't/won't re do what you just did, I have a computer that is faulty. can I send it to you for you to do another repair which I/we could watch while you do another repair? I do find what you do interesting > Thanks.

[@RotarySMP]

I try to avoid doing this sort of thing :)

[@schulzcbs]

I use one of those waterproof smartphone bags to prevent scratches and debris affecting my phone. I've seen laptops bagged up similarly in the medical domain - maybe thats an easy fix?

[@RotarySMP]

For me the laptop is a tool. I use it a lot, and dont have time to put it in a condom :)

[@botcrown]

If we change the speaker without disconetting the battery, will it be any issue?

[@RotarySMP]

I have no idea. I just followed the guide.

[@clasdauskas]

Good work :)

[@RotarySMP]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@notsonominal]

I think you're now on a hitlist at apple headquarters.. On the other hand that should be mostly seen as a badge of honour.

[@RotarySMP]

I guess they couldn't care less. They got me $$ for this thing a couple of years ago :)

[@notsonominal]

Probably, but I still have to come up some random BS to shitpost for the algorith;)

[@crazyfeller5704]

If it happens again, maybe consider lining the holes in the side with a product like “frog skins”. May help keep debris out but shouldn’t inhibit the sound drastically.

[@RotarySMP]

I will at least be more careful to avoid plonking it down on swarf :)

[@flikflak24]

Good comen practice is to not change your bit over a open devise ( saw you did that m8 ) I way to slow down the amount of debree could be to put some soft low density foam and put into those slots. Or stretch a peace of pantyhose over it with some glue around the edge to keep it in place ( that's what me and my friends do/use as dust cover for out pc's and it works fantastic )

[@RotarySMP]

Thanks for that tip. Good point, as I imagine it pretty easy to damage the main board. The pantyhose idea is a good one.

[@flikflak24]

@@RotarySMP well if you drop a pretty pointy bit it can scratch the pcb and disconnect a wire pretty easily or even short between two traces ( dont ask me how i know that xD ) and your welcome m8

[@mrAq_pA]

Rossmann Repair INC :) :)

[@RotarySMP]

I was surprised how easy this was.

[@corythomas4427]

The partially plugged in connectors will haunt my nightmares for years...

[@RotarySMP]

Which ones were only partially plugged in? These things are tiny, so it is likely that you can see better in the video, then I could when I did it.

[@LunaticCharade]

get a pieceof foam, and put in the giant hole beside the speakers and this should not happen again?

[@RotarySMP]

That would muffle the really nice audio.

[@LunaticCharade]

@@RotarySMP maybe not so much, at least depending on the foam. Might be worth a shot

[@andreavico6198]

My versione of the guide: remove the bottom lid, replace the speaker, reinstall the lid. No real harm of removing the speaker with the power off.

[@RotarySMP]

Yeah, I didn't really think it through, I just followed the Ifixit like a sheep :)

[@Paul-FrancisB]

Just watched a repair of a mac and the only apple device i have ever had was an I pod classic about 15 years ago 🤣

[@RotarySMP]

Thanks Paul-Francis :)

[@julias-shed]

I hate those zif connectors don’t have much luck on iPads with them. 😳 interesting to see how a MacBook is put together I’ve not opened one. Just lots of iPhones for my sisters family 🤣

[@julias-shed]

Could you put some thin foam in there to trap the swarf? 😀

[@RotarySMP]

Hi Julia, I thought about it, but figured it would probably mute the sound pretty severely.

[@jonofalltradesmasterofnone832]

I’ve been using Apple for 15 years never a fan of PCs especially with windows dragging its heels. I buy second hand Lenovo laptops x240s as test machines they were 1500€ new and I get them for 200€ used, and the first thing I do is put Linux on them. As for working on Macboks it is in some ways easier as you noted they are far better constructed with CNC machined cases and quality components.

[@RotarySMP]

This went surprisingly well.

[@jameshisself7375]

I've had this happen myself a few times. Laptops and metalworking are incompatible in my experience. Swarf city.

[@RotarySMP]

Hi James. I often need laptop in the shop, when I am working on a CAM toolpath. But often it is just running a video or spotify, so I should give it a break :)

[@jameshisself7375]

@@RotarySMP I agree, I used it a lot in much the same way. Now days I have a cheap mini device permanently located in the shop and network it to my server. It can handle most computational needs, but of course those can be spec'd as high as necessary. I have the interface somewhat remote from it so I can use it where needed but at a safe distance to keep debris out of it. I replaced my laptop speakers a few times before this seemed like a good idea. 😏

[@peterhadfield873]

A large clear plastic bag over the whole laptop stops a lot of the dirt getting in. It should affect the cooling but it doesn't seem to... cheers

[@RotarySMP]

That would drive me nuts to type and use the touch pad through :)

[@bobweiram6321]

"I [only] use it for video editing..." Looking at the keyboard shine, however, it looks like it's been loved to death as a daily driver. I can totally understand, there's a lot of envy filled Apple haters out there.

[@RotarySMP]

True, it is my main private PC. Those Arm based machines are an excellent balance of computing power and electrical efficiency.

[@chrismayer8990]

A fine mesh in front of the speakers, as other manufacturers do, was probably too expensive for Apple. 🤔 😉

[@RotarySMP]

Hi Chris, the audio from this MBP is really really good, way better than any other laptop I have heard. I would guess that the open channels to the speakers is the price of that.

[@chrismayer8990]

@@RotarySMP That would explain it, of course. 👍

[@alexandergrieve5058]

Remember that the only good apple is the one you eat.

[@RotarySMP]

I am not fan boy, however these ARM based laptops are pretty unbeatable for their ability to edit and render video on battery without throttling, getting hot or emptying the battery too fast.

[@vincei4252]

Unrelated to this video, I've watched so many Apple laptop repair videos I know that to the in-experienced if you take the motherboard out you must make absolutely sure that you put the right screws back into the right holes. Even though the screws superficially all look the same and have the same threads some are ever so slightly longer than others and if you get that wrong the screw will poke a fatal hole into the PCB's. Shudder,

[@RotarySMP]

Hi Vince, In this case I didn't have to pull the MoBo, and the only screws of two lengths were the bottom plate. Ifixit had that listed in their instructions.

[@iNerdier]

Seems appropriate that a video about speaker repair has audio problems (doubled camera and mic, coupled with some mono only?)

[@RotarySMP]

Yeah, sorry about that. I set up my Atem Mini pro ISO, to record the different angles and screen capture at once, but it has a weird quick that it put the program audio onto all the recorded HDMI feeds. I was well into the edit when I worked out I would have needed to replace each on with the separate audio channel recordings, but could not find a simple way to do it, without a complete do-over. In hindsight, I should have just used my normal workflow, of internally recording on the cameras, and Multicam in Resolve.

[@SteveCopley]

Sheesh! All these nay-sayers about repairing Apple devices... It's pretty lazy to bash Apple. It's not like every other device manufacturer doesn't make use of adhesives, tight tolerances, etc. I'm pretty sure companies like Acer, Dell, etc. don't win any prizes for being super-diy-friendly, and good luck getting spares for that exact model of Acer Spin 3 whatever, five years after they stopped making it! I've repaired loads of PowerBooks / MacBooks over the years. Always been straightforward and always been spares available. And because the build quality is great, they genuinely are repairable and last for years (unlike a lot of plastic-shelled crap from other laptop manufacturers - irreparable hinges, plastic case clips snapping, etc.)

[@muhdiversity7409]

Louis Rossmann made a video recently where he called people like you bootlickers. Quite apt. Cope harder.

[@RotarySMP]

Yeah, this really went smoothly. The IFIXIT guys did an excellent job on the replacement procedure.

[@johnwalker8952]

Other manufacturers don't use non -standard screws on the outside, and standard ones inside.

[@MikelNaUsaCom]

and now, for something completely different.

[@RotarySMP]

Good call Mike.

[@JanneRanta]

I take computers apart for recycling. Macs are the absolute worst to work on. They can have full aluminium cases thought.

[@RotarySMP]

I was pleasantly surprised that this repair worked. :)

[@andrewclark8225]

So apple didn’t do anything wrong , how about Boeing ?

[@RotarySMP]

Space is hard. Reassembling a door plug correctly.... less so :)

[@gorak9000]

By fixing it yourself, and not taking it to an authorized repair center, you've turned your mac into a PC!!

[@RotarySMP]

:) Good call.

[@DoloresRichardson-n8q]

Clark Ronald Wilson Edward Gonzalez Susan

[@RotarySMP]

??

[@robh.8214]

You know Apple will remotely disable your Mac and charge you the cost of a new MBP to reactivate it…🤪🤪🤪 How dare you repair something straight forward on your own and not line their pockets with fake other repairs and charges!!!!🤣🤣🤣

[@RotarySMP]

All the reports of repairs from the mothership seemed to indicate replacement of half the laptop. The whole upper panel with keyboard, scratch pad and speakers. Wierd.

[@robh.8214]

@@RotarySMPExactly!!! Unnecessary repairs and replacements

[@johnl4540]

​@@RotarySMP Having been an Apple Certified Level 1 shop myself, I can explain this... Warranty. Replace the things up front which you know with high probability will become warranty issues. Reduced rework increases customer satisfaction but also increases customer cost. Apple knows this. They've known this since the 80's. Nothing new here. I should probably add that I too suffer from swarf getting picked up in both my MBP 15" and my MBA. Replacement isn't needed in most cases, just a good cleaning. Also, bear in mind the ultra fine iron particulates in the air also cause issues over time. Want proof? Hang a white paper on the wall with a magnet on the 'clean' side of your shop. Look at what it attracts. It'll blow your mind.

[@purpleidea]

Install Linux on it =D

[@RotarySMP]

Nah, it works fine as is.

[@ste76539]

Judging by the state of that Macbook after the short period you've owned it, I wouldn't worry too much about having to do this regularly, it won't last that long.

[@RotarySMP]

It gets a lot of use.