GBA Micro Speaker Not Working

[Mad_Hatter]

I went to my local game store and they had a GBA Micro.

I took it home and the speaker is not working though. I plugged in my headphones, and it is working. The volume controls were working as well with the headphones. So I think the sound chip is all right, but maybe the speaker is busted?

I plan on taking this thing apart and cleaning it, but I don't think that will fix the issue.

Any ideas?

[samsonlonghair]

Good analysis, hatter. When you get that gb micro open, check the connectors to the speaker.

[Erik_Twice]

You can probably find a cheap speaker to replace it, perhaps someone can recommend a certain model or kind.

[Tanooki]

Umm the GBM doesn't have any wires if I recall right.

I've had a couple fizzle out I got second hand before from previous other abuse and I'd pop them open and harvest all the parts. I have a pretty strong memory that the system is so small that the speaker itself sits in a circular plastic groove in the upper frame itself and on the back it has just 2 metallic raised tabs (sort of like the plate tab on a battery box opposite the spring.) You would just need to get the front removed from the system and just swap out the speaker with a replacement.

I'm not sure if someone produces them but I would imagine there are harvested parts around. I've got a good set of buttons and screws to fix up a pair of them if I recall right, maybe a speaker or two too, along with a few spare OEM batteries too. I've got 2 GBM here, one is my beater/user one and the other was so nice I kept it in the box with its nice face plates.

They're not fun to pull apart unless you have good eyes and a very steady hand as the parts all around are tiny and easily shaken loose working on it.


I did a fast google image search, gbatemp never fails to impress. I was right, here's the speaker still in the front part of the unscrewed unit.
https://d3nevzfk7ii3be.cloudfront.net/i ... VHQYxRUi4P

[CRTGAMER]

This why I avoid using the headphone or audio out mini jack on the TV
Though has not happened to me, I'm leaning towards the headphone jack permanently shutting off the internal speaker of the GB Micro. If the previous owner was a bit careless shoving in the plug a few times, could have bent the cutoff pin controlling audio to the internal speaker inside the jack. To verify, run a temporary jumper to the two contacts by the jack on the PCB that sends the audio to the internal speaker

The real trick would be in finding a replacement input 3.5mm jack and desoldering and soldering in the tight space. Another option is a determination if you prefer just headphones or internal speakers always enabled by closing the bridge on the contacts. You'll likely lose volume loudness on the headphones if you enable the internal speaker permanent.

[Mad_Hatter]

Well I took the thing a part and cleaned it. Let me just say this.... this was not fun to take a part. It is very very tiny. So I advice against this unless you have a lot of patience and take photos for reference.

I wish I saw this earlier to help with the dissemble :

http://www.modd3d.com/articles/item/ove ... -boy-micro


Anyway, I got the thing cleaned. There was a lot of gunk around the headphone jack and speaker. I cleaned that off with rubbing alcohol. And somebody on GBATemp suggested I raise those two tabs on the speaker (the tabs Tanooki mentioned). I raised those tabs to make sure they touch the motherboard. There were no wires. The speaker was just like my GBA SP, except smaller.

After reassembling (took me like 3 hours, not joking, that power button kicked me ass).... it worked... however it stopped working... then after I pressed the housing (above the speaker) down more with my fingers, it started to work again. So I think it's just a the speaker not making solid contact with the motherboard. I think I need to tighten the screws some more, but I will need to find replacement screws as these are pretty stripped. But if that doesn't work, is there another way I can make the speaker get better contact with the motherboard? I was thinking about putting a very tiny spacer on the bracket were the tabs are placed to force a tighter contact.

CRTGAMER, luckily, it doesn't seem like that is the problem. That was my initial thought. I was afraid I was going to have to lose the headphone feature so I can get the built in speakers to work.

[CRTGAMER]

So I think it's just a the speaker not making solid contact with the motherboard. I think I need to tighten the screws some more, but I will need to find replacement screws as these are pretty stripped. But if that doesn't work, is there another way I can make the speaker get better contact with the motherboard? I was thinking about putting a very tiny spacer on the bracket were the tabs are placed to force a tighter contact.

If room, maybe add just a bit of solder to the contacts to make up the difference? Other route could be adding a thin washer shim between the speaker and front housing to bring the contacts closer. Then again, the stripped holes might result in an increased gap between the shells.

[Mad_Hatter]

Just feel like leaving a little mini review here...

I always wanted one of these, but I really don't like this thing. It is just so small, especially for having regular Gameboys and a GBA SP my whole life. I feel like I'm playing a DC VMU. I'm sure this would have been ok if it was my first/main GBA.

The main thing I don't like about this, is the removable faceplate that covers the actual LCD. I wish the LCD actually had it's own sealed cover. So I feel it would be hard to find a micro with a screen in mint condition. With the removable faceplate, the actual LCD is exposed to dust which is hard to get off and just regular contact which can cause tiny imperfections.

This thing is very small. So even if you find one in bad shape at a thrift shop or something and you think you can just clean the thing up... it is pretty complicated in there and there is a high chance that you might screw something, especially the delicate LCD which has to stay exploded during the process.

However, the GB Micro does have nice buttons. It actually feels like a controller, unlike the SP with its cramped/cluncky buttons. And I like the 3.5mm headphone jack for stereo audio.

If I plan on switching my GBA gaming to an LCD screen, I think I will have to just try the DS Lite. I have the GBA SP AGS-001 (frontlit), which I love. I want eventually dedicate some of my GBA gaming on a backlit LCD, but I don't want to have two SPs (the buttons can get annoying), so the DS Lite will be a decent choice with the LCD backlit screen and more controller-like buttons.

The Gameboy Micro is more of a collector's items, and not something I plan on using.

[samsonlonghair]

That reminds me of the time years ago when my ex wife tore the top screen off her phat DS in a fury. After that she just kept playing the bottom half as a Game Boy Advance.

People in the modding community who intentionally perform a similar technique call that mod a "Game Boy macro".