HECATE is a gaming headphones sub-brand of Edifier. The product pursues precise positioning sound, cool shape of human-machine integration, and comfortable wearing experience. It is specially designed for gamers. 52audio has teardown its HECATE GM4 TWS gaming headphones and HECATE GM6 TWS gaming headphones.
Today we are going to disassemble the Edifier HECATE GM4 MINIÂ true wireless bluetooth gaming headphones. Compared with the previous generation GM4, the GM4 MINI headphones adopts a bean-type in-ear design and is more compact, while the atmosphere light design is retained. The headphones uses the PixArt original phase main control chip, the delay can be as low as 60ms in the official promotion game mode; the headphones has a built-in 6mm dynamic driver, supports music mode, and has better sound adjustment; GM4 MINI supports touch control, IPX5 waterproof and movable Wearing, a single battery life is about 4 hours, with a charging case, the total battery life is 22 hours. For more hardware information, please view the disassembly report below.
Edifier products teardown by 52audio are: Edifier FunBuds true wireless noise reduction headphones, Edifier TO-U2 true wireless bluetooth headphones, Edifier MiniBuds true wireless headphones, Edifier DreamPods true wireless bluetooth headphones, Edifier TWS NB2 true Wireless active noise reduction headphones, Edifier Xemal X5 and Xemal X3 and 10 other Edifier earphone products.
|1. Edifier HECATE GM4 MINI charging case teardown
After unpacking the box, we have a comprehensive understanding of the appearance of the Edifier HECATE GM4 MINIÂ true wireless bluetooth gaming headphones. Next, we will enter the disassembly process to see the internal structure and chip information.
First disassemble the charging case, pry open the charging cockpit, the internal circuit is concentrated on one side.
On the inside of the charging cockpit shell, there are two circular magnets on each of the left and right earphone positions, which are used to magnetically fix the earphones; there is a strip magnet at the opening of the box cover to attract the box cover, and the charging cockpit is fixed in the box by physical buckles.
The internal structure of the charging case is shown, and there is an FPC to connect the indicator light and the motherboard circuit.
First disconnect the connector and remove this FPC.
The light guide structure of the indicator light can also be taken out.
A close-up of the light guide on the inside of the module, in order to prevent the string of light from using black light-shielding rubber around the light guide.
The FPC side and the back of the PCB are reinforced with metal sheets.
The other side of the FPC.
A total of three LED indicators are used to indicate the charging case status and power.
The location of the Hall element. The charging case motherboard is fixed on the housing by screws.
The battery under the motherboard is fixed with double-sided tape. Inside the charging case.
The charging case main circuit, the battery is connected to the main board through a wire.
Charging case on the other side of the main circuit.
The charging case motherboard circuit, the left side is the power management circuit, and the right side is the MCU-related circuit.
Charging case On the other side of the main board circuit, copper is exposed through holes on the back of the power management chip for heat dissipation.
ETAsolutions ETA9697 ultra-low power dual-channel PMU, in ESOP8 package: integrated 16V withstand voltage linear charger and 5V synchronous boost converter. 5V boost normally open, power consumption as low as 1.7uA, can support 0.4A maximum boost output, and can switch 5V output by controlling the ENBST pin. Yutai ETA9697 has a built-in 1.4MHz switching frequency and can use a small-sized 2.2uH inductor. It is an ideal two-in-one solution for bluetooth charging bins.
It is understood that audio products of well-known brands including Edifier, 1MORE, Xiaomi, realme, Baidu, Motorola, JVC, Jiss, Panasonic, JBL and other well-known brands have adopted a large number of power management chips from ETAsolutions.
3906 general low-power PNP type three-stage tube.
The soft pack battery supplier is from Dongguan Golden CEL Battery Co., Ltd., model: CEL702334, rated voltage: 3.7V, charging limit voltage: 4.2V, rated capacity: 500mAh/1.85Wh.
A close-up of the battery protection board, composed of a lithium battery protection IC and 8205A N-MOS tube, responsible for the battery’s overcharge, overdischarge and overcurrent protection.
Pogo Pin for charging earphones.
Silk screen 4002 9PAG Hall element. The magnetic field changes when the charging case cover is opened and closed will be sensed by the Hall element, and the charging case MCU and earphones will be notified to pair or disconnect with the connected device.
A non-standard MCU is responsible for charging case functions such as power display and indicator control.
|2. Edifier HECATE GM4 MINI earbuds teardown
Continue to disassemble the earphones. The Edifier HECATE GM4 MINI1 earphones are bean-type earphones. The outer touch area is bright, and the “H” logo cannot be seen when the indicator light is off.
In the touch area, the blue ambient light is the same color as the charging case ambient light. “H” represents the brand HECATE. The headphones supports double-click, triple-click and long-press.
The pickup hole of the call microphone at the bottom of the headphones. The shell is frosted, and the shell at the ear is shiny.
The pressure relief hole at the sound cavity position balances the internal and external air pressure.
There are contacts on the inside of the headphones to charge the headphones battery, and the L/R logo is below.
The dust-proof net at the mouthpiece prevents foreign objects from entering, and the speaker unit inside can be vaguely seen.
Disassemble the outer shell of the headphones.
Inside the earphone shell, the outer ring is a bluetooth antenna, the foil in the middle position is used to sense touch operations, and the middle position is a light guide structure with the word “H”.
The opening of the call microphone position has a dust-proof net inside.
The inside of the headphones is a “hamburger” structure with a multi-layer design.
First remove the outermost black rubber ring.
On the outside of the black rubber ring, there is an L/R logo, and the vacant position in the middle is an indicator light, which can reduce light leakage.
A close-up of the inside of the black rubber ring, and the microphone position is slotted to improve airtightness.
Take out the headphones motherboard, white bracket, and soft pack battery.
The internal structure of the sound cavity.
Two circular magnets that attract the charging cockpit.
The solder joints of the speaker unit are reinforced with blue glue.
The speaker unit size is approximately 6mm.
There is a layer of metal shielding sticker outside the soft pack battery.
The shielding sticker is soldered to the ground on the motherboard.
Block the information “A102-FPC-R” on the sticker.
Shield the inside of the sticker.
A close-up of the white bracket, used to fix the motherboard and battery.
The size comparison of the soft pack battery and the coin.
The soft pack battery in the headphones is also from Dongguan Golden CEL Battery Co., Ltd., model: CEL501010, rated voltage: 3.7V, rated capacity: 40mAh/0.148Wh.
There is a label sticker on the other side of the soft pack battery, which is convenient for storage and production. There is an insulating cover on the outside of the battery.
There is a shielding pad on the side of the motherboard that contacts the battery.
Circuit outside the motherboard.
Pogo Pin that transmits power to the built-in battery of the headphones.
Remove the magnetic spacer on the main control chip.
The magnetic separator is fixed with double-sided tape.
Edifier HECATE GM4 MINI’s main control chip is PixArt original PAU1606FB-S1, supports bluetooth 5.0 EDR / BLE dual mode, and adopts QFN-40 5x5mm package.
PixArt PAU1606FB-S1 supports SBC / mSBC, AAC, built-in 10-band equalizer; supports dual microphone noise reduction; built-in lithium ion battery charger, charging current up to 400mA. Its patented GeendRadioâ„¢ stereo (GRS) technology has the characteristics of fast switching, low latency, low radiation, low power consumption and anti-interference.
It is understood that the TWS headphoness of QCY, Razer, Edifier, iWALK, JOWAY, TOZO and other brands on the market all use the PixArt solution, and low latency is their common selling point.
PixArt PAU1606FB-S1 information.
Silkscreen LX28 IC.
The integrated battery protection IC of silk screen 9u13.
CHIPRISE BH7212 touch detection IC for earphone touch detection.
Laser carving 177 0ZC MEMS silicon microphone is used for call pickup.
Connect the bluetooth antenna and the Pogo Pin of the touch sensor foil.
Two LED indicators.
All components of Edifier HECATE GM4 MINI headphones.
| Summary
Edifier HECATE GM4 MINI earphones and charging case continue the characteristic atmosphere light design. The golden “H” logo design is simple and recognizable. Compared with the previous generation, the GM4 MINI earphone adopts bean-type in-ear design and is more compact. More low-key.
In terms of internal circuits, the charging case inputs power through the USB Type-C charging interface. ETAsolutions ETA9697 low-power dual-channel PMU integrates a 16V withstand voltage linear charger and a 5V synchronous boost converter to charge and discharge the battery; CEL, with a capacity of 500mAh, a protection board is responsible for the overcharge, overdischarge and overcurrent protection of the battery; a non-standard MCU is responsible for the charging case functions such as power display, indicator light control, etc.; there is also a Hall element for the charging case that is connected when the cover is opened Features.
In the earphone part, the HECATE GM4 MINI, as a gaming headphones, uses the PixArt PAU1606FB-S1 main control chip, supports bluetooth 5.0 dual-mode, and its patented GeendRadioâ„¢ stereo (GRS) technology, with fast switching, low latency, low radiation, and low power It is used by many TWS gaming headphoness for its characteristics of power consumption and anti-interference; the headphones uses FPC antenna to transmit signals, capacitive touch solution, touch detection IC is CHIPRISE BH7212, single MEMS microphone is used for call pickup, and the speaker unit size is about 6mm; The soft pack battery is also from CEL, with a capacity of 40mAh, and an integrated battery protection IC is used on the circuit board.
Edifier HECATE GM4 MINI headphones has a “hamburger” structure inside. The rubber ring on the outside not only prevents light leakage from the indicator light, but also protects the call microphone; the bracket inside the headphones is used to fix the battery and the motherboard, and the internal anti-electromagnetic interference performance Not bad.
Source: 52audio
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