Many people know that sometimes even almost new headphones stop working normally. In one of them, interference may appear, the sound fades, and sometimes disappears altogether. In this situation, you should not immediately run to service center. Most problems with headphones can be solved yourself at home. Even those who are not at all versed in technology can handle the repair.
In order to quickly repair headphones, it is worth preparing tools and materials. If they are large and fastened with small screws, then it is worth choosing a suitable screwdriver. You will also need a stationery knife and a lighter. You can connect the parts using electrical tape or epoxy glue, but it is better to use tubes that have a heat shrink function. Broken wires are most often connected with a soldering iron. On the other hand, you can do without it. The wires are stripped and then twisted together. Additional equipment you may need is a multimeter. He easily determines the location of the cliff.
DIY headphone repair
Breakdowns often occur due to breaks inside the cord and poor build quality. To eliminate them you do not need any special skills or tools. You may need a screwdriver and a soldering iron. First you need to find out what the problem is and find the place where the breakdown occurred. Let's look at the most common options and ways to eliminate them.
A broken wire is manifested by extraneous noise and interference. Over time, the sound in the first earphone disappears completely. In this situation, they look for the break point. Run your fingers along the entire cord after connecting the headphones and turning on the music. Pay special attention to the bend area and the area where the wire enters the earphone. In the right place you will hear characteristic sounds.
Next, you can act in different ways - in accordance with where the breakdown is located. If a wire break occurs inside the earphone, then it must be untwisted. Large ones usually use screws. Small earbuds can be opened using a regular sharp knife. They are usually glued on the sides.
In an open earphone, a wire break can also be determined by touch. Walk along the entire cord and listen to the sound. Once you have found the right location, you will need to cut the wire below it. Next, the cord is stripped down to the wire and soldered in the same way as it was originally. Many headphones are tied with a knot inside. If the wire is connected in this way, then after cutting it needs to be tied, and only then soldered. Check the sound in the headphone. If everything is in order, then put it back together. If this cannot be done, use epoxy glue.
The wire may also break inside the plug. This problem can also be heard in working headphones when probing with your fingers. In such a situation, you need to get to the inner wire and cut it in the right place. The plug is first cleared of rubber. Next, look for the junction of the wire and the connector. The non-working section is cut off and soldered. Instead of stripped rubber, an epoxy “shell” is made over the plug. Additionally, the plug can be wrapped with thread on top or a plastic sheath made from thick wire can be used.
One earphone doesn't work: how to fix it?
This situation is very common because the cord becomes kinked during use. As a result, the headphone wire breaks in these places. The problem also occurs near the base. There is only one way out in this situation - to find a break and cut off the non-working part.
Plug in the headphones and play music. Feel the cord with your fingers. Pay special attention to those places where obvious folds are visible. During the non-working period, wheezing or jamming sounds may appear in the headphones. Using a knife, cut the cord below the desired location. Strip the wire. Solder the sections. The coupling point can be reinforced with electrical tape to match the cord. Rubber bushings, which are sold in radio parts, look better. They are hollow tubes that are pulled over the cord.
One earphone does not work even if there are problems with the membrane plate. They are not used in all models. Most often, such membranes are placed in small acoustic headphones that are inserted into the ears. Sound problems arise if the channel is clogged or the surface is deformed. How to make headphones:
In the first case, it is necessary to open the case. Then carefully remove the plate. It is a small mesh. Take a cotton pad. Wet it with alcohol and carefully clean off any accumulated dirt. As a result, no particles should remain on the surface. Carefully reconnect the platinum. Close the earphone housing.
If the sound still does not pass through, then the problem is the deformation of the membrane. In this case, it must be disconnected and carefully straightened. Then the surface of the mesh is thoroughly wiped with a cotton pad and alcohol. The membrane is reconnected and the housing is closed.
- Sometimes it happens that the sound in the headphones becomes quieter due to a poor fit. There is an easy way to make your headphones louder and more comfortable. You will need some Sugru special silicone.
- First, let's take a small ball. From this amount of silicone we roll a sausage strip. Then we’ll wrap it around the poorly functioning earphone. If the rim is too long, it should be cut with a stationery knife. Use your fingers to apply the silicone the required form. We will do the same with the 2nd earphone. Leave the silicone for 1 hour to harden.
- Some tips:
- If there is a wire break below the beginning of the branching of the wires going to the headphones, then you should pay attention to the correctness of their twisting. Inside the cord you will notice that they are paired in pairs by color. After cutting, they are soldered according to the same principle.
- If you do not have a soldering iron, and the break occurred inside the cord, then connect the wires using simple spiral twisting. To do this, take both wires and pinch them with your fingers. Then secure their ends by rotating them together.
- More reliable twisting is linear. Place the 2 wires parallel to each other. Connect them so that the ends wrap around the opposite wire in a spiral from top to bottom.
- Sometimes it can be very difficult to determine the location of a broken wire. A multimeter will help solve the problem. To begin, use a utility knife to make an incision at the expected break point. Then carefully pull out the wires. Next, you need to remove the plastic that covers them. The easiest way to do this is with a lighter. When a little plastic comes off the wire, apply a multimeter to the supposed broken area. It will show whether the area is truly damaged. In this case, the multimeter must operate in resistance mode.
When my headphones broke five or six years ago, I simply threw them away and bought new ones. During my student years, I didn’t dream of high-quality sound, and I didn’t even bother with repairing cheap Chinese consumer goods - it would have cost more than the price of new ones.
But today, when the opportunity arose to allow my ears to listen to less high-quality sound, I wondered: what if the headphones broke? I'm just not ready to throw it away - that's not the price.
To figure out how to repair your favorite headphones, we turned to the standards of one famous company starting with the letter P. This is popular manufacturer who they know. His headphones are sold in every electronics store and cover all categories: expensive and cheap, wired and not. This is a great example.
Headphone warranty repair
Warranty period. Manufacturers are ready to repair wireless headphones and speaker systems for one year after sales.
At the same time, the company's wired headphones usually at all don't serve. Some manufacturers make exceptions for specific models, so it is better to check the terms of the warranty on the official website.
Example of a warranty card. Keep it, in addition to the receipt.
How to find out exact date purchases. The date of sale is indicated in the warranty card attached to the product.
Be sure to check that this document is filled out correctly upon purchase. It must indicate the name of the device and its serial number, which must match what is written on the packaging.
What do you need besides the warranty card? To avoid any misunderstandings, we recommend keeping the following during the warranty period:
- headphone or speaker box
- sales and cash receipts
- operating instructions
- other documents that came with the headphones
Where to contact. If your headphones break, you need to contact one of the authorized service centers, which are available even in the most small towns Russia.
A detailed list of such organizations must be indicated in the warranty card.
A additional information you can get:
- by phone numbers indicated on the packaging
- from authorized service partners, whose list is always available on the manufacturer’s website
- if no one helped, it's time to google...
Non-warranty cases. After purchasing headphones, be sure to look at the instructions for their use. If you violate and break the device, you will have to repair it at your own expense.
They will certainly include physical damage, extreme temperatures, interaction with moisture and so on.
Post-warranty and non-warranty repairs
Repair in official service center - best solution, which is suitable for most users whose headphones have broken.
IN in this case you can be sure that nothing will happen to your headphones. This is especially important if they cost more than one thousand rubles. And after replacing components that have failed, continue to enjoy excellent sound without pitfalls.
Plus - you won’t have to deal with tons of DIY repair guides or look for the right one basement workshop. And you will definitely get the expected result.
Do-it-yourself or basement renovation. When it comes to self-repair, each of us imagines a painfully long search for components on dubious Chinese sites and months of waiting.
This is often true. But some manufacturers are among them Bowers & Wilkins, Philips– allow you to order specific spare parts (cables, ear pads, sometimes a body or headband) for replacement, if technically possible. On average it takes 2-3 weeks.
In my opinion, it’s easier to go to a service center.
But in this situation, you cannot be sure that you will correctly detect and fix the problem yourself or in an unofficial service. Therefore, perform all manipulations at your own peril and risk.
It's a pity, Apple has a different policy
If EarPods, AirPods or other Apple headphones are broken, it's easier to throw them away and buy new ones. Fortunately, in the case of the latter, at the service center you can at least purchase each earphone separately for half the price of the set.
Apple simply does not supply original replacement components to Russia - at all. According to the latest decision of the Federal Antimonopoly Service, the manufacturer must change the situation before May 1. But this is hard to believe.
In the end Before buying headphones from a brand new to you, I recommend that you familiarize yourself with the warranty conditions, as well as the possibilities for post-warranty and out-of-warranty repairs - just in case.
One of the headphones is noticeably quieter than the second.
Probable cause. The balance in the program or application is not configured.
How to fix it. Change settings. On personal computer under control operating system Windows must go through: “Control Panel” - “Sound” - “Properties” - “Levels” - “Balance and adjust sound.” In some of the most severe cases, you may need to reinstall your audio drivers. On mobile devices running Android and iOS, balance control is performed from applications that are used to listen to music.
Mechanical reasons
Probable cause. The mesh is dirty. This happens with vacuum plugs, for example, Sennheiser CX300-II.
How to fix it. Carefully disassemble the poorly functioning earphone, remove and clean the mesh (membrane), and put it back together. To clean the mesh, use a cotton swab soaked in alcohol.
One of the headphones does not work and the sound is interrupted.
Probable cause. Damage to the cable, damage to the soldered contacts inside the earphone or plug.
How to fix it. Carefully inspect the cable along its entire length from the junction to the speaker. Damage usually occurs at the base of the plug, but it happens that the breakage occurs due to bending or chafing of the wire. In case of damage in the middle of the wire, cut it around the damaged area at a distance of 1-2 centimeters, strip the wires, connect with a twist, observing the polarities (colors), or better yet, tin and solder. Insulate the joint with insulating tape.
If the cable damage occurs near the connection with the earphone, or the speaker contact has become unsoldered, disassemble the earphone, unsolder the contacts, cut off the damaged area, strip the wires and solder them back. Once the earphone is assembled, it should work as before. To disassemble large headphones, you will need a small diameter screwdriver. Earbuds are often glued together; you will have to carefully open them with a knife.
If there is damage to the plug, it is best to simply replace the plug. It costs a penny. Buy it, cut the cable at the entrance to the plug, strip it and solder it into a new one.
Human factor
One of the headphones does not work or the sound disappears or is interrupted.
Probable cause. The plug is not fully inserted into the 3.5 mm jack or USB port.
How to fix it. Check how deep the plug is inserted, carefully (do not overdo it, force is not a help in this matter) push the plug into the connector. If that doesn't work, inspect the connector. You may find lint or other debris inside.
One of the headphones is noticeably quieter than the other.
Probable cause. Your hearing has deteriorated in one ear. This is not a joke.
How to fix it. Swap the headphones, if the problem remains in the same ear, consult a doctor as soon as possible.
If all else helps
One of the headphones works noticeably quieter than the other or does not work at all, and all the above methods do not help, even if the headphone is wireless.
Probable cause. Failure in the element base.
How to fix it. Take it to service.
To avoid disturbing others, many people use headphones when listening to music and watching videos. Unfortunately, over time they break, and if you don’t mind throwing away the cheap ones, you don’t really want to part with your favorite rare and expensive model. Therefore, many are interested in how to fix Samsung, Sony, etc. In principle, the repair sequence is the same for all models, and if you have a soldering iron at home, do not get upset prematurely - restoring the operation of the accessory is not so difficult.
Finding the reason
Before doing this, you must first identify the location of the malfunction. Most often, sound loss is associated with:
Broken wire between the plug and the speakers;
Broken wire at the very head of the plug;
Broken speakers;
Broken volume control;
Rubbing the wires on the headphone arm.
It is unlikely that it will be possible to visually determine what caused the problems with the headphones and where the problem area is located. But still, the preliminary inspection should not be neglected. If this does not work, you need to connect the headphones to your laptop or player and turn on the music at full volume. Then, starting from the plug, gradually bend the wire along its entire length until a sound or crackling sound appears. If you manage to find the fracture site, you can safely assume that the hardest part is behind you. Otherwise, you will have to disassemble the case and check the speakers.
Repairing a break
Answering the question: “How to fix headphones yourself?”, we note that most often the cause of the malfunction lies in a broken cord. To eliminate it, you will need a soldering iron, solder, a board or metal stand, flux, and a sharp knife or blade. The question of how to repair the headphones yourself is very simple to solve in this case. First, cut out a section of several centimeters 10-20 millimeters below and above the break point, then remove the insulating layer from the cord. You need to act very carefully here, since the wires themselves are very thin and easily break off. After this, a heat-shrinkable tube is first placed on each of the contacts. When soldering, be sure to follow color scheme. Heat shrink acts as an insulator, it protects soldered wires from short circuit. You can, of course, get by with regular electrical tape, but appearance after this there will be much to be desired. To make the connection more durable, the restored section of the cord is folded in the shape of the letter “Z”, and a bandage is made with thread around the entire fastening. The same will need to be done if the break occurs near the plug. Repairing headphone wires is best done with a multimeter.
Solving problems with speakers
How to fix headphones yourself if you hear noise and extraneous sounds? In this case, you will most likely have to disassemble the speaker housing. In over-the-head headphones, the screws are most often hidden under the soft ear cap, but small headphones are usually held on with glue, and therefore getting to the speaker is not an easy task. Here you just have to rely on your luck and superglue, which will be needed to reassemble the case. It is much worse if the sound is heard with a creaking or crackling sound. This means part of the coil has come off or the membrane has become deformed. In this case, you will need superglue, a toothpick and extreme care. The body should be connected only after the parts have completely dried.
Eliminating the volume control noise
Dust falling on the resistor layer often leads to poor contact between this layer and the slider. As a result, when adjusting the volume, extraneous sounds appear. How to fix the headphones yourself in this case? Here's how: or is applied to the surface of the resistor. After this, the contact is restored, and the crackling noise disappears.
Today, almost every person who owns a smartphone, tablet or laptop has headphones. But not everyone knows how to repair headphones if they break. We often ask ourselves: why doesn't one earphone work? And this is the simplest problem. It's very good if you know how to fix the problem. Otherwise, you need to learn how to repair. So why does 1 earphone work? Let's try to find out the reasons.
Before you start trying to get your headphones working, you need to understand that most devices don’t work for the following reasons:
Drivers are not configured correctly;
Wires are damaged;
The sound membrane is broken.
If the problem is with the drivers, then you can solve it very quickly. You just need to go to the appropriate settings and make sure that the driver is in order. Otherwise, download new program and use the instructions to install it.
However, if the problem is not with the drivers, then you will have to try a little to bring the headphones back to life. Prepare a knife, soldering iron, and insulating tape. We connect the headphones to the computer or phone and gradually feel the wire. As soon as you hear noise, interference, it means damaged area discovered. Now it’s clear why only one ear works in headphones. The damaged area that is found must be cut off, the “healthy” wires must be stripped and soldered. We wrap the soldering area with insulation. But it’s better to take the headphones to a repair service, where specialists will definitely fix your problem.
Malfunction of one earphone: reasons
But it may also be that the problem is not with the wires and drivers. Pay attention to the quality of the membrane. It may be damaged. You will be able to determine exactly why one earphone is quieter than another, or even does not work at all. Getting to the membrane is easy - you just need to unscrew a couple of screws. It often happens that the membrane is simply bent and covered with debris. If the membrane is bent, then you need to try to straighten it. In other cases, we wash the surface with alcohol, but do it very carefully.
If you are dealing with expensive Monster Beats headphones, but have no confidence in your skills, you need to contact qualified help to the service center. They know exactly what the problem is, why one earphone is louder than the other. There is no point in going to a repair shop if you are looking at inexpensive headphones.
A common situation is when one earbud works but the other doesn't. Check to see if you just haven't inserted the plug fully into the device. Some models can give just such “failures”. You don't always have to resort to headphones. After all, the player itself, the phone, or even the laptop may be broken. Before making an accurate “diagnosis” of the headphones, try them on another device. It is unlikely that two laptops, for example, have problems with the sound card.
How to deal with the problem
After all, breaking one ear on headphones is not a driver problem. Here you need to feel the wires, connections near the plug or near the earphone itself. Most often, this is where the breakdown lies. Without noticing it, we can accidentally bend the wire too much, and most likely in this case we will simply have to throw it away.
Once again, we draw the reader’s attention to the fact that only a person who has at least basic skills in working with a soldering iron can fix the breakdown of one earphone on their own. The wiring in the headphones is very thin. Without special tools it will not be possible to complete the job. When expensive headphones break, you shouldn't risk them. It is better to contact a special service center, where the specialists know their business and will help you quickly deal with the breakdown.
