How To Fix Broken Headphones
Most people love using headphones because they blast high quality sound. Having a pair makes you enjoy your favorite songs in high volume without irritating those around you. Like any other electronic, they are prone to faults. Having a pair of broken headphones can be very frustrating, particularly if you use yours regularly.
Most often, people prefer discarding their broken headphones and purchasing a new set. Others may opt to search for their purchase warranty and approach their local dealer for repair or replacement. While these two options are preferable, they may be relatively pricey. A cheaper option to the two would be buying replacement parts of wired headphones to fix a faulty part. Depending on where you buy the parts, this can equally prove more expensive than purchasing a new set altogether.
The cheapest way to fix a broken headphone would be to do it yourself. However, most people do not have the knowledge or expertise to do so. This article will guide you through the steps of identifying and fixing faults in your headphones.
Have Your Tools Ready
For the best repair job experience, having the appropriate tools is important. Below are some of the tools you need to be ready:
1. Solder machine
2. Soldering iron (others use Sugru blob)
3. Heat-shrink tube
4. Wirecutter and stripping tool (A pair of scissors)
5. Multi-meter
All the tools are easily accessible in your local store for purchase.
Identifying the Headphone Fault
Isolate the problem between the wired headphone and the audio gadget.
Use a different headphone set to plug into an audio gadget. Play any music from the machine and listen for any sound. If the set does not play any sound, the output pin on the audio gadget might be having a fault. However, if it plays a sound, your headphone could be defective.
After realizing you have a broken headphone, begin curling and uncurling the cord while having the earpiece on. Listen to any sound that plays. Whenever a sound is played, mark the spot with a pen or marker and while looking for any other broken spot. Moreover, the headphone jack could also be damaged. Ensure to twist or straighten at this point to identify any fault.
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In case you don't own a multimeter, you can easily buy one from your local store, slowly test the wires, headphone jack, and ear-piece having set the meter to test for continuity. The meter will make a beep sound where no broken wires, earpiece or headphone jack could be detected. However, this does not solve the problem and therefore needs a different strategy. Cut the wires into three parts and test each part separately.
How to Fix a Broken Headphone Cord or Cable
Using a wire cutter and stripper (can also carefully use a knife or scissors), strip-off the marked spot on the wire to allow for visibility of broken wires. Depending on the type of wired headphones you are using, it can have either two cables stuck together- each containing a ground wire and signal wire or one cable containing two insulated copper wires- left and right ear-piece and one ground wire.
Cut the wire into two equal parts and start twisting (splicing) them. Solder them thereafter. Action this where two or more wires are faulty. Conversely, begin soldering the wires using your solder machine and soldering iron. Remember to pass the cables through the shrink tube and heat it to contract it before proceeding with the aforementioned steps.
Ways to Fix a Faulty Headphone Jack
A faulty jack is like a written-off debt. You ought to dispose it off and get a replacement from your local electronics shop or online store like Amazon at a cheap price. However, ensure it's of the same size and a stereo one.
Cut the cord an inch or two from the end. Strip off approximately half an inch of the rubber from the cord. In case you find wires that have an enamel coating tip, eliminate the coat through burning.
Twist same color wires together and solder them together with a soldering wire.
Pass the soldered wires through the headphone jack sleeves and connect to the jack. Solder the wires to the two pins on the jack. Let the soldering cool down for 5 minutes before screwing the jack to its sleeve.
Proceed to test. If the headphone jack wires come into contact, the headphone will not function. Ensure you rectify it.
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Ways to Fix a Broken Earpiece
If the earpiece warranty has expired, disassemble the earpiece using the manufacturer's manual or an online guide.
After the earpiece is apart, try to locate wires detached from the earpiece driver and solder them to the driver. This only applies where one wire is loose.
If you find two loose wires, refer to the manufacturer’s manual to understand how to solder them.
Reassemble the earpiece and test. If the headphone jack wires come into contact, the headphone will not function. Ensure you rectify it.
If all the above ways don't work, consider taking the broken headphone to a professional for a proper fix.
