• Do-it-yourself computer headset (headphone) repair. What to do if one earphone doesn't work

    Modern mobile devices with the ability to listen to music have become extremely popular, but one important component - headphones - often breaks down and fails. In most cases, the problem can be solved on your own, even without much experience in repairing technical equipment. In this article we will tell you how to fix your headphones yourself if one stops making sounds.

    Diagnostics

    Life in modern society is not complete without the use of various technologies, and listening to music through your player or smartphone has become a full-fledged part of life, without which it is “much more boring.” Naturally, the breakdown of headphones, when only one of them remains in working order, is always frustrating.

    When such a situation arises, most ordinary people do not hesitate to take their audio device to a repair shop. If the repair warranty period is still valid, then no problem, but otherwise you will have to pay extra money for the repair.

    However, you can put your headphones in order without qualified technicians - the problem is often not as serious as it might seem. Using the instructions below, you can really restore the high-quality operation of your accessory.

    The first step is to diagnose the headphones and determine the cause of the breakdown:

    • a broken wire leads to a complete absence of sound, frequent loss, or breakage;
    • due to a broken plug, constant changes in sound occur;
    • a malfunction in the dynamics is manifested by wheezing, muffled or no sound;
    • broken strands in the wire make rustling sounds.

    At the diagnostic stage, you should be careful, this will help reduce the time spent on the repair itself.

    Recommendations: How to solder a headphone plug
    , DIY headphone repair
    , Making your own simple headphones and headsets with a microphone

    Reasons for the lack of sound in the speaker

    1. Usually the cause of distorted or missing sound in the speaker is a broken cord, one of the wires. This most often occurs in the earphone itself or directly at the plug.

    This situation occurs due to the constant use of equipment. Although experts recommend using the accessory with caution, the problem can still appear at the most unexpected moment.

    2. But if the equipment does not break down after prolonged or careless use, then the reason may be hidden elsewhere. For example, a speaker malfunction. In this case, you will have to buy new headphones.

    3. Even less often, problems with speaker sound are caused by outdated or faulty sound device drivers. In this case, you need to go to the official website of the headphone manufacturer, select your model, and download the driver. Connect the headphones to the computer, install the driver and restart the PC or laptop. In this case, there is no need to disassemble anything.

    But this is only suitable for high-quality, branded equipment.

    4. The sound may be distorted due to a cracked or dirty membrane that does not vibrate or create sound vibrations.

    How to repair a broken cord?

    To accurately determine the cause of the malfunction and the necessary repairs, the headphones will have to be opened.

    Before you start, you need to prepare the necessary tools:

    • mounting knife;
    • soldering iron;
    • tin, rosin;
    • insulating tape;
    • heat shrink tubes of suitable diameter.

    1. Connect the accessory to your smartphone or player and turn on the music. While listening to the problematic earphone, carefully feel the wire.

    2. At some point, small noises, wheezing, and intermittent sound will appear. This means that the break point has been found. It should be taken into account that most often the break appears in the earphone itself or at the plug.

    3. Carefully remove the protective layer of rubber and expose the wire.

    4. Having discovered a break, it must be soldered using a heated soldering iron; its tip is covered with rosin and tin.

    5. Then you should check the sound: the music should start playing again in the problem earphone. If this happens, then the problem is solved.

    6. You can cover the exposed section of the wire by simply wrapping it with electrical tape - this is the most budget option. But to make the wire look more attractive, it is better to cover the section with heat-shrink tubing of the required length.

    How to connect broken headphone wires

    Membrane restoration

    If probing the wire does not lead to results, the sound does not appear in the headphones, the problem may be related to the membrane. It is a source of vibrations that are transmitted to the device and converted directly into sound. To find it, you will have to disassemble the earphone itself.

    1. If the cups are secured with screws, use the correct size screwdriver. Earbud headphones can be disassembled using tweezers, but this should be done carefully, without damaging the internal elements.

    Speaking of cheap models, it is impossible to disassemble them (they are glued together), you will have to buy a new one.

    2. Carefully open the internal contents, examine the wire (the break may be located here),

    3. Detect and study the condition of the membrane: it looks like a translucent round plate with a mesh.

    Possible reasons for its malfunction: contamination, bending, loss of integrity.

    4. It should be cleaned, washed with alcohol infusion, and dried. If it is curved, you need to try to carefully straighten its surface. If the membrane is torn, all that remains is to replace it.

    If after all the manipulations described above the earphone does not work, then the reason is a faulty speaker. There is no way to fix it (even at a service center), all that remains is to replace it. For expensive headphones, replacement ear cups and new speakers are available for sale, but in the case of a cheaper model, you will have to buy new equipment.

    Repairing headphones, if one does not work, can be done by people even without serious experience in such matters. Of course, if the model is expensive and a person is not confident in his abilities, it is advisable to take the equipment to a specialist.

    In the daily life of a modern person, headphones are an indispensable attribute that allows you to enjoy listening to your favorite music and audiobooks anywhere and at any time. Unfortunately, this gadget does not last forever and is prone to breakdowns. In such a situation, you have to think whether you can repair the headphones yourself, or whether it is better to buy new ones. It is recommended not to rush to throw away old ones, since broken ones, in most cases, can be repaired at home. This article will discuss how to repair headphones yourself.

    Headphones are a fairly simple device, so all the faults can be listed literally on your fingers. Common reasons why headphones stop working include the following:

    • plug breakage;
    • The headphone cord is faulty;
    • The volume control is faulty.

    Plug failure

    If your headphones break, the first thing you should pay attention to is the connection point between the plug and the cable. Often the cause of the breakdown lies precisely in this place. Due to frequent bending, the cable cores break, so the signal does not pass into one “ear” of the gadget or into both at once. The microphone may also not work.

    The breakdown is quite easy to detect. When the gadget is turned on, you need to try bending the cable at the site of the supposed breakdown in different directions. If a sound appears or a crackling sound is heard, this means that one of the wire strands is broken. What to do if a problem spot is found on the cable?

    To repair headphones, do the following.

    1. Cut the plug from the cable.
    2. To repair the plug will be used inside of old with a slight modification. To remove this part, you need to cut the plastic shell using a utility knife, as shown in the picture below.

    3. After cutting the plastic, remove the insides of the plug. You will see contacts to which several thin wires of different colors are soldered. In the same way, you can disassemble iPhone headphones.

    4. Remember or sketch on paper which contact and color the wire was connected to. The pictures below show standard wiring diagrams cable cores. The color of the conductors may differ in different models, in this case, green is the left channel, red is the right, and copper (without insulation) is common.


    5. If you need to repair headphones with a microphone, which are connected with one plug (usually there are 2 plugs on the cable), then the wiring diagram will be as in the figure below.

    6. Next, you need to free the internal cable cores from the external (general) insulation.

    7. Headphones cannot be repaired without a soldering iron. This is explained by the fact that it is necessary to connect common wires and tin the tips of all conductors using flux and solder. Since the conductors are covered with insulation (varnish), the tinning process will be a little difficult. To make it easier, it is recommended to use a lighter to lightly ignite the ends of the wires. You can also clean the ends from the varnish layer using a regular knife.

    8. To continue repairing headphones with your own hands, for example, Defender headphones, you need to find ballpoint pen, from which you only need one part, namely the bottom. It will serve as a housing for the plug.

    9. Prepare a small piece of heat shrink tubing to protect the wire from sharp bends.

    10. At the next stage, you will need to put the tip of the handle and heat shrink on the cable, and then solder the tinned ends of the wires to the plug part.
    11. We solder the contacts, strictly following the wiring diagram (using our sketch).

    12. After you have soldered all the conductors, you need to check whether the headphones are working or not. To do this you can use a multimeter and call all contacts. If there is no device, then simply plug the plug into the phone socket and turn on music playback on it. Make sure that both channels of the headset work separately by turning the balance control in the equalizer.
    13. If the test result is positive, wear heat shrink tube in place of the soldering and using a lighter or a hair dryer, make sure it fits snugly to the plug.

    14. To proceed, prepare a small amount of epoxy resin.

    15. Add a few drops of resin to the tip of the pen and slide it onto the soldered plug. At this point, the headset repair is considered complete.

    The procedure for replacing the plug is the same for any type of headset, for example, such as: Beats By Dr headphones, Sennheiser HD 215, Razer Kraken Pro, as well as for Steelseries Siberia v2 headphones, Audio-technica ATH-ES7 and headphones Defender.

    Headphone cord is faulty

    How to repair headphones if the headset cord is faulty? You can try to find fracture site internal wires of the cable, probing and bending all its sections while the gadget is running. If you hear a cracking sound or a sound during the test, mark this place with a marker. Next, at the break point, the cable is cut and stripped. After which the ends of the thin conductors must be soldered, observing color, and insulated.

    If the break point is not found, then the entire cord will need to be replaced.. The following example will show the repair of vacuum headphones.


    Replacing the cord in large headphones

    Large gadgets, such as, for example, Philips headphones or Sven headphones for a computer, differ from in-ear ones only in the size of the speaker (diaphragms in small gadgets). Difficulties may arise when trying to get to the speaker in order to solder the wire contacts.

    Different headset manufacturers have different methods for opening them. These may be latches that are difficult to detect or hidden screws hidden under soft “pads” - ear pads. For example, the question often arises: how to disassemble Sennheiser HD203 headphones?

    This is done simply.


    When repairing Steelseries Siberia headphones, the ear pads hold adhesive based. You can remove them by carefully prying them up with a screwdriver, after which you can find the fasteners. Some models use latches instead of screws, which can be broken if pressed hard. If they break, you will have to glue the cups of the gadget together, after which they will become inseparable.

    In the Razer Kraken headphones, the ear pads are not glued and can be easily removed.

    After disconnecting them, the fasteners can be found under the glued paper.

    In the Audio-Technica M30 or ES7 headset, they are also placed on the rim of the gadget’s cup. Philips headphones are no exception.

    By the way, the Audio-Technica ES7 headphones have hinges for rotating the cups. Therefore, if you disassemble it while repairing a gadget, you must be careful.

    The Philips SHD 8600 headset is devoid of all the disadvantages associated with replacing the plug and cable, since it is a representative wireless devices.

    Volume control problems

    How to fix headphones if you have problems with the volume control in the form of loss of sound or crackling? In this case, you can use graphite lubricant to apply it to the resistive layer to restore contact. After this, the headset should function without problems.

    If after lubrication the headset continues to work poorly, then the regulator needs to be replaced with a new one.

    Thus, in most cases, before you run out and buy a new headset, you can repair it yourself. To do this, you will need a soldering iron with a thin tip and skills in handling it.

    For every music lover, one of the most unpleasant days in life is the failure of headphones. They make it possible to listen to music anywhere without disturbing others. Therefore, the main task here is how to fix the headphones yourself so that the melodies sound in them as before.

    Common causes of breakdown

    The most common causes of failure are:

    • Internal damage. These include violation of the integrity of the connector, contacts, sudden deformation of the membrane or its rupture.
    • External: cable fracture or rupture, earphone or connector torn off.
    • Failure of internal components and outer shell due to old age.
    • Careless handling of the accessory, its contamination with dust, dirt, small insects.
    • Water constantly gets inside the headphones.

    Determining whether the headphones are really out of order is quite simple by paying attention to the following signs:

    • Quiet sound or no sound.
    • Interruption of sound, its periodic disappearance.
    • Mechanical damage.
    • Complete rupture of the cable or damage to its integrity.

    If you want breakdowns to occur as little as possible, try to keep your headphones clean, do not wear them in rainy weather, do not twist the wire, or jerk it sharply.

    In addition, when purchasing this accessory, make sure that its power and the power of the main device are almost the same. If this parameter is different, the sound will be distorted.

    If one earphone does not work

    We should not forget that earphone failure can be caused by too much contamination.

    Before you panic and throw them away, try to fix them. To do this, you should carry out a detailed inspection and determine the cause of the malfunction:

    • Look at the headphone plug to see if it is inserted well into the specific socket on the device.
    • The device you are connecting your headphones to may not have a suitable driver. Often, all the necessary drivers are on the disk that comes with the headphones. If it is not there, you will have to find them on the Internet yourself.
    • Inspect the cord in detail. There may be bends, breaks, or tears where it connects to the plug or headphones. Try replacing the damaged cord to get normal sound.
    • The problem may also be a broken speaker. If the earphone is non-separable, the accessory will have to be thrown away. If you want to fix it, you will have to pay a lot of money for a new speaker and its high-quality installation, because it is quite difficult to perform this operation yourself at home.

    The wire is loose or broken

    Once you have determined the presence of a damaged area, you must immediately begin repairing the headphones.

    To determine the normal operating condition of the wire, you need to use a multimeter. By applying it to each centimeter of the cable one by one, you will be able to identify the damaged area. Then follow these steps:

    1. Using a utility knife or wire cutters, carefully remove the insulation from a small section of the wire. After this, cut it until a gap is found.
    2. Headphones usually consist of two wires connected to each other, so you will have to carefully inspect both of them.
    3. When the break point is found, cut the cable and look at the condition of the wires. Splitting results in cutting off a certain element of the wires from both sides of the cable, making the remaining pieces identical. Otherwise, the accessory will not work and will burn out at the first opportunity.
    4. If damage is found on only one wire, solder it without cutting the others.
    5. The next stage of repair is to put a heat-shrinkable tube on the cable (when the wires are soldered, it will perform a protective function for them).
    6. Carefully twist wires of the same color together. However, make sure that the joined areas are not too thick, otherwise they will be much more difficult to hide under the heat shrink.
    7. Using a soldering iron and solder, solder each broken section. After this, pull a piece of rubber tube, which was put on the cable earlier, onto the bare area and heat it with a hairdryer to tightly fit the heat shrink.

    How to fix a speaker

    Speaker repair is the most difficult operation when headphones break.

    To repair the speaker, you will first have to properly disassemble the earphone. To do this, do the following:

    1. Inspect the device and look for screws on it.
    2. Use a Phillips screwdriver to unscrew them.
    3. After disassembly, it is most often possible to detect broken wires, which should be soldered to the internal contacts of the earphone. To understand how to properly perform this part of the repair, refer to the instructions for help. Remember to keep the wires a short distance apart and not touching.
    4. Buy a new speaker and take the accessory to a service center, where a technician will professionally assemble all the components. If you want to do everything yourself, you need to act very carefully so as not to break the speaker.
    5. To install a new speaker, take a utility knife and cut the rubber seal around the central cone.
    6. Pull out the broken element and install a new speaker in its place, making sure that the membrane remains intact and is not deformed.
    7. When it turns out that the seal was cut too much, glue the speaker in a circle so that it sits tightly in the earphone.

    Problems with the plug

    The plug most often breaks due to careless handling of the accessory and dust and dirt getting into the connector.

    In the case where the entire length of the cable is inspected and tested with a multimeter, and no damage is detected, the problem may be a broken plug. To repair it you need to do the following:

    1. Buy a new connector that matches the old one exactly.
    2. Using scissors or wire cutters, cut the plug at least 3 mm away from it, because most often breakage occurs at the junction of the cable and the connector.
    3. Expose the cord. In front of you will be one bare wire (common) and two isolated ones (for the left and right headphones).
    4. Place the new connector on the cable. Unscrew the cap and spring and lower them onto the cord. Additionally, you can put on a small heat-shrink tube.
    5. The new plug will have three contacts in front of you. One of them will be noticeably larger than the others. Connect the bare wire to it, having previously stripped it, and press it with tweezers. Solder with a soldering iron using tin solder.
    6. Solder the other two wires in the same way to the two remaining contacts (they do not differ in appearance and size). If these wires are connected incorrectly, the headphones will change places.
    7. Make sure that all soldered wires do not touch each other, otherwise the headphones will not work.
    8. When the soldering process is completed, screw the cap onto the plug and secure it with heat shrink.

    Be sure to check the accessory after assembly. If it does not work again, it means the repair was carried out incorrectly, or the problem was different.

    The volume control is broken

    If you do not notice any damage, but are sure that the problem is in the volume control, it is better to take the headphones to a service center

    To check whether the failure of an accessory is really related to a breakdown of the volume control, you need to disassemble it and inspect it in detail:

    • Unscrew the device using a screwdriver.
    • Insert a knife between its two halves and open the volume control.
    • Take out the board and inspect it thoroughly. If you find a torn wire or several of them, use a soldering iron to solder them in place, after stripping and twisting the fluffy wires.

    Often, breakdown occurs due to the fact that the slider moving inside the switch is pulled too sharply. This leads to rapid wear and tearing of wires from the contacts. You can check the correct soldering of all wires to the board using a multimeter.

    Individual features of repair

    There are some repair features inherent in more modified headphone models.

    How to fix bluetooth headphones

    These headphones are quite difficult to repair on your own, it is better to contact a specialist

    If the sound has become much worse than before, or has disappeared completely, it is recommended that you seek the help of a service center. When deciding to renovate your home, follow these instructions:

    1. Remove the soft lining.
    2. Using a utility knife, carefully insert it under the cover of the device, pry it up and remove it, being careful not to break the fasteners.
    3. Use a thin screwdriver to bend the fasteners that hold the speaker.
    4. Failure of Bluetooth headphones in most cases is explained by broken wires on the board (they can be easily soldered) and battery failure. A freely available battery can be purchased online and replaced at home.

    When assembling the headphones after repair, do not forget to return everything to its place in the order in which it was disassembled.

    Repair of headphones for computer, games, phone

    The main problems with such accessories are:

    • Violation of the integrity of the wire.
    • Plug failure.
    • Speaker failure.
    • Problems with the microphone.
    • Broken headphone arms.
    • Volume control malfunction.

    The solution to most of these problems has already been discussed above. As for repairing the microphone, this must be done quickly and very carefully, because the membrane is quite easily deformed.

    If the arms are broken, they try to connect them with hot glue or tape. If the damage is too serious, there is only one way out - replacing the arms with new ones.

    How to fix without a soldering iron

    High-quality headphone repair is impossible without a soldering iron.

    Some people who are going to repair this accessory for the first time believe that the repair can be done without a soldering iron. However, this is not so - the wires can be tightly and securely fixed to the contacts only with its help. If you don't have one, take your headphones in for repair or buy new ones.

    If you decide to repair the headphones yourself, read the instructions that come with them. Be sure to buy a soldering iron, because without it the repair will not be possible. In addition, do not forget that when disassembling some components of this accessory, it is necessary to write down or photograph in detail where they were located. This will save you from possible problems during the assembly of repaired headphones.

    Modern people cannot do without technological devices that make life more interesting and productive. Music is present in our lives thanks to mp3 players and smartphones. While going for a run or getting to work, many people listen to music. Such a pleasant time is ensured by headphones that transmit high-quality sound and at the same time allow you not to disturb others. You can find out how to repair headphones in this article.

    Many people find that their headphones break after a period of use. Most often, one of the headphones stops working, which gives hope that it can still be repaired. The question is especially relevant for those who use expensive headphones.

    “What’s the first thing you should do when your earphone breaks?” – The first thing you need to do is find out the cause of the breakdown.

    Often the cause of headphone malfunction is a broken wire. The second most common problem is a speaker malfunction. If you listen carefully to the “symptoms”, you can determine the cause of the breakdown by ear.

    How to determine the cause of the breakdown:

    • The absence of sound or its frequent interruption or disappearance indicates that the problem is a broken wire.
    • Wheezing and muffled sound indicates that a breakdown has occurred in the speaker.
    • Constant changes in sound may indicate that the plug is broken and coming off.
    • If the wires in the cord are broken, the earphone begins to make rustling sounds.
    • Usually the cords break at the plug location or inside the earphone.
    • The channel may simply become clogged. To clean it, you need to disassemble the earphone and clean the membrane with alcohol or hydrogen peroxide.

    Breakage and bending of the cord usually occurs under constant loads. An increase in the bending radius of the wires can also lead to breakdown. Repairing the headphones yourself is only possible if the wire in them is broken. But a breakdown of the speakers will most likely lead to the purchase of new headphones. If the headphones are of high quality and have a warranty, then if the coil breaks, they can be taken to a service center.

    Headphones are broken: how to fix them

    First of all, when the sound disappears in the headphones, you need to establish the reason. If it is a broken wire, you need to find where it broke. If this is the case, then the headphones must be repaired.

    It is very easy to determine the location of the wire break if the headphones reproduce sound. To do this, you need to turn on the music and feel and bend the wire along its entire length.

    Where the sound disappears when the wire is bent, there is a broken element. Fixing the breakdown will now be easy. Part of the broken wire is removed, and the “healthy” elements are again connected to each other using a soldering iron. Sometimes the wire breaks in the connector, then most likely the plug will need to be replaced.

    How to repair headphones:

    • Open the earphone.
    • Inspect the membrane. The crumpled membrane must be straightened.
    • If dust or debris gets into the membrane, it must be cleaned.
    • Use alcohol to wipe the mesh that separates the membrane from the space.

    The problem may be a wire break. To restore them, you need to completely disassemble the headphones. Different headphones can be fastened in different ways: elements can be attached using plastic latches or screws. Some headphones are held together with glue. After the earphone is opened, it is necessary to remove unnecessary remnants of the wire, strip it and solder it.

    Why do headphones break?

    Those who often use headphones know that they tend to break. Often headphones distort the sound, transmit it intermittently, or stop sounding altogether. In order to understand why headphones break, you need to know how they work.

    Sometimes you can avoid damage to your headphones - to do this, you need to use them carefully, and carefully wind up the wires after each use.

    The cause of failure is mainly faulty plugs and wires. If the cable in expensive headphones breaks, you can replace it by buying regular headphones and cutting the cable from them. If you need to replace a plug, you first need to decide on its type, and then go in search of the required element to a specialized store.

    Reasons for headphone failure:

    • Kink in the cord;
    • Mechanism clogged;
    • Broken speaker cord;
    • Plug malfunction;
    • The electrical connector is not working well.

    To determine the cause of the breakdown, you need to open the earphone. If the cord breaks and the contacts come off, you just need to connect them using a soldering iron. When connecting wires, you need to pay attention to the fact that the left channel should be connected to the tip of the connector, and the right channel to the middle.

    Tips: how to make headphones if they are torn

    From time to time, headphones for your player or phone become unusable, but you shouldn’t rush to throw them away. For example, if the headphones are broken, they can be repaired, and you can do it yourself at home. To fix the damage, you need to remove the insulation and protective winding from the cord.

    You can carry out the procedure for stripping the earphone using special wire cutters or a simple knife.

    Typically, headphones consist of a pair of wires connected together. Each wire has an insulated signal and a ground wire. You can fix the headphones by cutting off the non-working section of the wire. It is important to avoid splitting the wire. To protect the electrical cord from damage, you need to ensure that the wire is cut straight.

    Repair tips:

    • If one wire has failed or one channel has come loose, you can skip the cutting procedure and proceed directly to soldering.
    • The wires must be covered with a special heat-shrink tube, which performs an insulating function.
    • After twisting the wires, all connections are sealed.

    If there is no way to solder the headphones, most likely you will just have to change them. To ensure that the wire no longer bends or breaks, it can be protected at the repair site by applying special glue. And to avoid breaking the wires, you need to carefully carry them in your pocket or bag, making sure that they do not bend.

    Review: how to disassemble earbud headphones

    Headphones can last a long time if you treat them well. But over time, any wires wear out and the contact comes off. Sometimes it can be so difficult to part with your favorite headphones that it’s easier to fix them and use them for a while longer. You need to be extremely careful when repairing headphones. Because one wrong move and the repair will be inappropriate.

    You can repair headphones by disassembling them, but during disassembly you can also damage the membrane and capsule.

    If cheap headphones break, it is almost impossible to take them apart because they are glued tightly together. To open a non-working earphone, you will need a scalpel or a sharp knife, which is used to pry up half of the case. After the halves open. You can clean the headphone housing.

    How to open the headphones:

    • Open in circles using sharp instruments.
    • To separate the two halves, you need to make an effort, but so as not to break the body.
    • There is no need to cut through the headphones to a great depth; half or one millimeter is enough.
    • All actions must be performed carefully so as not to damage the headphone membrane.

    Not all headphones can be repaired. For example, if a speaker is broken, it is likely that it cannot be repaired even by a service center. Many people face a problem when their iPhone headphones break. Before purchasing equipment, it is important to pay attention to the warranty from the manufacturer. Headphones that don't break are rare. To repair headphones at home, it is imperative to use a soldering iron, otherwise the entire repair will go down the drain.

    Instructions: how to fix headphones (video)

    Those who use headphones know that they often break. But this is not a reason to constantly buy new headphones, especially if they cost a lot of money. Before you begin repairing yourself, it is important to remember if the headphones have a warranty period. If yes, then it is better to take them to the service. To repair headphones at home, you will need a soldering iron and a knife. First of all, you need to determine the cause of the breakdown. Most often this is a broken wire or broken speakers. Before soldering the wires, you need to determine where exactly the contacts have come off: at the top of the headphones or near the plug. Once a breakdown is detected, the headphones can be quickly soldered.

    Nowadays, headphones have to be changed more often than a toothbrush. And I would like to buy ones that certainly won’t break, but even the most reliable, according to the seller, options still often break once or twice. And it’s not even a matter of how much money you spend on them; rather, it’s a question of careful operation, which in the case of this thing is very difficult to ensure... And yet sometimes, if only the left or right “ear” plays, there is a chance revive the device. So, what to do if one earbud doesn't work.

    Problems not related to the headphones themselves

    The cause of the “breakdown” may be an accident not directly related to your headphones:

    1. You should check whether the plug is firmly inserted into the device. You probably know what he looks like. There are usually several sockets (if we are talking about a computer) or one (in a player, etc.). If the holes are multi-colored, you should choose green. Obviously, you have already completed this part of the task if the left or right “ear” still plays. So, often one “ear” stops playing if the plug is not inserted tightly.
    2. There is also a recipe for what to do if one earphone does not work on the computer: sometimes, due to inexplicable magic, the non-working ear begins to play if, on the contrary, you slightly pull the plug out of the socket.
    3. When the issues with plugs and sockets are resolved and if the investigations with them did not help, it is worth delving into the device itself. Sometimes audio problems are related to some kind of hardware error. If we are talking about a computer, it would be useful to reinstall the drivers. They are usually sold complete with a computer on a disk. Otherwise, “firewood” can always be found on the Internet. You just need to enter the device model, as well as which driver you need.

    If it's still a matter of headphones

    When you go through the “easy” cases and still don’t figure out why one earphone isn’t working, you should assume the worst: perhaps it’s the wire itself. Often it frays and breaks; this cannot be avoided, unless you do not carry them with you, but only use them at home or at work. But even in this situation, the device can still be revived.

    Carefully inspect the entire wire. Most often, the cord is damaged closer to the bottom or, conversely, closer to the speaker. The repair is carried out as follows: the damaged part is cut off, the cut wire is stripped and twisted with the whole part of the cord. The area needs to be wrapped with electrical tape.

    Why keep broken “ears”

    If you went through all 4 steps, but were unable to fix the problem, you will probably have to say goodbye to them. Of course, you can only listen to music this way, but is it worth it? Some especially thrifty people stockpile unnecessary “one-eared” devices. To many, this may seem like a pointless waste of time and space. But all this can be useful if one earphone does not work - how to fix it: take an old plug from non-working headphones and solder it to the working top (you can combine different parts). This is in case these “ears” are very dear to you.

    In other situations, it is better to buy a new device, and subsequently take good care of it: do not crumple it, carefully wind it, do not bend the plug, but it is best to have a special box for it. Fortunately, now there are enough of them, you can choose a cheerful one or an ordinary transparent one, the main thing is not to be lazy in using it, and then you will definitely not have to repair your “ears” again any time soon.