You know, that problem when one of the earbuds in your portable music device headphones loses sound, except when you twist/bend the wire just so. Is their at least a temporary way to alleviate this? Obviously having them professionally repaired would probably be more trouble than it’s worth. And yes, I can afford a new pair, I just couldn’t afford the consequences of a DUI if I went out and bought them right now. Thanks in advance!
That happens because a wire broke (either rough handling, lack of/ineffective strain reliefs or both); bending can temporarily fix it because it pushes the ends together. You could just try pushing the wire together in the area with the break; a more permanent solution would be to cut the cord and resolder the connections, but that works only if you are handy with soldering (that’s what I would do, and have done).
Where are you that you need headphones? Cranky housemate doesn’t want you playing out speakers.
The real fix is toss them, buy new ones. Preferably something better than the white Apple iPod headphones, if that’s what you’re using. I have tried all kinds of experiments with pinching them using electrical tape, but it never works. *Potentially[/i[ you could cut it and solder, but the odds are that the wires are too small for most of us who solder occasionally to have any luck. But then, it’s still a sign that they are on the way out. Buy a new one, check for a warranty, then you have a backup pair.
I think the problem is often caused by the actual plug. I have a pair like that myself - I just need to cut the plug off and attach a new one. I don’t know of any quick fix I’m afraid.
Thanks everyone. This problem has plagued me for most of my 36 years, but it has always been a fairly inexpensive, albeit annoying, fix as I’ve moved up the economic ladder - i.e. just replace the headphones next allowance day, mowing half the lawns in the neighborhood day, paper route collection day, after school part-time job payday, college/grad school work study job payday, next time I could leave the office early enough to stop by the high end stereo shop day, etc. Just wanted to be able to listen to my cheesy 1980s playlist and relive my carefree middle school days while I fall asleep tonight without disturbing my better half, but apparently how now matter much I mature and move ahead in this world, this problem will always keep coming back to bite me in the ass. However, on a related note, does anyone know the name of, and a possible download site for, that song from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off that they played on the drive into Chicago right after they picked up Sloan at HS so I can enjoy it tomorrow after I get some new earbuds? Thx!!
The wires inside earbud type headphones leads can be breathtakingly tiny - two or three strands that are individually thinner than a human hair. They usually get bent the most near the jack, and the metal eventually work hardens from all the flexing and breaks. It’s really annoying, but there’s not much you can do about it. Replacing the plug may help, which I used to do religiously, but these days I just treat headphones as consumables.
And I think the song you’re looking for is “Beat City”, by the Flowerpot Men:
The Flowerpot Men - Beat City - YouTube
Either that or “Oh Yeah” by Yello:
I’ve heard some people say that Apple will replace worn-out earbuds for free.
BTW, the Apple earbuds are one of the better actual earbuds available at a reasonable price; that is, small headphones that sit in your earlobes and do not form a seal. You can get better sound quality with in-ear headphones, that is ones that form a seal with the ear canal and block out noise, but they’re generally more expensive. The build quality (wires, etc) will generally go up with price, as the sound quality should. And you can get better sound with fulls-size headphones, but they may not be practical for portable use.
One thing you can do when you get a new pair would be to wrap the joint where the cord goes into the plug with electrical tape. This will give it a bit of extra strength and may keep the wires inside from breaking as easily.
For next time – I was told by an Apple Store employee not to wrap the headphone cord around the divide while still plugged into the jack, as that puts a lot of strain on the section of wire right after the plug (the first flexible area).
–Cliffy