# Headphones losing sound in one speaker

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/headphones-losing-sound-in-one-speaker/753396>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [April 29, 2016, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/headphones-losing-sound-in-one-speaker/753396 "2016-04-29T03:53:42Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2016, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/headphones-losing-sound-in-one-speaker/753396/1 "2016-04-29T03:53:42Z")

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– asking for advice but not important enough question to go in IMHO –

I regularly wear headphones, while exercising, doing chores, whatever. For me they last only about 1 month before the sound goes in one speaker.

If you google this problem, there are “simple” instructions on how to fix the problem, involving stripping wires, using a multimeter, soldering iron etc, which sounds like a royal PITA. The last time I tried to do this (sans proper tools), I wasted a lot of time doing a fix that ultimately did not last long.

So I think I have 3 options:

1. Continue buying new headphones every month.

2. Buy wireless headphones. But all wireless headphones I’ve seen are bluetooth. I want to plug into a regular MP3 player, not a smartphone.

3. Find headphones specially designed with rugged connections that are resistant to this kind of failure…do they exist?

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**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2016, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/headphones-losing-sound-in-one-speaker/753396/2 "2016-04-29T06:32:36Z")

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Ah, it turns out that “non-bluetooth wireless headphones” are a thing, as are bluetooth adapters to let you use bluetooth headphones with non-bluetooth devices.

Not sure why my google-fu was so weak previously, but the important thing is I realized before any Dopers 🙂

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**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2016, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/headphones-losing-sound-in-one-speaker/753396/3 "2016-04-29T16:22:53Z")

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I put a dab of E-6000 adhesive on them where the wire meets the earpieces. Also where the wires meet the jack if that doesn’t look well reinforced.

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**Author:** ![Enilno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/58f4c7/32.png) [@Enilno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enilno)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2016, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/headphones-losing-sound-in-one-speaker/753396/4 "2016-04-29T16:43:02Z")

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What kind of headphones are you using? Is the problem with the wire or the connection to the headphones? There are headphones that have detachable wires which can be replaced if it goes bad, maybe that will help.