Sooner or later comes that terrible day when earphones or headphones decide not to work anymore. Fortunately, you don't have to rush to buy a new pair! You may be able to fix the fault yourself after purchasing a few parts from the electronics store. These are delicate parts, so there is a risk of further damaging them; however, if the earbuds are already broken, you have nothing to lose.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Identify the Problem
Step 1. Get the tools you will need
Depending on the repair you need to perform, you need to have (and know how to use) most of the following tools:
- Welder
- Knife or scissors
- Shrink tubes
- Wire stripper
- Multimeter
Step 2. Make sure the problem lies with the headphones
Connect a different set of working headphones to your favorite audio device (for example your computer) and listen; if you notice you're not getting any sound through the other set of headphones, the device's headphone jack could be the real problem.
You can check this by plugging your headphones into a different input and listening to the audio there
Step 3. Try using the headphones while folding the cable
If you can hear some sound, then move on to the Repairing the Cable section below.
Step 4. Try to push the connector
If you can only hear audio while pushing the jack at the end of the cable, then read the Repairing the Broken Connector section.
Step 5. Try repairing an "over-the-ear" headset
If your headphones have a detachable cable that can connect earphones (like most Bluetooth headphones), try using the detachable cable with a different set of over-the-ear headphones. If you find that the other set works, it is very likely that the earphones in your main set are to blame; you can try to fix the problem by browsing your headphones manual and recommended repair strategies.
Step 6. Set up a multimeter
If you have not yet been able to trace the problem, you must use this tool. You can buy it in hardware stores or DIY stores. You will also need a sharp knife, so if you are a child, ask an adult for help. Here's how to connect the multimeter:
- Adjust the tester to check the current, which is the flow of energy through the headphones. This function is indicated with ))) or a similar symbol.
- Insert the black terminal into the hole labeled COM.
- Insert the red terminal into the hole marked with the symbol Ω, mA or ))).
Step 7. Run the test
The meter will emit a "beep" if there are no breaks in the cable. Use a sharp knife to cut the wire insulation and follow the instructions listed below. Be very careful not to cut the inner cable of the sheath.
- Make a small incision near the connector and another near a headset.
- Bare copper cable usually has a clear protective coating. Try to gently scrape it off with the knife.
- Touch the exposed wire through a notch with the black terminal of the multimeter. Place the red terminal in the other slot. If the multimeter makes a sound, then the problem lies in the jack connector or the headset.
- If you don't hear any "beeps", make another cut in half the length of the cable and test the two segments.
- Make another incision in the middle that does not allow the multimeter to sound. Repeat this process until you end up with two cuts a few inches apart that, when tested in pairs, don't cause the multimeter to ring.
- At this point you can move on to the Repairing the Cable section, omitting the test step.
Part 2 of 4: Repair the Cable
Step 1. Test the cable
Put on the earphones and turn on the audio device. Bend the cable 90 degrees with your thumb and slide this fold along the length of the wire. When the sound cuts out or gets distorted, you've found the source of the problem. If the fault is in the vicinity of the plug, then read the section dedicated to this element. Otherwise go to the next step.
- When you have found the location of the fault, mark it with a piece of electrical tape.
- If you have already found the broken segment thanks to the multimeter, then skip this step.
Step 2. Remove the insulating sleeve
For this work use a wire stripper or cut the outside of the wire with a knife, being very careful. Remove about 2.5 cm of outer sheath. Extend the incision until you find the broken piece of thread. This is the segment that needs to be repaired.
- If the wire looks like two bonded wires, then each wire will contain an insulated wire (the signal) and a bare wire (the ground).
- Apple headsets and those that have only one external cable have two insulated wires inside (the left and right signal) and a single bare ground wire.
Step 3. Cut the cable in half
If the thread inside is frayed, make a cut upstream and downstream of the damage and remove it. If you do this, remember to cut a segment of equal length in both the left and right strands. A disparity could cause electrical damage to the earphones.
If one of the wires is broken, then go to the soldering stage without cutting or braiding the wires. This will save time, but the repair will be less resistant
Step 4. Insert a piece of heat shrink tubing
It is a rubber tube very similar to the earphone cable. Just enter it for now, it will be useful later. At the end of the repair, slide it over the open area to protect it.
If you have had to hack the cable several times to find the problem, insert a piece of tubing for each slot
Step 5. Join the electrical wires
First check that the ends you join have the same color (or none at all) of the insulation. You have two options: weave the threads so that they form a pigtail, or weave them linearly.
- In the first case, keep the two segments you want to join parallel and twist them together to create a connection. This is a quick and simple solution, but it creates some volume.
- In the second case, overlap the ends of the two segments so that they are linear. Twist the cables in opposite directions. This is a bit more difficult technique, but easier to hide.
Step 6. Solder the connections
Use a soldering iron to melt a tiny amount of filler material onto the cables. Repeat this for each connection and wait for everything to cool down.
- Bare cables, without insulation, usually have a thin protective layer. Sand or burn the backing with the soldering iron before tinning these leads; be careful not to inhale the fumes.
- Once all of the wire is cool, wrap the connections with electrical tape to make sure the red and white ends remain separate from the ground wire.
Step 7. Slide the shrink wrap over the repair site
Heat it up with a heat gun or hair dryer. You will be glad you put it on the cable before soldering the wires.
The tube retracts to a quarter of its original size by tightening around the cable and reinforcing the newly repaired section
Part 3 of 4: Repair the Broken Connector
Step 1. Purchase a new jack connector
You can buy it online or in electronics stores at affordable prices. Choose a model that has three contacts (stereo) and a spring. Make sure it's the same size as the one you want to replace - usually 3.5mm in diameter.
Step 2. Cut the old connector
Some can simply be unscrewed from the cable. If the one of your headphones is connected and fused with a single piece of rubber, you must first cut the coating about 2.5 cm from the plug itself.
If the model can be unscrewed, check the cables. If they all seem connected and whole, cut them off anyway. The problem most likely lies in the cable near the jack
Step 3. Strip the cable with the appropriate pliers
Usually there should be two insulated cables with a sheath and one "free" without insulation. The bare one is the ground and the others are the signal for the left and right earphone.
The side cables have another bare wire, but you can still consider them as a single cable
Step 4. Separate the threads by color
Typically you'll find a red wire for the right earphone, a white (or green) wire for the left earphone, and one or two black or bare copper wires for ground.
Step 5. Strip the ends of the wires
Remove about 1 cm of the rubber liner from the end of each wire if possible.
If your threads are enameled, you may be able to skip this step
Step 6. Weave the threads of the same color together
If you have two ground wires, you'll need to twist the ends before you can solder them.
If all the strands of the same color are distinct, just make sure the frayed ends are twisted together
Step 7. Remove the polish from the ends of the threads
If your wires are the enamel type, you will need to burn this end by touching it with the soldering iron to expose the copper.
Skip this step if you can already see the copper ends of the wires
Step 8. Slip the jack sleeve over the wire
It should have the part that will screw into the plug facing the bottom of the wire.
The base of the plug should have two protruding pins at the end. If it only has one then you have a mono socket, not stereo
Step 9. Add a bead of solder to each wire
This is called "tinning" the wires and will ensure that they can connect to the headphone jack.
The solder must cool completely before proceeding
Step 10. Connect the soldered wires to the headphone jack
Use a small piece of sandpaper to roughen the edges to facilitate soldering to metal, apply solder to a pin in the socket housing and heat the pin to melt the solder. Repeat this process for the other two-wire connections. <
Step 11. Reassemble the outer case of the jack
Screw the cap back onto the spring and onto the rest of the connector. Check the earphones.
If there are still problems, it is possible that the cables are in contact with each other. Unscrew the plug again and separate them
Part 4 of 4: Repairing the Earphones
Step 1. Understand that this is unlikely to work
Unlike wire or jack problems in standard in-ear headphones, earphone problems tend to be quite complicated. Unless you can afford a proper repair, it's almost always best to take your headphones to a repair service to get a professional diagnosis and repair.
Step 2. Disassemble the headset
The operations for this step depend on the specific model you need to repair. Do some research online for dedicated instructions or try the following:
- Look for screws in the headset. You will probably need a "0" gauge Phillips screwdriver.
- Gently pull the porous coating. If it comes off, check for screws underneath it.
- Insert a flat stick or other similar tool into the slot at the base of the "dome" of the headset. It should open with leverage. This may damage some models, so it's worth looking for precise instructions before proceeding.
- The earbuds can also be pulled open, but you will need a new rubber seal. Usually the problem lies with the earphone cable.
Step 3. Check if any cables have come loose
Sometimes, if you're lucky, the problem is pretty obvious. Any disconnected cables must be re-secured to the speaker frame. Look for small metal pins that hopefully have other cables attached to some of them. Solder the cable back into place on the empty pin.
- If there are multiple cables disconnected, you will need to get a manual to know the exact location.
- Make sure that the various wires do not come into contact with each other.
Step 4. Replace the speaker
You can get this piece online, but it would be expensive. If you decide this is worth replacing, take your headphones and new speaker to an electronics repair shop. This is a job you can do on your own, but there is a very high risk of doing damage:
- Cut the rubber seal around the center cone. Use a sharp knife for this.
- Detach the conical element.
- Mount the new speaker in the same housing being very careful not to touch the thin diaphragm.
- If you feel that it is not well fixed, put a small amount of glue on the edges.
Advice
- If you have cheap headphones available, practice on them first.
- Try not to hold the soldering iron too much in contact with the elements of the headphones. It could melt the surrounding plastic and damage the contacts.
- If you're only using headphones on one device, you might want to try them on another one first to make sure they're broken. For example, if you have no problem using them with your computer, but they don't work with your iPhone, you may need to fix the phone jack instead of the headphones themselves.
- If the porous coating on the earbuds peels off, you can mold silicone rubber to replace it.
Warnings
- Be careful not to burn yourself, the soldering iron becomes hot.
- Do not breathe the fumes from the welds.
- Avoid attempting any such repairs unless you are comfortable using the necessary tools. If in doubt, try asking an experienced friend or go to a service center.
