Are you struggling to fix your broken headphones or earbuds? Well, we know how frustrating it can be. Moreover, if you have one of the most expensive headphones, it can give you nightmares. Therefore, to make life easier for you, we have put together a detailed DIY guide on how to fix headphones. Whether your headphones’ wire is damaged or only one side is working, we’ve got you covered. In this guide, we’ve covered a variety of questions we received on how to fix headphones. Read further to know more.
How to Fix Headphones That Only Work On One Side?
First things first, you need to find out why only one side is working. One of the most common reasons is damage to the cable near the audio jack. If you bend the cable too much, it can get damaged. Nevertheless, with adequate knowledge and the right tools, you can fix it without getting hassled.
The Instant Fix
The quickest way to fix headphones that only work on one side is by mending the damaged area of the cable with electrical tape. Bend the wire to expose the damaged part and cover it with electrical tape. Ensure the covering is neither too tight nor too loose.
The Permanent Fix
If you have tried the instant fix and are still not satisfied, you can try the permanent fix. Here’s what you need to get started:
Tools and Items Required
Before you get started, ensure you have the following tools and items:
- A pair of wire cutters
- Masking tape
- Electrical tape
- A pair of strippers
Step-by-Step Instructions
- First and foremost, connect your headphones to an audio source and play music.
- Run your hands through the length of the wire to isolate the damaged area.
- As soon as you hear sound in both the ears, you know you have isolated the damaged part of the cable (it is typically close to the audio jack).
- Remove the headphones from the audio source and put a masking tape on the damaged part to isolate it.
- Now take the wire cutters and cut the damaged area completely. Remove it.
- Now with the help of the wire strippers, peel the wire shielding on both sides to expose the wires.
- Once you spot the naked wires, connect them using an electrical tape. You can also use a solder gun to ensure the wires are connected properly.
- Connect the headphones to the audio source again and check if both sides are working.
That’s it. You have successfully fixed your headphones working on only one side!
Other Reasons Why Only One Side of Your Headphones is Working
Here are 3 other reasons why only one side of your headphones is functioning:
- Mono sound settings
- Improperly inserted audio jack
- Malfunctioned aux socket
While you can easily change the mono sound settings and insert the audio jack properly to ensure both sides of your headphones are working, you cannot fix a faulty aux socket at home. Therefore, in case of a faulty aux socket, we suggest contacting the manufacturer of the headphones or claiming warranty.
How to Fix Headphones Wire?
If you have read the previous section, you probably already know how to fix your headphones’ wire. All you need to do is follow steps 1 to 8 to fix your headphones’ cable. However, we would just like to add another method to rejoin the electrical wires (step 7) – heat shrink tubing.
What Is Heat Shrink Tubing?
Heat shrink tubes are an alternative to electrical taping. They look aesthetically appealing unlike the untidy electrical tape covering. To rejoin the wires using heat shrink tubes, all you need to do is cover the connecting part with electrical tape, slide the heat shrink tubes over the covered area, and use a lighter or candle to shrink the tubes so that they tightly hold the wires together.
How to Fix Apple Headphones?
You need to follow the same process as mentioned in the previous sections to fix Apple headphones that are working only on one side or fix the cable of your Apple headphones. There’s no separate method to fix Apple headphones.
Can I Fix Headphones Without Cutting the Wire?
Every month, we get almost 10-15 queries on how to fix headphones without cutting them. We know you love your headphones and hate the very idea of cutting them. Nevertheless, cutting the cable and fixing it is the best method. However, if you do not want to cut the cable, you can simply cover the damaged portion tightly with an electrical tape and see if it works. Please note that this type of fix is temporary and will not work in the long run.
How to Fix Headphones Jack?
If your headphones jack is damaged, you can get a new one from the electronics store and replace it at home. However, ensure you purchase the right replacement plug.
Tools and Items Required
Before you get started, ensure you have the following tools and items:
- A pair of wire strippers
- Solder gun
- Replacement headphones plug
- Solder
- Soldering iron
Step-by-Step Instructions
To fix the headphone the headphones jack, here what you need to do:
- Remove the faulty plug by cutting the wire about an inch above the point where the plug and the wire are joined.
- Use wires strippers to uncover about an inch of the wire after removing the plug.
- Sort the naked wires by color and burn the coating away.
- Twist and join wires of the same color. If there are two ground wires, twist their end together.
- Now slide the hollow end of the replacement headphones plug over the twisted wires.
- Solder the headphones plug and the wire.
- Connect the plug to the audio source and see if it is working.
How to Fix Sound Delay on Bluetooth Headphones?
Enough of cutting and soldering, let’s talk about some technical stuff now. First things first, let’s understand why there is a sound delay on Bluetooth headphones?
In regular headphones, the audio latency, i.e., the time taken for audio signals to travel from the source to the headphones is approximately 5-10 microseconds. However, in the case of Bluetooth headphones, the latency can typically range from 100-300 microseconds. That is because, in the case of Bluetooth headphones and earbuds, the audio signals are sent from the transmitter to the receiver. The audio signals use different bandwidth to travel to the receiver based on their size. Therefore, the bigger the file size of the audio signals, the more time the signals will take to reach the receiver causing a sound delay. But how to fix the sound delay on Bluetooth headphones?
It is important to understand and accept that come what may, there will always be some latency in the case of Bluetooth headphones. Nevertheless, we’ll tell you how you can minimize it. Here are 5 tried and tested methods:
1. Choose the Right Audio Codec
First things first, ensure you pick the right audio codec for using the Bluetooth headphones with your audio source. Try to find Bluetooth headphones that comprise the following codecs:
- aptX
- LC3
- aptX HD
- aptX LL
- LDAC (only Sony)
- Samsung Scable
2. Ensure the Audio Profiles of the Source and the Bluetooth Headphones Are Compatible
If both your device and the Bluetooth headphones support the same Bluetooth version, the sound delay will be less. For instance, an audio device that supports Bluetooth 5.0 will quickly connect with Bluetooth headphones supporting Bluetooth 5.0. However, if the audio device or Bluetooth headphones support an older version, the connection will fall back to the older version and there will be a considerable sound delay. Therefore, as much as possible, ensure your audio device and Bluetooth headphones support the same Bluetooth version.
How to Fix Echo in Headphones?
We’ve received numerous queries from our readers where even brand new headphones started echoing. Fortunately, the echoing issue is something that can be fixed instantly. It typically results from the reflection of sound from the speakers. Moreover, since the speaker size and audio settings of different headphones are different, it can be nearly impossible to stop the echoing. Nevertheless, we’ve got you covered yet again. Here are 3 efficient ways to fix echo in headphones:
1. The Unplug-Replug Method
Sometimes, all you need to do is simply remove your headphones from the audio device and connect them again. A plug that is not fully inserted can create an echo in headphones. In some cases, the audio jack is an issue.
2. Clean Your Headphones
In some cases, dirt, oil, and dust collected in your headphones over a period can cause echoing. The simplest way to solve the problem here is to clean your headphones. Here’s how you can clean your headphones the right way.
3. Reduce the Volume
Again a very simple remedy; a high volume of the speakers can cause your microphone to echo. Therefore, reduce the volume of the speakers to stop the microphone from creating the echoing sound.
Final Words
By now, you probably already know different scenarios where you can fix your headphones at home and save money. Based on the queries received from your readers, we’ve answered different questions related to fixing headphones.
If your query is not on the list, you can post it in the comment section below. Our experts will answer it as soon as possible. We hope you found the guide on how to fix headphones useful.
