How do you fix earphones with sound in just one ear? The most widely recognized fault on a pair of earphones is sound only coming from oneside. If you have a costly pair of earphones, replacing them by buying new ones is not always the best option. For headphones or earbuds that cost $50 dollars or more. Most people will choose to fix it themselves. For some ofthe top earphones, there is probably a warranty that may still be covering them from defects. Before you attempt to cut any wires or disassemble the earphones, contact the maker first.
There can be numerous reasons that a pair of earphones only play audio out of one ear. The most famous reason for sound tocome out from only one side is the wires near the audio jack have bent back and forth so many times that it has caused a fault in the wiring. To fix your earphones correctly, you will need some tools and materials available at your local Radio Shack or similar type of electronic store. With the right tools and materials, you can fix that pair of broken earphones yourself.
Earphones Quick Easy Fix: Many times if you twist or bend the wire in the earphone cord, the sound will work for a very short time. This is a nice hint as to where the wire hasgot disrupted. A super simple quick fix isto just apply electrical tape to the wire where it was working when you bent it. Continue bending the wire and when you isolate the disturbed part of the wire, add the electrical tape in this area while keeping the wire bent. Now, this will hold the wires together creating a temporary fix to get sound to come out of both ears. Then when you are prepared to fix it permanently, read the step by step tutorial below.
Things required to fix a pair of earphones yourself when sound is only coming out of one ear piece:
- Pair of wire strippers
- Pair of wire cutters
- Roll of masking tape
- Roll of electrical tape
- Small sheet of fine grit sandpaper (optional)
- Solder gun repair kit (optional)
- Piece of shrink tubing (optional)
NOTE: The below earphone repair tutorial is to be done at your own risk. Follow the below mentioned step by step DIY procedure only as a last option. This fix and repair procedure will work with headphones, earphones, and any other kind of audio headset.
Step 1: The first thing to do to fix your earphones yourself is to connect them into an audio source.
Step 2: While sound is playing and you have the earphones on, move your hand up and down the wire and bend it every 1/2 inch to try tofigure out where the disturbed wires.
Step 3: Once you hear sound from BOTH the earbuds, you will find where the wire is not properly connected (most common it will be right next to the headphone jack).
Step 4: Isolate this area by putting masking tape to the left and right of where the short has been discovered leaving an inch or so in between the tape.
Step 5: Take the wire cutters and accurately cut the disturbed area of the wire out by cutting an inch or so on EACH side of thearea of the wire (since you found the faulted spot on the wire where it has shorted out, you will now remove that part of the wire completely by cutting and removing a half inch or so on EACH side of where you found the faulted wire).
Step 6: With a pair of wire strippers, strip back the wire shielding on both sides to expose the wires (there ought to be 3 different wires, one red, one black or white, and one copper but yours may vary).
Step 7: Once the wire shielding is stripped back, you will now strip the exposed wires to reconnect them.
Step 8: Strip back each wire by utilizing the wire strippers. If the wire is very small you might need to use sandpaper to expose the wiring underneath (these are the colored wires under the wire covering, the red, white or black, and copper wire, the copper (ground) wire will be straight up copper and has no wire covering so you do not need to strip it).
Step 9: Once the wires are stripped (add the shrink tubing at this step in the event you are using it), reconnect the wires together (red to red, black to black, etc) utilizing your method of choice. You can splice them together utilizing any splicing method or you can also use a solder gun.
Step 10: Test the earphones to make sure you are now getting sound from each side.
Step 11: Once everything is working properly, use shrink tubing or electrical tape and wrap it over the repaired area of the wire to further secure it.
Congratulations, you have fixed your earphones yourself!
If you have a high end pair of headphones costing over $50 dollars, there is a good chance your broken headphones are still under the warranty period.