Aligning audio on headphones

[Dan]

Hi. I have a pair of wireless headphones which come with a cord for when the batteries are out of charge. One problem with the cord is that the audio becomes slightly unbalanced when using the cord. The audio will typically be more present in one speaker than the other, and will change as I turn the cord. Is there a recommended way for me to balance the audio very quickly?

 

[Vegard]

What type of cord is it?

 

[Kitten]

What type of cord is it?

My guess its the 3.5mm Audio Jack Cable?

 

[Swagger897]

Not sure how that's happening as the left and right are separated. Has to be something with the computers connection to it, somehow crossing over..

 

[Kitten]

Not sure how that's happening as the left and right are separated. Has to be something with the computers connection to it, somehow crossing over..

What he's saying is audio cable related.

 

[Swagger897]

still, if it's the 3.5 (has to be) they're both separated at the end.

 

[MatskiMonk]

Hi. I have a pair of wireless headphones which come with a cord for when the batteries are out of charge. One problem with the cord is that the audio becomes slightly unbalanced when using the cord. The audio will typically be more present in one speaker than the other, and will change as I turn the cord. Is there a recommended way for me to balance the audio very quickly?

Which end are you turning when it changes (device end or headphone end), and how do you mean unbalanced? In terms of volume level, or something else? And is it a gradually change, or a sudden one?

 

[Vegard]

If it's a 3.5 mm jack cable it might be as simple as one of the ends not being plugged all the way in.

 

[Kitten]

If it's a 3.5 mm jack cable it might be as simple as one of the ends not being plugged all the way in.

Or a faulty cable.

 

[Darla Starch]

Or a faulty cable.

Worst case scenario is the headphone jack itself starting to fail.

 

[Dan]

These cables are almost a year old, so I wouldn't expect them to be in poor condition already, since I barely use them. I believe they are the standard 3.5 mm jacks, but I'm not 100% sure. The end that goes into my computer or phone has a dark gray/bronze coating with three lime green bands around it. The end that goes into my headphones are also dark gray/bronze, but they have two black bands around them; on this end, there's a button on the cord to pause/play music or answer phone calls.

 

[Swagger897]

These cables are almost a year old, so I wouldn't expect them to be in poor condition already, since I barely use them. I believe they are the standard 3.5 mm jacks, but I'm not 100% sure. The end that goes into my computer or phone has a dark gray/bronze coating with three lime green bands around it. The end that goes into my headphones are also dark gray/bronze, but they have two black bands around them; on this end, there's a button on the cord to pause/play music or answer phone calls.

Is the button just a click button or a scrolling/twisting knob? If it's a potentiometer style knob, it could be that..

But anyways.. sounds like the end in that goes into a phone is good, and the part that goes into my headphones looks like the one above I posted.

If the end that plugs into the headphones hangs, it could be a loose plug, and the connection is getting to be pretty poor. If so, I'd find tape or wrap it around somehow to keep it from drooping. Something else too, is the volume at which they've been played at. If they've been relatively used at medium to high levels (like someone standing ten feet away from you can remotely hear it) then the gasket, housing, voice coil, or suspension could be damaged, meaning it could very well be trash.


I'm not sure how you'll be able to change the levels quickly... I need more info as far as if the drop occurs momentarily (less than 10 seconds), or is prolonged until you fix it.

 

[Dan]

Is the button just a click button or a scrolling/twisting knob? If it's a potentiometer style knob, it could be that..

But anyways.. sounds like the end in that goes into a phone is good, and the part that goes into my headphones looks like the one above I posted.

If the end that plugs into the headphones hangs, it could be a loose plug, and the connection is getting to be pretty poor. If so, I'd find tape or wrap it around somehow to keep it from drooping. Something else too, is the volume at which they've been played at. If they've been relatively used at medium to high levels (like someone standing ten feet away from you can remotely hear it) then the gasket, housing, voice coil, or suspension could be damaged, meaning it could very well be trash.


I'm not sure how you'll be able to change the levels quickly... I need more info as far as if the drop occurs momentarily (less than 10 seconds), or is prolonged until you fix it.

It's just a click button. I should've mentioned that I'm using Skullcandy Hesh 2 Wireless headphones, if that helps.

I never play them loudly. The most I can normally handle is volume 5 or 6 on my phone and computer, but I only go that high for a small number of songs.

As for rotating the cords, I turn both ends to try and balance the audio, but it's never as accurate as they are when I'm just using bluetooth.

 

[Grayfox]

The part that goes into the computer from the transmission base is a 3.5mm jack.
If it looks like that it is a 3.5 mm, you can also post a picture if unsure.

 

[Dan]

The part that goes into the computer from the transmission base is a 3.5mm jack.
If it looks like that it is a 3.5 mm, you can also post a picture if unsure.

The one on the left usually goes into the headphones, while the one on the right usually goes into the computer or phone.

 

[Jet Badger]

That looks quite crusty. I'd clean that up with something slightly abrasive and some contact cleaner.

 

[Dan]

That looks quite crusty. I'd clean that up with something slightly abrasive and some contact cleaner.

It's just the lighting and my phone's camera.

 

[Jet Badger]

Then try another cable. There's no magic in them, it sounds like yours is either broken or making bad contact; they're not supposed to be rotation-balance adjustable.

I'd still start off with cleaning the contacts. Both the cable and the device jacks, a bit of WD-40 there won't hurt.

 

[Grayfox]

Try a new cable, they are cheap on ebay.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/New-Blac...943823?hash=item51c6664bcf:g:jcIAAOSwzOxUYCMX