A little known fact among many people is that nearly every part of your headphones can be replaced. More importantly, replacing parts as they wear out is a great way to save tons of money. Headphone replacement parts are far cheaper than buying an entire brand new set of headphones. This is especially true because, in most cases, when you are having problems with your headphones, it is simply one part that has worn out or broken while the rest of your headphones are still functioning just fine.
Due to its length and flexibility, it is highly prone to breakage. The more the wires inside are twisted or bent, the more likely they are to fray or splinter. This fraying and breakage will interrupt the electrical signal. The most frequent problem caused by a frayed or broken cable is hearing sound come out of only one side. Proper storage of your cable can go a long way toward preventing this fraying and breakage. When the cable does start to lose its integrity, you should replace it before it significantly impacts the sound quality. Replacing the cable is not the simplest project so it may be preferable to have this done professionally. However, if you are pretty handy with a soldering iron and other tools, you can probably just buy the part and replace it yourself.
It is pretty sturdy but can bend or break with rough usage. The most common problem, however, is frayed or broken wires right at the point where the jack meets the cable. While you could just get a full cable replacement that comes with a new jack already attached, you also have the option of just replacing the jack. This process is about the same level of difficulty as replacing the cable (aka, moderate but definitely not impossible). So if you are comfortable using a soldering iron, pliers, wire cutters, and so on, a wraps around the speaker box. They provide comfort, grip, and noise isolation. High quality ear cushions are made with quality materials like memory foam and protein leather coating.
The speakers themselves are made up of many smaller parts so when you replace them, you are usually just removing the whole collection of speaker parts and replacing them with a brand new set. That’s because it’s probably beyond most of our technical skills to figure out exactly which part of the speaker has malfunctioned. Usually, when speakers are starting to go bad, you’ll hear a buzzing noise. This is often caused by parts of the speaker becoming dislodged by the sound waves and rattling. That will happen after a long time of repeated usage or a short time of excessively loud volumes. Headband The headband is the plastic or otherwise hard piece that runs from one speaker to the other, holding them together so that you can securely place them on your head. It is unlikely to break or wear down significantly unless you are taking very bad care of your headphones.
Cable
The cable is the piece that runs from the jack to the headphones themselves. It is a collection of wires coated in rubber or another non-conducting material. Its job is to carry the electrical signal from your device to your speakers. Jack
The jack is the small hard piece at the end of your cable that connects to the device you are listening cuto music from. It is responsible for picking up the electrical signal from your device and sending it on up the wires in your cable. In essence, it is completing the circuit between the hardware in your device and the hardware in your headphones. But even the best headphone ear cushions will wear down eventually. The leather will start to crack, the foam will start to go flat, the buildup of sweat and dirt will turn it into a moldy haven for bacteria. So it’s important to look for quality replacement headphone pads. Luckily, headphone replacement pads are very affordable and very easy to install yourself. Putting on a new set of replacement ear cushions can often be done without any tools in less than 10 minutes!
Speakers
The speakers are found inside the headphones behind the ear covers. They are responsible for translating that electrical signal travelling up the cable into crisp, clear and enjoyable sound.
The speakers themselves are made up of many smaller parts so when you replace them, you are usually just removing the whole collection of speaker parts and replacing them with a brand new set. That’s because it’s probably beyond most of our technical skills to figure out exactly which part of the speaker has malfunctioned. Usually, when speakers are starting to go bad, you’ll hear a buzzing noise. This is often caused by parts of the speaker becoming dislodged by the sound waves and rattling. That will happen after a long time of repeated usage or a short time of excessively loud volumes. Headband The headband is the plastic or otherwise hard piece that runs from one speaker to the other, holding them together so that you can securely place them on your head. It is unlikely to break or wear down significantly unless you are taking very bad care of your headphones.
It can snap or bend out of shape if you have a habit of just storing them loose in your bag. Otherwise, you likely will not have to worry about this part because it will last even after every other part of the headphone has broken. Regardless, it is still possible to get a replacement headband that you can mount your speakers onto.
Final Word
As you can see, there’s no reason to throw out the baby with the bath water! Or in this case, don’t throw out a perfectly functioning pair of headphones just because one part has gone bad! Headphone spare parts are cheaper and more effective than buying a whole new headset.