How to repair or replace your headphones/earphones jack

Pretty much all my earphones have broken at one stage on me (apart from my latest which will be handled with kid gloves). Some have broken whilst I was sleeping with them in, in a washing machine and through general usage and most of the time they've broken at the audio jack.
NOTE: I'm an expert at breaking them there so I've no experience repairing them at other points.

So I learned how to fix them.

It's not worth it on a sub €50 pair but if you've already got or have access to the tools it's definitely worth the cost of a new audio jack.

Things you need:

Helping Hands
http://www.peats.com/cgi-bin/catalog_v2.cgi?type=product&id=2739

• You need to hold the wires in place on the jack before soldering, also magnification is there if you need it but I found it too difficult to use at it gave no depth perception.

3.5mm plug
http://www.maplin.co.uk/right-angled-3.5mm-stereo-plug-1184
http://www.maplin.co.uk/metal-3.5mm-stereo-plug-1187

• I'd now pick the right angled one as the metal one looks ridiculous on a thin wire and isn't very pocket friendly. I have no idea what the internals of the right angled look like so if you're unsure use the metal ones first and you can work off other peoples guides.
• The metal one I put in would be more suited to a home set. I'll have to redo mine eventually. But for now it works.

Soldering iron & solder

• Pretty much any will work but try get as pointy a tip as possible so it's more accurate, if you've not soldered before get another tip as you'll probably get solder on it and maybe ruin it.]
• The higher wattage ones just heat up (read burn your fingers) much quicker.

2 x tweezers
http://www.maplin.co.uk/4-piece-tweezer-set-30485

• You'll need to put the audio cable into tiny holes (very like a needle & thread) and will need these. The reverse tweezers are especially helpful as they can grip without you holding them.

Heatshrink
maplin & peats both have these

• Once you've soldered the jack and have sound you'll have to add some strain relief to the jack for extra protection. Just make sure you put it on before soldering begins!

• I used glue originally and it's too awkward to recommend as you have to coat the soldering and then wait for it to set and then slid the case over which was a pain.

Lighter

• Some audio wires have (coloured) plastic sheaths in them which can be either twisted away or more easily burned off with a quick exposure to flame.
• Also needed for heatshrink. Red & Blue are the earbuds (L&R or R&L)and no colour are earth so should just be copper but that could be different for different brands.

Wire strippers/needle nose pliers/sharp blade

• Dismantling the original headphone jack for a reference point and general usage.

General Info

When I started I cut & removed the broken 3.5mm jack on the earphones and dismantled/broke the casing exposing the jack connections so I could make sure the "left wire" matched the left earpiece in the new jack. Also it'll show where you broke the connection so you can try avoid the same thing from happening. Plus you can have an actual idea of what you've to do.

It's probably best to practice on a cheap pair first so you have practiced your skills and not worry about them. If you can repair a cheap pair then you can repair an expensive set and then progress on to a set with a 4th wire, just make sure you get the appropriate jack.

When I was doing this I rigged it up so my ipod was playing constantly into the jack so that when I soldered/touched a wire I knew I was doing something right when I heard sound once I'd soldered the ground first.

I'll eventually break another pair and when I do I'll add some photos of how I managed to repair the mess I caused.

Soundwise

This is a bit tricky as I can't say if these are as good as a fully functional undamaged set but they're definitely better than having only sound in 1 ear. Also the materials you use might not be as good/or could be better than those used in the original state and could be a different sound signature.

Useful Websites

http://chrismetcalf.net/blog/2007/08/07/how-to-repairing-faulty-headphones/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrismetcalf/567991922/in/set-72157600397227332/
Good overview of what you're going to be doing & close up photos
http://www.alexwhittemore.com/?p=205
Combining two separate earphones together
http://forum.ecoustics.com/bbs/messages/15118/14935.html
Long discussion of people having problems and getting solutions
http://talk.maemo.org/showthread.php?t=48563
Difference in between a 3.5mm trs and trrs for those of you who want a challenge soldering 4 times instead of 3.