Are your headphones broken? How do headphones break? Learn about what can damage headphones and how you can prevent it.
Table of Contents
Do headphones break easily? They might if you don’t take proper care. If you use headphones frequently, then you will want to take a look at the following sections. Please continue reading to find out how your headphones can break and use the tips given to save them.
How Do Headphones Break?
If you have to buy new headphones every couple of months, you must be wondering why do headphones break so easily? Several factors affect headphones and cause them to break.
So when can wireless headphones break? Take a look at the following points to know.
#1 You Bought Bad Quality Headphones
Headphones should be of a good quality to work properly for a long time. Usually, cheap headphones are not sturdy and tend to break within a month or so. While you can find affordable headphones that are also long-lasting, you need to make sure that they are of a certain quality.
You might like to read: Can bass break headphones?
#2 Not Maintaining the Headphones
Headphones can break when mishandled. They need to be maintained if you want them to keep working. If you are leaving the headphones in your pocket or bag, they will get tangled up. The constant friction between the earbuds and the fabric of your pocket or purse can cause damage.
Headphones can also stop working when you expose them to high levels of moisture, sweat, or humidity. Water can damage the electronic circuitry within the earbuds.
#3 Sleeping Without Taking Out the Earbuds
Sleeping with the headphones in is a bad habit that can cause headphones to break quickly. When you sleep with the earbuds in, the headphone cords can get twisted and strained. They may also get tangled with your hair or bed sheets. The wear and tear of the headphones will increase.
#4 Listening to Music on Full Volume
The electronic circuitry of the headphones is just below the outer casings of the earbuds. If you turn up the volume, these parts are damaged.
Listening to music on high volume every day will cause the internal components to chip away and degrade. After a while, you will hear scratchy sounds. A rough sound is an indication of broken speakers.
You might like to read: Can You Take Broken Headphones To Apple
#5 You Received Faulty Headphones
Sometimes even when you order good quality headphones, the store or site may deliver faulty ones. So you need to check reviews and order from reliable e-commerce sites or stores. You can also look for products with a return policy to not be stuck with faulty headphones.
#7 Tugging the Headphone Cords
Tugging and pulling is another bad habit that many of us have when handling our headphones. If you are pulling them by the cords while detaching them from a device, it causes strain. The strain might also happen if you forget that the headphones are still attached and then try to walk away.
Such frequent tugging and pulling can damage the connection points. It causes fatigue and stress fractures. If the copper wires are bent, hairline cracks will develop and then expand.
Stress fractures occur along the length of your headphones. These splits can affect the sound quality and ultimately destroy your headphones.
#8 Tying the Headphone Cords Into a Knot
Often, people tie their headphones in a knot and throw them in their bags. Storing headphones in this manner might help you keep your headphones in a small pocket, but it can also cause them to break. The tight knot results in the internal wires bending and splitting in certain places.
How Do You Destroy Earphones?
Like most gadgets, headphones tend to work for a certain period before needing to be replaced. But you might end up destroying your headphones faster than usual. Take a look at some of the things you might be doing every day that damage your headphones.
#1 Letting the Headphone Cord Dangle
Most of the time, we leave our headphones dangling from the edge of the bed or desk. Dangling headphones leave the cord at a 90 degrees angle. The point at which the cable bends experiences strain, and this might lead to stress fractures. You might accidentally put pressure on the area or pinch it. Such excess pressure will cause the internal wires to split.
#2 Not Cleaning the Earbuds Regularly
If you don’t clean your headphones frequently, they are not going to last long. There can be a build-up of dirt and earwax on the earbuds. The build-up can transfer to the charging case and jam the earbuds.
#3 Rolling Over or Stepping on the Headphone Cord
The length of your headphone cord can be as long as 10 feet. A long cable means you are probably leaving a part of the cord on the ground.
When headphone cords are lying on the ground, you might roll over them with chairs or other furniture. You might even step on them accidentally.
The stress can cause the wires to split. Even one small split will affect the entire circuitry, and your headphones will stop working.
#4 Forgetting to Detach the Headphones
Once you plug in your headphones, make sure to detach them before walking away. If you forget, the cord will snap, which will put a lot of stress on the internal wire.
Now, the first time you do this, there might not be any damage. But if you repeatedly forget to take off your headphones before moving away from the device, the earbuds are likely to break.
You might like to read: Why Do My Headphones Keep Changing Volume
#5 Not Storing the Headphones in a Case
Where do you keep your headphones when traveling? Most of us throw them in a bag or stuff them in our pockets. Not keeping them in a case is the most common way of destroying headphones. If you do not store the headphones in a case, the wires will get tangled and pinched.
De-tangling the wires can strain them even more. If you throw your headphones in with other heavier objects, the constant contact will destroy the earbuds.
#6 Keeping the Headphones Within Reach of Pets
If you have pets, you should not leave your headphones anywhere they can reach. Dogs or cats might scratch and tear the cords. They might even try to play with the wires or chew on them. If your pets chew on the headphones, it will cause multiple tears.
How Do I Keep My Headphones From Breaking?
If you have waterproof headphones, you can clean them with water and dry them with a microfiber cloth. If you have non-waterproof headphones, you can clean them with a dry cloth or use special cleaning tools.
#1 Use the Headphone Jack To Detach Them From a Device
Why do headphones break in one ear? If you’ve ever thought about this, the answer is because of tugging and pulling the cords. Instead, it would be best if you used the jack to remove the headphones from the device.
Hold the device steady in one hand and gently pull the headphones out using the jack. Do not tug the cords as that can cause uneven stress. Tugging will strain the circuitry in one earbud, thus damaging that side.
#2 Use 90 Degree Headphone Jacks
90-degree headphone jacks are available. The 90-degree angle helps to prevent the cords from bending and snapping. These secure the cables near the plug and will not cause any significant damage even if you tug.
#3 Buy Traveling Cases for Headphones
Small headphone cases are available for storing your headphones. Use these while traveling instead of just keeping your headphones in your pocket. These cases are usually padded and minimize friction. They also prevent the headphones from getting tangled or pinched.
#4 Coil Headphone Cords Using the Roadie Wrap
If you coil the cords tightly around the earbuds, it will damage the internal wires. It would help if you twisted the cables correctly. The roadie wrap is a knotting method that does not cause any strain.
You can also use gear ties and velcro straps to keep the cords in place. In the beginning, you might find this to be a chore. But once you develop a habit of coiling the cables correctly, it won’t be so difficult.
#5 Adjust the Volume
Always check the volume settings before connecting your headphones. Blasting music is going to damage the earbuds. So if this is how you are destroying most headphones, lower the volume before plugging in.
But if you still want to raise the sound volume, do it gradually. It will reduce stress. Apart from this, avoid listening on maximum volume for extended periods. The increased volume will damage not only the earbuds but also your ears.
#6 Keep Headphones Dry
Make sure that your headphones are dry. Do not expose it to moisture. If you need to go out in the rain, take off your headphones and store them in a waterproof box. Another thing that you should keep in mind is not to use your headphones immediately after a bath.
There will still be some water in your ears and hair. If your headphones get wet, then they might not work again. If you exercise and sweat a lot, invest in some waterproof headphones.
#7 Do Not Buy Cheap Headphones
Cheap headphones are bound to break within a couple of months. So don’t save too much on the price. There are many affordable but good-quality headphones available. The cords of cheap headphones get frayed quickly, and they are not worth the purchase.
Therefore, it is better to invest in headphones that will last for a long time, even if they cost more.
You might like to read: Why Do My Headphones Keep Pausing My Music
Answers To More Questions About Headphone Breakage
Why Do Apple Headphones Break?
Why do apple headphones break so easily? Most Apple users have this question. There have been many complaints. Apple has added instruction manuals to help people use their headphones for a long time.
Apple headphones have very fragile wires. While you can destroy almost all headphones by bending the cords, these tend to break easily. The cable gets frayed and ruined if they are twisted or pinched at the same spot frequently.
According to the instructions manuals provided by Apple, you should not keep the cords at sharp angles. Why do my Apple headphones keep breaking? If you are wondering, then it is because you are not handling the headphones properly.
How Long Do Headphones Take To Break-In?
Do headphones go bad? Yes, they do if you get poor-quality ones or don’t maintain them properly. However, many people believe that they need to burn in or break in their headphones for new ones that appear to have gone wrong.
What Are Headphones?
Headphones are essentially speakers that reproduce different sounds. The sound is stored in playback devices like your mobile phone or laptop and is encrypted. When this form of digital data transfers to the headphones, it needs decryption.
The headphones’ diaphragm then converts the data into electrical signals, which you then hear as sound.
Why Are New Headphones Not So Great?
Now those who say that burn-in is necessary to assume that the diaphragm, the coils attached to it, and the magnet are incredibly rigid in new headphones.
The sound quality may not be as good as it is supposed to be. So, breaking-in in headphones is necessary. However, many tests have shown very little difference between headphones before and after the break-in.
So, How Long Should I Break In My Headphones?
So what does this mean? Burning or breaking in of headphones means that you need to let it play music or any noise for a while. It will supposedly improve the sound quality of your new headphones.
The time taken by headphones to break in is usually 10 hours, but it can be more. However, there has been a lot of debate surrounding this, and several people believe that there is no such thing as burn-in or break-in.
The ultimate result depends on the person using the headphones. You might find the difference noticeable, while someone else may feel it is the same. It also varies from headphone to headphone. Some headphones may work better after burn-in, while others may stay the same.
Your Headphones Are Fragile, Take Good Care Of Them!
Now you have the answer to the question: why do headphones keep breaking? Remember the tips and take care of your headphones. Share this article with others and let me know in the comments if your headphones are working well.