One of the earphones has stopped working, why?

There are many reasons for this common (yet absurdly annoying) occurrence. Generally, however, it’s simply due to the loose wire which enable it to often be fixed by pushing the cable in the direction of the radio earpiece and, if needs be, affixing it into place with a bit of electrical tape, super glue, or some other bonding agent.

Occasionally, if the headphones have an inline volume turn, that can be the cause. That one is just a little difficult to mend, but you could possibly always try the ‘wire trick’ mentioned above and see if it works. If not, then open the volume wheel and re-solder the wires into place (be warned, this may invalidate most warranties, so if the ‘phones are still covered, just send ‘em back and get replacements). 

To avoid stuff like this occouring in the future, it is advisable to wrap your cables cautiously and avoiding stressing your headphones. No, I don’t mean you should give Motorhead a rest and only play floaty, soothing New-Agey songs on them, I mean that you should not have them in your back pocket whenever you sit down and you must remove them cautiously out of your ears after use (this may sound obvious, and you’d be astounded how many people just rip ‘em out).

Another thing to take care for may be the jack, if the cable is fraying/wearing around the jack, then that may also be a problem. Fortunately, like a lot of everything in life, a small amount of electrical strip can really come in useful, just ensure that all of the copper wiring is tightly bound and it should return to standard usage in no time.

Now and then, however, it’s simply an indication that the headphones are knackered and no amount of brainy tinkering can mend them. Generally, in these cases, the challenge is internal. This particular variant on the problem also attacks earpieces of any price range, be they Poundland specials or your year old Sennheiser Eargasm series. I am reminded of a Shakespeare quote from Hamlet, something about a king and the guts of a beggar, but I can’t be bothered to look the entire thing up right now. You get the purpose I’m attempting to make though, everything dies eventually, regardless of just how much it cost you.

One of the earphones has stopped working, why?