Headphone wiring? (Internal wiring)

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by dadonred, Nov 24, 2020.

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  1. dadonred

    dadonred Life’s done you wrong so I wrote you all this song Thread Starter

    Location:
    Austin, TX
    Well, I’ve been busy on a music project and have been using my trust Koss UR30s. (Don’t bother castigating them - they were a present and they’ve lasted for 3 decades.). Anyway, I had the flecking off issue and got tired of rubbing my face after a session. So I ordered replacement pads from Koss ($5) and replaced them today. (Just before I started, I thought to myself, ‘why do this now? Just wait until the project is over...’

    Low and behold, the phones now sound like crap - no high end, just muddy bass.

    I was careful not to yank on wires and to carefully reassemble the set. So, do you have inputs on what went wrong? It seems unlikely the drivers as I didn’t really handle them. (These have the mini plug, so all wiring into the one ear.)

    I know Koss will repair them if I mail and send in $9. (Translation: they’ll probably just send a new model set.)

    Anyone have experience on what may have happened? I haven’t opened them back up since testing, but I guess nothing to lose right now. Anyone know the wiring? (I only glanced as I was focused on not pulling them out. I think there were 3 or four.)
     
  2. Acapella48

    Acapella48 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Elk Grove, CA.
    My guess and it's just that -- it's the replacement pads. Considering the age of your cans, the replacement pads (although designed to be replacements) are probably different than the originals. Also, pads depending on material (velour, sheepskin, pleather, etc., and thickness (thick vs thin) do have an effect on the sound of a headphone and why some people will deliberately seek out a particular type of pad as a simple modification. Of course, there is the off chance that in removing/replacing the pads the headphones may have incurred some damage.

    If you like them and plan on keeping them, send them to Koss.
     
  3. dadonred

    dadonred Life’s done you wrong so I wrote you all this song Thread Starter

    Location:
    Austin, TX
    I had thought about the thickness, but discounted it due to buying them from Koss. It is sensitive though as I ‘tested’ it by holding it different distances. It doesn’t get any better by pressing in a bit and only sounds better when holding them out a bit, but I think it still sounds muddy. I mean, the wiring must be simplistic (stereo plug) and so nothing in the wiring to affect frequency range. Something must have happened to the drivers. I may just send them. (I think some other company bought their UR30 stock or inventory - I see this metal detector company advertising them, Microlabs?)
     
  4. dadonred

    dadonred Life’s done you wrong so I wrote you all this song Thread Starter

    Location:
    Austin, TX
    Good news (for me)! I took the main can apart (where the stereo plug wiring terminates) and was careful about re-positioning of the wiring and reassembled. My working explanation is that the ground wire was likely touching one of the other contact points. I also adjusted the foam backing. High freq are back (and no more dirty face from flecking pads). The UR30 does seem sensitivity to placement, though. (These are tricky to reassemble but 2nd time apart was more straightforward.) :D
     
    Acapella48 likes this.
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