Headphone wires that will not break.
Moderators: phlip, Moderators General, Prelates
Headphone wires that will not break.
I generally run through headphones fairly quickly (6 months to a year is normal) mostly because I fall asleep with them on fairly often. I just recently broke another pair and at first I was considering repairing them with more durable wiring which I could replace more easily, but I no longer have access to a soldering iron, so that option is out I think.
I recall seeing a pair of earbuds that had a wire mesh over the internal wiring, and as a result, it could only bend so far as long as too much force isn't applied. I was wondering if anyone knows of any like this. It was probably 3 or 4 years ago, for $60ish and at Walmart that I saw them. I haven't seen them since.
Alternatively, can anyone suggest headphones that are surprisingly durable?
Thanks.
I recall seeing a pair of earbuds that had a wire mesh over the internal wiring, and as a result, it could only bend so far as long as too much force isn't applied. I was wondering if anyone knows of any like this. It was probably 3 or 4 years ago, for $60ish and at Walmart that I saw them. I haven't seen them since.
Alternatively, can anyone suggest headphones that are surprisingly durable?
Thanks.
"I think nature's imagination is so much greater than man's, she's never gonna let us relax."
- uncivlengr
- Posts: 1202
- Joined: Fri Nov 14, 2008 10:35 pm UTC
- Location: N 49°19.01 W 123°04.41
Re: Headphone wires that will not break.
Earbuds break. If they don't break, you'll lose them. If yours last a whole year, that's pretty damned good in my books, because between fitness activities and generally neglecting to take take of them, mine usually last a few months tops.
I bought a pair of $25 "Rocketfish" earbuds a few months ago that have an around-the ear thing so they can't fall out, and three sizes of rubbers to suit your particular ear size. They have a braided sheathing around the wires, and that seems to keep them together (though it takes some time getting used to the rough wires when you're used to the smooth plain ones - they tend to scratch on your shirt collar).
I bought a pair of $25 "Rocketfish" earbuds a few months ago that have an around-the ear thing so they can't fall out, and three sizes of rubbers to suit your particular ear size. They have a braided sheathing around the wires, and that seems to keep them together (though it takes some time getting used to the rough wires when you're used to the smooth plain ones - they tend to scratch on your shirt collar).
I don't know what to do for you
- kernelpanic
- Posts: 891
- Joined: Tue Oct 28, 2008 1:26 am UTC
- Location: 1.6180339x10^18 attoparsecs from Earth
Re: Headphone wires that will not break.
I've got a pair of fake Sony (Or ZONY as the box states) in-ear earphones for 120 pesos, about 10 US dollars, and surprisingly, they are just as good quality as ones in the USD $70-80 price range (very good bass), and the wires are very resistant (I've used them a lot, and treated them like you would treat a pair of $10 fake earphones). But that's not the best part. They are unable to tangle. Keep them in your pocket/bag all day, and they spring back to life! Of course, getting them where you live might be impossible unless you contact the factory in China that makes them.
I'm not disorganized. My room has a high entropy.

Bhelliom wrote:Don't forget that the cat probably knows EXACTLY what it is doing is is most likely just screwing with you. You know, for CAT SCIENCE!

- Endless Mike
- Posts: 3204
- Joined: Thu Dec 06, 2007 3:04 pm UTC
Re: Headphone wires that will not break.
Yours last up to a year? I've never had a pair from any brand last more than 6 months of regular (which is to say, daily, including a couple miles of walking), and that was probably a fluke. I bought a pair of Koss earbuds, which have a lifetime, no-questions-asked warranty (in the US, at any rate) and just get a replacement whenever they die on me (I have a couple pairs of backups that I use while waiting).
- '; DROP DATABASE;--
- Posts: 3284
- Joined: Thu Nov 22, 2007 9:38 am UTC
- Location: Midwest Alberta, where it's STILL snowy
- Contact:
Re: Headphone wires that will not break.
I switched to a Bluetooth set for this exact reason. Arguably the improvement is negligible (Bluetooth is so damned unreliable that it cuts out as bad as a broken headphone cable at times), but you don't have to replace it every few months just because of the cable. They'd always break at the very end for me, where the plug is stressed, because it seems like only cheap sets actually have a 90° plug to lead out of a pocket nicely. Even those wouldn't last very long.
There are some that have a plug on the headset itself, and the cable is an ordinary patch cable, so you can just replace that. If you buy such, check to see if it's actually possible to buy replacement cables that will fit the damn things. Mine had the jack recessed into a hole, much too small for any but the original cable to fit into, and trying to enlarge it would have made them ugly as sin.
You can get Bluetooth transmitters that plug into a headphone jack, but watch out - many of them aren't a solid piece, but rather have a short cord with a plug on the end - and you can guess how well that works. -.-
There are some that have a plug on the headset itself, and the cable is an ordinary patch cable, so you can just replace that. If you buy such, check to see if it's actually possible to buy replacement cables that will fit the damn things. Mine had the jack recessed into a hole, much too small for any but the original cable to fit into, and trying to enlarge it would have made them ugly as sin.
You can get Bluetooth transmitters that plug into a headphone jack, but watch out - many of them aren't a solid piece, but rather have a short cord with a plug on the end - and you can guess how well that works. -.-
poxic wrote:You suck. And simultaneously rock. I think you've invented a new state of being.
- J the Ninja
- Posts: 717
- Joined: Tue Dec 30, 2008 9:08 pm UTC
- Location: Portland, USA
- Contact:
Re: Headphone wires that will not break.
FWIW, my Denon AHC-751s are coming up on 2 years old now, and are still going strong. Been in and out of a backpack/pocket every school day since I got them. The buds themselves are on a short cable with a VERY sturdy connector (big aluminum thing, with a thick rubber strain boot) then a regular old cable that connects them down to the jack. I think I can get longer out of them by replacing that cable, but it has hung on too, although there isn't much gold left on the connector anymore. Also, I'm glad Denon thought to include a little rubber nub to show which one is the left bud, because the silk screening on them is pretty much completely worn off by now.
Basically, Denon shit rocks. Their AVRs are awesome too.
Basically, Denon shit rocks. Their AVRs are awesome too.
(he/him/his)Shishichi wrote:Applies a sexward force to counter the sexpression effect that Forward Advection can apply to fluid density, particularly along sextainer boundaries. In this way, the sextribute attempts to conserve the overall fluid volume ensuring no density loss.
Re: Headphone wires that will not break.
The Razer Carcharias has really excellent wires. It probably has an internet mesh that allows you to bend it like cloth. The headset is just awesome, worth the money.
I write a blog rant here.
Re: Headphone wires that will not break.
archeleus wrote:The Razer Carcharias has really excellent wires. It probably has an internet mesh that allows you to bend it like cloth. The headset is just awesome, worth the money.
by internet mesh, do you mean an inner mesh? such as the one in a coaxial cable? if it does it is possible that it is a ground mesh and used also for shielding. it its plastic then it is for strength.
Re: Headphone wires that will not break.
I have the same problem with headphones, I often end up sleeping with them on; but worse, when watching movies, I tend to chew on them and they rarely last me longer than 2-3 months.
You see here what you want to see. It is rather weird that you would want to see something affirming your seeing what you want to see. You, my friend, are a weird person.
Re: Headphone wires that will not break.
at lowes, they sell a 25 ft. coil of some hard plastic tubing/hose for a few dollars. might someone try sleeving the cords in it, then hot gluing the ends?
- Rinsaikeru
- Pawn, soon to be a Queen
- Posts: 2166
- Joined: Wed Aug 27, 2008 5:26 am UTC
- Location: Toronto
- Contact:
Re: Headphone wires that will not break.
If you want your headphones to last you need to take good care of them:
1. Never pull the plug out by the cord, always do it from the plug itself.
2. Same with buds, pull from bud not cord when you remove from your ears.
3. Keep them in a case instead of wrapped around your mp3 dohickey.
4. Don't let the cord kink anywhere (even be careful about how you put it in the case).
5. Reinforce the cord with something--wrap with string, heat shrink tubing or otherwise.
I recently had a friend replace the plug on my UE headphones because I had accidentally kinked the cord and the sound went out on the L ear. When he soldered it I had him add heat shrink tube to hold it onto the new plug and now I'm more careful about keeping it from kinking.
1. Never pull the plug out by the cord, always do it from the plug itself.
2. Same with buds, pull from bud not cord when you remove from your ears.
3. Keep them in a case instead of wrapped around your mp3 dohickey.
4. Don't let the cord kink anywhere (even be careful about how you put it in the case).
5. Reinforce the cord with something--wrap with string, heat shrink tubing or otherwise.
I recently had a friend replace the plug on my UE headphones because I had accidentally kinked the cord and the sound went out on the L ear. When he soldered it I had him add heat shrink tube to hold it onto the new plug and now I'm more careful about keeping it from kinking.
Rice Puddin.
- flying sheep
- Posts: 63
- Joined: Sun Jan 31, 2010 12:35 am UTC
Re: Headphone wires that will not break.
i once had these: http://www.amazon.com/Sony-MDR-Q55SL-Cl ... B00008VIX0
pros: they sound very good, they have great, short, wires, and they come with a stury extension cord (very useful: if you put your mp3 in your breast pocket, the short cord is handy, if you put it in your jeans pocket, the extended one is.)
cons: they don’t fit every ear (i think they fly off rather easily from big ears), and they have bad noise cancelling, so everyone around you will hear what you hear. they make decent passive speakers, though.
pros: they sound very good, they have great, short, wires, and they come with a stury extension cord (very useful: if you put your mp3 in your breast pocket, the short cord is handy, if you put it in your jeans pocket, the extended one is.)
cons: they don’t fit every ear (i think they fly off rather easily from big ears), and they have bad noise cancelling, so everyone around you will hear what you hear. they make decent passive speakers, though.

Re: Headphone wires that will not break.
unfortunately, I have I pair of yamaha headphones with a 6ft. long cord. I rarely listen to stuff with them, so they don't leave the room. anyway, when they're not in use, I keep them next to my desk with the cord in a jumble. I generally set the actual headphones on a spindle of CDs which happens to be next to my desk. Generally, I set them down carefully enough that the cord won't be tangled when I pick them up. also, the static in the right ear problem seemed to correct itself.
Re: Headphone wires that will not break.
Been there, done this.
Go to RadioShack or whatever store and buy a headphone jack that has solder points and a screw on casing. Then acquire some light gauge speaker wire used for normal stereo speakers. it is usually clear with silver and gold stranded wire. Pop the covers off of your headphones or earbuds and carefully replace the crappy wire of your favorite headphones with your new wire and plug set. You will need to use solder.
Yes, the wires are a little thicker and more cumbersome. That is the point. No ultra-thin headphone cable will ever be durable, there simply isn't enough wire to resist breaking when constantly flexed. Also those light duty wires are being made as cheaply as possible to maximize profits.
There is a reason that professional grade headphones and cables are thick and heavy.
Go to RadioShack or whatever store and buy a headphone jack that has solder points and a screw on casing. Then acquire some light gauge speaker wire used for normal stereo speakers. it is usually clear with silver and gold stranded wire. Pop the covers off of your headphones or earbuds and carefully replace the crappy wire of your favorite headphones with your new wire and plug set. You will need to use solder.
Yes, the wires are a little thicker and more cumbersome. That is the point. No ultra-thin headphone cable will ever be durable, there simply isn't enough wire to resist breaking when constantly flexed. Also those light duty wires are being made as cheaply as possible to maximize profits.
There is a reason that professional grade headphones and cables are thick and heavy.
"Eloquently Blunt"
-
- Posts: 72
- Joined: Fri Mar 27, 2009 10:18 am UTC
Re: Headphone wires that will not break.
This would be why I never spend more than €2 on a pair of earphones, and leave my set of cans for home use. In my experience, earphones are going to have terrible sound quality no matter what brand you get, so why spend any more than you need to? I'd be pretty disappointed if I were to spend €50 or so on a pair of headphones that weren't heavy-duty cans, just to find it breaking after a few months.
"The outright rejection of technology cripples the otherwise educated mind." - RAK
- Rinsaikeru
- Pawn, soon to be a Queen
- Posts: 2166
- Joined: Wed Aug 27, 2008 5:26 am UTC
- Location: Toronto
- Contact:
Re: Headphone wires that will not break.
I dunno, my Ultimate Ears earbuds have good sound quality--and I've repaired them easily already (with a screw on casing like Bhelliom describes actually).
I use headphones far more often outside my house than I do in, and if you get cheap earbuds they'll have bad noise cancelling. As a result of this, you'll jack them up way to high to hear them (say on the subway where I listen to them most often)--which can cause permanent hearing problems.
Like anything else--if you take care of them they'll last much longer. It's not even very difficult to take care of them, be gentle, don't kink the cord, make it sturdier if you can.
I use headphones far more often outside my house than I do in, and if you get cheap earbuds they'll have bad noise cancelling. As a result of this, you'll jack them up way to high to hear them (say on the subway where I listen to them most often)--which can cause permanent hearing problems.
Like anything else--if you take care of them they'll last much longer. It's not even very difficult to take care of them, be gentle, don't kink the cord, make it sturdier if you can.
Rice Puddin.
Re: Headphone wires that will not break.
Firstly you can get great sound quality on ear phones, but they are not cheap, etymotic have frequency response graphs for all there ear phones, and while I don't have a pair I do have a pair of their ear plugs and they are frankly amazing value for money and have a great frequency response.
I have a set of audio-technica ATH-M30 and they have beefy cables and a proper chunky metal case to the plug they are about £53 in the uk, sound quality is excellent with real detail over the whole range and they go down to 30hz or something.
I have a set of audio-technica ATH-M30 and they have beefy cables and a proper chunky metal case to the plug they are about £53 in the uk, sound quality is excellent with real detail over the whole range and they go down to 30hz or something.
Berengal wrote:Only if they're killer robots. Legos are happy robots. Besides, even if they were killer robots it wouldn't stop me. You can't stop science and all that.
Re: Headphone wires that will not break.
A side note, actually might be deserving of it's own topic, but this seemed close:
Does anyone have any recommendations for nigh on indestructible headphones? Think like, that would stand up to the abuse small children would heap on them. So, minimal moving/adjustable parts, no volume controls or anything, ideally a cord that is relatively unlikely to get irreparably tangled, and ideally fairly short, too (less chance of being tripped on and breaking the jack off inside the computer. Anyone got any ideas on how to fix that, too? Assuming you can't manage to get the broken jack out?). Price is a moderate issue, sound quality is not. They just need to produce sound. It doesn't have to be good sound.
I have a few ideas on how to reduce the abuse they're subjected to, but nevertheless, kids are still hard on headphones.
Does anyone have any recommendations for nigh on indestructible headphones? Think like, that would stand up to the abuse small children would heap on them. So, minimal moving/adjustable parts, no volume controls or anything, ideally a cord that is relatively unlikely to get irreparably tangled, and ideally fairly short, too (less chance of being tripped on and breaking the jack off inside the computer. Anyone got any ideas on how to fix that, too? Assuming you can't manage to get the broken jack out?). Price is a moderate issue, sound quality is not. They just need to produce sound. It doesn't have to be good sound.
I have a few ideas on how to reduce the abuse they're subjected to, but nevertheless, kids are still hard on headphones.
Princess Marzipan wrote:Dear God, we seriously just went and dug up CITATIONS for TORTURE being a WAR CRIME.
We have been fucking TROLLED, dear readers.
Re: Headphone wires that will not break.
Go look at the headphones that bookstores and music stores have for sampling music. Those are designed to withstand the general public.
"Eloquently Blunt"
- Endless Mike
- Posts: 3204
- Joined: Thu Dec 06, 2007 3:04 pm UTC
Re: Headphone wires that will not break.
They also always look to have pretty heavy-duty cables added to them.
Re: Headphone wires that will not break.
I hadn't thought about that. Thanks, that'd be a good thing to check. Mind you, legions of small children are in a whole 'nother category from 'the general public', but it's still my best bet.
Princess Marzipan wrote:Dear God, we seriously just went and dug up CITATIONS for TORTURE being a WAR CRIME.
We have been fucking TROLLED, dear readers.
Re: Headphone wires that will not break.
For earbuds, I like these: http://www.amazon.com/Sony-MDREX38iP-BLK-Earbud-Control/dp/B002M78JA2 . I've only had to replace once in the past two years, so I'd say that's a good run, considering they pretty much live either in my ears or in my pocket. Before I had these, I had a similar pair, only without the Remote/Mic, and and they're still in good working order to this day.
And for other applications, such as when I'm recording, or just want really really good sound quality, I use these: http://www.amazon.com/Bose-QuietComfort-Acoustic-Noise-Cancelling/dp/B00021Y9OA . Yup, you bet I paid dearly for 'em. And they were worth every single penny. They've been met with more than their fair share of abuse, including being dropped, tossed in the back of my Amp, and many other incidents. They still have no extremely visible scratches or dents, nor has the sound quality been affected. Best audio-related purchase I've ever made, by far.
And for other applications, such as when I'm recording, or just want really really good sound quality, I use these: http://www.amazon.com/Bose-QuietComfort-Acoustic-Noise-Cancelling/dp/B00021Y9OA . Yup, you bet I paid dearly for 'em. And they were worth every single penny. They've been met with more than their fair share of abuse, including being dropped, tossed in the back of my Amp, and many other incidents. They still have no extremely visible scratches or dents, nor has the sound quality been affected. Best audio-related purchase I've ever made, by far.

-
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Wed Jul 09, 2008 12:07 pm UTC
Re: Headphone wires that will not break.
i personally use sure E3Cs which is the commercial version of their mid level stage monitors, they go rather far inside your ears, but have a very durable cable and a lifetime warranty.
- cjmcjmcjmcjm
- Posts: 1158
- Joined: Tue Jan 05, 2010 5:15 am UTC
- Location: Anywhere the internet is strong
Re: Headphone wires that will not break.
I seem to have a problem with my TRS jacks getting f'd in the A, but I'm not sure if it is the socket or the plug that won't work. Specifically, something shorts out such that the center channel is canceled
frezik wrote:Anti-photons move at the speed of dark
DemonDeluxe wrote:Paying to have laws written that allow you to do what you want, is a lot cheaper than paying off the judge every time you want to get away with something shady.
Re: Headphone wires that will not break.
I have a pair of €80 headphones.
The cable(running from one side of the headphone to the plug) is wound like a telephone cable so that it's very hard to tangle it.
The cable(running from one side of the headphone to the plug) is wound like a telephone cable so that it's very hard to tangle it.
Ell (to Hintss) wrote:No, you can't see who has foed you. Be glad, because the list would probably be long enough to give you carpal tunnel if you tried to scroll through it.
- GenericAnimeBoy
- Posts: 372
- Joined: Tue Feb 01, 2011 1:33 pm UTC
- Location: Houston, TX
Re: Headphone wires that will not break.
cjmcjmcjmcjm wrote:I seem to have a problem with my TRS jacks getting f'd in the A, but I'm not sure if it is the socket or the plug that won't work. Specifically, something shorts out such that the center channel is canceled
Cheap TRS jacks, especially the micro ones used for headphone connections on MP3 players and PCs, are notorious for contact failure. This is largely due to the fact that the same metal contacts that make the electrical connection are responsible for the mechanical connection, and they don't tolerate lateral forces on the connector shell very well. Also, if a connector isn't properly seated all the way into the jack (due to, let's say, bad design decisions


In light of the impermanence and absurdity of existence, I surmise that nothing is better for us than to rejoice and to do good in our lives, and that everyone should eat and drink and enjoy the good of his/her labor. Such enjoyment is a gift from God.
- cjmcjmcjmcjm
- Posts: 1158
- Joined: Tue Jan 05, 2010 5:15 am UTC
- Location: Anywhere the internet is strong
Re: Headphone wires that will not break.
Stupid forums ate my post.
frezik wrote:Anti-photons move at the speed of dark
DemonDeluxe wrote:Paying to have laws written that allow you to do what you want, is a lot cheaper than paying off the judge every time you want to get away with something shady.
- modularblues
- Posts: 689
- Joined: Sun Nov 08, 2009 8:33 am UTC
- Location: Escher's Wonderland
- Contact:
Re: Headphone wires that will not break.
Not sure how easily these Zipbuds break, but thought the idea is nifty.
- Bomb_Dance
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Wed Mar 23, 2011 5:12 pm UTC
- Location: Hong Kong
Re: Headphone wires that will not break.
For durable headphones, I recommend two.
The first one is SONY MDR-7506, one of the reference headphones for studio.
Famous for its performance and solid quality, can use for more than 10 years in studio.
Another one is Beyerdynamic DT 100, another reference headphones for studio.
Can even keep perfect after an adult sit on it.
The first one is SONY MDR-7506, one of the reference headphones for studio.
Famous for its performance and solid quality, can use for more than 10 years in studio.
Another one is Beyerdynamic DT 100, another reference headphones for studio.
Can even keep perfect after an adult sit on it.
Re: Headphone wires that will not break.
You can reinforce the wiring around the jack and any worn wire areas, just make sure the two wires are not touching each other.
http://how-to-fix-earbuds.blogspot.com/2012/01/headphone-fix-wire-splicing.html
http://how-to-fix-earbuds.blogspot.com/2012/01/headphone-fix-wire-splicing.html
Re: Headphone wires that will not break.
RAKtheUndead wrote:This would be why I never spend more than €2 on a pair of earphones, and leave my set of cans for home use. In my experience, earphones are going to have terrible sound quality no matter what brand you get, so why spend any more than you need to? I'd be pretty disappointed if I were to spend €50 or so on a pair of headphones that weren't heavy-duty cans, just to find it breaking after a few months.
I used to buy cheap earphones like this all the time. Then I bought a nice Sennheiser ones (for probably about 20€-35€) and I've been using them continuously since then. This was probably 3-4 years ago

-
- Posts: 130
- Joined: Thu Oct 15, 2009 1:24 am UTC
Re: Headphone wires that will not break.
I've never had regularly used headphones last longer than 6 months without needing a splice.
Re: Headphone wires that will not break.
You can definitely get earbuds with great quality, they just have to be the in-ear variety.
I have a pair of Sennheiser CX 400-II Precision http://www.sennheiser.com/sennheiser/home_en.nsf/root/private_headphones_mp3_classic-line_502743
After about 10 months of daily use (including many incidents of "fall asleep") The wire broke next to the jack, i fixed it with some soldering and heat shrink. They have been fine since. The bass is a bit light but otherwise the sound quality is great!
I also own a pair of Sennheiser HD 201 http://www.sennheiser.com/sennheiser/home_en.nsf/root/wired-headphones-hd201-stereo?Open&path=private_headphones_hifi_wired-headphones
Not quite as good as those earbuds, but amazing for their price! And while the cable is by no means thick, they seem quite durable. After a few years of accidentally stepping in the (rather long) cable and dropping them or similar now and then, they still function as new. My cousin has the same experience with that pair.
I have a pair of Sennheiser CX 400-II Precision http://www.sennheiser.com/sennheiser/home_en.nsf/root/private_headphones_mp3_classic-line_502743
After about 10 months of daily use (including many incidents of "fall asleep") The wire broke next to the jack, i fixed it with some soldering and heat shrink. They have been fine since. The bass is a bit light but otherwise the sound quality is great!
I also own a pair of Sennheiser HD 201 http://www.sennheiser.com/sennheiser/home_en.nsf/root/wired-headphones-hd201-stereo?Open&path=private_headphones_hifi_wired-headphones
Not quite as good as those earbuds, but amazing for their price! And while the cable is by no means thick, they seem quite durable. After a few years of accidentally stepping in the (rather long) cable and dropping them or similar now and then, they still function as new. My cousin has the same experience with that pair.
Re: Headphone wires that will not break.
I can tell you that the HD201s are pretty awesome. They have great sound quality (for me, where this $30 was the most I've spent on headphones). As far as durability I haven't had any problems despite them being stepped on several times and crushed by my chair at least weekly.
cjmcjmcjmcjm wrote:If it can't be done in an 80x24 terminal, it's not worth doing
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 4 guests