One earphone is quieter than the other: causes and solutions

One earphone is quieter than the other - this problem is often encountered by music lovers who do not want to be content with little when listening to music. Due to a faulty headset, sometimes it is not possible to hear what the other person is saying. To understand why one earphone reproduces sounds quieter, and the other louder, a thorough diagnosis of the resulting breakdown will help to identify and eliminate the cause.

The first step to start looking for the causes of the headphone malfunction is to check the accessory itself. If it's not about external factors, the case is intact, there are no visible signs of damage, you need to carry out a full check of the headphones. There are several important points to check.

• Cleanliness of the case. A headphone that played louder at first and then gradually reduced the sound level can be corny with earwax, dust deposits and other dirt.
• Speaker. Cheap Chinese headphones are equipped with magnets that quickly lose their properties. If this happens, the accessory will not work properly.
• Settings. It is possible that the phone itself has such parameters that one earpiece simply cannot play loudly enough.
• Contacts. When closed, the sound will disappear. This is especially true for cheap wired models.
• The cord is defective. A break in a thin wire inside a cable is not such a rare breakdown.
• The headphones have been damaged by water. You don't have to drop them in coffee or tea. In the absence of full moisture protection, one hit in the rain is enough for breakage.
• Voltage mismatch. This happens when high-resistance accessories are used in combination with conventional mobile devices.
• Sound card. The radio amateur can check it independently. If you do not have the skills, you will have to contact the service center.

It is important to understand that not all headphones are repairable. Some of them are easier to replace with new ones than trying to fix it yourself. It is possible to cope with a malfunction inside the case only with certain diagnostic tools - a multimeter, a soldering iron and other necessary devices.

The most common reason for the disappearance or severe degradation of sound volume is inadequate care of the headphones. Human physiology is due to the fact that the production of sulfur by his ears is uneven. For example, the left ear always selects it more actively. If the volume in the earphone has deteriorated, you should first clean it from dirt. To complete the work, you will have to disassemble the case.

When dismantled, a special mesh will be found inside, serving as a mechanical filter in the path of various contaminants. With a large accumulation of debris and sulfur, its holes are clogged, the sound ceases to pass normally. A thorough removal of dirt and grease with cotton swabs, discs and a special liquid will help to eliminate the "plug". For cleaning you need:

• remove the mesh;
• remove visible dirt;
• treat the surface with an alcohol solution;
• dry the mesh;
• install it in place.

With wired headphones, the main sound problem is always associated with poor wiring or other connection elements. Weak contact of the plug with the phone jack is easily eliminated by rotating it in the jack. If this is not the case, the sound of the headphones may be different due to the broken contact.

The most obvious symptoms of such a breakdown:

• the disappearance of bass while maintaining mid and high frequencies;
• incorrect stereo operation.

In most cases, such problems are associated with a faulty ground wire. Among others, it is distinguished by the presence of a golden coating. If you carefully bend the wire where it connects to the plug, you can usually identify a break.

Occasionally, uneven volume distribution in wireless headphones is the result of a software bug or glitch. They are especially common on iOS. No amount of cleaning will help in this case.

For wired headphones, connection problems are usually solved by the following measures.

1. In case of incomplete contact of the plug with the socket, insert it as far as it will go. If the contact stabilizes, the sound will pass through the 2 headphones evenly.
2. With full contact, the sound is broadcast unevenly. It is necessary to remove and insert the plug several times. Turn it in the socket until the sound is restored to balance. This happens with new phones, in which the connection with the headphones is established for the first time.
3. Remove dirt or oxidation from the headphone input. It is not uncommon for debris to enter the connector. In addition, contacts can oxidize over time. To restore normal contact, careful cleaning of the entrance with a toothpick, brush will help. It is important not to try to fix the detected damage with a screwdriver or other metal tools.
4. Cleaning the contamination of the channel of the vacuum headphones. If the reason is the ingress of sulfur, the usual mechanical cleaning and degreasing of the tip will help. It is best to clean the attachments regularly as a preventive measure.
5. If the sound is uneven in the iPhone 7 and above, then these smartphones use the Lightning connector, which does not differ in stable contact. Cleaning the connector helps to eliminate the problem of missing sound. In addition, uneven sound reproduction can be a direct result of purchasing a low-quality product - the iPhone will not work normally with such accessories.

Sometimes problems with the volume of one of the headphones are the result of the user listening to music at maximum volume for too long. In this case, the sound volume is sometimes disturbed without any additional reason. It is imperative to give rest to the hearing organs, to do without headphones for a while. If the problem returns or gets worse over time, it is recommended that you visit your doctor for further testing.

In AirPods and other headphones of this type, the difficulty with the difference in sound between the left and right headphones is usually due to the fact that the balance is lost - a setting that can be adjusted in the phone menu.

For information on what to do if one earphone is quieter than the other, see the next video.