Fixing/Shortening Headphone Cable

theclam

I've got a nice pair of headphones with a major problem: they cord is way too long. It keeps on getting caught on things and dragging on the floor. Recently, the cord got snagged and pulled too tight. Sound no longer comes through the headphones properly. It sounds like half the frequencies have almost been muted, or like all the sound from one side (either the left or the right) is getting put to both speakers, while the sound from the other side is dropped. It basically sounds like I've only got it plugged in halfway, no matter what I do.

Anyway, I think it's something wrong with the plug on the end of the cable. I think something got ripped or disconnected or something, Basically, I'm wondering if there's a way to cut the cable by a couple feet, then stick a new plug on the end? I've cut and crimped network cable before, so I'm somewhat familiar with making cable, I've just never done it for audio cable.

For reference, these are my headphones:
http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-PC150-Cancelling-PC-Headset/dp/B0000DCRHA

AtomBomb

Headphone cable is quite different from other cables (my guess is that is because it needs to be so flexible and thin). In my experience, it's almost impossible to 'strip' the individual wires to get to something conductive. It's almost like each strand of the wire is coated in some kind of insulator. However, I haven't had to do this on anything as nice as a Sennheiser. Maybe they use different stuff. You might have more luck replacing the entire cable and soldering to the acutal headphones.

If you stretched the cord it's possible that you seperated it from the plug. Unfortunately, it's also possible that you a line somewhere else in the cable, or where they terminate in the headphones. You also might have seperated the line from the insulation which is now either crossing or shorting out.

Gihgehls

What sort of connector is on the end? I ask because I notice you have a headset and the description says that it has inline mute/volume control, so you might be dealing with more than just Left/Right/Ground. Lot's of Senn's have easily replaceable cords, but looking around their site it doesn't look like yours does All you need to do is pick up a new connector from radio shack or something. The connector you buy will screw apart exposing the leads. The leads will be a strip of metal with a hole in it, similar to the eye of a needle, but much larger. I can't remember if left goes on the tip or the ring, so you should look that up. The connector is a "1/8 inch TRS connector" for your ease of searching.

EggyToast

My experience with headphones makes me think the problem is where the cord attaches to the headphones, not the cable itself. Cables almost always go bad where they terminate since it's an obvious stress point. I have an older pair of senns that went bad where the cable connected to the headphones, and ordered a new one. Plugged it in and ta da.

As for taking it apart and shortening it, sure, it's just cable. Use some shrink tubing after you solder it shorter. You can also tie a monkey fist knot in a long cord to shorten it and add weight.