Twice, I've experienced earphones go dodgy in the same peculiar way: one side attenuates in volume.
What might cause such a condition? If it's an intermittent solder joint, the sound would break, there would be a crackling noise. Instead, it simply goes soft.
The type that insert into the ear, not the pods.
Is that side plugged with earwax?
dirt or wax can reduce diaphragm movement. Wire deterioration is less likely but also possible. Less likely is diaphragm deterioration.
NT
Often the wires are made of something like litz wire. Sometimes it has a kevlar string with enamelled copper wires twisted around it. There are lots of very fine enamelled copper strands in parallel for each terminal of each little earphone. Usually the enamel of the wires for each terminal has a different colour, red green or clear or blue. When most of the strands have snapped or fatigued, the sound for that earphone gets quieter because the resistance is quite high with just a few strands left. When they all snap, no more sound. You can usually open up the connector with a knife and fix it (perhaps making the cable a bit shorter). Figuring out where the break is (so where to cut the cable) can be the hard part.
A capacitance tester can usually pin down a break very quickly
NT
That's the most plausible explanation I've heard.
Litz wire is fragile. Is there any rationale for its use in a consumer item, liable to take abuse? Is it simply a case of stupid design?
Both JLab Audio, which shall not again get my dinero -
I can't think of a much better design for the cable that would allow it to be as thin and flexible. All of the in-ear ones that I have opened use something similar, but it seems to be the thing that limits the useful life. Maybe they could have used much finer copper-plated tungsten strands (very strong) instead of copper, wrapped around the kevlar, but that would be expensive.
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I've heard it referred to as 'Tinsel wire' and it is used to keep idiots fr om strangling themselves when the go to sleep with the headphones on. It is fine copper strands wrapped around a heavy cotton or man made thread, then molded into a very thin jacket. It also reduces the weight of the headphon es, and discomfort from the cord's weight tugging at your ears. Early heads ets were heavy, and fatiguing.
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