Is my mp3 player frying my headphones?

April 24, 2008 11:28 AM

Is my mp3 player frying my headphones? Is this even possible; if so, how?

I've been using a Cowon D2 with Shure se530 earbuds for over a month with no problems at all. Tuesday, after enjoying the player/earbuds for the first half of work, I shut the player off for lunch, but left it and the earbuds on my body as they were. (I wear an armband and make sure that nothing touches where the headphones go into the player's jack.) When I started the player up after lunch, there was no sound in the right earbud. This was not precipitated by any kind of warning at all and no amount of wriggling can coax out any kind of short anywhere. The right earbud won't work in other mp3 players either. Wednesday, I went to work with a different/brand new headphones (but same mp3 player) and after just a few hours, the right earbud started to fade in/out. It seemed to be most noticeable after the player has been off for a few minutes, but this could be coincidence. Is is possible for an mp3 player to fry headphones? What do you think is going on?

posted by keith0718 to technology (5 comments total)

Several models of iPods have been known to kill the headphones (right side).

I'd contact the manufacturer of your mp3 player.
posted by mphuie at 11:46 AM on April 24

Can you provide a citation mphuie? This would definitely explain two immediate headphone deaths (right side, of course) after using them with a 2nd gen iPod.
posted by clockwork at 12:47 PM on April 24

iPod classic 1.1 line out voltage bug reported
posted by robofunk at 1:05 PM on April 24

Thanks, robofunk.

I guess "death" is a little melodramatic. In my case both pairs of headphones ended up with a blown right speaker, or some similar sounding malady. Regardless, both pairs can't play bass frequencies at any volume without crackling the right speaker. My problems both predate the 1.1 firmware issue though and, furthermore, the symptoms don't totally match. Maybe I'm just lousy with headphones.
Sorry to hijack your question, keith!
posted by clockwork at 1:55 PM on April 24

I contacted the manufacturer and the rep just said to send in the unit. I asked if they've ever heard of this problem and he said, "Blah, blah, blah....send in the unit." But I need to find out if I get a new player...will it do the same thing...is it a design thing? "Blah, blah, blah...send in the unit." I posted the question on a forum dedicated to the Cowon D2, but no answer yet.
posted by keith0718 at 3:16 PM on April 24