After serving for almost a year and half my stock tf10 cable started to sound only on right channel and sounds in and out on the left channel.tested thru a digital MM revealed a short.
Here is a posting of fixing a UE tf10 stock cable and some pictures taken during the post-mortem process of left channel cable at the earpiece end.Initially the 90 degree/L type 3.5mm jack was suspected but then thru some self brain-storming sessions
and autopsy, the left side memory wire was confirmed the real culprit(Metal Maniac). Please bear with the pictures,not sure why my SGP 5" pulled my legs.My apologies.
what next? well I just took a small sharp knife to slice the plastic jacket,ripped apart,from where memory wire starts (picture 1) until the entry of the plastic shell where the 2 pins are mounted.The plastic shell is glued strong,but can be seperated nicely using the knife after blowing some hot air over it.
After removing the plastic shell,the metal wire is seen just bare hooked(yes no glue just small L shape) onto a hole that is centered on the white plastic(picture @ bottom right). Now this is where the short happens between the 3,the +ve,the -ve and the metal wires.basically the metal wire bridges them, over a period of time...I mean wear and tear of the cable on the memory wire..
These 3 wires together are held by a small clamp(picture @ bottom right) just before the 2 pin plug assembly(white plastic). It was easy to slide out the clamp, needed to remove the metal wire completely.Now our craftsman has been re-assigned the job of checking the short, both between the 2 pins (no shorts) and individually (continuity test,that is -ve to ground(sleeve) and +ve to Tip - TRS) from 3.5mm jack to the ear piece pin ends and found to be good,now.
Fix: This is for those who want to retain the stock cables by spending max an hour and want to save some $$ and also to those who might wish to keep this as a backup after fixing.The Fix is so simple as many of you would guess!
Fix1 - Just glue one end of the metal wire to the 2 pin plastic assembly(white). Remember we are just using the same original metal wire here and bonding it instead of hooking it back to the hole.
Slide-in the 2 wires(+ve and -ve conductors) to a wire jacket* of length that we already cut stock cable apart.This is the jacket that blends with the stock cable.
Cut 2 small (say about an inch) heat shrink tubes one each for +ve and -ve conductor wires that acts as insulation between 2 conductors and slide in the +ve and -ve conductors on each tube.
Then solder the +ve and -ve wires together.(+ve and -ve from long end to corresponding +ve and -ve earpiece end)
Heat shrink both the tubes.
Connect to your source and check for the audio.
finally slide/adjust the wire jacket to cover the 2 joints that we worked on.
Fix2 - Remove the memory wire on the both channels (bad and good) by doing the post-mortem as explained in the begining of this post,thus having both sides no memory cables. Best for those who are better comfortable wearing straight down as there's no memory wires.
Fix3 - Do as Fix2 and use a pair of after market ear-hooks.
I haven't done the fixing part yet......but I'm planned for Fix1.
* wire jacket can be used from ur electrical wiring or from broken earphone's cable alike.
