[Lwerewolf]

I'll try to keep it short:
 
The left speaker of my K172s is basically dead. Sound is way lower than the right one, and after some time it got even lower (I'm talking lower than any reasonable fix via signal levels). Opened up the headphones and checked all the cabling and impedance of the drivers, all checks out.
 
First - Will it be wise to get a single new speaker and burn it in separately for, say, a few days (week, two maybe)?
Second - The speaker in most of the range betweek K142 and 272 seems to be the same part - Capsule XXL 2606B00050. Is it really the same piece?
And last, if the answer to the first one is a no - Any ideas of good replacement phones?
 
A new speaker seems to cost between 30$ and 40$, bar delivery and tax (I'm in the EU), at least where I'm looking. Since I'm a student, if you know where I can get one at a better price, or how to somehow rejuvenate the speaker - please let me know
 
Some details, if needed...
Home setup - x-fi prelude w/ OPA2227
On the move - iPad 3, Xperia S (rarely), got a cMoyBB just in case
 
Thanks in advance!
 
P.S. @mods - sorry if this is the wrong place, I did search for a repair/self-help section.

 

[viralcow]

Yes, they use the same drivers. Are you confident with your soldering skills to really try fixing it by yourself? To be honest, the K172HD is my least favorite among the mid-tier AKG's (K142-K272) and I really do think if you're going to spend $50+ to try and fix it, not to mention risking further complications, it might be better to invest in an upgrade.

 

[Lwerewolf]

I've got a friend who's very good at soldering and repairing electronics in general, so soldering skills are not an issue. Futher complications shouldn't be present (we opened up the whole headset to be sure), except if the other driver fails as well, but it's looking good at the moment. Still looking for replacement pads, can't find any for the 172s... Any ideas whether the 142 ones will match?
 
Regarding the upgrade - I can barely spend 60$ at the moment on anything, so that will not be the case it seems. I've got a spare SHP1900 for the downtime
 
As for the K172HD - Is there a particular reason why it's your least favourite? I got it because it's closed and because I could not spare enough at the time for a 272. Since I commute a lot, it works quite well for me with its compact design and noise isolation. Would love a 270 series in the future, but that will have to wait.

 

[Lwerewolf]

So... Where should I order the new driver from?
 
The only two places where I found this for sale are:
1 - FullCompass (won't ship outside US by the looks of it) - http://www.fullcompass.com/product/356480.html
2 - SpectrumAudio - https://www.spectrumaudio.com/akg-2606b00050-1.html
 
I'm pretty new at purchasing headphone parts, so I don't have any ideas where to look (google aside) or what's reputable, so please advice.

 

[viralcow]

Quote:

So... Where should I order the new driver from?
 
The only two places where I found this for sale are:
1 - FullCompass (won't ship outside US by the looks of it) - http://www.fullcompass.com/product/356480.html
2 - SpectrumAudio - https://www.spectrumaudio.com/akg-2606b00050-1.html
 
I'm pretty new at purchasing headphone parts, so I don't have any ideas where to look (google aside) or what's reputable, so please advice.

 
I was hoping a more experienced member on the forum might help you out, as I have never replaced headphone drivers myself. Might want to ask on the DIY forums.

 

[Lwerewolf]

Closing update - check this post:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/655627/akg-k172-hd-repair-where-to-get-parts#post_9434033
Bottom line is -

 

[petedread]

Hi. Did you get them fixed? I've just bought the same drivers and I'm about to solder them in. It's going to be awkward. And I know nothing about soldering except what I watched on youtube last night.
 
AKG K271.
 
I'm scared.

 

[Lwerewolf]

Hello, Yes I did, but the new driver is just a bit louder than the old one (to be expected given the more than 5 years usage of the old one). If you have any friends that can solder them for you, better ask them to do that, and experiment with something else on your own. Otherwise, you just pop it in, solder the wires, and it works. I don't remember whether I checked for the polarity, but either ways, it should not be an issue in headphones. Alternatively, I suppose you could just expose the wires and hold them with tape to the metal contacts of the driver, until you get more experience with the soldering.