Attached cable becomes faulty, no warranty, what do you do?
Mar 15, 2011 at 7:40 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 12

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Any headfi-ers know of someone who can do cable replacements at a reasonable cost? 
 
I've had my Sony MDR-7509 cans for ages and love the way they sound. Years of everyday use means the cable is wearing and now occasionally cuts out sound on the right side. I've no warranty after this long, and Sony have quoted me $200 for repair (they only cost a little more than that brand new!) My wife said throw them out, but that seems a waste just down to a faulty cable.
 
Mar 15, 2011 at 7:54 PM Post #2 of 12
You can replace the cable - if its on the plug end, its as simple as chopping it off. removing the insulation on the wire, if any, and soldering on a new pair. If its on the headphone end, its a little more involved. It would be about 10 minutes work if you can solder, at most.
 
Mar 15, 2011 at 8:29 PM Post #4 of 12
well, last time i repaired one cost me 2 dollars or so in parts. *even* if you did a full recable with good (not uberfancy) cable and plug, it'd cost nowhere near $200 - even if you got someone else to do it. - i think you can do it for under 10 dollars worth of cable, and a jack of your choice.
 
Mar 15, 2011 at 9:56 PM Post #8 of 12
If ever I heard justification for getting a new set-o-cans....this is it!! 
atsmile.gif

 
Mar 15, 2011 at 10:52 PM Post #10 of 12
Well, from what i've seen that's usually the case with stock cables- ground is always 'natural' copper coloured (but still with that annoying insulating coating) and there's always two, right up to the jack (which is what makes 'balanced' termination possible) , and right is red - this has been true of creatives, sennheiser, apple buds, and 2 pairs of incredibly dodgy earbuds i got with cheap mp3 players i use when i need something i don't mind exploding. I've seen green and blue left channels, but i prefer to remember them as bLue for Left and gReen for Right
 
. Empirically, it seems true in most cases. If its different, well, you'll have to check - i'd burn off the insulation, solder the ground wire, tin the signal wire for one channel, and just have it touch one of the pins of the plug.
 
Mar 16, 2011 at 2:22 AM Post #11 of 12
I also love the MDR-7509HD. Do not get rid of them and forget Sony's repair.

It sounds like you lost a solder joint on the plug. No worries. There are lots of aftermarket plugs you can have for a few bucks. Clip off the stock plug and solder a new one on. Nothing difficult and you can DIY it. The biggest stumbling block is the enamel on the wires. It makes it difficult to solder, but nail polish remover will take it off.

If you need help, ask in the DIY Forum. This is an easy repair that should not cost more than $10-$15. Keep these headphones - they're very good and you should get many more years of use from them.
 
Mar 16, 2011 at 5:18 AM Post #12 of 12
nailpolish remover? dang... i should give that a shot if i can find any of the old cable i had lying around for experiments. I'm a fan of microtorches for that, personally, but that's also my inner pyro talking :wink:
 

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