[kwazar84]

Hello,

I'm looking for confirmation if things which I'm observing are possible or maybe I'm losing my mind.

It looks like my phone is ruining headphones. I was listening to music through my Xiaomi phone and TinHiFi T2 Plus IEMs. Suddenly right channel lost some volume (I did test it with different sources and in mono). IEMs were sent to be repaired and I switched to AKG K26P in the meantime. After few days AKG headphones also lost some right channel volume. TinHiFi T2 Plus were sent back to me and there were no repairs done - they were balanced according to the service (I notice that they still lack 5% volume on the right side).

Below I'm posting some questions and observations, I would appreciate if you could confirm if they are possible or is my mind playing tricks on me. Before you ask - I used many sources, mono signal, different cables and changed sides to check my ears. I also stopped using that phone. I have one more pair of headphones and balance is perfect - I have never connected them to the cursed phone.

• Is it possible that my phone is causing headphones to lose balance (not listening loud, not hearing any strange noises)? Couldn’t find any similar stories online.
• I noticed that if I stop using affected headphones for a few days balance seems to come back to some degree. TinHiFi T2 Plus initially lost 30% volume on the right side but now they only lack about 5%, similar story with AKG. How is it possible that volume comes back?
• If I let AKG play for some time using DAC (not phone or mp3 player) they seem to get their balance correct again. When I connect them to mp3 player they lose 5% on the right side again. Is there any type of damage that has this kind of symptoms?
• Is there anything I can do except getting new headphones? Losing AKG K26P is a real pain for me.

Thank you!

 

[Roseval]

How is it possible that volume comes back?

Impossible. A headphone is just a tiny speaker connected with 2 wires to a plug. Nothing to cure or to restore.

Most likely the headphone socket of the Xiaomi is dirty or damaged but it sounds like a bad contact most of all.

 

[castleofargh]

Same opinion as above.
Imbalance can be baked in the headphone/IEM. No stereo system has perfect balance at all frequencies, and depending on the magnitude of difference and the frequencies concerned, you may notice it while listening to music.
It can come from bad contacts, like the plug being quite dirty or oxidized, or just not plugged in fully(on cellphones, usually there are a few other rings in the plug for possible microphones and remotes, so it's easier for problems to occur). It could also be a dying cable, maybe literally hanging by a thread on one channel, making the impedance higher and the output voltage(volume level) lower. But I don't see this getting that bad it's noticeable and then going back to normal.
It can be something about the volume control, but on cellphones it's almost always going to be digital control, which tends to be well balanced(unlike many analog solutions).
It could be about you, earwax in the nozzle(or in your ear), the way you place the IEM/headphone on your head changing slightly and you noticing now because you're extremely focused on that balance issue. It could be nothing and your overly focused search for imbalance having your brain playing tricks on you.

There must be some more possibilities, but if your testing with other gears and mono was correct, I think we can exclude just about all of those I managed to consider, including some of what I just wrote above.