[ARStewart]

Hello Head-Fi,
 
Today I started listening to my Sennheiser IE8s and I noticed that the right channel sounded much too quiet. After checking to make sure that they were properly inserted into my ears, I realized that the right channel seems to have lost almost all its volume, although there is still a small amount. The connection between the cable and the plastic housing right the headphone itself seems slightly crooked compared to the left headphone's connection (I will post a picture soon). My guess is that the connection was somehow damaged and that I need to replace the cable, although if anyone else has had this experience I would appreciate any suggestions.
 
In the event that I need to replace the cable, I am unsure as to which cable I should purchase. I was unable to find a stock Sennheiser replacement, but I will be visiting my local Senn dealer tomorrow to see if one can be ordered. I was also thinking about purchasing this cable:
 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Upgrade-Cable-SENNHEISER-IE8-Night-stalker-IE8-/110574283606?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19bebdab56
 
Has anyone ever had any similar issues with the right channel? And could anyone suggest other replacement cables? I would really appreciate it.
 
Thanks
Adam

 

[imackler]

Here is at least a link with the parts numbers: http://www.sennheiser.com/sennheiser/home_en.nsf/root/private_headphones_portable-ie-8
 
I can't find the part number in the Sennheiser store but here is a quote from their page: "If you can't find the product listed for which you need a part, please contact our parts department at 1-877-736-6434 ext. 1"

 

[Eric_C]

Is your IE8 still under warranty? Why not see if Sennheiser will replace the cable for free?

 

[ARStewart]

Hey there everyone,
 
I ordered a new cable from Sennheiser and they were very easy to deal with and offered great service. However, I am now worried that it might be an issue with the actual headphone rather than the cable. I switched the right and left headphone on the detachable cable and had the same issue, which leads me to believe that there is something wrong with the headphone itself. I found this thread and I wanted to know if anyone could offer further advice:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/546910/sennheiser-ie8-losing-sound-in-right-channel
 
Like this person, I can hear music coming from the back of the headphone but the front is completely muffled, almost silent. Could it just be an issue with the speaker grill? How would I go about checking (ie disassembling or cleaning). I am waiting to hear back from the user I bought them from to see if I can locate the warranty. In the mean time, any suggestions are appreciated.
 
Cheers,
Adam

 

[tcallen]

Hi there, I've just encountered a similar problem with my IE8's but instead mine is with the left earphone. The headphones are still in great condition and the cables are still firmly attached to their housing so I don't think it is an issue with that. 
 
After some playing around I realised that the volume would get louder and quieter without me touching anything but moving the wire around, which brings me back to thinking it might be a cable issue. 
 
At a bit of a loss at the moment, any help or advice is much appreciated

 

[B_Rich]

I just posted this thread yesterday with the same issue.  I'm going to contact Sennheiser directly and see what they can do for me.
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/763895/sennheiser-ie8-repair-pic-inside

 

[KoRni]

Hello guys,
This is my first post here and I start with grave digging, but with a reason - few posts from head-fi are top results in google when it comes to one IE8 channel (right / left - doesn't matter) being quieter and - after trying different things for more than a year - I think I finally found a solution.
Note that this solution will probably not help if you've totally lost sound in one / both channels.

The issue is with the connector - not the cable pins, but the sockets in the earpieces themselves. You need a very thin needle that can easily fit in these sockets and a bit of an alcohol. I strongly suggest IPA.
Just spray a bit of the alcohol on the needle, remove the excessive amount (should be just a tiny drop on the tip), then insert it into the socket and rub it back and forth against the socket walls few times. Repeat several times going around and pushing against different spots of the socket walls (yes, this is still about restoring the sound in IE8...). The needle insertion should be quite easy and for at least ~2 mm deep - if it's not, you need a thinner needle. Repeat for the other socket (and proactively for the other earpiece) and voilla - no more sound level difference.

I've tested this solution for half a year before posting, just to make sure it works, as previously tried solutions provided no fix or (accidentally, it seems) up to two weeks of solving the issue - then it returned. Posting it in these few top posts suggested by google - hopefully I won't get banned as a spammer, really doing this in a good faith.

Cheers!
KoRni