Ultimate Guide to Repairing Headphones with Microphone (Bose)

This video explains how to repair headphones with microphone + iPhone controls that have a loose connection. If you have lost sound in either of your ear buds, or the mic/iPhone controls do not work anymore, this video will explain how to repair the headphones so they are good as new! In particular, this video repairs a pair of Bose MIE2i headphones, but explains how to fix any pair of headphones that require a new TRRS headphone jack.
EDIT: The plastic TRRS connector I mention in this video has bigger contacts and is much easier to solder. You can verify the connections with this plastic connector using the method described with the multimeter.

[@myecho3559]

Ok, after several attempts to solder these tiny wires to the tiny points on the plug I gave up! But, what I did do, is to buy a double ended cable with the right plugs on them. I cut it in half, stripped the end and soldered them together! Muuuuuch easier and you get a little extra cord length:-)

[@dahonmendoza2375]

hi, where does the white wire inside the nose connect to on the metal plug? i know that the green (or blue) goes in the inside, the red goes in the outside, and the copper color goes in the bigger metal part as the ground. i bought the plug at radio shack. thanks. my plug only has 2 lines...but the wires inside my cable are red, blue, copper, and white. thanks.

[@defenderman1000]

Excellent tutorial. I found a couple of differences in my set-up. - The "green" or left headphone signal wires in my set were blue, not green. - The "red & green" ground wires around the white wire were only green. Other than that everything was the sameThanks for the very clear video.

[@amaroudis]

+Captain Excellent ok..great! Yeah, wires might be different but as long as you use a multimeter and trace the wires to their correct connections on the connector there shouldn't be a problem. Thanks for watching!

[@bouboubee]

Hi, I'm fixing a pair of bose soundsport/freestyle earbuds and have the same color wires as you describe, 2 red, 2 blue, 2 copper, 1 white and 1 green. I configured as follows : GND = 2 copper + 1 green, LEFT = 2 blue, RIGHT = red, white = mic. Is this how you did it ? Mine works 80%, I have some strange balance issue where the left earbud is louder/more base than the right, and when I move the L/R balance sliders they only work on one side : move slider left R earbud shuts off, but move slider right and both buds stays on. I thought one bud might be damaged but in mono they both sound identical. Thanks for any help.

[@flatik405]

Hey, I also own a pair of Bose Freestyle earbuds and I have to repair them but I don't have any white wire, I have 2 red, 2 blue, 2 copper, and 1 green. So I don't know what to do... I didn't cut any wires I've already checked by pulling the plastic a bit further but still no white wire... What can I do plz?

[@cuongviettranFL]

Thank you for your time and instruction. You have a great day sir .

[@sandutcaciuc1663]

Excellent job!

[@BrushCountryAg06]

Excellent video.

[@kelvynator1981]

Thanks for the guide.

[@Alex48Park]

Thanks totally worked for me !

[@amaroudis]

Glad to hear it!!!

[@DaniDragon97]

Thank you, i'll try myself for my bose earphones

[@camilloalberico9267]

i'm not able to traslate. could you pls tell me the colors and the position?

[@johnangulo6989]

Hi, after the plug was replace I have audio in both sides and the mic is working fine too, but the buttons to control volume and to take calls does not work at all, do you have an idea what could be missing? I have model MIE2i Thanks

[@amaroudis]

+John Angulo Ok. I ran into this problem also and it was the ground connections. There is no special wire to make these work, but it is how the circuit is designed that allows the control buttons to work. Make sure your ground connections are solid. Also, if you have a multimeter, make sure you have a connection between the ground wires and the contact on the TRRS plug. Let me know if you have any questions about this.

[@michaelpoehler9010]

I wish Bose would use more robust wires on $300 Head phones... one nice addition would be to have a diagram or instead of saying solder to the mic I would prefer solder to the 3rd pin.... great video! Thanks for the work you put into it!

[@amaroudis]

Michael Poehler they are like apple with their screens. Lol. Want you to buy new ones. Yeah I should have made a diagram on a white board but at the time I didn't have much editing power. But I think people will understand which wires go where and how to find the correct connections if it is not obvious. Let me know if you have any issues! This connector in video is actually hard to work with. The plastic housing connector had much bigger soldering points.

[@The007Mohab]

I strugled to find a TRRS for my Galaxy S4 headphones so I ended up with a TRS and Im willing to sacrifice the mic. Is it OK if I just ignore the mic and solder it just to be a headphone with no mic?

[@amaroudis]

+Mohab Nabil Ok. You should be able to find TRRS connectors online, but I am not familar with the Galaxy S4 headphones. But yes, you can ignore the mic connector if you don't use the TRRS. Make sure to check your connections....the video above was for Bose headphones using Apple's way of connections. Samsung phones might be different in ground/mic connectors. You can google it or use a multimeter to trace it.

[@UCkFvZiCmKQ34UOsW8pJ4TDg]

Is there any way to fix the cutting our from the point where the wire separates into two channels?

[@amaroudis]

So you are asking if there is a way for fix the headphones if you have damage after the point where they split into right and left channels? That case you would need to essentially splice the cables and solder the wires. If I were doing that, I would expose the wires, and then find something to solder each wire to. The wires are so small and delicate, it would be hard to solder them directly to one another. If you cut too much off, you will also have one wire that is shorter than the other. I would find some sort of metal connector that you could solder each side of the wire too ( something that will add strength so it doesn't come apart easily). Then I would add some heat shrink over the connection. Does this help with your question? Let me know if I am off the mark or missed what you were asking. In the case of my headphones, my issue was with one of the audio channels...but the problem was at the connector. And this is a common problem. I figured this out, because I could move the TRRS connector that plugged into my MP3 player and the sound would come back if at the right angle.

[@Gajendraverma115]

Hello I have bose ie2 but I have only 3 wires(copper green and red) only. How to fix it?

[@amaroudis]

Gajendra Verma so you have stereo only headphones , correct ? You don’t have the volume controls ? If that is the case , yours would be much simpler. You just need the stereo connector and then solder the red , green, and copper wires.

[@chasecomptondesign]

My white wire is covered by a dark green wire only. Is this still ground?

[@rongordon8398]

My plug broke in half so I can't use a multi-meter to determine the pin out. Can you confirm Red-right, Green-left, copper-Ground and white with red/green the mic. Thanks

[@amaroudis]

Which model headphones do you have ? Or brand ?

[@mkcharland]

Thanks for the guide. I've searched nearly everywhere and can't find solderless/screw TRRS jacks. Do you know if they're available and/or they'd work for this application? Thanks in advance.

[@amaroudis]

+mkcharland The four contact connectors are hard to find solderless. I know for sure you can get stereo solderless jacks, but of course that means you would only get right and left channels and lose the phone controls. You can find very cheap soldering irons online/ebay and if you get the plastic TRRS connector, it is actually very easy to solder. If you have never soldered before, maybe watch a quick how to video on it.

[@mkcharland]

+amaroudis Thanks so much! What diameter and type of solder are you using? Thanks again.

[@amaroudis]

mkcharland The solder I use is 0.032" diameter and is 60/40 rosin core. But really, any electronics solder will work. the 0.032" worked fine for this headphones. Just make sure after you are done soldering to wash your hands thoroughly, especially before you eat or drink anything. And after you have finished your soldering, "tin" the tip to prevent oxidation ( this means just add a "blob" of solder to the tip and makes sure it stays on the tip before you turn the soldering iron off)

[@broyjam16]

How much do you charge to fix the Bose headphones? My music works, and I can hear people when I answer the phone l, but they can't hear me.

[@amaroudis]

Well it seems your mic has some issues. Now , whether it is the actual mic itself, or the mic wire, you can try to play around with it and see. I suggest calling someone and try talking through the headphones, and move the cable where it meets the actual plug on your phone See if the person on the phone can hear you at all when you do it. (If they can hear you, or it goes in and out, it is probably an easy fix). The reason you can hear them is that audio is just coming through the left and right channel just like music. So see if you can narrow down where the problem is. Let me know if you have any more questions. Also, you can email Bose and see if you still have the warranty. If not, then they will usually offer to sell you a new pair of headphones for half price (when you send the defective headphones back to them)

[@kelvynator1981]

Hi, I'm having problem to fix a bose sound sports. There's a way you could make a diagram of wiring to connect to the jack, please?

[@amaroudis]

I don't have those, but if you can't find a diagram online, you can use the techniques I showed in the video if you have/can borrow a multimeter.

[@kelvynator1981]

@@amaroudisReally thanks for your answer. I have a multimeter as you and I follow your guide but after soldering both blue, both red, both copper and the ground in their corresponding contacts, the mic doesn't work. I assumed I have do something bad and I don't know what to to do next. I appreciate your advice. Really thanks.-

[@amaroudis]

@@kelvynator1981 So everything is working except for the mic? The should be a separate wire for the mic, so make sure that is connected properly.

[@broyjam16]

Also thanks for the response

[@andylee3153]

I have Bose Quietcomfort 20i and the left earphone has a loose connection, which only affects it when set to noise cancelling (Noisy crackles, etc unless I get it in exactly the right position and stay still). Do you have any idea how I could fix that? I can't find anything about it searching Google. Thanks

[@amaroudis]

Yeah, I would assume you do have a loose connection in your headphones. That is exactly what mine did and I see that a lot. You have two options. 1) Fix it yourself 2) You can call Bose and you can send your headphones back and get a new pair for around half price (even if your warranty is expired). If you fix it yourself, you would need to investigate where the loose connection is on the cables.

[@andylee3153]

I don't think I'd get far trying to fix it myself without instructions. They have a repairs section on the UK website but maybe it doesn't apply to headphones. I'll call them. Thanks!

[@amaroudis]

Andy Lee OK!! My video should explain most everything you need. They won't be much different. Of course you do need some tools like a soldering iron, wire strippers, etc. I would contact Bose about a replacement if you don't mind spending a few extra bucks.

[@andylee3153]

thanks

[@nimamessry]

hi can you help me to fixing mine earphone?

[@SHADOW-bg4mm]

Cool, i connected my XLR Mic Cable to 3.5mm trrs jack

[@YellawayHD]

What's the tool you used to check which cable corresponded to which pin?

[@amaroudis]

Just a digital multimeter/volt meter. I have it set to the function that makes a sound if there is a "short".

[@YellawayHD]

I have a load of primary school level electronic stuff lying around at home, would i be able to check which pin corresponds to whatever part of the plug by making a small circuit with an AAA battery, a tiny lightbulb and other wires and stuff? Or would that destroy the plug?

[@myecho3559]

amaroudis, Thanks so much for this! I bent the tip on not one, but 2 QC 20i's! Both while getting up from my seat on an airline. It kind of sucks that Bose will not fix them. But thanks to you I can do it...I think. I am just concerned about the soldering part since the wires and connections are so small. I wish you had done a how to on soldering these wires. Maybe you still can? :-) Thanks again. Well done and clear instructions.

[@amaroudis]

My Echo get the plastic tip connector. It is way easier to solder. It's not hard. You will want to add solder to the connector first , and then connect the wire. So put soldering iron on connector, then add solder to it. Then, reheat the solder on there until it is molten and connect the wire. Remove the soldering iron and hold on place until it cools.

[@myecho3559]

amaroudis thanks so much for the encouragement and the tips! Just ordered a 40watt Weller soldering iron and a pinpoint tip :) I will try this in the next two weeks and report back.

[@amaroudis]

My Echo ok cool. If I can , I will post a video on how to solder it. But you can also find many videos on soldering in general. Buying a soldering iron and knowing how to use it is good investment though. They are relatively inexpensive and you will find other uses for it down the road.

[@myecho3559]

Bummer, I have tried all 4 connectors and the plastic insulator around the middle post that should hold the green wires melts every time I try to get solder on it :/ And when it melts it touches the metal where the red wire should go. Not sure what I am doing wrong.

[@myecho3559]

Also, it seems that the solder will not take when I hold it onto the wire itself.

[@edwardgranados3989]

Is there any way to fix them if one of them got cut off and the white wire was cut? It's really close to the headphone, btw it's the right one

[@amaroudis]

So the cable is cut after it has seperated to go to the left and right headphone channels? Or was it cut before it "splits" ?

[@jefblablabla6454]

Does anyone know where i can find that jackplug?

[@amaroudis]

I got mine from showmecables.com

[@broyjam16]

I've actually been through three pair of Bose sei2 headphones, where the mic always goes out after a few weeks. I'm sure they know they have a defect in this model but won't admit it. I thought you may have a more permanent fix??

[@amaroudis]

So are you getting free replacements, because surely they should be covered under warranty especially only after a few weeks. The sei2 are supposed to be more durable , but apparently they aren't. Sounds like there is an issue with the mic maybe?

[@broyjam16]

+amaroudis yes they were free replacements. But, I thought your solution might be more durable.

[@amaroudis]

broyjam16 ok. With my fix, usually it happens after a long period of time where the wires become loose near the connector. In your case, the time period probably too short for the wires to malfunction. So might be an issue with the mic itself. Not sure...maybe next time you swap out get a different model of headphones

[@amaroudis]

I was reading through the comments again..and yes, there is a way to make this fix MUCH more robust. It would involved using the plastic connector, and then what I would do is use heat shrink tubing over the wires and contacts. That would help a lot I believe. So many people have issues with the Bose headphones. You are correct, for $300 they should last much longer. You would think they could find a way to make it VERY hard for headphones issues do to a bad connection. But then they wouldn't get as much money for replacements.

[@amaroudis]

FYI. The plastic TRRS connector I reference in this video is MUCH easier to solder due to bigger connectors.

[@Staroy]

+amaroudis Hi are you still around? I could need some advice on reparing a pair of bose quietcomfort 20 :)

[@amaroudis]

+FEAFi yes, I am around :)

[@amaroudis]

RealityCheck31415 Thank you!! You should be ok. You will have to take off some length to fix it, but just try to make it as minimal as possible.

[@amaroudis]

RealityCheck31415 Ok...the trickiest part is just seperating all the wires and getting the actual conductors exposed. I might add a video on how to actually solder them to the connector, but it is fairly easy. If you don't care about phone functionality and just want the stereo audio, then you can do this easier...and they make connectors that do not require soldering.

[@bluexu5329]

Hi, my bose volume control doesn't work after i have the headphones jack replaced, can anybody help? Thanks in advance!

[@amaroudis]

Blue Xu does the middle button work that allows you to answer calls, etc? Sounds like the connections are not good. Make sure you soldering connections are good. You can test it with a multimeter.

[@bluexu5329]

amaroudis hi, the middle button isn't work as well... how do i check with multimeter? Thanks again

[@amaroudis]

Ok. that is where the problem is. Bad connections on the ground and/or mic wires. You could us the DMM to test for a "short" ( where it beeps if there is a connection) from the jacks to the solder points/wires.

[@bluexu5329]

amaroudis i will try that. Many thanks, most appreciate it!

[@bluexu5329]

amaroudis hi, i checked and everything seems to be ok. Is it possible if i mix between mix and ground? The cable colors are red, blue, green and cooper

[@AlexMatos8]

Hey Amaroudis, I have a pair of Bose SIE2i Sport Headphones - Blue and I purchased the 3.5mm TRRS Male Soldier Connector - Plastic from Show Me Cables. The TRRS that I have is different than the one you have here on this video. (Part# 944) I'm clear as to where to soldier the copper wire, but not sure where to soldier the other three. I have a Red wire, a Blue wire, and a White wire that's shielded by some green hairy material. I've already cut off the other yellowish hairy material. If I'm holding the end that goes into my iPhone and looking down the shaft, first I see where I would soldier the copper wire, then there are (3) three prongs where I guess I would need to soldier the other three colored wires. One on the left, One on the right, and one at the top. (I'm trying to really write a clear picture for you) Which color wire goes to each of these three prongs? Your help is GREATLY appreciated! Thank you

[@amaroudis]

Looking at mine, if I have the jack side pointed at me 12 o clock is red wires, 3 o clock is green, 9 o clock is ground, and the sleeve is the mic(the red and green wires inside the center white wire). The 9 o'clock grounds are the copper wires and red and green wires that surround the white wire. When I mention clock positions, I mean the contact lead at that position that you solder to. Since they are similar Bose headphones the wires should be similar. And since you are using them with iphone the connections should work. You have to be pretty delicate with all the wires and make sure when you cut the wire that it is clean and you can easily identify and separate the wires. Let me know if you have any questions about this or anything else. This connector is MUCH easier to solder also.

[@01MAFIAkiller]

I FUCKING LOVE YOU!

[@amaroudis]

Thanks!! Were you able to fix your headphones?

[@allendurana9683]

how about fixing normal headphone's mic? my callmate cant here me when im speaking using the headphone's mic. its just new and kind of dissapointed on it. pls help..

[@amaroudis]

If the headphones are new, then I would call the manufacturer to get a replacement.

[@allendurana9683]

+amaroudis what if they didnt replace it? what can i do to make the mic work?

[@amaroudis]

+allen Durana you could try this procedure. Wiring could be loose. Do the buttons work on the mic housing ? Can u answer calls and change the volume with the button ? Also first thing u want to do is reboot your phone too or try headphones in another device to make sure it is the headphones that are not working.

[@allendurana9683]

+amaroudis nah.. its really not working even in other phones. my mistake is i didnt test it . i'd test but only the speakers not the mic. brrr. hope u can help me pls.. i spenf money in it do kinda dissapointed . :

[@allendurana9683]

+allen Durana correction : spent* and so* sorry..

[@stevenz2998]

Is it the wire the same for headset? I saw some other guy using a different plug and spliting the cables differently, does it make any difference? Here is the link kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y5DFdZWiecqqmtk Please help

[@amaroudis]

My video is a lot more detailed...but he does the same thing. His plug is from a different manufacturer. If you are not sure what to solder the wires to on the plug, then you can always use the multimeter (or find a spec sheet on the connector) to find where to solder the wires to on the TRRS connector. One reason I like to cut off a little more past the bad connector on the original headphones is I can verify the function of each wire, though most of the time the colors/functionality will be the same for different manufactures of headphones. Hope this helped. Let me know if you have any other questions.

[@stevenz2998]

Thanks, this helped a lot. My headset plug broke recently and since they are expensive and I don't have a soldering iron I will ask an expert to do it. But I want to ask you, what is this plug called and where can I buy it?

[@amaroudis]

Steven Z If these headphones have phone functionality, you need a 4 conductor TRRS plug. If not, then you just need the stereo one (which is called TRS...right channel, left channel and ground) I got mine from showmecables.com. This is it, if you have the 1/8 inch plug /3.5mm and need phone capabilities. If you only need stereo, then just get the TRS one. If you are in Europe, then maybe just look for a place that sells this connector there...this site is based in US www.showmecables.com/product/3-5mm-Stereo-Plug-Connector-Plastic.aspx This plastic one if MUCH easier to solder to than the metal one I had in the video!

[@stevenz2998]

amaroudis Okay but what do you mean phone functionality? I will find the plug somewhere, I just need to know how it is called.

[@amaroudis]

Steven Z Some headphones have a mic built in and controls for the phone (so you can end calls, receive calls, volume, skip songs, etc). If that is the case you will need a TRRS 4 conductor. If all you are doing with the headphones is listening to music, then you just need a TRS stereo plug/connector. And most headpones come in 1/4 inch or 1/8 inch. Most headphones are sold with 1/8 inch (or 3.5mm)...and if you need to connect it to a 1/4 inch socket, you can just get an adapter.

[@broyjam16]

Tried that...

[@malooksingh359]

mA

[@michaeljohnson7614]

You should not title your video "Ultimate guide" to anything when you only deal with a single issue. If I had that issue would might have helped, but ended up being a waste of time.

[@amaroudis]

+Michael Johnson Well, this is really the only repair you can do on these headphones. The description says this is a fix for a loose/bad connection. What exactly is your issue on your headphones? It is possible that your speaker is faulty, and there really is no good way to fix this without cannibalizing another pair. If you are missing sound in one channel, most of the time this is caused by a loose connection on the TRRS connector. Even if this did not fix your issue (assuming it was repaired correctly), it is always worth a shot to see if it will work.

[@malooksingh359]

mA