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I think it’s maybe close to a wash between non-replaceable batteries in wireless headphones dying and cords failing, in my experience at least. The ideal case I

by macNchz 7mo ago

I think it’s maybe close to a wash between non-replaceable batteries in wireless headphones dying and cords failing, in my experience at least. The ideal case IMO is over-ear headphones that have a replaceable cord—I have some 14 year old Bose QCs and some newer Beyerdynamics, both of which I’ve replaced the cord on.

RevEng 7mo ago
The difference is I can easily fix a broken cable.
kalleboo 7mo ago
I bought a pair of Philips headphones with a replaceable cord. Instead the jack became loose. I’ve been using Bluetooth wireless headphones exclusively when I’m portable since 2006 (Sony Ericsson HBH-DS970 represent), with only wired use at a desk and I’ve never looked back.
LinXitoW 7mo ago
Have batteries actually ever FAILED in wireless headphones? Sure, they degrade and charge becomes lower, but I've never had them outright fail. A headphone that lasts my 2-3 hours of commute/daily use is completely useable, even if it's original charge lasted 5 hours. Cables do fail though, completely. They become unusable. In my entire life time of using headphones/earbuds since school with the PSP, ALL wired options have failed after 1-2 years for purely mechanical cable reasons. Not a single wireless failed for electronic reasons. The did fail for me dropping them and stepping on them reasons, though.
- mtlmtlmtlmtl 7mo ago
  My sennheiser earbuds are now down to 15 minutes of battery life. Less if it's a cold day. Sure, they're not completely dead yet, but they're effectively useless. And it's not like I can easily replace the batteries. Most wired earbuds or headphones at a similar price point have replaceable cables.
  - vladvasiliu 7mo ago
    Shure sells wireless earbuds where the BT / battery sits outside the earbud itself and can be user-replaced. You can even attach them to good ol' 3.5 mm cables! And, since the connector on the earbud is standard, you can actually attach either other-brand earbuds or other-brand BT adapters. Other brands probably have something similar. I have a pair or Shure IEMs I bought as wired over a decade ago. I've converted them to a lighting cable when I bought my iphone 7, then switched to BT when that cable failed. Sure, the IEMs are bigger than airpods or similar models, but I find it's a good compromise. I wouldn't go back to wired headphones while at work, and certainly not while on the go.
- analog31 7mo ago
  My daughter had to replace the LiPo battery in her headphones twice after they would not charge at all.
- monkey26 7mo ago
  A couple months ago, the battery in my Sony wh1000xm3’s failed to hold any charge at all. Was an easy replacement tho and they’re as good as new.
  - vladvasiliu 7mo ago
    I also have that model, and even though the battery still seems to last for ages, I was wondering if it was replaceable. Does Sony sell a replacement, or do you have to go through a 3rd party? Is everything held in place with screws, or do you need to mess around with glue and whatnot?
- 2000UltraDeluxe 7mo ago
  Batteries fail completely too, on occasion especially with cheaper brands or 5+ year-old headphones.
dangus 7mo ago
Of course you can get the Fairbuds which have replaceable batteries. Hopefully more Bluetooth headphone companies follow suit. Maybe we can even get a standardized battery.
eptcyka 7mo ago
All my corded headphones lasted at most 2 years of mobile use. My QC35s are still going strong. Wired sucks for mobile use. And if the cord doesn’t go, the 3.5mm socket does. I replaced multiple sockets on my iPod and iPhone 3g. That replacement process sucks.
- fluoridation 7mo ago
  What are you doing that destroys cables and jacks like that? I use wired earbuds while riding my bike and I've never broken a jack, and the one time I broke the cable was because I made a mistake and dropped them while riding, which got them tangled up in the spokes.
  - eptcyka 7mo ago
    Putting phone in pocket and sitting down, passing through doors with handles on them, putting cable in bag, removing cable from bag, normal use?
- wolvoleo 7mo ago
  My corded QC25 is still as new. No battery to die (it's simply AAA), the cord and ear pads are replaceable.

by macNchz 7mo ago

RevEng 7mo ago

The difference is I can easily fix a broken cable.

kalleboo 7mo ago

I bought a pair of Philips headphones with a replaceable cord. Instead the jack became loose. I’ve been using Bluetooth wireless headphones exclusively when I’m portable since 2006 (Sony Ericsson HBH-DS970 represent), with only wired use at a desk and I’ve never looked back.

LinXitoW 7mo ago

Have batteries actually ever FAILED in wireless headphones? Sure, they degrade and charge becomes lower, but I've never had them outright fail. A headphone that lasts my 2-3 hours of commute/daily use is completely useable, even if it's original charge lasted 5 hours. Cables do fail though, completely. They become unusable. In my entire life time of using headphones/earbuds since school with the PSP, ALL wired options have failed after 1-2 years for purely mechanical cable reasons. Not a single wireless failed for electronic reasons. The did fail for me dropping them and stepping on them reasons, though.

mtlmtlmtlmtl 7mo ago
My sennheiser earbuds are now down to 15 minutes of battery life. Less if it's a cold day. Sure, they're not completely dead yet, but they're effectively useless. And it's not like I can easily replace the batteries. Most wired earbuds or headphones at a similar price point have replaceable cables.
- vladvasiliu 7mo ago
  Shure sells wireless earbuds where the BT / battery sits outside the earbud itself and can be user-replaced. You can even attach them to good ol' 3.5 mm cables! And, since the connector on the earbud is standard, you can actually attach either other-brand earbuds or other-brand BT adapters. Other brands probably have something similar. I have a pair or Shure IEMs I bought as wired over a decade ago. I've converted them to a lighting cable when I bought my iphone 7, then switched to BT when that cable failed. Sure, the IEMs are bigger than airpods or similar models, but I find it's a good compromise. I wouldn't go back to wired headphones while at work, and certainly not while on the go.
analog31 7mo ago
My daughter had to replace the LiPo battery in her headphones twice after they would not charge at all.
monkey26 7mo ago
A couple months ago, the battery in my Sony wh1000xm3’s failed to hold any charge at all. Was an easy replacement tho and they’re as good as new.
- vladvasiliu 7mo ago
  I also have that model, and even though the battery still seems to last for ages, I was wondering if it was replaceable. Does Sony sell a replacement, or do you have to go through a 3rd party? Is everything held in place with screws, or do you need to mess around with glue and whatnot?
2000UltraDeluxe 7mo ago
Batteries fail completely too, on occasion especially with cheaper brands or 5+ year-old headphones.

dangus 7mo ago

Of course you can get the Fairbuds which have replaceable batteries. Hopefully more Bluetooth headphone companies follow suit. Maybe we can even get a standardized battery.

eptcyka 7mo ago

All my corded headphones lasted at most 2 years of mobile use. My QC35s are still going strong. Wired sucks for mobile use. And if the cord doesn’t go, the 3.5mm socket does. I replaced multiple sockets on my iPod and iPhone 3g. That replacement process sucks.

fluoridation 7mo ago
What are you doing that destroys cables and jacks like that? I use wired earbuds while riding my bike and I've never broken a jack, and the one time I broke the cable was because I made a mistake and dropped them while riding, which got them tangled up in the spokes.
- eptcyka 7mo ago
  Putting phone in pocket and sitting down, passing through doors with handles on them, putting cable in bag, removing cable from bag, normal use?
wolvoleo 7mo ago
My corded QC25 is still as new. No battery to die (it's simply AAA), the cord and ear pads are replaceable.