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Loose / annoying headphone socket on laptop

Tonight Matthew

Hi there.

Whenever I listen to music on my laptop through headphones (i.e., most of the time, to avoid using the laptop speakers), I have a bit of a problem. The jack just won't sit in it 'snugly', so I can often only hear in one side. I know for sure that it's a problem with the 'socket' (dunno if that's the right word) on my laptop rather than the jack/anything else on my headphones, as I have this problem with both my headphones and my in-ear earphones, which in turn both work perfectly well with my iPod.

However, I can't actually see anything physically wrong with my headphone socket. I assumed it had somehow got worn away or something, so that it wasn't small enough for the jack to sit in it tightly, but this doesn't appear to be the case.

So, does anyone have any suggestions as to what the problem may actually be?

Thanks.

Reply 1

Tonight Matthew

Hi there.

Whenever I listen to music on my laptop through headphones (i.e., most of the time, to avoid using the laptop speakers), I have a bit of a problem. The jack just won't sit in it 'snugly', so I can often only hear in one side. I know for sure that it's a problem with the 'socket' (dunno if that's the right word) on my laptop rather than the jack/anything else on my headphones, as I have this problem with both my headphones and my in-ear earphones, which in turn both work perfectly well with my iPod.

However, I can't actually see anything physically wrong with my headphone socket. I assumed it had somehow got worn away or something, so that it wasn't small enough for the jack to sit in it tightly, but this doesn't appear to be the case.

So, does anyone have any suggestions as to what the problem may actually be?

Thanks.

i've had the same problem on my mp3 player. Its most likely that the metal bits in the jack, which the headphone plug touches, have been bent slightly out of shape. Its almost impossible to see, but it means that the plug doesn't touch the inside properly, and is slightly to one side. If you can get to it, it doesn't take much to set right, but it is tricky to do (from experience), and if its bent, it most likely will get bent again, so you might have to replace it (it isn't expensive though, in theory, though computer shops are likely to charge a large premium on anything like that)

Reply 2

Assuming theyre both 3.5mm minijack connectors, its likely that one time when you pushed it in you did it at a bit of an angle and it bent one of the contacts up.

Options are to live with it, try and bend the connector back or have a new motherboard fitted.

Reply 3

Tonight Matthew

OP

Thanks. If I spend some time 'jimmying' around with the jack, I can get it to be in the right place, but need to stay reasonably still to keep it there.. so living with it may not be an issue. Hmmm.. could someone tell me how I'd go about trying to bend it back into position? What sort of tool would be up for the job?

Reply 4

Paperclip or watch screwdriver should do it.

Depending on the style of connector, it may be eaisiser to do with access to both sides which means removing the casing from your laptop.

Reply 5

Tonight Matthew

OP

Alright, cheers. And one more question, if you know - how much, approximately, do you think I'd be looking at to get it sorted by a pro?

Reply 6

~£50 if they dont have to replace anything, ~£300 if they have to chanage the motherboard

Reply 7

Tonight Matthew

OP

Ouch. Looks like I'll have to stick to fiddling with the jack for a minute or two each time I plug the 'phones in. Thanks for your help.

Reply 8

or you could buy an external USB soundcard for about £35. It'd sound a lot better if you have resonable headphones too :smile:

:smile:

Reply 9

Tonight Matthew

OP

I have Sennheiser HD-25 headphones, Shure E2C in ears, so both reasonably decent.. thus quite tempted. If it's not too much of a hassle, could you point me in the direction of a good USB soundcard?

Reply 10

http://www.ebuyer.co.uk/customer/products/index.html?rb=17986040747&action=c2hvd19wcm9kdWN0X292ZXJ2aWV3&product_uid=78427

that'd do the job nicely.

Reply 11

Tonight Matthew

OP

Thanks for your help.

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