Personal & toysYou will see this often

Headphones

Also called headset, earbuds.

Two small drivers and a cable that failed at the plug. The drivers are usually fine. The cable is the wear item.

A donor is the dead machine. The parts below are what is still worth removing from it. “Leave it” is a part that is physically in there and should stay in there: too dangerous, too worn, or only useful as part of a repair you are not doing.

What you are looking at

A scrapped machine is a box of parts that failed at different times. The reason it was thrown out is often one bad piece. The motor, the cord, the supply, and the screws are frequently still good. This index says which is which.

Why it is in the trash while the parts are not

One side went quiet, which is a broken conductor at the plug or the earcup joint.

Before you open it

Do this while it is still unplugged, cool, and not leaking. Nothing to discharge.

Where the dead machine usually is

Junk drawer and cable box — In the house
Home office — In the house
Toy box — In the house

A drawer of them.

How it comes apart

Pads pull off. The driver is under a plastic ring.

Tools: Iron, Meter.

What to take

The table is the short version. The notes under it describe that part inside this machine, not only the general description.

Parts in this donor
Part	Call	How many	How often	Where to look
Speaker driver	Prize	2	always	The earcups.
3.5 mm audio jack	Worth pulling	1	usually	The plug.
Electret microphone	Worth pulling	1	sometimes	The boom.
Signal and hookup wire	Bonus	1	always	The cable.
Neodymium magnet	Bonus	2	always	In the drivers.
Lithium pouch cell	Bonus	1	sometimes	Wireless models.

Prize

Prize — take this firstSpeaker driver2 · always
Often 32 Ω, low power. The stamp is on the driver.
The earcups.
Desolder the cable.
Good if the cone is not crushed.

Worth pulling

Worth pulling3.5 mm audio jack1 · usually
TRS or TRRS. Map it, because headsets differ.
The plug.
Cut back to fresh wire.
The plug end is often the failure.
Worth pullingElectret microphone1 · sometimes
A capsule.
The boom.
Note polarity.
Good.

Bonus

Bonus, if you are already in thereSignal and hookup wire1 · always
Fine enameled strands. A repair nightmare, a decent short lead if it still beeps.
The cable.
Test each conductor.
One conductor open is the usual fault.
Bonus, if you are already in thereNeodymium magnet2 · always
Small, often neodymium on newer drivers.
In the drivers.
Behind the cone.
Good.
Bonus, if you are already in thereLithium pouch cell1 · sometimes
A tiny pouch.
Wireless models.
Only if it is not swollen.
Often tired.