SOLVED! Has anyone else had headphone jack problems?

I seem to have perpetual headphone jack problems with my Clip.  Basically the connection between the headphones and the device starts to deteriorate, causing a “snap, crackle, pop” followed eventually by a loss of either left or right speaker, depending on how the cord is hanging.  This actually first happened on my e230, but I dismissed that because the headphone jack got wrenched in the player while I was on a flight.  But my first Clip had no such event, and it just seemed to lose it’s connection.

I had my original Clip replaced, and the new one’s only around two months old, and already I’m starting to get the telltale “snap, crackle, pop” as I walk to work.  It seems to get slightly worse each day until it makes it impossible to enjoy the music because I’m constantly fiddling with the jack, trying to get the cord to hang in such a way that its weight pulls on the jack at just the right angle to get a good connection.

After I bought my first clip, someone here at the office liked it and bought one for himself.  I spoke to him last week and he has had no such problems.  What on earth am I doing wrong?

btw, I’m using Sony MDR-V150 headphones, not that it should make any difference.

Message Edited by cydewaze on 03-07-2008 10:45 AM

At the risk of asking the obvious:

Have you tried other headphones?

Also, how long has your co-worker been using his Clip?

Message Edited by PromisedPlanet on 02-14-2008 09:57 AM

No, you’re right, I should have mentioned those things.

I have tried one other pair of headphones with the Clip, but by the time I tried them with the old Clip, it was too far gone to make any difference.  I tried them also with this Clip, but it was brand new at the time.  I have not used the other headphones with either Clip for an extended period of time (3 days has been the longest stretch) because those headphones sound like ■■■■.

I have however, used the Sonys on numerous other players, including my PC, with no problems.

My coworker bought his Clip right after I bought my first Clip, so that Clip is older than my current one.

I haven’t had this problem.  It’s possible that manufacturing runs of the Clip carry this defect (similar to the self-discharging issue).

Message Edited by PromisedPlanet on 02-14-2008 12:09 PM

The only other thing I can think of is the fact that these Sony headphones have a rather robust cord and plug, and perhaps the weight of the cord/plug combo is pulling on the Clip with enough force to somehow damage the jack.

I use these headphones because I require phones that have a good seal between my ear and the speaker, both to keep train noise out and to keep the music noise in.  They also serve as ear warmers in the winter months.  I purchased these Sonys because of the robust cord/plug, because that’s a typical point of failure for me with headphones.

Just throwing ideas out here.  I hope the jack on the Clip is not so delicate that the weight of a cord would damage it though.

Well, I was going to mention that (and did before my edit :wink: but you said you had used them with other MP3 players.  But yeah, maybe the Clip’s jack is more fragile than the others.

i had the same problem as well.
i talked to sansa customer support, and just sent mine back.
we’ll see how it goes. haha

At the risk of sounding completely stupid…have you made sure the jack is pushed in all the way?  You wouldn’t be the first person this answer has helped…

Dead right there bowtie, I was one of them that didn’t push the jack all the way in because the Clip looked so fragile :smiley:

The jack is in all the way, yeah.  In fact, when it starts to get bad, sometimes pulling it out a bit improves the sound, but this is only a temp fix, as soon the connection becomes too “loose” for the Clip to work at all.

Judging by this morning’s walk, I’d say I have one, maybe two weeks left on this Clip.  It’s depressing.  I love the Clip, especially the sound quality, but I can’t keep replacing the things every other month.

I dunno what to do.

I plugged in a set of Koss soundcell speakers and it plugged in very hard, Later when I plugged in the stock earbuds the jack was so loose the weight of the clip would make it fall off the headphone jack.
Be very carefull when trying different headphones or cords, If it seems hard to plug in DON’T force it and don’t use them.
Paul aka Sporty

Strange… you’d think all plugs would be standard.  Maybe the Sony plug is the problem, and it’s loosening the jack.

Ultimately the jack on the Clip should be robust enough to deal with any plug, but maybe I need to start headphone shopping again to see if I can find a pair that don’t hurt my Clip.

Message Edited by cydewaze on 02-20-2008 10:57 AM

I have been using a set of Sony MDR-W10 Turbo headphones with no problems at all from the headphone jack, That’s not saying all Sonys will fit the same.
Paul aka Sporty

SOLVED!

I swung by Radio Shack and picked up a 90-degree headphone plug adapter.  Plugged it into the clip, then plugged my Sonys into it.  No more snap, crackle, pop.  It must be the Sony Headphone plug then, because without the adapter, it sounds like ten miles of bad road, but with the adapter it sounds fine.

Strange, but I’m glad I fixed it!