Headphone tip broke off in jack - help?

[GoldenBoy]

The very tip of my AKG headphones decided they were going to stay inside the headphone jack of my very expensive Sony ES A/V receiver when I took them out. :help:

This almost gave me a heart attack, as the jack/receiver has an automatic mute function, so when you insert the headphones into the jack, it completely mutes the output of the receiver, with the exception of the headphones, of course. So, when I pulled out the headphones and the tip got stuck, I could not get any sound at all! :shake: I had visions of having to send this honking beast in for expensive repairs just because of the fracking headphone jack!

Anyway, to make a long story short, I got in there with some needle-nosed pliers, and was able to hit whatever switch it is that engages the mute function, so everything is working just fine - with the sole exception that the headphone tip is still stuck in there. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get it out? :confused:

[Tony Plachy]

Can you post a picture of what the end of the headphone plug now looks like so I can get some idea of what is left in the headphone jack. How did this happen, did you try pully straight out or did twiest as you pulled out? This is not going to be easy to figure out from a far. How hard would it be to take the top plate off of the receiver so that you can see the inside part of the jack.

[GoldenBoy]

Can you post a picture of what the end of the headphone plug now looks like so I can get some idea of what is left in the headphone jack. How did this happen, did you try pully straight out or did twiest as you pulled out? This is not going to be easy to figure out from a far. How hard would it be to take the top plate off of the receiver so that you can see the inside part of the jack.

Darn, I wish I could post a pic, but my gf picked them up and threw them out when I was out. :sigh:

I didn't twist them out, I just pulled them out as usual, holding the plug, not the cord. I may have pulled up on them slightly. What's left is just the metal prong that presumably tip slips onto. I do not see where I can take the top of the receiver off, or if I would even want to. It looks like it would indeed be a bit of a task.

[Tony Plachy]

GB, Not the front, way to hard to do, the top plate (the top cover). Then you can look down onto the inside of the jack and you can see if there are any slots in it that you might be able to use to push the remains of the plug out. Also using a light and a magnifying glass can you see how far from the front of the jack the remains of the plug are.

I know your upset, but I am trying to help here.

Sorry I misread your post you say you cannot get the top off, that is going to make things harder.

[Tone]

I've had this happen with adapters from RS. Go to a hardware store and buy a pair of industrial tweezers. Worked easily for me and they are handy to have around...... Just make sure they will fit inside the jack hole.

[GoldenBoy]

GB, Not the front, way to hard to do, the top plate (the top cover). Then you can look down onto the inside of the jack and you can see if there are any slots in it that you might be able to use to push the remains of the plug out. Also using a light and a magnifying glass can you see how far from the front of the jack the remains of the plug are.

I know your upset, but I am trying to help here.

Sorry I misread your post you say you cannot get the top off, that is going to make things harder.


Sorry Tony, I'm not that upset. This actually happened a few months ago, and I only just got around to asking about it now. I did originally misread your post (I could have sworn you said faceplate) and I originally replied front, but edited and wrote top - maybe you read that? Either way, it looks difficult to do. It's not built like the cheap Sony AVRs, those are really easy to disassemble.

Sorry about the misunderstanding.

[GoldenBoy]

I've had this happen with adapters from RS. Go to a hardware store and buy a pair of industrial tweezers. Worked easily for me and they are handy to have around...... Just make sure they will fit inside the jack hole.

Thanks for the suggestion. I did think of tweezers, but they didn't fit. I had no idea there were 'industrial' tweezers. :o I presume there are different sizes? This may be the route to go, I think, before I would even consider trying to take the top off of the thing. That would be a last resort.

[LesPaul666]

This kind of reminds me of my love life.:laugh:

[Metoo]

How hard would it be to take the top plate off of the receiver so that you can see the inside part of the jack.
This is the way I would go to fix this (if at all possible). You risk ruining the headphone connection if you fut< too much with it from the outside.

I didn't twist them out, I just pulled them out as usual, holding the plug, not the cord. I may have pulled up on them slightly. What's left is just the metal prong that presumably tip slips onto.Are you sure the tip broke instead of just having unscrewed off? This happened to me a few times a long time ago.

[Spaceboy]

put superglue on the end and stick it back in, and hope it sticks to the tip rather than the inside of the socket :D

[Tony Plachy]

put superglue on the end and stick it back in, and hope it sticks to the tip rather than the inside of the socket :D

Way too risky. :shake:

[Dave C]

Most of the headphone jacks are enclosed and circuit board mounted. Opening up the unit may not help.

Can you describe how much of the plug is left? If you look at a normal headphone plug it's a cylinder that narrows to a 'curved' point. It also has two colored strips (insulates the three sections of the plug).

Sorry it hard to troubleshoot via posting.

I'm concerned the broken off piece may work loose and short out something causing much more expensive damage.

[andyinstal]

You can get some long needle nose pliers at your local home depot. I have had to pull 1/4 tips out of the back of Crown amps for one of my clients who refuses to buy new amps. They have to be the really small, long ones.

http://www.service.kleintools.com/Marketing/Catalog_Imagery/D203-6SCPC_ICON.JPG

[GoldenBoy]

Most of the headphone jacks are enclosed and circuit board mounted. Opening up the unit may not help.

Can you describe how much of the plug is left? If you look at a normal headphone plug it's a cylinder that narrows to a 'curved' point. It also has two colored strips (insulates the three sections of the plug).This is the point where the tip broke off, right at the rings. Now, where the rings are, your guess is as good as mine. There was at least one black band that I could see left on the headphone plug. If there were more than that, I cannot recall from memory.

[Tony Plachy]

The last post jogged my memory. Some where I have a set like this. It is the really long nose pliers you want (upper left), they are called needle nose pliers.

I almost forgot, you can get these at Sears for $10.

[Tone]

You can get some long needle nose pliers at your local home depot. I have had to pull 1/4 tips out of the back of Crown amps for one of my clients who refuses to buy new amps. They have to be the really small, long ones.

http://www.service.kleintools.com/Marketing/Catalog_Imagery/D203-6SCPC_ICON.JPG

I tried NN pliers, but they didn't fit which is why I've tried and recommend the Industrial Tweezers. They have great grip and I pulled the tip out with ease. They are made for jobs like these.

[Tony Plachy]

I have seen these before in electronic repair shops, they are really nice. They cost $16 but are worth it IMO.

http://www.amazon.com/Xcelite-NN7776-Needle-Serrated-Cushion/dp/B000IU5VSS/ref=sr_1_14/102-6898431-2345701?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1186861539&sr=1-14

[GoldenBoy]

I've tried needle nose pliers, but they didn't fit in. I think Tone may be right about the tweezers, I'll go that route. The pliers, unless they have something as thin as the tweezers, are just too big to fit into the jack plus open and grip the tip of the headphone. I have a pair very similar to the ones that Tony linked to on Amazon, and they were useless for getting out the headphone tip, but they did allow me to disengage the automatic mute switch inside the jack.

[GoldenBoy]

I want to say thanks to everyone so far for all the help and suggestions. I should have come on here for help since this first happened, because I knew this would be the place to get the answer to the dilemma. :righton:

I'll try Tone's Industrial Tweezers suggestion, and get back to you all. :)

[rockclassics]

I have what may be a dumb sounding idea, but have you picked up the unit and turned it so that the front panel of it is pointing toward the floor? Gravity may do the work and the tip might just fall out. It's worth a try.

[Tony Plachy]

GB , Are we talking a 1/4" jack here?

[GoldenBoy]

GB , Are we talking a 1/4" jack here?

Yes, 1/4", I guess I should have mentioned that.

[GoldenBoy]

I have what may be a dumb sounding idea, but have you picked up the unit and turned it so that the front panel of it is pointing toward the floor? Gravity may do the work and the tip might just fall out. It's worth a try.

Tried it, but I think the little latch or switch in there that causes the unit to automatically mute when the plug is inserted is what is holding it in there and is probably partially at fault for pulling the tip off of the plug to begin with. :shrug:

[Rolf Erickson]

The guy's are correct, get a VERY narrow needle-nose plier, or long thin tweezers. Don't risk the glue idea, may leave residue. You must grasp it mechanically and firmly, the conductor-contact tension springs are retaining the parts inside pretty well. I have been here before. Thank Odin I have an extensive tool kit. The modern jacks are one-piece PC mount units and are not open as the old designs are, it will most likely do no good to "Open" the unit.. Good luck.. Rolf out.

[terra1]

Is the remaining tip hollow or solid?

If it's hollow can you stick a wooden rod (maybe wrapped in something) in the core to work it out? If the pliers are thin enough stick it in and spread the points to push against the walls of the core and see if you can draw it out.

If it's a solid core then your best bet may be tweezers as suggested thin enough to work it out as suggested from the sides like one of those wine pullers.

Good luck.