Headphones in Lahore

Buying headphones second-hand

Test both channels separately. A headphone with one weak or dead side is common and easy to miss when music is playing across both, so use a channel test that plays left and right in turn. Listen for rattle or distortion at higher volume, which usually means a damaged driver and is not repairable at sensible cost.

Earpads and headbands are consumable and their condition tells you how the pair was treated. Flaking or compressed pads are replaceable on many models and impossible on others, so check availability before assuming it is a cheap fix. On wireless models the battery is the limiting part, and on any model with a fixed cable, a crackle when you flex the cable near the jack means a break forming.

What to check before you pay

• Run a left-right channel test and listen to each side on its own.
• Push the volume up and listen for rattle or distortion from a damaged driver.
• Check whether replacement earpads exist for this model before accepting worn ones.
• Flex the cable near the jack and listen for crackling.

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