In today's advanced technical age, headphones have become an indispensable accessory for hundreds of millions of people around the world. Functional sound-reproducing devices are used for work, communication and just for entertainment, listening to your favorite music. After the purchase, the equipment should be properly configured - only in this case it will perform its functions "as it should". In this article, the reader will learn how to set up your headphones on your smartphone, tablet, and computer device running Windows or Mac OS.
Setting up on smartphones, tablets
Compared to the complex of works performed on personal computers and laptops, it is much easier to set up headphones on mobile devices. Here you do not need to pre-install drivers, perform many actions.
Smartphones and tablets are automatically adapted to play sound regardless of the specific operating system: iOS or Android. You just need to connect via the desired 3.5 mm input and play music or video. It is not difficult to find it - there are not many ports for connecting external devices on mobile devices.
How to make a microphone from headphones 
The use of wireless headphones has its own characteristics: sound waves are transmitted to them via a Bluetooth channel, therefore, to use, you first need to pair the accessory with the device. You should turn on the headset and the Bluetooth option on your smartphone or tablet - it happens automatically. After that, it is enough to establish a connection and start playing sounds - the device is ready.
Speaking about the quality of the sound itself, it depends on the equalizer settings. Having entered the corresponding menu on a smartphone or tablet, the user can adjust the low, middle and high frequencies using several sliders.
You don't need to configure anything else. In a situation where the sound suddenly disappeared altogether, but the headphones are working properly, the problem is in the mobile device and can be solved by restoring the system or resetting the settings to its original state.
It should also be noted the quality of the sound-reproducing equipment: if the headphones are of low grade, then they will not be able to produce good sound, no matter how you tune them.
Setting up on a computer, laptop with Windows OS
A couple of words about connecting headphones. Depending on the model of equipment, connection to a computer is possible through:
- familiar 3.5 mm jack;
- USB input. Usually, when such a device is connected, the configuration is automatic.
You also need to consider the situation if the headphones are equipped with a microphone. Most computer models have two separate inputs: for headphones and a microphone. In this case, you will have to buy a special adapter that doubles the signal. Some models of modern laptops have a combo jack that simplifies the situation: just plug the plug into one input.
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How to properly set up a headphone microphone on a Windows computer 
How to set up the equalizer correctly (for headphones) 
There is no need to worry if the plug is difficult to fit - this was done by the manufacturer specifically to increase the life of the socket.
The setup itself boils down to a few steps:
1. Before work, you need to make sure that the headphones themselves reproduce sound properly.
2. If after connecting to a computer sound appears, then you can go to step 8.
3. In a situation where there is no sound, you need to check the volume level:
- this can be done by clicking on the speaker icon in the lower right corner of the screen on the taskbar. Also, during sound playback, an indication appears here;
- go to the "Sound" menu through the "Control Panel". Find the item "Volume setting", where controls with indication will be displayed. Of interest are the "Speakers", the presence of included sound, volume and indication during playback.
If there is an indication, but there is no sound in the headphones, the problem may be in the drivers.
4. Go to the "Device Manager". The easiest way is to write this name in the search box on the Start menu.
When the corresponding item appears, open it.
5. A lot of lines will appear with the equipment installed on the computer device. Interested in the line with the name "Sound, video and game devices". It needs to be revealed. If there is a problem, the sound card will be highlighted with a small exclamation mark.
6. Clicking on it with the right mouse button, select the line "Update drivers ...". If you have a disk with drivers, you should choose from there (recommended), if not, select “search for software on the Internet”.
Wait until all work is finished.
7. After that, the computer or laptop should be rebooted. The changes will take effect and sound should appear in the headphones.
8. Make sound adjustments. To do this, right-click on the speaker icon on the taskbar, in the new menu, select the item "Playback devices".
9. In the next dialog box, select the "Speakers" item. Then click "Settings" (the item is displayed just below).
10. In the new menu, select the "Improvements" tab; find "Equalizer" in the existing list, click the checkmark opposite it.
11. Slightly below, in the "Properties of the sound effect" you can select one of several equalizer settings or make your own by clicking the "..." button.
Setting up on computers with MAC OS
Apple computer equipment is considered to be of very high quality, but its operating system and work habits can be difficult.
In reality, everything is simple: the work takes place through applications that can be downloaded from the AppStore. There are two options:
- Paid apps. They have wide functionality that allows you to apply the desired effects in two clicks, make the sound surround, adjust the equalizer, and improve the sound. All configuration is done automatically;
- Free software. They will require knowledge of working with sound plugins. Here the work is more complicated, involving manual setting of input / output signal settings, etc.
Setting up headphones on your device is a snap. Considering that most people use these accessories in smartphones, tablets, no work is required. Computers have their own characteristics, but using the instructions in this article, the user will be able to quickly perform the necessary actions to obtain high-quality sound.
There are dedicated controls to change the sound setting. By frequency, they are divided into active and passive. Additionally, the division is carried out by the type of setting. The most common are digital controllers. They are created for different types of amplifiers and have their own channel. To understand the principle of operation of these devices, you should understand in detail their device.
How does the regulator work?
Microcircuits are considered to be an important element of the regulator. In terms of their parameters, they can be quite different. If we consider professional models, then there are up to 100 different contacts. Additionally, there is a controller in the regulator, which is engaged in changing the maximum frequency of the device. Capacitors cope with interference in the device. In a simple model, there are up to four of them. Usually found in the regulator. Their frequency, as a rule, is indicated in the marking.
In professional models, electrolytic capacitors are installed. They have much better conductivity, but they are expensive. Up to ten resistors can be found in the standard circuit. They differ among themselves in terms of ultimate resistance. The simplest models are capable of boasting a 2 Ohm parameter. Resistors with such indicators are quite common. Finally, the last element of the regulator is the locking mechanism. Most often it is presented in the form of a button, however, there are models with a complex display system.
Application of the electronic model
The electronic volume control is installed on almost all audio devices. In this case, the fluctuations can be changed in various ways. Most often you can find smooth controllers that allow you to very thinly infuse the sound, but there are also jump systems. In this case, the parameters are changed step by step and abruptly. Recording studios have multichannel mixers. They allow you to adjust a variety of effects. If we consider the combined electronic volume control, then a lot in this case depends on the speaker system.
Self-assembly of the regulator
In order to assemble a volume control with your own hands for an average power amplifier, you will need a microcircuit with at least 8 bits. It is best to use bipolar transistors for it. Usually they are presented in the store with the marking "2HN". Their resistance indicator, on average, fluctuates around 3 ohms. The controllers are mostly linear. They allow you to change the cutoff frequency rather smoothly. In this case, the amplitude of the interference will depend solely on the capacitors.
For a regular regulator, it will be enough to install three of them. LEDs can only be used in conjunction with rectifiers. In some cases, in order to make a volume control with your own hands, it is additionally advised to use a zener diode at the beginning of the circuit. This element significantly increases the performance of the resistors and the regulator as a whole.
How are the headphone controls?
The headphone volume control has only two capacitors. A distinctive feature of such devices can be called low bandwidth. The signal in many models takes a long time. This is due to the fact that transistors are not designed for high power. Some regulator models have resonators. They exist of different types and have their own parameters. Most often, you can find the resistance parameter in them reaches 4 ohms. In turn, ferrite counterparts can only withstand 2 ohms. The volume control for headphones is connected to the speaker using a choke.
Tone control circuit
The tone and volume controls have an operational controller. It is suitable for amplifiers of different powers. Diodes in this case are rarely installed. Rectifiers are available only in models with less than three transistors. Resistors in devices are included with the "BC" marking. they are pretty good, but they are sensitive to high temperatures. Capacitors in many models are bipolar. The tone and volume controls are capable of withstanding the limiting resistance at a level of 3 ohms. The standard model has a "PPA" socket for a regular ring. The choke with the resistor is connected only through the converter.
How to set up a regulator in Windows?
Adjusting the regulator is quite simple. The icon for this item is located on the Start bar. By pressing it once with the left button, you can change the cutoff frequency. In some cases, the user does not see the specified icon. This is due to the fact that the Windows volume control is not added to the notification area. It is usually transferred automatically by the operating system. However, this action can also be performed manually through the control panel. Also, the reason may be the absence of the Sndvol.exe file. In this case, save a copy of it on your computer.
Stereo control parameters
Their noise figure is in the region of 70 dB. Harmonic distortion is usually 0.001%. The operating frequency range ranges from 0 to 10000 Hz. The input voltage of the device is 0.5 V. In many models, the controllers are installed reversible. In this case, the output voltage should be no more than 0.5 V. The stabilizer of a stereo volume control usually has a pulse. The device is powered through a block with a voltage of up to 15 V.
Microphone models with controls
A microphone with a volume control is a common device today, and the microcircuit in it is usually the "MK22" series. The bandwidth of the models is quite high, the signal goes well. There are two diodes in the standard circuit. One of them, as a rule, is located near the locking mechanism. Capacitors are installed with different parameters. This is necessary in order to control frequencies of different magnitudes.
Their resistance is on average maintained up to 4 ohms. The capacitors in the regulator must be electrolytic only. In this case, this will give a large increase in the sensitivity of the device. There are up to eight resistors in the standard circuit. They maintain an average resistance of 3 ohms. The volume control has a direct locking mechanism in the form of a controller.
Button regulator circuit
The push-button volume control (the diagram is shown below) differs from other devices in that the diodes are arranged in pairs. As a result, the microcircuit transfers the signal to the resistor rather quickly. There are no rectifiers in many models, and this should be taken into account. There are up to three capacitors in the standard circuit. Their maximum resistance is maintained at a level of 2 ohms. The noise figure of such models averages around 50 dB.
The harmonic distortion index, in turn, is 0.002%. Of the shortcomings, certain problems with unevenness should be noted. This is due to the small range of operating frequencies. In some cases, it makes sense to install an amplifier with a voltage of more than 15 V. In this case, the sound parameters will increase.
Passive regulators
The passive volume control differs from other devices in that it is multi-channel. The average resistance to them is maintained at the level of 3 ohms. Locking mechanisms are standard. In turn, the controllers in them are exclusively digital. Thanks to this, the synchronization of the stereo sound in the device is obtained more accurately. Thus, the problem with unevenness disappears by itself.
Resistors in many models are of the trimmer type. A distinctive feature of professional models is the presence of a resonator. The output voltage of this element is capable of reaching 8 V. Most often, they are installed in quartz-type regulators. There are two capacitors in the standard circuit. The microcircuit in the system is designed for 8 bits.
Applying active models
An active volume control is usually used for receivers whose power does not exceed 5 V. There are resistors in it with a resistance of about 4 ohms. Quartz resonators are installed. A distinctive feature of these regulators can be called signal relays. Chokes, as a rule, are not used in devices. The amplifiers are only of the operational type. Therefore, there is no need for rectifiers. Display systems in devices can be found in the most diverse. This volume control is not suitable for mobile devices.
Combined regulator circuit
The combined volume control (diagram is shown below) of capacitors has no more than five pieces. In this case, transistors can only be used of the bipolar type. Their bandwidth is quite high. The average resistance is maintained at 3 ohms. Linear transistors are provided in the system. Stabilizers are available only in professional models. Their limiting frequency does not exceed 4000 Hz.
How does a loudness regulator work?
Regulators of this type are mainly used in radio tape recorders. The system of their device is quite simple. The microcircuit in the device is installed by the "KR2" series. The controller itself is of a linear type. Only one transistor is used. It is located next to the microcircuit.
There are only two capacitors. Most often it is the electrolytic type that can be found. they are capable of withstanding at 16 V. However, the output signal is perceived rather poorly by the device. There are no more than five resistors in the regulator. All of them are set with a cutoff frequency of about 3000 Hz.
Professional models
Professional microcircuit regulators have multi-channel. Given this, for normal operation they need it.It is usually located next to the capacitor. The system is designed for a load of 8 bits. The locking mechanism is installed in the device as usual. The noise figure of the device reaches a maximum of 55 dB. The harmonic distortion index in some cases can exceed 0.001%.
The operating frequency fluctuates around 2000 Hz on average. Such schemes rarely experience problems with uniformity. The output voltage of the device is 0.5 V. The decoupling resistance withstands a maximum of 3 ohms. Converters are provided in the system, and they are attached to the board only through a choke. There are about three capacitors in the standard model. There are enough of them to cope with various signals. There is always a
Electronic tone controls
All electronic controllers are compact and can withstand high voltage limits. In this case, they are not able to work without an amplifier. Stabilizers, as a rule, are used only linear. The diode circuits are located immediately behind the board.
Distortion is suppressed by the device using resistors. The stabilizers help the regulator to cope with the limiting frequency. Rectifiers are rarely installed. The power consumption of such devices is high, and they do not need converters. You can see these devices on mixers quite often.
If you have never opened the mixer to adjust the sound volume in the Windows operating system, then you may not know that it has two separate volume settings - for speakers and for headphones. Typically, a computer uses different volume controls for its device. Clicking on the speaker icon in the system tray allows you to change the volume of the device that is currently the primary one. You can get a lot more information if you click on the "Mixer" button under the volume control. This will allow you to check the volume levels set for all additional audio sources in the system.
Speaker volume
Speaker volume is the default setting if there are no other audio devices in the system. This knob controls the volume of the laptop's built-in speakers and is central to all system components. Changing the level of this control lowers the volume of all other devices by the same amount. If the speaker volume is completely muted, then all other sound sources will be muted, regardless of the current volume level in the mixer. In addition, through the mixer menu, you can select another device that will be used by default. This can be done through the drop-down menu next to the "Speakers" section.
Headphone volume
The sound in the headphones only appears when you plug them into the corresponding 3.5-inch jack. Note that quite often the headphone-out connector is used to connect an external speaker system and in this case it acts as a line-out of a laptop sound card. The volume control for this output is designed to be independent of the main volume control. The headphone volume control also allows you to adjust the volume of the USB headphones connected to your system.
Benefits of separate volume control
Having two separate volume controls is a very convenient solution. By having a separate volume control for the headphones, you can make the volume in the headphones lower, while the volume of the speakers can be raised. This is great, as high headphone volume can damage your hearing. With a separate headphone volume control, you can avoid the unpleasant effect when they are connected to the jack, at the time of loud music playback through the built-in speakers.
Balance adjustment
The system sound mixer, among other things, also allows you to adjust the volume ratio between the two channels output to the built-in speakers or headphones. Since all modern music is played in stereo, a parameter called balance is useful for adjusting the quality of your headphone listening experience. Unfortunately, adjusting the volume balance incorrectly can cause noise in one of the ears. To adjust the balance in the headphones (or speakers), open the properties of the sound system through the "Control Panel" and set the required value of the "Balance" volume between the right and left channels through the "Volume level" tab.
In this article I will tell you how to repair headphones or a headset for a computer or mobile phone myself. We will look at the main breakdowns and how to fix them.
The main breakdowns of the headphones:
Headphone wire break repair
Broken wires are the most common cause of headphone failure. To repair the wire we need:
- solder;
- scalpel or nippers;
- heat-shrink tubing;
- hot glue;
- thread.
First, it is necessary to determine the place where the break occurred, since the outer rubber braid may not have externally visible deformations. You can find the place where the wire is broken by connecting the headphones to the sound source and bending the wire from the connector to the speakers, we find a place at the bend of which the sound appears in the headphones. Having determined the place of the break, we cut out the section of the wire, taking several centimeters before and after the break. Next, we strip the wire from external insulation and tin the wires. How to tin the headphone wire is a very relevant question. Now I will tell you how to do it efficiently and quickly. To do this, we need: a board, a flux (for example, an organic flux f-99), solder and a soldering iron.
We apply the flux to the wire, put the wire on the plate and press it down for a few seconds with a soldering iron, making it move as if you were cleaning the varnish from the wire.
Having tinned all the wires, we put a thin heat-shrink tube on each wire, solder the wires, observing the color scheme and using a lighter or a soldering iron, we shrink the heat-shrinkable tube.
The heat-shrinkable tube acts as an insulator and does not allow the wires to close together. Now we need to ensure the strength of our connection. To do this, we fold the wires with the letter Z and with the help of a thread we make a bandage of our connection.
The last stage of repairing the headset wire is of practical and aesthetic importance. Using a soldering iron, carefully apply hot melt glue to our bandage, on one side the hot melt glue will not allow the thread to unwind, on the other hand it will give a normal appearance to the wire connection. If you cannot get the black hot melt glue, you can put on a heat-shrinkable tube of the appropriate diameter over the bandage.
A few more words about artistic molding from hot melt glue, if you warm up the hot melt glue and moisten your fingers, you can give it any shape with your fingers until it hardens completely. Irregularities can be made glossy with.
Broken headphone plug (connector)
Before repairing the plug, we need to carefully disassemble it, for this we carefully cut the body lengthwise with a scalpel. A breakdown of the headphone plug (connector) can be divided into breakdowns associated with mechanical deformation:
- breakage of the last link, as a rule, this link remains in the counterpart of the device and it can be removed only with an awl and tweezers for smd mounting. Such a breakdown is eliminated only by replacing the plug.
- turning the first link (general) around its axis is characterized by a change in sound to “metallic under water” and a decrease in volume. In this case, the repair consists in soldering the contact between the link and the contact tab.
And not related to mechanical deformation of the plug is a wire break at the base. It is treated by shortening the wire a couple of centimeters above the break point and soldering into place in compliance with the color scheme.
If you cut a wire and do not know which one was soldered where, do not despair! With the help of a multimeter, you can easily determine this. We put the multimeter in the resistance measurement mode and alternately find 2 pairs of wires between which you will see an equal value (depending on the resistance of the winding of your speakers and is usually within the range of 16-100 Ohms. We take one wire from each pair, weave them together, this will be a common wire we solder it to the first (most massive) link. The remaining wires are soldered to links 2 and 3. You will probably have a question how to determine where the right channel is soldered and where the left channel is. and the right column.There is a second option: we launch an audio player, for example, winamp and adjust the balance, comparing it with what we hear, we conclude that the channels are connected correctly.
Broken microphone
Capsule electret microphones are installed in the headsets. There is an amplifier inside the microphone, which makes it necessary to observe the polarity when connecting the microphone. Microphones are sensitive to membrane deformation, so do not try to clean the microphone opening. Microphones are also very sensitive to high temperatures, so you need to re-solder the microphone quickly and accurately. Before starting to solder, it is advisable to apply an organic flux to the microphone contacts, this will improve the heat transfer and the contact time with the soldering iron required for reliable soldering. You can check the performance of a microphone only by replacing it with another one, or connecting it to another known working device. And yet you can check a working microphone or not, if you have an oscilloscope (or an active speaker system) and an operational amplifier microcircuit (any), you can assemble a simple circuit (for example, an inverting amplifier with a single polarity supply.
Do not forget that the microphone must be powered through a resistor, and the signal must be removed through a 0.1 μF blocking capacitor. This will allow you to clearly see whether the microphone is working or not, the amplified signal from the microphone will change the picture on the screen in time with your voice. If there is no oscilloscope, you can connect the circuit output to an active speaker system, if the microphone is live, you will get a megophone.
Repair of headset speakers.
If the input power is exceeded, the speaker may fail - it burns out the winding wire. The integrity of the speaker winding is checked using a multimeter.
For a working speaker, the winding resistance will be equal to the winding resistance of the second speaker + \\ - 10%. Typically, this value is 16-100 ohms. If there is sound in the speaker, but it is wheezing, this means that the winding is intact, but it has either come off the membrane or clings to the magnet. This may be the result of a shock (displacement of the magnet), or a consequence of exceeding the power (boiling of the varnish in the winding and "snagging" it on the magnet, as well as peeling off a part of the coil from the membrane). This requires accuracy. The coil can be glued to the membrane using super glue, it can be applied with a toothpick or a sharpened match. To avoid jamming the diffuser, do not connect the speaker cabinet and membrane until the glue is completely dry. You can speed up drying by placing the speaker under a table lamp.
Headphone volume control repair.
One of the weakest points of headphones is the volume control, provided that you use it frequently. The volume control is a double variable resistor consisting of 2 resistive sputtering strips and 2 sliders moving along the surface of the resistive layer when you turn the control wheel. 
During operation, dust gets on the surface of the resistive layer, which causes poor contact between the slider and the resistive layer. This breakdown manifests itself in the form of a crackling sound when adjusting the volume level, or a loss of signal in the headphones. Repairing the volume control consists in applying a resistive layer of graphite grease or technical vaseline to the surface. In this case, reliable contact is restored and the crackling disappears when the regulator is turned.
Repair of earbuds (suspension on which speakers are attached).
Breakage of the earhook is one of the most common. Some manufacturers relying on the quality of their products have already reduced to 0 the possibility of such a breakdown of their headsets. Instead of classic plastic arms, they use flexible metal spring hangers covered with a layer of PVC or rubber. But we are talking about a classic plastic suspension and a way to repair it. 
In the photo we see that the bow is broken in half. To repair it, we need several thin metal plates, m2 or m3 screws, epoxy 2-component glue, etc. To begin with, we apply our plates to the bow and, using a marker or pencil, make notes: where we have to drill holes. holes in the bows and plates and tighten the structure with screws. Please note that the metal plates are long enough and do not end right after the screw hole, this adds to the reliability of the structure under stress. Also pay attention to the 3rd plate, which is located on the back of the headphones. It is installed before epoxy glue filling, and is also designed to increase the durability of the headphones and resistance to future tests.
Repair of the microphone mount.
Mounting the microphone (boom, "antenna") is usually made elastic and quite resistant to mechanical damage, but it can still be broken. In the photo we see how the plastic base of the microphone mount was damaged as a result of the headset falling. Its function was to adjust the position of the microphone in the vertical plane. Naturally, the full functionality cannot be restored, but it is quite possible to securely fix the microphone in one position. To do this, we need: a drill, a wire with a diameter of 0.6-0.8 (mm) and hot glue. Having determined the optimal position for mounting the microphone, we outline the places from which we will drill holes. Then, with the help of a wire, we tightly pull (sew) at 3-4 points the base of the mount and the headphone case. We twist the wire from the inside of the earphone with pliers. Next, we apply hot glue on top, giving it the shape we need with the help of fingers moistened with water. Next, you can take nail polish or spray paint and cover the repair site.
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