I have started to accumulate a number of broken headphones - mp3 player type. Generally they go intermittent due to failing contacts in the plug or the earpiece. So I thought about splicing 'good' plugs to 'good' earpieces.

The problem is that the wires are very fine and appear to have insulation provided by a coating i.e. you cannot just twist the wires together to get a contact like in the good old days.

Any tips on how to splice these wires?

Splicing will be a challenge for such fine wires but you can do it.

But should you ?

A new pair of headphones is about 200 baht [7 bucks].

Funny that a teacher at in my office at school was lamenting about the same thing.

He was buying a new pair almost every month as he listens to podcasts so much.

But he found that the school store sold headphones to his surprise.

What is more was the price was/is unblelievable ..... 15 baht for a pair

that looks no different and has decent to good quality.

I think the school subsidizes the price or buys very large quantities

to get the price so low. But I do not know for sure.

JFYI

Splicing will be a challenge for such fine wires but you can do it.

But should you ?

A new pair of headphones is about 200 baht [7 bucks].

Funny that a teacher at in my office at school was lamenting about the same thing.

He was buying a new pair almost every month as he listens to podcasts so much.

But he found that the school store sold headphones to his surprise.

What is more was the price was/is unblelievable ..... 15 baht for a pair

that looks no different and has decent to good quality.

I think the school subsidizes the price or buys very large quantities

to get the price so low. But I do not know for sure.

JFYI

If I had paid 200 baht for the head-phones I would not be too bothered. However they cost far more than that.

I still would like to know how one can strip the ?enamel? coating off the fine wires.

Many electronic technicians have a thick viscous solvent that you cn wipe over the insulation and it will come off easily. I do not know if techs in LOS use it though

or where one might find it.

On second thought, the electronics area down near Chinatown [Yanawat ?]

would be the place to find anything electroinc.

I would have them do it - there are many open soldering stations along the road one block west of Old Siam Plaza.

I still would like to know how one can strip the ?enamel? coating off the fine wires.

a quick touch to a cigarette lighter flame works, use some flux to keep the oxidation minimized.

Probably not as good as the solvent but i just fixed a friend's Nintendo Wii receiver with that method.