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Help Fixing a broken Shure microphone - which cable goes where?

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Trying to fix this battered Shure PG58 mic but I can't work out which cable goes where.

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I figure the one at the back (joined to the metal plate) is the earth, so I leave that alone, but which way around do the blue and yellow wires go?

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Well I managed to fix it and reminded myself how much I hate soldering when I haven't got a clamp (or someone to assist!).

Good stuff, a very satisfying feeling, bringing a piece of kit back from the dead. I've done a lot of soldering so happy to pitch in if you ever need a hand with anything else.
 
Good stuff, a very satisfying feeling, bringing a piece of kit back from the dead. I've done a lot of soldering so happy to pitch in if you ever need a hand with anything else.
Well I do have a job that has defeated me. I've got three pairs of working headphones but where the lead has borked. It's that weird new cable where the wires are all thin and seemingly touching each other but I've no idea how to solder them because there's no plastic coating on them - if you get what I mean.

I've bought new jack plugs but suspect I need a better soldering iron. Or more skill. Or a basic understanding of what I'm doing.
 
You can't get the poisonous stuff anymore which is a damned shame as it is way superior to the new ecosolder.

#nannystate #pcgonemad #llittlebittaleadisgoodforthehead
Not done much soldering since they changed to the non-lead solder and still got a bit left. :)
 
Well I do have a job that has defeated me. I've got three pairs of working headphones but where the lead has borked. It's that weird new cable where the wires are all thin and seemingly touching each other but I've no idea how to solder them because there's no plastic coating on them - if you get what I mean.

I've bought new jack plugs but suspect I need a better soldering iron. Or more skill. Or a basic understanding of what I'm doing.

That stuff is very hard. Just found a tutorial so could give it a go. What sort of headphones are they?

 
Ha! I is old school. A billet of solder and flux in a tin. :)
Once I learned that standard flux was just pine resin with the turps boiled-off, things got very agricultural.
The (vast) excess comes off with isopropyl though.
I have never seen this guy use a small soldering iron. :-

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That would be great but I'm not sure how easy it would be to take apart the headphones...

These are the headphones. They sound great and they've all withstood the rough'n'tumble of DJing for ages until the cable breaks by the - or inside - the jack plug.

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It's probably doable but I would expect the next big tug to put you right back at square one. It wouldn't be a very durable repair.
 
It's probably doable but I would expect the next big tug to put you right back at square one. It wouldn't be a very durable repair.
It's really frustrating because they're excellent headphones, although DJ cans can take a real hammering (my last 'pro' ones lasted 2 weeks until I was getting a refund).
 
Sennheiser HD 25s are great as you can replace cables when they break. I've had my pair for 25 years, they're like Trigger's broom. :D

There's a Light version now as well I see.

 
Sennheiser HD 25s are great as you can replace cables when they break. I've had my pair for 25 years, they're like Trigger's broom. :D

There's a Light version now as well I see.

I've gone through so many 'pro' headphones - even ones with detachable leads - that I prefer to not to spend more than £50 now.

I wouldn't hold out much hope of those light HD25s lasting too long, to be honest. In the DJ booth, headphones get dropped, trodden on, stretched and beer soaked. It's a surprisingly hostile environment!
 
If no one fancies taking on this job, does anyone know a repair shop anywhere near Brixton/central London that might be able to fix these headphones?
 
I've gone through so many 'pro' headphones - even ones with detachable leads - that I prefer to not to spend more than £50 now.

I wouldn't hold out much hope of those light HD25s lasting too long, to be honest. In the DJ booth, headphones get dropped, trodden on, stretched and beer soaked. It's a surprisingly hostile environment!

But what about your security, they need to up their game! :D
 
This would be a durable and permanent fix. Add in a 3.5mm to 3.5mm coiled cable and your headphones will be almost indestructable.


Since I had the cups apart anyways, I decided to add a removable cable jack. This was actually the easiest mod of all. I ordered "PCB Panel Mount 3.5mm Stereo Jack" from ebay ($3 for qty 20 pcs). Once the stock orange strain relief is removed, the jack fits perfectly and tightly into a molded "well". You don't even need to use the threaded nut either - it's like this headphone was made for this jack! There are a few different styles of the "PCB Panel Mount" jack, so it's important to verify the measurements to ensure it fits.

Here's what the jacks look like:
The dimensions of the jack can be seen here (length=14.2mm, width=11.5(11.6mm), height=6.0mm):

I just cut the stock cable right where it exits the orange strain relief as seen here (). Then once you slide the cable out of the strain relief and into the inside of the cup, you are able to remove the orange strain relief. What you will see now is this hole (). The little square "well" you see is where the new PCB female jack will go.

You insert it at a slight angle, so that the 3.5mm hole goes through the hole in the headphone cup as seen here (). Then simply push the rear edge of the PCB jack downwards using a pencil eraser or some similar tool, taking care not to damage the solder pins. What you end up with is this (imgur.com). A perfect fit! The jack is wedged into the "well", reinforced by the plastic walls. There's no way the jack can fall out, and it is rock solid when inserting and removing the cable. You'd have to run the headphones over with a car to get that jack to budge!

I find it's easiest to solder the pins onto the jack when the jack is loose. Then once all soldered, install the jack in the little "well" and you're ready to go.
 
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