Why are earbuds so easily broken?

Many people think that they must replace their earbuds on a regular basis. You always end up replacing your earbuds more frequently than you'd like, no matter what brand you buy, how much money you spend, or what measures you take to reduce recurring costs. So, what are the most common reasons for earbuds failing so easily?

Because of careless or rough use, poor storage practices, or the maker using low-quality materials or neglecting to reinforce their weak structure, earbuds shatter so easily. The cable of your earbuds will stretch and break due to rough use and bad storage practices.

In the rest of this article, I’ll give you a detailed explanation of the common reasons earbuds break easily and give you some precautions you can take to ensure they last longer.

1. Careless or Rough Use

Because earbuds are extremely fragile and must be handled with extreme caution, careless use is the most frequent cause of them breaking. However, many non-audiophiles do not appear to contemplate this when using them. The following are some common bad habits that cause earphones to break:

Wrapping the Earbuds Around Your Phone or Wrist

Wrapping your wired earbuds closely around your phone, music player, or even your hands stretches them too much, putting a lot of stress and strain on the cable. The strain can cause the tiny wires inside the cable to break, and your earbuds to stop working entirely. The same goes for folding them into a tight bundle. While it’s good practice to wind your wired earbuds, doing it too tightly will strain the cable, breaking the wires in the process.

Dropping Earbuds Frequently

Most generic earbuds aren't designed to endure multiple significant impacts and falls. Their plastic parts break due to the impact force, causing them to cease working or affecting their audio quality. On the other hand, while most respectable makers design their earbuds to withstand occasional drops, dropping them frequently will eventually break the housing or case. This is a huge issue with contemporary wireless earbuds, which constantly seem to fall onto concrete.

Sleeping With Earbuds

This practice is not only bad for your health, but it's also bad for your earbuds, particularly if they're wired. Sleeping with earbuds can cause them to break because you make a lot of unconscious motions that can affect them while sleeping — you could be pulling your earbud's wires as you toss and turn. Your wired earphones could also easily become entangled in anything on your bed, causing you to pull on them without realizing it.

Plugging and Unplugging The Earbuds From the Audio Jack Forcefully

Most earbud makers do not reinforce their products to withstand significant push and pull forces. The connection between the cable and the headphone jack connector is the most vulnerable. You may damage them if you force them into your smartphone's audio jack or USB port. Tugging at them while drawing them out is also not a good idea because. If you stretch the cable too far, the non-elastic wires inside it may snap.

Tugging at Earbuds To Take Them Off

This point ties up with the one above because the connection between the earpiece and your earbuds’ cable is also a weak point that many manufacturers don’t reinforce. Pulling hard at a spot that’s already weak will cause it to tear easily.

Chewing or Nibbling on the Wires

Some people have formed the habit of absent-mindedly chewing their wired earbuds. When you chew on them, you could tear the protective cable jacket and shielding or cut the wires inside with your teeth.

2. Poor Storage Habits

The second most common cause of earbuds breaking is poor storage habits. How many of us religiously use storage cases for our earbuds, or at least fold them carefully and use something to tie them? Most people store their earbuds mindlessly.

Throwing Earbuds Into a Pocket Without Storing Them Properly

It's dangerous to put your earbuds in your pockets without a protective casing because you could easily forget about them and squat on them, snapping the wire inside. You may also have other items in your pockets, such as keys, that the earbuds could coil around and stretch, causing them to tear. Your earbuds could also be damaged if they are struck by objects in your bag, such as keys, causing the plastic parts to crack or break.

Putting Earbuds in a Purse Without a Case

Throwing your earbuds into a backpack without a protective case is not a good idea because they may become wrapped up and stretched around other items. As previously stated, stretching the cables may cause the delicate wires inside to snap.

3. Manufacturer Uses Low-Quality Materials

To increase profits, producers will sometimes use low-cost, low-quality materials to make earbuds. The exterior shell is sometimes made of fragile plastic. They may also use low-quality cables that provide very little wire security. Such cords readily snap when stretched even slightly. Earphones made of low-quality materials are less likely to withstand crashes and stretching.