How long should headphones last?

“How long should headphones last” is a question that most people ask themselves at some stage, and the truth is that headphones should last for a long time, but the answer depends on several variables. Initially, the quality of the headphones can have a significant impact on their longevity. If you are going to spend a lot of money on a product, it makes sense to get something that is going to last. Even cheap headphones will last longer if you look after them correctly.

Common reasons for early breakages

The most common reason for early breakage is cord knots. The cords can be easily tangled if not correctly stored. You can easily break your cables if you do not keep them properly. If you store the cords in a way that puts stress on them, they will eventually fail.

Another common reason for early breakage is inferior quality materials. Cheap headphones usually break within a few months of use because of their low-quality materials. Poorly designed and construction can cause them to break more quickly than other headphones.

A final common reason for early breakage is excessive use. Headphones that you use excessively will eventually break no matter what material the manufacturer used in the construction – This is just a fact!

To summarise some of the things that can shorten the life of your headphones:

Excessive use: This is one of the most common causes of early breakage. You need to make sure that you don’t overdo it. It’s tempting to use your headphones for several hours when you’re training, but this can harm the lifespan.
Cord knots: Keeping the cable tidy is essential. If you tie knots in it, the wires can fray and eventually snap. Loose knots are much better.
Low-quality materials: Check your headphones for how they feel, cheap plastic and flimsy material can lead to some that don’t last long. You can get low-cost versions that break more quickly than others. Choose a well-known brand rather than a cheap alternative.
Sleeping with your headphones on: Unless absolutely critical, we do not recommend this! The pressure that your head puts on the headphone earpieces can cause them to break. Ideally, it would help if you left your headphones on a stand when you sleep. If you must, you’re your headphones whilst sleeping, check out our Best Headphones for Sleeping guide.
Poor storage: make sure you keep your headphones in a safe place, out of the way of young children and animals. Please keep them in an environment that is not too hot or too cold.

How to avoid cord knots

The best way to avoid cord knots is to keep the cords untangled at all times. Keeping the cable separated can be done by storing the wires in a case when they are not in use. You are best storing your cords in a way that does not put stress on them, such as in a way that does not put pressure on them by keeping them out of the way.

It would be best if you never wrapped the cords around the audio source, other objects, or around the headphones themselves. If you wrap the cables around the audio head or other items, they will eventually break due to the extra strain put onto the internal wires.

One of the most common causes of knots is having your headphones hanging off your back while you run. This kind of jostling can cause knots. If you’re going to run with your headphones, make sure that you have them tied to your hand. You can also use a clip to hold the cord if you want to hang them around your neck. Another solution is to get headphones with a built-in clip, which is an excellent way to avoid tangles and knots with regular earphone cords.

Why keeping your headphones clean is important

It’s easy to neglect your headphones and think that they will last forever without any maintenance whatsoever. This thought isn’t the case; however because hygiene is essential when it comes to headphones as well as other products.

Headphones that are kept clean will last longer than headphones that are not kept clean, and those that are kept clean will also sound better than headphones that you do not maintain a cleaning scheme on because they will have less static and interference.

Keeping your headphones clean is easy. All you have to do is wipe them down with a damp cloth. It would be best if you wiped them down with a wet cloth after every use. Take a look at our How to Clean Your Headphones article for a more in-depth look.

Storing your headphones in a safe place may be enough for high-quality models, but if you have cheap earbuds, they are more likely to get damaged easily. Headphones that are not kept clean can lead to infections, and this can damage the earpieces over time. The earpieces can become dirty with wax, for example, and this can be dangerous for the skins inside your ears and cause infections and wounds that won’t heal quickly.

Keeping your headphones clean will help them last longer, and it will also help you to stay healthy too!

Avoid poor quality materials

Cheaper headphones are less likely to be made from high-quality materials than expensive ones. When you spend less money on things like this, the manufacturer has less money available for materials and manufacturing costs, so it makes sense that the manufacturer of cheaper versions will use lower-quality materials than more expensive models.

Cheaper materials mean a greater risk of breakages, so it makes sense to spend a few extra dollars on a product that will last longer and use more durable parts.

Excessive use

Headphones that you use excessively will eventually break no matter how good the manufacturing process is. The more you use your headphones, the faster they will fail. If you use your headphones often, you should buy a pair of headphones that are designed to be durable and will last for a long time. Buying a pair of headphones that has a warranty will usually have better quality materials than headphones that do not have warranties as the manufacturer are offering you a guarantee.

Storage Tips

Here are some tips for storing your headphones:

Avoid leaving them in hot places, such as in direct sunlight. Your headphones will deteriorate faster if you expose them to extreme temperatures. Heat is particularly bad for plastic headphones because it makes them more brittle.
Avoid leaving them in wet places as well. High humidity levels can cause corrosion, and this may damage your headphones and cause them to break over time. It’s a good idea to keep your headphones in a case when you’re not using them. The case will help to keep the sweat from damaging them during exercise.
Please don’t put your headphones through excessive force or pressure while they are in storage. Stress can damage the wires inside the earpieces and cause breaks and short-circuits.
If you have any pets, it’s essential to make sure that they don’t chew on your headphones or sit on them while you’re not around! If you have small children, it’s also essential to make sure that they don’t sit on them or pull the wires out of the earpieces either. A damaged cord is much more likely to break than a brand new one, so keep your headphones safe at all times!

Can high volume damage my headphones?

High volume can damage your headphones. It can cause them to break faster than they would otherwise. It can also cause them to sound worse than they would otherwise. You should avoid listening to high volumes because it will damage your headphones. You should also avoid listening to high volumes because it can cause hearing loss. Always listen to music at moderate volumes.

Can sleeping with my headphones on cause damage?

Sleeping with your headphones on can damage your headphones. It can also damage your ears. We do not recommend that you sleep with your headphones on. It would help if you took off your headphones when you go to sleep, but if you still want to listen to music before you go to sleep, you can listen to music with speakers, not headphones.

Recommended headphones

The best type of headphones to buy is in-ear headphones. Manufacturers tend to use the right quality of materials for In-ear headphones with durability in mind from the start due to their position in the ear itself.

In-ear headphones typically have warranties and are designed to last for a long time. They also sound better than other types of headphones because they have less static and interference.

In our opinion, the best kind of in-ear headphones to buy are the Samsung Galaxy Earbuds. They are designed to be durable and will last for a long time, coming with an extended warranty and from a reputable manufacturer.