Guest joi-ful Report post Posted September 10, 2006 Hi guys, seems like many guys here have been using their DAP with their headphones/IEMs without much problems. I'd like to know roughly how most of you take care of them cos... Well, before I came here I was using the cresyn e630 happily, wrapping the e630 around my Zen Micro all along before storing them in a pouch. When I upgraded to the UM1 and Grado SR60, I unplug the UM1 from my player everytime after I'm done listening to it and store it in the Westone case properly. I also use the Zen Micro interchangeably with my Grado's. After a couple of months and plugging the cans in and out of the headphone jack, the headphone jack of the Zen Micro is now giving me some problems. The connection became so bad to the point that I can't really walk and listen to my music now. (It works fine when it's used as a home source left untouched). Qn is: is it my fault for changing headphones from the jack so frequently or is the headphone jack of the Zen Micro plain lousy? I plan on getting a new DAP soon and I don't wish the same problem to happen. Worse comes to worse, next time i just wrap my UM1 around my new DAP as well??!?!?! Regards, Shi Hao Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jeremy 0 Report post Posted September 10, 2006 I think the best is not to remove the headphone/earphone from the DAP jack. I had been using a number of earphones & headphones. They don't give me any problem. The last earphone that I owned ( E2C ) needed to send for repaired due to the earphone wire is intermittent at the junction point. This was due to rough used of my E2C but luckily its still under warranty. Ever since I am no more using earphone. I believed the quality build of the DAP jack & earphone/headphone played also an important part. But nevertheless, my suggestion is not to remove the earphone or headphone after listening to your DAP. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RLN 0 Report post Posted September 11, 2006 Search around forums and you will find that the Zen Micro headphone jack is just so prone to the problem you faced. In fact, a good friend of mine had the same problem with his Zen Micro. After a trip to Creative customer service centre and an hour of diagnosis later, they offered to fix the jack for SGD116(daylight robbery). There are DIY guides that show you how to fix the headphone jack. Of course if you still have warranty on your DAP, then.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Theatre Of Dreams 0 Report post Posted September 11, 2006 (edited) i think it's ok to unplug fron the player after a listening session, as long as you don't do it like how you pluck bananas. in fact if the plug is kept on, it causes more stress on the jack when your rig is transported around. the problematic phone jack is the infamous problem of zen micro. i myself had my zen micro replaced twice for the same problem. gotten rid of it since. Edited September 11, 2006 by Theatre Of Dreams Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
That dude 0 Report post Posted September 11, 2006 Hello. I had a zen 20gb before and same prob. I brought it down and the great guys at creative said they would replace 1 for me. (cuz it's under warranty) but it was out of stock, so they offered me $100 price to upgrade to vision m with the old pakage trade in. So if u have wrranty, pray that they dun have ur player in stock and bring it over... LOL! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
theory_87 0 Report post Posted September 11, 2006 well, since the past, there is headphone jack problem for creative products. my old and still kick DMP2 had the same problem. i fix it myself my soldering it back to the board. it was so long ago before zen micro was even release... haha Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest joi-ful Report post Posted September 11, 2006 Hmm, Theatre of Dreams, thing is my listening sessions usually last 30+min ( on the way to school and also at home) and I unplug and plug the phones like 2-3 times a day. Is it too much for the jack to handle?... say an iPod's jack. Yea, I know the headphone jack of Zen Micro are more problematic but I worry that even for other DAP, the headphone jack might break easier if I continue this habit of mine... unless I get a dedicated headphone for my individual players. lol. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
aaron-xp 0 Report post Posted September 11, 2006 It should be okay to remove it, though the Micro's Headphone jack isn't the best there is (some said that it isn't even properly soldered, just glued). Actually, with the UM1, won't the right angle plug reduce stress on the jack itself, even it is not unplugged. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest joi-ful Report post Posted September 11, 2006 (edited) ' date='11 Sep 2006, 07:43 PM' post='78177'] Just one question there, friend ; 1) Do you unplug your headphones properly and gently or do you [1] hold the headphone jack and shake the player off? [2] hold your earphones/IEMs/wire and then attempt to shake it off? [3] just blardy hell grab any part of your IEMs/earphones and yank the whole thing out? If u frequently do the above 3 ways 2-3 times a day, I dont see any reason for the headphone jack to last. Anyway, I think you should unplug the jacks vertically not left-right / left-right and then squiggle it out. That'll spoil it really fast. If all else fails, bring it to Creative if it's under warranty. If not switch sides.. Alamak! I do take care of my stuff properly. Even my beater cans/players get much more respect from me than the iPods from the average guy you see. P.S. Option [2] tickled me for quite a while. Haha. P.P.S Sad thing is my warranty is over... time to get a new DAP. Ha! <Meanwhile desperately trying to find a soldering iron to do some DIY repair> Edited September 11, 2006 by joi-ful Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
zhong 0 Report post Posted September 11, 2006 yes.. i've expressed the same disappointment with creative products in a previous thread, in particular zen micro after 3 trips down to IBP to get it replaced my warranty is finally over thus, i opened up the player to my horrors when i opened this supposedly brand new/refurbished unit, i realised the vital contact points which should be soldered, in its place, are two chunks of glue reinforcements! Yes! GLUE! no wonder the headphone jacks get loose so easily after a little bit of soldering to strengthen the contact points, my zen is up and running i opened my brother's zen micro too and luckily, the contact points are properly reinforced a big question mark regarding their technical support in any ways it doesnt matter to me whether creative is earning big bucks from the apple lawsuit i've chosen to change sides, and purchase a sony DAP (despite the lousy software), cos i've got no idea when zen will die on me (again) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
scanfiend 0 Report post Posted September 11, 2006 yes.. i've expressed the same disappointment with creative products in a previous thread, in particular zen micro after 3 trips down to IBP to get it replaced my warranty is finally over thus, i opened up the player to my horrors when i opened this supposedly brand new/refurbished unit, i realised the vital contact points which should be soldered, in its place, are two chunks of glue reinforcements! Yes! GLUE! no wonder the headphone jacks get loose so easily after a little bit of soldering to strengthen the contact points, my zen is up and running i opened my brother's zen micro too and luckily, the contact points are properly reinforced a big question mark regarding their technical support in any ways it doesnt matter to me whether creative is earning big bucks from the apple lawsuit i've chosen to change sides, and purchase a sony DAP (despite the lousy software), cos i've got no idea when zen will die on me (again) Indeed, not to excuse Creative or anything, but companies do release dud products from time to time. This headphone jack issue was an infamous problem for the Micro, as evidenced by numerous posts in various forums. They apparently did not officially acknowledge the issue, and some say newer batches do not exhibit this particular problem, because it was quietly fixed in subsequent manufacturing runs. But then, the damage has been done Unfortunately for Creative, they did not have the sheer charisma of a certain fruity company, who despite the lousy battery life of its earlier DAP's and its apparently current problematic notebook issues (overheating, random shut downs, mooing ?), that its faithful have all chosen to steadfastly ignore and continue to support it Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
aaron-xp 0 Report post Posted September 12, 2006 Unfortunately for Creative, they did not have the sheer charisma of a certain fruity company, who despite the lousy battery life of its earlier DAP's and its apparently current problematic notebook issues (overheating, random shut downs, mooing ?), that its faithful have all chosen to steadfastly ignore and continue to support it Coming over to my side? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
