OT: Bad headphone jack

[flanc]

This is a bit off topic but it does relate to my "live sound".

 

We use a Creative Lab's MP3 player to play break music between sets. We've used this model for about 4 years and it's been very reliable. The last gig, my wife (who programs up the break music) was complaining to me that we weren't getting the volume that we normally get from out of the device. I checked the signal chain and everything was as usual.....hmmmm. I picked up the player and whamo...the music jumps by +6 db. I set is down and it's down again. After changing the cable and and later confirming it after the gig, I have determined the problem to be the headphone jack. It is probably worn to the point the it doesn't make good connection anymore. Any thoughts on a possible solution? It works well otherwise. A replacement will cost me a couple hundred bucks and I'm willing (and able) to bite that bullet. Before I do that, I'll probably open it up (if possible) and do some quick eyeball analysis...see if any gak is in the way. Or, perhaps I can bend some contact back to make for a tighter connection? Is there any great goo that I can squirt in the jack to give me a better connection? Just looking for ideas.....

[6Imzadi]

I hear super glue works great....

Seriously, though. I got an mp3 player from office depot for 100 dollars. It holds 1GB of music, more than enough for break music for me, anyway. I also use it for when I work out, too.

[Gregidon]

If you can't fix the jack you can always solder some wires to the leads and lets say solder a new jack to the wires externally. It's not a particularly elegant solution, but a broken jack shouldn't make you buy a new mp3 player...

[agedhorse]

I'll bet it's pretty tiny in there, may not even be able to get it apart without breaking it. If you know somebody really tech-handy, that's an option but prepare yourself to buy a new one anyway.