Sennheiser headset repair

Kingairer

Kingairer

'Tiger Team' Member
My very own headset thread!!

Ive had a pair of HMEC25s for about 10 years nows. I had the Headset Dr refurb them about 5 years ago. He did a great job, looked brand new again, and cost was about $200. I need them done again just due to some cords starting to fray and the anr box came off. Anyways, the headset dr isnt around anymore, so I looked around and deceided i just send them back to Sennheiser in Tulsa. After some traded emails, they informed me average repair cost is $300, but to send them in and they would estimate it and tell me. Spent $35 to ship it to them. Got the estimate and it was $500! The headsets still work and only needed a new cord and I wouldve been happy. Tried to negotiate lower, no dice. So i said ok, please send them back(via email) since we cant get together on a price. Didnt hear anything back, but the next day I get an overnite box with my headsets in them, great I thought. Well today I get a $60 return fee invoice! Wow....so should I pay this? This amount was never talked about before. Has anyone else dealt with them?
They say that an unsatisfied customer tells 8-10 people about his experience...Im just doing my part...Never again!
 
Kingairer said:
My very own headset thread!!

Ive had a pair of HMEC25s for about 10 years nows. I had the Headset Dr refurb them about 5 years ago. He did a great job, looked brand new again, and cost was about $200. I need them done again just due to some cords starting to fray and the anr box came off. Anyways, the headset dr isnt around anymore, so I looked around and deceided i just send them back to Sennheiser in Tulsa. After some traded emails, they informed me average repair cost is $300, but to send them in and they would estimate it and tell me. Spent $35 to ship it to them. Got the estimate and it was $500! The headsets still work and only needed a new cord and I wouldve been happy. Tried to negotiate lower, no dice. So i said ok, please send them back(via email) since we cant get together on a price. Didnt hear anything back, but the next day I get an overnite box with my headsets in them, great I thought. Well today I get a $60 return fee invoice! Wow....so should I pay this? This amount was never talked about before. Has anyone else dealt with them?
They say that an unsatisfied customer tells 8-10 people about his experience...Im just doing my part...Never again!
Click to expand...

Wish I could say I'm surprised, but I'm not. I sent my Sennheiser S-1 digital headset in for repair the first week of January, and didn't get them back until the last week in March. Every time I called Sennheiser's service department, they would give me the run-around about a back ordered part, and each time would push back the expected date of arrival for said part.

The repair work was top notch, but the customer service was terrible. Not only that, but I hadn't even owned them a year before having to send them back to Sennheiser for repair. Unacceptable for a $1,100 headset.
 
I'm having the same issue with my HMEC 460s. The first time I had them replaced was in 2011 a WEEK after I bought them.

Now the replacement pair that I received has an ear cup that failed on me.

This is really unacceptable for a company that makes some bleeding edge headphones/mics.
 
Maybe Sennheiser puts more effort into the construction and quality control of their audio industry headsets than they do aviation. I have a pair of Sennheiser headphones that I use every day when I work out, and they've survived months and months of sweat and abuse without missing a beat.

Wish I could say the same thing about my S-1.
 
Apophis said:
Maybe Sennheiser puts more effort into the construction and quality control of their audio industry headsets..,

Wish I could say the same thing about my S-1.
Click to expand...

Which is too bad because I know some audio companies (ahem Bose) that has build quality issues in everything aside from aviation headsets.

Edit: Which is too bad because the price of the S1 is pretty close to a set of Sennhieser's reference headphones.
 
I love my S-1's, don't get me wrong. The adaptive noise cancellation button is genius, and when pressed at high power settings, it cancels noise better than my Bose X's did. My Bose didn't need repair after 8 months though, and that is something Sennheiser needs to fix.

They could also take a lesson or two from David Clark's customer service.
 
Lightspeed has the most amazing customer service I've dealt with and they've made a customer for life out of me because of it..
 
Stay tuned.

I'm in contact with the North American director or Sennheiser Aviation (who I know personally), who is in Germany at HQ for some meetings and they're aware of the issues and concerned about your collective experiences.

I'm very confident something is going to be worked out.
 
Nope. David Dunlap, Director of Sennheiser Aviation.

Great guy.
 
How to Replace a S1 Audio or Microphone Jack

Just want to post some help for anyone wishing to repair a Sennheiser S1 Passive Audio jack.
I live in South Africa, and got helped by the most kind and helpful folk at Sennheiser contact Centre USA. I live about a days drive from the nearest Sennheiser repair place and our post is abysmal. I am so impressed with Sennheiser. They have the level of support that makes me fanatically loyal to them. As an audio engineer in the studio, I have experienced their quality for years, but its the after sales service that just inspires me!

Diagnosis: the jack and immediate wire near it through the pre-molded strain relief causes intermittent sound when wiggled.

step 1. Obtain a top quality audio jack - your life is going to depend on it - I recommend a Neutrik Swiss made one- it has rugged strain relief and can take the bangs of climbing in and out the cockpit.

Step 2. Cut off the old faulty jack about a centimetre from the old strain relief - as good as the strain relief was - thats where it failed....
Strip back about 15mm of outer insulation from the cut off end
trim away the strings and unnecessary color wires

very carefully cut away about 3mm of the correct color wire insulation. I found that a slight nip in the insulation followed by a gentle but firm pull on the insulation with a precision side cutter will remove the unnecessary insulation, without removing the tiny copper strands inside.

I am including both microphone connections and earphone connections.

Solder carefully as per the terminations as listed by the amazing people from Sennheiser.
6,3 mm (Headphone) Function

Tip White Audio Left +
Ring Orange Audio Right +
Sleeve Brown Audio Common (Audio L & R -)

5,25 mm (Microphone)

Tip No Connection
Ring Red Microphone +
Sleeve Blue and Green Microphone -

I trust this helps you too!
 
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