Sony H Ear On 3 Headband Replacement Repair Guide

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

Time Required

                          30 minutes - 1 hour

Sections

Right Ear Pad
2 steps
Sony H.ear on 3 Right Speaker Housing Disassembly
6 steps
Left Ear Pad
2 steps
Sony H.ear on 3 Left Speaker Housing Disassembly
2 steps
Headband
9 steps

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Introduction

I’m not a very advanced repairer, so maybe there are precautions I am missing but my own headphones were not the same after trying to remove the headband. Maybe it’s because I had to tinker around to find out what to do, and maybe I damaged some solder joints in the process.

There is no other way to disassemble the headphones to get to the headband than the one outlined here, but consider making sure you have a soldering iron to disconnect components like the NFC antenna or repair solder joints that may possibly get damaged in this process.

What you need

Step 1

              Extend the Right Speaker

Extend the Right cup and fold the Left cup away via the headband .
This will help protect the other ear pad while you work on this one.

Extend the Right cup and fold the Left cup away via the headband .

This will help protect the other ear pad while you work on this one.

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Step 2

              Unclip the Right Ear Pad

The pad is attached by 6 clips in a hexagonal pattern, shown by the arrows.
Starting from the top, insert an opening pick in between where the cup leather meets the plastic casing, push it in firmly, then twist it until you disengage the top clip.
Try not to damage or peel off the leather while doing this. It helps if you pry towards the speaker housing, not the leather cup.
Work round the back side, poking the pick in and twisting to disengage further clips until you can gently pull the cup away.
When re-assembling, make sure that the stitching line on the ear pad is facing the bottom.

The pad is attached by 6 clips in a hexagonal pattern, shown by the arrows.

Starting from the top, insert an opening pick in between where the cup leather meets the plastic casing, push it in firmly, then twist it until you disengage the top clip.

Try not to damage or peel off the leather while doing this. It helps if you pry towards the speaker housing, not the leather cup.

Work round the back side, poking the pick in and twisting to disengage further clips until you can gently pull the cup away.

When re-assembling, make sure that the stitching line on the ear pad is facing the bottom.

Step 3

              Unscrew the casing on the Right Speaker

Check that you are on the Right Speaker using the indicator on the headband.
Use a JIS #000 screwdriver to remove the 5 6mm screws holding the Right Speaker casing in place.

Check that you are on the Right Speaker using the indicator on the headband.

Use a JIS #000 screwdriver to remove the 5 6mm screws holding the Right Speaker casing in place.

Step 4

              Lift the Right Speaker casing apart

Gently lift the casing apart like a book from the bottom.
Do not lift it completely away as the touchpad is still connected by a delicate ribbon cable.
When re-assembling, make sure the touchpad ribbon cable isn’t pinched by the casing.

Gently lift the casing apart like a book from the bottom.

Do not lift it completely away as the touchpad is still connected by a delicate ribbon cable.

When re-assembling, make sure the touchpad ribbon cable isn’t pinched by the casing.

Step 5

              Locate the battery and touchpad connectors

Gently peel back the foam tape with a spudger and unstick it from the two cables underneath.
The battery and headband cable held in place against the PCB and internal enclosure of the Right Speaker with foam tape. The ZIF connector the touchpad is to the side and not covered in tape.
Headband cable connector (under foam tape)
Battery connector (under foam tape)
ZIF connector for touchpad
Foam tape

Gently peel back the foam tape with a spudger and unstick it from the two cables underneath.

The battery and headband cable held in place against the PCB and internal enclosure of the Right Speaker with foam tape. The ZIF connector the touchpad is to the side and not covered in tape.

Headband cable connector (under foam tape)

Battery connector (under foam tape)

ZIF connector for touchpad

Foam tape

Step 6

              Disconnect the Battery

Using tweezers, gently grab and pull the smaller connector up from the circuit board to disconnect the battery.
Be extra careful to make sure you don’t puncture the battery with the tweezers.

Using tweezers, gently grab and pull the smaller connector up from the circuit board to disconnect the battery.

Be extra careful to make sure you don’t puncture the battery with the tweezers.

Step 7

              Disconnect the Touchpad

Using a spudger, gently flip up the latch on the ZIF connector on the circuit board connecting the touchpad.
Gently lift the ribbon cable away.

Using a spudger, gently flip up the latch on the ZIF connector on the circuit board connecting the touchpad.

Gently lift the ribbon cable away.

Step 8

              Remove the Touchpad

You can now safely remove the touchpad from the Right Speaker.

You can now safely remove the touchpad from the Right Speaker.

Step 9

              Extend the Left Speaker

Extend the Left cup and fold the Right cup away via the headband.
This will help protect the other ear pad while you work on this one.

Extend the Left cup and fold the Right cup away via the headband.

Step 10

              Unclip the Left Ear Pad

Step 11

              Unscrew the casing for the Left Speaker

Check that you are on the Left Speaker using the indicator on the headband.
Use a JIS #000 screwdriver to remove the 5x 6mm screws holding the Left Speaker casing in place.
Do not remove the casing or pull the casing away yet. The two sides are connected together via a soldered cable.

Check that you are on the Left Speaker using the indicator on the headband.

Use a JIS #000 screwdriver to remove the 5x 6mm screws holding the Left Speaker casing in place.

Do not remove the casing or pull the casing away yet. The two sides are connected together via a soldered cable.

Step 12

              Unstick the NFC Antenna cable

Gently lift the cup away and peek inside without fully removing it. You should see the following:
A thin layer of tape holding a cable going from the boards to the NFC antenna in the outer shell piece.
In this picture it’s already unstuck.
Another thin layer of tape below it holding the headband cable and NC microphone cables to the mainboard.
Gently pry the layer of tape holding the NFC cable.
This area has three layers of tape on top of the circuit board - make sure you’re only unsticking the top layer that is holding the NFC cable for now.
Once you’ve done that, it should have enough slack, and then you can open it like a book from the right side.
You cannot disconnect the NFC antenna cable unless you have a soldering iron. Be careful if you are doing any further disassembly to the Left Speaker.

Gently lift the cup away and peek inside without fully removing it. You should see the following:

A thin layer of tape holding a cable going from the boards to the NFC antenna in the outer shell piece.

In this picture it’s already unstuck.

Another thin layer of tape below it holding the headband cable and NC microphone cables to the mainboard.

Gently pry the layer of tape holding the NFC cable.

This area has three layers of tape on top of the circuit board - make sure you’re only unsticking the top layer that is holding the NFC cable for now.

Once you’ve done that, it should have enough slack, and then you can open it like a book from the right side.

You cannot disconnect the NFC antenna cable unless you have a soldering iron. Be careful if you are doing any further disassembly to the Left Speaker.

Step 13

              Unstick the headband connector from the Left Speaker

With one hand holding the cup and the face plate with the NFC antenna, gently lift the foam tape holding the headband cable onto the circuit board below.
Just peel at the area it connects to the circuit board for now.

With one hand holding the cup and the face plate with the NFC antenna, gently lift the foam tape holding the headband cable onto the circuit board below.

Just peel at the area it connects to the circuit board for now.

Step 14

              Disconnect the headband cable from the mainboard

Using the pointed end of a spudger, gently pull at the edges of the sliding connector of the headband cable to disconnect it from the mainboard.
Gently peel the the whole headband cable up with the tape starting from the connector.
There are soldered NC microphone cables directly below the headband cable that may also be stuck to the tape. Be very gentle during this process, making sure you gently unstick the tape from these cables as you peel the headband cable away.
There’s also yellow tape on the circuit board protecting chips on the mainboard from interference. Also avoid peeling this up.

Using the pointed end of a spudger, gently pull at the edges of the sliding connector of the headband cable to disconnect it from the mainboard.

Gently peel the the whole headband cable up with the tape starting from the connector.

There are soldered NC microphone cables directly below the headband cable that may also be stuck to the tape. Be very gentle during this process, making sure you gently unstick the tape from these cables as you peel the headband cable away.

There’s also yellow tape on the circuit board protecting chips on the mainboard from interference. Also avoid peeling this up.

Step 15

              Unscrew the rear hinge of the Left Speaker

There are two parts of the headband hinge:
Rear-facing hinge held by 2 6mm JIS #000 screws
Front-facing hinge attached by a pivot that is socketed in the speaker casing.
Unscrew the 6mm screws holding the rear hinge to the speaker casing.

There are two parts of the headband hinge:

Rear-facing hinge held by 2 6mm JIS #000 screws

Front-facing hinge attached by a pivot that is socketed in the speaker casing.

Unscrew the 6mm screws holding the rear hinge to the speaker casing.

Step 16

              Tilt and push the Left Speaker hinge

On the rear hinge, gently lift up the hinge as much as is comfortable while at the same time, gently tugging on the front hinge outwards. You should be able to create a small shift in where the hinge is sitting, which is important for the next part.
Make sure the rear hinge bracket doesn’t sit on top of the mainboard at this stage as it might press against and damage solder joints.

On the rear hinge, gently lift up the hinge as much as is comfortable while at the same time, gently tugging on the front hinge outwards. You should be able to create a small shift in where the hinge is sitting, which is important for the next part.

Make sure the rear hinge bracket doesn’t sit on top of the mainboard at this stage as it might press against and damage solder joints.

Step 17

              Unsocket the front hinge of the Left Speaker

If you can’t desolder the NFC antenna, try to hold or rest it while you do this to avoid straining the cable.
Gently lift up the unscrewed rear hinge as much as is comfortable over the internals.
Using the extra slack from lifting the rear hinge, carefully pry out the socket of the front hinge out of the speaker casing with the flat end of a spudger.
When you see a yellow ring appear in an opening on the top of the hinge, you’re almost there.
Once the socket is out, gently lift the whole headband arch away from the speaker.

If you can’t desolder the NFC antenna, try to hold or rest it while you do this to avoid straining the cable.

Gently lift up the unscrewed rear hinge as much as is comfortable over the internals.

Using the extra slack from lifting the rear hinge, carefully pry out the socket of the front hinge out of the speaker casing with the flat end of a spudger.

When you see a yellow ring appear in an opening on the top of the hinge, you’re almost there.

Once the socket is out, gently lift the whole headband arch away from the speaker.

Step 18

              Disconnect the headband cable from the Right Speaker

Use tweezers to gently grab the sides of the connector of the headband cable, then gently pull up and disconnect it.
Be careful not to puncture the battery with the tweezers.

Use tweezers to gently grab the sides of the connector of the headband cable, then gently pull up and disconnect it.

Be careful not to puncture the battery with the tweezers.

Step 19

              Unscrew the rear hinge of the Right Speaker

The way the headband is connected to the Right speaker is exactly the same as the Left Speaker but mirrored:
Rear-facing hinge held by 2 6mm JIS #000 screws
Front-facing hinge attached by a pivot that is socketed in the speaker casing.
Unscrew the 6mm screws holding the rear hinge to the speaker casing.

The way the headband is connected to the Right speaker is exactly the same as the Left Speaker but mirrored:

Step 20

              Tilt and push the Right Speaker hinge

On the rear hinge, gently lift up the hinge as much as is comfortable while at the same time, gently tugging on the front hinge outwards.
You should be able to create a small shift in where the hinge is sitting, which is important for the next part.

On the rear hinge, gently lift up the hinge as much as is comfortable while at the same time, gently tugging on the front hinge outwards.

You should be able to create a small shift in where the hinge is sitting, which is important for the next part.

Step 21

              Unsocket the front hinge of the Right Speaker

Using the same technique as the Left Speaker, use the flat end of a spudger to gently pry the socket away from the speaker casing.
When you see a yellow ring in the gap, you’re almost there, keep going.
Once the socket is out, gently lift the whole headband away from the speaker.

Using the same technique as the Left Speaker, use the flat end of a spudger to gently pry the socket away from the speaker casing.

When you see a yellow ring in the gap, you’re almost there, keep going.

Once the socket is out, gently lift the whole headband away from the speaker.

Now you have full access to the headband assembly.

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.

Before re-installing the cups, test your headphones to make sure they turn on and work in a basic way.

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                    Dzuk

Member since: 07/12/2021

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Devin Hyland - May 23, 2022

The swivel hinge on both sides broke. This guide was instrumental, thanks so much!

Member-Contributed Guide#

Needs More Images#

Bullets!#

Introduction#

What you need#

Member-Contributed Guide

Needs More Images

Bullets!

Introduction

What you need