What if you lose one of your wireless earphones? You can actually buy them second-hand.printing

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In recent years, completely wireless earphones with independent left and right earphones have become popular. At the same time, because they are small, there is a risk of losing them. In some cases, people have lost only one earphone, which greatly limits their use.

This time, I would like to summarize what to do if you lose just one earbud of a completely wireless earphone.

What if you lose one of your wireless earbuds? First, check the manufacturer’s warranty.

First, if you lose one earbud of your wireless earphones, check the warranty from the manufacturer or the retailer where you purchased them. In recent years, it is not uncommon for wireless earphones, such as Apple’s AirPods Pro, to cost over 30,000 yen. If you lose such a model and have to buy it again, the financial burden is painful.

Wireless earphones are convenient, but they are also easy to lose.

In response to such requests, Apple has a warranty service called Apple Care that allows you to purchase wireless earphones at a lower cost than buying new ones even if you lose them. For example, in the case of AirPods Pro (2nd generation), if you do not have a warranty, it will cost 14,400 yen (tax included, same below), but if you have a warranty, it will cost 3,700 yen.

For example, I calculated the cost of my AirPods Pro and it came to 14,400 yen (13,091 yen excluding tax) for one ear. This is still cheaper than buying a new one.

Other than Apple, there are also companies that sell individual parts such as just one earbud or just the case. For example, smartphone manufacturers such as Samsung and Huawei will sell you just one earbud if you inquire.

Huawei offers a warranty service called “Huawei Anshin Care – Earphone Loss Support.” Even if you lose your expensive earphones, you can receive a replacement for free within the warranty period.

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Among audio manufacturers, Final’s completely wireless earphones are sold online in single-ear units only. Headset makers Jabra and Technics (Panasonic), which are well-known for their headsets, also sell some models in single-ear units only on their online stores.

Sony also offers a one-ear replacement for expensive models such as the WF-1000XM5, but this is considered maintenance, so it’s essentially a repair. BOSE and Sennheiser have similar policies.

In the case of Bose, the left and right earphones are linked with serial numbers, so even if you lose one earphone, replacement parts will be sent for both ears.

Technics’ EAH-AZ80 can be purchased as a single earphone at the direct sales store.

Sony’s WF-1000XM5 can be repaired as a single earbud, but in principle it is treated as a repair. When receiving the product, you need to send the missing earbud to Sony.

From what we have seen so far, it seems that relatively expensive earphones that cost over 30,000 yen from any manufacturer have a good after-sales service like this. For models in the 10,000 yen range, there is a perception that “it is quicker to buy a new one” than to use repair services, and the cheaper the model, the less likely it is to support this type of service.

On the other hand, the sale of these spare parts is often limited to direct sales stores. Please note that in many cases, it is not possible to order just one earpiece from mass retailers.

In addition, some electronics retailers may offer their own warranty in addition to the manufacturer’s warranty. This may cover the repair costs, or you may be able to use the loss insurance provided by your credit card.

Buying single-ear earphones: The best place to buy them is the second-hand market

Even if you lose one earbud of your wireless earphones, you can’t just buy a spare one at a consumer electronics store. Even if you use the aforementioned service, it will take about a week to 10 days for Apple to repair it. Even if you use Sony’s repair service, you will not be able to use it for about a few weeks.

In fact, there is a market where you can get a new pair of earphones even if you lose only one earphone. That market is the secondhand earphone market . You might wonder if there is such a market, but secondhand earphones are sold at stores specializing in earphones, as well as major smartphone buying stores such as Janpara and Iosys.

One of the most surprising things is the sale of single-ear wireless earphones. On flea market apps such as Mercari, there are cases where people who have lost one earphone and can’t do anything with the other one are selling it at a low price as a “disposal,” but it is surprising that a specialty store is buying and selling single-ear wireless earphones.

For example, if you check for used Apple AirPods series at earphone specialty store “e☆earphone,” you will find over 100 used items listed.

If you search, you will find many products. There are a considerable number of products for sale, including just one earphone and just the case.

For example, a single used AirPods Pro (2nd generation) will cost around 5,000 to 7,000 yen, depending on the condition. Not only is it cheaper than regular repairs or buying a new one, but it’s also available in stores, so it can be used in situations where you need it urgently.

Some people may be reluctant to buy used products because they come into contact with the skin, but if you don’t want to worry about scratches on the device or the condition of the battery and want to keep expenses low, this is a perfectly viable option.

In the first place, the need to have one earbud is not just for when you lose it. There is also a need to replace the battery when only one side has deteriorated, or when it is damaged by water or other reasons. The boom in the second-hand market is evidence that there is a demand for “single-ear wireless earphones.”

In particular, when AirPods are in lost mode, they may not be able to connect to other devices. If you purchase them on a flea market app, some products may be in this state unintentionally, which can cause problems. In a sense, you can purchase products sold in second-hand markets at specialty stores without worrying that they will not work.

Even if you lose only one earphone, there are many ways to get a replacement

To sum up, if you lose one earbud of your wireless earphones, first check the warranty service of the manufacturer or mass retailer. Next, if the manufacturer officially sells spare parts for one earbud, and if they are willing to repair it, you should definitely use them.

If you want to keep the cost low, or if you want one earphone right away, you can buy just one earphone second-hand from specialty stores such as e☆earphone. However, it is important to note that these mainly offer Apple’s AirPods, and there are very few other models available.

Also, if you purchase one-ear products, you may not be able to use them properly unless you perform “special operations on the earphone side” such as re-setting the pairing with your smartphone and registering the earphone pair. The operation method for this differs depending on the manufacturer, so please refer to the instruction manual.

In many cases, ear pieces (silicone umbrellas) are also sold separately. They may be included with the earphones even if you purchase only one earphone, but in most cases, only the M size is included. Depending on the user, the size may not fit, so if you lose the earphones, it is wise to purchase a separate pair.

Wireless earphones are becoming more and more popular. It turns out that even if you lose one earbud, there are surprisingly many ways to get a replacement. It’s useful to remember these things in case of an emergency.

Author Profile

Sato Hayate

Born just before the start of the Heisei era, he is part of the smartphone generation. He loves his smartphone more than eating three meals a day.

He writes columns and articles mainly about smartphones and earphones. His personal website “Hayapon Log!” provides smartphone and earphone reviews, on-site reports, and various columns.

X: https://twitter.com/Hayaponlog

Website: https://www.hayaponlog.site/

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