[RESOLVED] Potentially broken headphones (Sanity Check!)

[Menshai]

Hey all,

tl;dr My headphones are dominately playing sound from only one ear cup. Checked all the obvious things, including levels/balance and all is nominal. Have they just failed?

About nine months ago I picked up the MSI Immerse GH70 Gaming Headset to replace my vastly old Roccat Kave 5.1 Headset.

About a week ago, I noticed that sound was louder on one side of the headset than the other. Flipping the headset round confirmed that, No, I hadn't gone deaf in one ear! There really was less sound coming out of one side. I tried unplugging and replugging, restarting the computer etc. After some playing around (can't remember full details) the sounds came back fully in the other side.... For a while, before dropping out again. Repeat this process once more.

Come back after a weekend away and the sound just seems permanently reduced on one side. I've tried plugging and unplugging. Uninstalling/reinstalling drivers. I've checked all the places where I can find levels/balance settings and everything is in the middle or maxed on both sides. It just seems like there is now less sound coming out of one earcup... I borrowed a headset from my flatmate and the sound plays correctly with those: evenly through both sides, no anomalies.

Is there anything else I can try/test to debug this? Could it be some weird software problem or is this a hardware problem?

Please let me know if anymore information is required!

Thanks in advance for your support/time!

Other specs if required
Windows 7 64 bit
Intel Core i5 2500k
MSI P67A-GD65 (MS-7681) Motherboard

 

[Minstadave]

Your headphones are broken

Try them from a second source, but they'll be broken.

 

[EsaT]

You could try testing them in other computer.
But those are cheap Chinese trinket production trashes, so who knows what weaknesses they have in design and contruction.
As those seem to be permanently attached to that USB dongle (likely to hide with custom EQ how bad frequency response is) those can't even be tested in other sound source.
Anyway can't see much reason to suspect problem not being in them.

 

[Menshai]

Try them from a second source...

Now why didn't I think of that :/ Plugged them into my laptop and sure enough, the problem persists. Guess I'll be posting for new headset suggestions then!

Thanks all!