Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Confirmed: Stere Headphone Jack is dead.

I

iMacJunkie

macrumors regular
Original poster
Aug 7, 2011
188
51
I AM ANGRY.

I just went through Black Friday madness and bought a pair of $150.00 Bose AE2 headphones and they don't work on my iMac. The headphone jack keeps switching to Digital Out instead of microphone and says "The selected device has no output controls."

Now the headphones that worked no longer do. AARRGGGHHH.

I just bought this iMac in August!!!! How does the audio port go bad in 90 days!! :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:
 
You plugged in a Bose product. That's how it went bad in 90 days.

Your iMac is telling you, no means no. ;)
 
So this happens with other devices using the 3.5mm jack?

If it does turn out to be the iMac, USB to 3.5mm adaptors are available.
 
AdrianK said:
So this happens with other devices using the 3.5mm jack?

If it does turn out to be the iMac, USB to 3.5mm adaptors are available.
Click to expand...

I don't use the 3.5mm headphone jack for anything else. I've tried 4 pairs of headphones (2 JVCs, 1 Sennheisers, 1 brand-new-just-bought Bose) so far and they all don't work. The one pair that continued working until just this morning are now dead when plugged into my iMac.
 
First of all, you should be angry if you paid $150 for the Bose AE2 Headphones since their MSRP is $149 and they're on sale for 134.95 with free shipping one www.bose.com

Second, buy a USB DAC. Simple solution to a simple problem.

:)

Edit - I just saw your signature. Is this on your iMac? IIRC that model iMac was originally released around May 2011 so it is certainly under warranty. That would certainly be fixed under Applecare.
 
mike5411 said:
First of all, you should be angry if you paid $150 for the Bose AE2 Headphones since their MSRP is $149 and they're on sale for 134.95 with free shipping one www.bose.com

Second, buy a USB DAC. Simple solution to a simple problem.

:)

Edit - I just saw your signature. Is this on your iMac? IIRC that model iMac was originally released around May 2011 so it is certainly under warranty. That would certainly be fixed under Applecare.
Click to expand...

Yup...brand-new iMac. Just got it around August 20th.

Why do I have to be without a computer while they fix it? It doesn't seem fair to have just paid a $2700 and have to have it fixed already.

Also, I can't have my other USB ports taken. They're all used for various devices already and I don't want to have to switch between ports when I have to use another device. That's irritating.
 
iMacJunkie said:
Yup...brand-new iMac. Just got it around August 20th.

Why do I have to be without a computer while they fix it? It doesn't seem fair to have just paid a $2700 and have to have it fixed already.

Also, I can't have my other USB ports taken. They're all used for various devices already and I don't want to have to switch between ports when I have to use another device. That's irritating.
Click to expand...

I understand you're frustrated; I've experienced a similar situation when I first received my MacBook Pro two and a half years ago.

First of all, I am uncertain if you are near an Apple Store. However if you are, they can repair your iMac right in the store. More likely than not you're going to need a new logic board to fix your issue. After the Apple Store officially diagnoses your issue, I would tell them to call you when the part is in (instead of holding onto your iMac until the part arrives). Also speak to the manager to let him know your situation. The manager should be very understanding and try to minimize your time without a computer. Once the part is in, the repair should have a very quick turn around time. It is not unbelievable to think it should be done by the next business day.

If you do not have an Apple Store near you and you're mailing computer in, then I can relate to your frustration. To me anything beyond a day or two without a computer would be unacceptable.

As to it not being fair to have your computer have to be fixed already; that is out of anyone's control. It is not your fault nor is it Apple's fault that your computer already needs repair. It is an electronic and these things do happen, especially within the first couple of months when electronics tend to fail.

Fortunately Apple is one of the best with customer service. If you are getting it fixed at an Apple Store, it will get fixed rather quickly. Much quicker than another competitor from my experience. If you are upset about how long it takes an Apple computer to get repaired at an Apple Store, please never buy a Dell.

Again, while it is frustrating, what do you truly want from Apple. They will fix your issue free of charge as their warranty states. Electronics aren't perfect and it is always disappointing when these things do happen to your new electronics. However, at the end of the day, it is just a computer and it will be fixed soon. There is no need to get so upset about the simple things in life since getting wound up will rectify nothing.
 
While I'm not sure about your iMac - I can say having looked inside older iMacs - they're not well designed in regard to the I/O ports. On an iPod, iPhone, ect - the headphone jack is "floating" it's not mechanically affixed direct to the logic board. So any stresses allow small movement, and do not transfer this energy to the mainboard.

In the iMacs I've opened up (2005, 2006, 2008 models) the ports were hard-mounted to the motherboard. So this means movement / stresses on the wires transfer directly to the jack and board. This makes they fragile compared to floating-type jacks.

My take is that Apple didn't really design these as a headphone jack, more than as an external speaker jack - something that's not intended to be used frequently.

My 2006 iMac has a bad headphone jack - and replacing it requires an entire motherboard. (which costs more to replace then I paid for this iMac when it was new!) So make use of your warranty. I'd look into external speakers with a headphone jack on them - OR be EXTREMELY careful using the jack on your iMac down the road...
 
mike5411 said:
I understand you're frustrated; I've experienced a similar situation when I first received my MacBook Pro two and a half years ago.

First of all, I am uncertain if you are near an Apple Store. However if you are, they can repair your iMac right in the store. More likely than not you're going to need a new logic board to fix your issue. After the Apple Store officially diagnoses your issue, I would tell them to call you when the part is in (instead of holding onto your iMac until the part arrives). Also speak to the manager to let him know your situation. The manager should be very understanding and try to minimize your time without a computer. Once the part is in, the repair should have a very quick turn around time. It is not unbelievable to think it should be done by the next business day.

If you do not have an Apple Store near you and you're mailing computer in, then I can relate to your frustration. To me anything beyond a day or two without a computer would be unacceptable.

As to it not being fair to have your computer have to be fixed already; that is out of anyone's control. It is not your fault nor is it Apple's fault that your computer already needs repair. It is an electronic and these things do happen, especially within the first couple of months when electronics tend to fail.

Fortunately Apple is one of the best with customer service. If you are getting it fixed at an Apple Store, it will get fixed rather quickly. Much quicker than another competitor from my experience. If you are upset about how long it takes an Apple computer to get repaired at an Apple Store, please never buy a Dell.

Again, while it is frustrating, what do you truly want from Apple. They will fix your issue free of charge as their warranty states. Electronics aren't perfect and it is always disappointing when these things do happen to your new electronics. However, at the end of the day, it is just a computer and it will be fixed soon. There is no need to get so upset about the simple things in life since getting wound up will rectify nothing.
Click to expand...

Oh I would NEVER buy a Dell. Not in a million years. Not after the horrible experience my parents had just buying their Dells online from Dell's website. My experience buying my Apple iMac was awesome by comparison.

I've hand built all of my PCs since my second PC ever. If I had a PC I could go to Fry's, pick up a relatively nice sound card for $50-$100 to replace the failed headphone jack, and have it up and running perfectly in 15 minutes.

Then again, I love the screen and performance of my iMac. So, I guess there are compromises in everything. I'd rather have the high quality screen of my iMac 27" and the quality of OS X than have to use the POS OS that is Winblows 7.
 
Big-TDI-Guy said:
You plugged in a Bose product. That's how it went bad in 90 days.

Your iMac is telling you, no means no. ;)
Click to expand...

ROTFL. =)

This started happening before I plugged in the Bose product. though, so I doubt it could be directly attributed to that.
 
Anyway I finally got a chance to test them and the headphones work fine on a Windows laptop. FML.

Being that I'm in Southern California can I take it in for repair to an Apple Store at a place like Best Buy or do I have to take it to a standalone Apple Store at a place like the one in South Coast Plaza or the Brea Mall?
 
Last edited:
iMacJunkie said:
Anyway I finally got a chance to test them and the headphones work fine on a Windows laptop. FML.

Being that I'm in Southern California can I take it in for repair to an Apple Store at a place like Best Buy or do I have to take it to a standalone Apple Store at a place like the one in South Coast Plaza or the Brea Mall?
Click to expand...

make an appt online with the genius bar at your local apple store. Don't go to a best buy, they'll most likely **** up your machine plus you won't get appl warranty there anyway.
 
GyroFX said:
make an appt online with the genius bar at your local apple store. Don't go to a best buy, they'll most likely **** up your machine plus you won't get appl warranty there anyway.
Click to expand...

Thank you Gyro! I'll make an appointment at the Apple Store in South Coast Plaza.

Also, I tried resetting PRAM according to another article on Google search. This did nothing. =(
 
I think I'm gonna go with the 3.5mm > USB adapter option.

Not so sure I want to carry a 27" iMac around South Coast Plaza on the busiest shopping weekend of the year over a 3.5mm headphone jack.

Plus, I have too much website design work to get done. Oy!!

Thank you all for your help and feedback - I know what to do when I schedule my Apple store appointment with the Genius Bar next weekend.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back