The headphone’s TRRS cable, which is made up of three wires, is its weakest. The transmission of electrical impulses to the speakers is the TRRS’s fundamental component. The wire weakens with time as a result of continual use and straining, and occasionally it sounds as though it is submerged.
A loose link to the audio source may be the root of muffled audio in wired headphones. Sound clarity will be inconsistent if the headphones’ plug is not inserted correctly in the audio port. Mismatched formats may be to blame for Bluetooth headphones.
Have you ever attempted listening to audio that sounds distant and muffled, as if it were being recorded underwater?
You might have encountered issues brought on by audio drivers that were impaired, usually as a result of low-quality components, dust or dirt accumulation, or something more severe.
Let’s find it out:
Why do Headphones Sound Like they are Underwater?
Due to a variety of factors, headphones frequently create a muffled, muddy sound similar to that heard underwater:
1. Low Bitrate Audio Encoding
Low-bit-rate audio encoding may result in an audible phenomenon known as “tubby,” which makes headphones sound as if they are underwater. These characteristics describe it:
- Terrible fidelity and weak clarity
- Even at greater volumes, the sound is flat and lifeless
- Audible interference brought on by harmonic distortion.
2. Faulty TRRS Cable or Damaged Headphone Jack
The four 4-ringed connectors on TRRS cables convey audio, microphone, and ground signals. If flawed, they may result in an odd occurrence known as the “underwater sound” in headphones.
To determine whether a faulty TRRS wire needs to replace:
- Verify the soldering’s precise structural stability.
- Make sure the cable is not bent.
3. Blown Speakers
Blown speakers, also known as “blown” or “fried” speakers, are audio components whose voice coil or diaphragm has deteriorated, leading to:
- Distortion in the audio
- The alleged “muffled” or “underwater” effect
- Either excessive electrical current flow or excessive noise levels can harm the speakers in your headphones.
4. Incorrect EQ Settings
Due to a buildup of bass tones, muffled mids, and hollow or recessed treble sounds, improperly set equalizer (EQ) settings can make your headphones sound as though they are underwater.
One must carefully change the EQ settings to prevent headphones from sounding ‘underwater‘ or distant. Here are some things to take care of:
- Boost low-mids and reduce high-mids
- Limit your use of low-end sound.
- Amplify the high range.
- Reverberate less
When carried out properly, these steps can aid in preventing flat, far-off underwater sounds.
5. Moisture Damage
Water or other liquids can seep into sensitive components of a set of headphones and cause moisture damage. Numerous audio-related problems can result from this harmful issue:
- When moisture damage has happened, the sound quality degrades, the audio becomes softer, the bass is less present, and the frequency range changes—but most noticeably, the headphones sound “underwater.”
- Put wet headphones in a container of uncooked rice or silica gel for a few days to dry them out.
- If headphones are exposed to water, the contacts may oxidize, causing the sound to gradually become “distant” or quiet before eventually stopping to function.
- It is strongly advised against wearing headphones outside in rainy or humid conditions due to the possibility of harm.
How to fix headphones that sound like they’re underwater?
It’s important to follow specific instructions to get headphones that sound like they’re underwater back in perfect functioning order, such as:
Select the default audio format to 24-bit
Listeners are used to a sound of diminished sound quality because of the poor playback from 16-bit audio codecs. Selecting a 24-bit audio file as the default will suffice as a fix.
Choosing the usual format sound in Windows 10 is as follows:
- Type “sound settings” into the search box on the Start menu to launch it.
- The Sound Settings Window will appear. Select the “Sounds” menu.
- From the “Output” and “Choose your output device” options, choose “Device properties” and then “Additional device characteristics.”.
- Choosing the 24-bit, 44100 Hz (Studio Quality) choice from the dropdown menu under the “Advanced” tab on the menu bar.
- To use the updated default audio format, restart the device.
Damaged headphone cable
A wire replacement is needed to fix the broken cable or headphone jack that is causing the underwater sound effect in headphones and returns it to normal. To perform a wire change, you must first remove the earcups from your headphones and then unsolder or cut the current speaker wires that are connected to them.
To ensure the new wiring is correct, it is imperative to note the pinout format and wire colors of the current connections.
- Green: is the left channel
- Red: Right channel
- Copper: yellow
Replace blown-out speakers
- First, the outdated speakers need to be taken out and replaced. Consult your product’s manual or look up online directions for the particular product you’re using.
- Following removal, find a new speaker for your model by searching online.
- The last stage is to carefully attach the new speakers after choosing and buying the appropriate replacements.
Hardware troubleshooting
On a Windows 10 computer, troubleshooting headphone audio problems can be difficult. However, if you take the following important actions, it will go more quickly:
- Activate the Control Center.
- Under “Troubleshooting,” perform a search for “Find and solve audio playback issues.”
- Click on “Hardware and Sound” then “Troubleshoot audio playing.”
- Which device(s) do you want to troubleshoot?
Fix underwater sound caused by water damage
The variety of symptoms that water-damaged headphones exhibit, such as distorted or muffled sound, abrupt volume changes, intermittent audio, and even no sound at all, makes them challenging to fix. Follow these methods to repair wet-damaged headphones:
- For more efficient drying, dilute any tainted water with distilled water.
- Put the headphones in a receptacle that is airtight and contains drying agents like silica gel or uncooked rice.
- Use an anticorrosive solution or vinegar, water, and baking soda solution to remove any corrosion from the connections.
Steps to Fix Headphones That Sound Like Underwater?
| Step 1 | Examine the headphones for physical harm. Verify that no cables are frayed or loose, and take note of any surface dings. |
| Step 2 | Deep-clean your headphones. It might be time to sanitize any household items you have, such as soap and water. |
| Step 3 | Replace the ear cushions. The ear cushions that come with your headphones may have become worn out over time if they have replaceable ear pads. However, this is among the simplest methods for enhancing sound clarity. |
| Step 4 | Check once more for any potential physical harm after cleaning. It’s crucial to confirm that your headphones are working correctly. It might just be a loose wire or connection, which is typically a straightforward fix. |
| Step 5 | Attempt sound balancing. There are numerous applications available for adjusting sound. However, this is something you can do using the options in both Spotify and iTunes. |
FAQs
Why does my music have a submerged sound?
If a caller sounds as though they are underwater, there may be a loose link, faulty networking hardware, or a network that cannot deliver enough Internet speed. Typical signs of muffled sounds include: The caller’s inbound audio may sound muffled or as if they are in a passageway.
Why do my headphones sound distorted?
A loose link to the audio source may be the root of muffled audio in wired headphones. Sound quality will be erratic if your headphones’ plug isn’t correctly inserted into the audio port. Mismatched formats may be to blame for Bluetooth headphones.
Why does it sound hollow?
The occlusion effect happens when something blocks the outer part of a person’s ear canal, causing them to hear “booming” or echo-like sounds made by their speech. Various routes are used by bone-conducted sound to get to the ear.
Conclusion
- There are several causes for the underwater sound that headphones frequently emanate, including low-bitrate audio encoding, defective cables, and moisture damage.
- To solve the problem, it is first essential to recognize and comprehend its root causes.
- A higher audio bit-rate format can be chosen, replacing faulty cables and speakers, and simple hardware troubleshooting.
- To sum up, if the sound coming from your headphones has an underwater effect, find the root of the problem and fix it for a much better listening experience.