Troubleshooting Beats Studio First Generation

When the power switch is turned on, the light on the switch will not turn on and the headphones will not produce any sound.

Before taking apart your headphones, try installing new batteries. Double check that the batteries are installed in the correct orientation and seated firmly in the battery housing. In most cases, your problem will be solved by this simple step.

If you are unsure of how to replace the batteries, refer to this guide: Beats Studio First Generation Batteries Replacement

If the switch feels very loose or does not make a small click when it is turned on or off, the power switch cover likely needs to be replaced.

This guide will show you how to access the power switch (follow it up to step 15). If the plastic switch cover is broken, it can be easily replaced. If the switch on the motherboard is broken, either a new switch must be soldered on or the motherboard must be replaced.

The speakers function, but noise anomalies like crackling, snapping, popping, echoes, or bass distortion can be heard.

Check that the in-line cable is firmly connected to both the headphones and the device that audio is being played from. Check that the headphone jacks of both devices are clean and do not contain a build up of dust or gunk that could be interfering with the connection. If foreign matter is present, turn off the device and clean the dirty portion with a q-tip and a small amount of rubbing alcohol or electronics cleaner.

If the connection is secure, try a different device and a different in-line cable, if available. If the problem persists, the headphones may be causing the problem see this part of the troubleshooting guide.

Before taking apart your headphones, try installing new batteries. Double check that the batteries are installed in the correct orientation and seated firmly in the battery housing. In most cases, your problem will be solved by this simple step.

If you are unsure of how to replace the batteries, refer to this guide: Beats Studio First Generation Batteries Replacement

The headphones can be reset by turning them off, waiting for 10 seconds, and then turning them back on.

Audio from one speaker can be heard, but no sound can be heard from the other speaker.

Check that all the electrical wires are firmly connected to both the headphones and the device that audio is being played from. Make sure the headphone jacks of both devices are free of dust and grime, as this may interfere with the electrical connection. If foreign matter is present, turn off the device and clean the dirty portion with a q-tip and a small amount of rubbing alcohol or electronics cleaner.

If all else fails, try using a different device and a different in-line cable, if available.

Before taking apart your headphones, try installing new batteries. Double check that the batteries are installed in the correct orientation and seated firmly in the battery housing. In most cases, your problem will be solved by this simple step.

If you are unsure of how to replace the batteries, refer to this guide: Beats Studio First Generation Batteries Replacement

If the problem still persists, then there is probably a wire that needs to be soldered. After checking that the in-line cable is functioning, you'll need to take apart the headband to examine the wire connecting the left speaker to the right speaker. Repair or replace it as necessary.

See this replacement guide so that you can access the headband wire: Beats Studio First Generation Headband Replacement

If the broken wire is not in the headband, then it must be in the speaker. Follow this guide to disassemble the speaker and determine if there is a loose wire. Solder or re-solder connections as needed.

No audio can be heard from either speaker.

Admittedly, it sounds rather simple, but first check to make sure that the volume is turned up and the headphones are not muted.

Make sure that your headphones are properly paired with your audio device. For the best quality connection, ensure that the audio player and your headphones have a direct line-of-sight connection and are within about 15 ft. of each other.

Check the audio cable(s) to make sure everything is firmly connected and securely in place. Headphone jacks in both devices should be relatively clean. The less dust or gunk in the headphone jacks, the better.

Before taking apart your headphones, try installing new batteries. Double check that the batteries are installed in the correct orientation and seated firmly in the battery housing. In most cases, your problem will be solved by this simple step.

If you are unsure of how to replace the batteries, refer to this guide: Beats Studio First Generation Batteries Replacement

Dismantle the headband to access the wire connecting the left speaker to the right speaker and look for frayed or loose connections. Solder or re-solder as necessary.

See this replacement guide for the headband: Beats Studio First Generation Headband Replacement

Assess the state of the wires in both speakers. Search for any loose connections or fraying. Solder if needed.

See repair guide for the speaker: Beats Studio First Generation Speaker Replacement

If all other troubleshooting options have been checked for this symptom and there is still no sound from the speakers, the power button might be broken and needs to be replaced. If you are confident in your technical skills and have a replacement power button, feel free to go ahead and desolder the power button from the motherboard. However, it is much easier to simply replace the entire motherboard in these situations.

This guide will show you how to access the power switch if you follow it up to step 15. Follow the whole guide to replace the motherboard.

Your headphones do not respond when the mute button is pressed.

If the mute button does not work, the headphones might need to be reset. The headphones can be reset by turning the headphones off, waiting about 10 seconds, and turning them back on.

The mute button might be jammed if it did not reset properly from the last time it was pressed. Press the mute button about 5 five times repeatedly while the headphones are off. Turn headphones back on and press the mute button while sound is playing. If the sound is not muted, the button might be broken and needs to be replaced. If you are experienced with soldering, you may desolder the mute button from the motherboard and replace it. However, it is often easier to simply replace the entire motherboard.

This guide will show you how to access the power switch if you follow it up to step 15. Follow the whole guide to replace the motherboard.

When pushing the top, bottom or center in-line button on the headphone cable, the audio playing device does not respond appropriately or at all.

Check that the wire is firmly connected to both the headphones and the audio player. Check that the headphone jacks of both devices are clean and do not contain a build up of dust or gunk that could be interfering with the connection. If you see dirt on the any of the audio jacks, clean them off with a small amount of rubbing alcohol or electronics cleaner.

If the audio jack of the headphones or the audio player looks dirty, turn off the device and clean it. Using a very small amount of rubbing alcohol or electronics cleaner on a q-tip or pipe cleaner is an effective way to clean the jack. Let the jack completely dry off before attempting to turn on and use the device.

The buttons on the cable do not work with every audio device. According to the troubleshooting page on the Beats website the in-line cable buttons may have limited compatibility with non-iOS devices or devices that do not have the latest software installed.

If you know the buttons worked at one point on your audio playing device and you have not performed any major updates on the audio player, but one or more of the buttons on the cable no longer work, the cable may just need to be replaced. If you are confident in your technical skills and want to attempt the tedious process of fixing the audio cable, go for it! Otherwise, we recommend that you simply buy a new cable.