Sennheiser is a brand known for its stellar sound quality. With the advancement of wireless earbuds, you can take that professional-level sound with you anywhere in a convenient and low-profile way.
Unfortunately, a common issue with all wireless earbuds is that one side may stop working. There are several reasons for this to occur and several ways to fix this issue.
This article will cover some of the common reasons for Sennheiser earbuds to have one side not working, and how you may be able to fix it.
How to Fix Sennheiser Earbuds with One Side Not Working
In this section, we’ll go over a few ways that you can try to fix your earbuds. All these methods are pretty simple and can be done by you at home.
Charge the Battery
If the battery on your earbuds is running low, then it may be causing some connection issues. Since there are two independent batteries in earbuds, one side may die before the other.
If this is the issue, there is a straightforward fix. All you need to do is pop your earbuds back in their charging case and allow them to fully charge before using them again.
Popping the earbuds back in their case has the added benefit of resetting the connection between the earbuds and the phone, which may also help remove some connection issues between one earbud and the other.
Turn the Earbuds On and Off
This is usually suggested as soon as any piece of tech stops working as it should. And for a good reason. A simple on and off will reset the connection between the two earbuds and the relationship with the device you are using.
To turn the earbuds on and then off again, you only need to place them into their charging case. This will put them into a charging state and sever all connections.
Restart the Device
Often it’s not the earbuds to blame at all. Instead, the device you are using may have some update or glitch causing audio files to not be sent to both earbuds correctly.
If you feel this is the case, then all you need to do is turn your device off (phone, tablet, etc.) and back on again. Once it has turned around, simply take the earbuds out of their charging case and see if they are working correctly now.
Reset Your Earbuds
Just as there may be a glitch on your phone, there can be a glitch on your earbuds. This option is a little more intense than placing your earbuds in their charging case and taking them out again.
To reset the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless earbuds, you start by plugging your charging case into the wall. Next, you place the earbuds into the case. Within 60 seconds of placing the earbuds in the case, you must touch and hold the control panel on both earbuds simultaneously for at least 6 seconds.
Different earbud models have different methods of resetting — so be sure to research your particular model.
Factory Reset Your Earbuds
You can go for a factory reset if a simple reset doesn’t work. A factory reset will return the earbuds to the state they were when you first took them out of the packaging. This means that if you perform a factory reset, you’ll have to manually reconnect them to your devices.
To perform a factory reset on the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless earbuds, you start by plugging the charging case into the wall.
Place your earbuds inside the charging case. Within 60 seconds of putting the earbuds in the charging case, touch and hold both touch controls on the earbuds simultaneously for at least 30 seconds.
There is a second way to factory reset your earbuds. Go into the Sennheiser Smart Control app on your phone. Under the earbuds settings, there should be the option to factory reset them.
Again remember that factory resetting your earbuds will erase all of the data on your earbuds, which include all of your pairing settings.
*Before performing a factory reset, it may be best to “Forget” the earbuds from your connected device and also delete the app. Be sure that the charging case and earbuds are fully charged, too. After resetting the earbuds, re-connect them to your phone and download the app again.
Check the Firmware
Another method you can try to fix Sennheiser Momentum with one side not working is to update the firmware to keep them functioning properly or to fix other common software issues. Checking for firmware updates is usually a good first option when you have earbuds problems.
The firmware can be checked using the Sennheiser Smart Control app. Through the app, you’ll be able to select your earbuds and check if there are any firmware updates.
If the app says there are updates, simply follow the instructions on the screen to install them to your earbuds.
If you’re not using the Smart Control app, it is strongly recommended that you install it on your mobile phone and use it with all your wireless Sennheiser devices. The main reason is that the Smart Control app will allow you to install the needed firmware updates as they come along. Not only that, but the Smart Control app gives you far more control over your devices.
From the app, you are able to check your battery level, see how much time you have left, adjust the volume, and check various other settings on your Sennheiser earbuds.
Check the Sound Balance
The sound balance is a setting that makes the sound come more out of one earbud than the other. In most cases, the default sound balance will be 50/50, with both earbuds receiving an equal amount of sound.
This tends to be more of a problem with PC users than mobile users. If you happen to be on a PC, be sure to go into your system’s audio settings to check the sound balancing.
If you’re using a mobile device, there may be a sound balancing option available in either the device settings or the settings of whichever app you’re using.
If nothing else is working, this is definitely a tremendous last-ditch effort to fix the one-sided issue.
Try a Different Sound File
In the world of audio files, there are two different types. There are Mono files and Stereo files. Mono files will use one channel of audio, while Stereo will use two.
Simply put, with Mono files you will hear the same audio on both speakers. Sometimes there can be issues caused when switching between Mono and Stereo, so be sure to check your audio settings.
Another possibility is that the audio file is corrupted or glitched in some way that is affecting playback. In some cases, this may cause it to play only out of one side.
If only having sound come out of one side is a new development, try listening to something else. Either go to a different song or if you’re on a tablet or phone, go to another app entirely and listen to something there.
If your earbuds suddenly work again, then the issue was likely with the audio file itself rather than the earbuds.
What to Do If Nothing Is Working
If you’ve tried everything above to solve the problem of Sennheiser earbuds with one side not working, you may be losing hope. Before you throw in the towel, check out these last couple of points.
Try Different Earbuds
There is a chance that the issue is not with your earbuds at all but rather with the device. Try borrowing a second pair of earbuds from a friend just to see if the problem is from your device. If a different pair of earbuds work just fine, then your earbuds are the ones with the issue.
Another thing is to try connecting to a different device. Use your earbuds with something else other than the device you have been having trouble with. For example, if you have been using your phone with your earbuds, try connecting them to a tablet or a different phone.
This will give you a better idea of if your earbuds are truly broken or if it may be a device issue.
Repair Options
After you have exhausted every other means of fixing the earbuds, you may need to consider that the earbuds are simply broken. While some people don’t mind having only one working earbud, if you’ve read this far, you probably want to have full functionality back.
Warranty Repair
If you have purchased your earbuds reasonably recently and are still under warranty, then Sennheiser offers a repair service free of charge. They will take in your earbuds and return them or a new pair to you as soon as the issue is resolved.
Unfortunately, Sennheiser does not offer repairs once your warranty has expired.
Outside of finding an independent technician, your only remaining option is to purchase a new pair.
Conclusion
If you’re faced with the problem of Sennheiser earbuds with one side not working, there are many ways for you to attempt to fix this issue.
We hope that if you ever run into this problem, one of the solutions in this article will have you listening with perfect clarity once again soon.
