My bose in ear earphones shows ugly cracks at several places though its still working.It is already outside warranty and bose rep said that they would replace it with a new one less 30% discount which is still to expensive to buy again.Was thinking of replacing the wires and wondering if it is possible to do so.Please help !

The design of these headphones includes a microphone on the outside and on the inside of each earcup. The outside microphone detects outside noise. The inside microphone monitors what you are hearing and when it detects that the outside noise is present inside, the active noise-canceling circuits remove that noise. This happens fast enough that you perceive a significant reduction in the outside noise getting to your ears.

The airspace inside the earcup is a tuned chamber defined by the shape of the foam in the ear cushion. This is important because with the inside microphone in close proximity, but at a 90-degree angle to the speaker, the circuit must be designed to eliminate the normal feedback that occurs.

If the foam in the ear cushion has weakened/deteriorated to the point that it no longer has it's original shape, (in particular the lower half of the ear cushion), the size and shape of the air chamber inside of the earcup is directing more of the speaker sound toward the microphone than the design can compensate for causing audio feedback to occur. You are hearing that feedback.

On my QC-3 headphones, I can cause the feedback squeal in both earcups, with the left earcup being more sensitive to the shape change than the right.

It is probably time to replace the ear cushions. If so, they are available from Bose for $35/pair.

QuietComfort 3 Acoustic Noise Cancelling Headphones Bose Product Support

They are also available aftermarket at Amazon.com for $16.99/pair
Replacement Earpad ear pad Cushions For Bose QuietComfort 3 QC3 Headphones...

or $5.69/pair.
Bluecell Pair of Replacement Earpad Ear Pad Cushion for Bose Quietcomfort...

Rotating the jack or twisting the wire joint on the headset might work.

maybe the wire inside the earphone is broken

I've experience this issue on a different set of headphones and unfortunately it means that there is a split in the wiring in the headphone cables. The only option I found is to contact Bose for a repair. If you are under warranty then this is a quick and easy process, otherwise they request that you pay for the repairs to the headphones. Good luck and have a nice day!

Here is a picture of the final repair

If your headphones are in warranty (under a year old) Bose will repair or more likely replace them with a new pair. I am now on my forth pair or Bose in-ear headphones and experienced the same problem with an ear piece stop working. I have to say Bose customer service has been fantastic and has replaced each pair. Every new pair is then covered by a new full years warranty. Unfortunately my fourth pair has just gone wrong with the same connector problem. Bose again have said they will replace as they are in warranty. I have been told if they are out of warranty they will offer a new pair at a discount price of £50 instead of £80. However i think that if my new pair go wrong out of warranty i will have no option but to look at alternatives.A Pair of headphones that cost £80 should last more than a year!!!

You probably can if you have any soldering experience. Check this link out:http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1045725/how_to_solder_how_to_repair_headphones/ If you can't ask your friends and acquaintances. A good little fun project.

I just solved my problem. My left earphone wasn't working or would work some of the time with it cutting in and out depending on my head position or if I moved quickly. What I did follows:
1. Took ear pad off
2. Took black liner off of the inside of earphones. Glued on 2 spots.
3. Below the silver band of material is a clear plastic lining that covers the speaker.
4. I pressed that clear liner to see if it helped make the left earphone work and it did.
5. I had to fiddle with it to get it perfect but it worked for me.
I'm sure this would void any warranty and work on your own headphones at your own risk.

Try wearing the headset the "wrong way". The left side of the headset on your right ear & the right side of the headset on your left ear. I have the QC15 with the same problem and it worked for me. Good luck!

The design of these headphones includes a microphone on the outside and on the inside of each earcup. The outside microphone detects outside noise. The inside microphone monitors what you are hearing and when it detects that the outside noise is present inside, the active noise-canceling circuits remove that noise. This happens fast enough that you perceive a siginficant reduction in the outside noise getting to your ears.

The airspace inside the earcup is a tuned chamber defined by the foam in the ear cushion. This is important because with the inside microphone in close proximity, but at a 90-degree angle to the speaker, the circuit must be designed to eliminate the normal feedback that occurs.

If the foam in the ear cushion has weakened/deteriorated to the point that it no longer has it's original shape, (in particular the lower half of the ear cushion), the size and shape of the air chamber inside of the earcup is directing more of the speaker sound toward the microphone than the design can compensate for causing audio feedback to occur. You are hearing that feedback.

On my QC-3 headphones, I can cause the feedback squeal in both earcups, with the left earcup being more sensitive to the shape change than the right.

It may be time to replace the ear cushions. If so, they are available from Bose for around $35/pair.

http://www.bose.com/controller?url=/shop_online/headphones/noise_cancelling_headphones/accessories/qc3_earcushionkit_acc.jsp