My HyperX Cloud II is sounding weird

So, I’ve been rocking my HyperX Cloud II headset for about two years now—they’ve been absolute tanks, honestly, zero issues until today. But earlier when I went to blast some music, the audio sounded totally trashed... just like listening to a broken, garbled recording—plus there's this constant background hiss. I figured, hey, maybe it’s just a glitch and a quick PC restart will fix it, but nope—no luck there. It’s actually getting pretty bad; if I try watching a video where someone is talking, you can barely even make out what they're saying because the sound is so distorted.

I did jump over to Windows 8.1 about a week ago, but everything was sounding perfectly fine and crisp after that update. I originally snagged these headphones on eBay for around $55, so I’m really hoping this is just some temporary freak accident. I’m definitely not looking to drop cash on a new pair since I paid a decent amount for these and expect them to actually last. I already double-checked my audio drivers and everything seems to be running fine (well, at least that's what the system tells me).

If anyone out there knows what might be causing this or has any tips, I’d seriously appreciate the help. Thanks!

EDIT: Turns out it's a cable issue. Does anyone know a good spot where I can get this repaired?

crimsonlynx25 said:EDIT: Turns out it's just the cable. Does anyone know someone who actually fixes these things? I guess I need a pro.

If the wire is the issue, wouldn't you just... replace the wire?

Calling any electronics expert out there.

Jack James65 said:If the wire is busted, you just swap out the cable, right?

The thing is, someone yanked on the cord way too hard and basically trashed everything. I mean—when I fiddle with the wire or give it a little tug, the sound kind of kicks back in for a second... it's super annoying. Does anyone know where I can find a decent repair shop in Washington, D.C. that actually knows how to fix this kind of gear? Thanks.

crimsonlynx25 said:The thing is, I think someone pulled on the wire too hard and messed everything up. When I wiggle or tug at the cable a bit, the sound sometimes comes back to normal... Does anyone know where I could find a repair shop in Washington, D.C. that handles this kind of stuff? Thanks.

So yeah, it's just a bad connection. I don't really know anyone in Washington, D.C. who does repairs like this... maybe try opening them up and repositioning the wire? Just don't be too aggressive about it, unless you want to use some superglue or something lol.

Just head over to the nearest computer repair shop. It’s pretty obvious the cable is losing its connection at the headphone jack. For someone who knows what they're doing, it’s probably a fifteen-minute fix at most.

Honestly, you could probably just fix it yourself if you wanted to... I guess you’d just need to feel around to find where the wire is actually snapped, then maybe trim it back with some wire cutters at that spot, join it up, and solder it. If you don't have a soldering iron lying around though, I suppose you could just patch it over with some electrical tape and call it a day...

I ran into this exact same issue just a few days ago. I’m using my HyperX Cloud II USB headset, and if you ask me, there is a 99% chance the problem is buried somewhere in the cable itself.

Now, I am honestly at a bit of a loss as to where to even begin... Should I start stripping the insulation near the USB connector, or would it be better to check where the wire actually enters the earcups?