---
title: "Troubleshooting: Audio Issues with Headphones"
description: Fix Shiftwave audio problems like no sound, static, or crackling in your headphones. Step-by-step checks for cables, thumb drive, and headphones to restore clear audio.
---

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# Troubleshooting: Audio Issues with Headphones

If you’re having trouble hearing audio through your Shiftwave headphones, don’t worry, we’ll walk you through a few simple checks to get things working again.

### **Step 1: Check the Thumb Drive**

Sometimes audio issues are caused by the thumb drive in your control box.

1. **Power off your device.**
2. Remove the thumb drive from the **upper-right “MEDIA” port** on the control box.
3. **Power the system back on.**

With the thumb drive removed, your Shiftwave will run protocols from its internal SD card.

- If the audio works now → the issue is with the thumb drive. 
    - [Reach out to our support team](https://shiftwave.co/pages/support), so we can assist you from here.
- If the audio still isn’t working → continue to the next step.

### **Step 2: Test the Headphones & Cable**

Next, let’s see if the problem is with the headphones or cable.

1. Plug your Shiftwave headphones and cable into a **different device** (like your phone, tablet, or computer). 
     - If the issue continues on another device, try using a **different pair of headphones or earbuds** with the Shiftwave system.

If switching headphones fixes the problem, then the original headphone cable may be the cause. Let’s test that next.

### **Step 3: Try the Spare Auxiliary Cable**

Your Shiftwave headphone case includes a spare **1/8-inch auxiliary cable**.

1. Swap out the original cable and use the **spare AUX cable** with your Shiftwave headphones.
2. Test the audio again.

- If the sound works → the issue was with the first cable.
- If not → the issue is with the headphones themselves.

[Please contact our support team](https://shiftwave.co/pages/support) if either your cable, or headphones, are not working properly.

### **Step 4: Still Need Help?**

If these steps don’t resolve the issue, [please contact our support team](https://shiftwave.co/pages/support). We’ll be happy to help you get back to your sessions quickly.

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