WH-1000XM3 headband strap broken under normal use

[Deeko76]

Bought the WH-1000XM3 headphones in July this year, very happy with them. Using them today as normal and adjusted the straps as you do - then the left strap  broke off under completely normal use. This has me worried after reading a few other posts for the same issue on this forum as Sony will probably want to charge me to fix this because of the low quality materials they have used in £300 headphones? I bought them from Amazon and notice a few reviews on there with the same issue reported.  The left strap broke in this case and no longer adjusts. Amazon directed me to Sony for warranty purposes but have the feeling I will need to push Amazon for a replacement instead. Wanted to let people know about this and to think again before buying them. 

[Miccus]

Oh really - no sh#t Sony say it's physical damage - this whole thread is about that BS response to their poorly made headphones.

[Deeko76]

I started this thread and every now and a new response pops up. When it happens I look at my still broken headphones on the shelf with insulating tape around the broken strap. I was fobbed off with the physical damage excuse too, needless to say I have never bought a Sony product again.

[KayCee2308]

It is quite astonishing how Sony have managed to get away with flogging clearly substandard and hugely overpriced headphones that then disintegrate. So many have identical faults that it’s hard to understand how they can peddle the line that it’s customer damage with any sort of straight face . I too have refused to spend £90 to repair them out of principle and have gone from being a loyal Sony customer to someone who will never purchase another Sony product. The attitude and frankly disrespect when I tried to get my headphones repaired has ended that commercial relationship. It all seems very shortsighted and says everything about contempt for customers!

[Miccus]

I really hope that yet another 'specialist' - aka embedded Sony spokesperson, doesn't jump in here to tell us how helpful Sony are being if it isn't 'physical' damage.  Mine were damaged in the exactly the same way Greggaton describes...the flimsy plastic moulding responsible for holding everything together broke, just like everyone else here has said,  I emailed the exact same email address, and was also contacted by the 'highest level' of Sony support - but despite the kid gloves treatment my earphones had been given, they still insisted it was physical damage and wouldn't help.  Of course it's physical damage....what other kind of damage is there when something physically breaks?....but that doesn't mean it's not the fault of the product.  When engineers design a product, they are supposed to look at how it will reasonably be used and how to make it robust enought for that use - something they clearly haven't done for this product.  They will basically never admit it's a design fault as that would initate a product recall. 

[HannahEd01]

It might be physical damage, it might be a design fault. We'll never know unless as many customers as possible report the issue to Sony and send their headphones for inspection, at least from my point of view this is the only solution.

[KayCee2308]

@HannahEd01 @I knew without even checking your remark had come from a ‘specialist’. My last word on this subject, but how Sony has dealt with this problem is both baffling and a complete and utter disgrace. These are supposedly ‘luxury’ headphones costing hundreds of pounds not £1 cheapos from Poundsave. At worst ALL damage is physical damage. The question is what does a supposedly reputable brand do when countless pairs of luxury headphones ALL exhibit the same fault. Do they:

a. Say ‘it’s a fair cop guv’ and fix them free of charge, thereby bolstering their reputation; or

b. Ignore overwhelming anecdotal evidence, deny there’s a problem and demand £90 to fix said  headphones on top of the ridiculous over the top price tag, thereby ruining relationships with good (cash rich) customers.

I’ll give you a clue, they didn’t choose a. I was a loyal Sony customer prior to this. I will never buy another Sony product and every time their name comes up as an option I tell this story. I may only be one customer, but they’ve left many disgruntled customers in their wake. Ironically, for the most part cash rich. I mean, how many people can spend this kind of money on such poor products.

[EUSupport_EN]

Yes all damage is physical damage, however if this physical damage happened due to design fault, Sony should repair this for you free of charge, i understand your point of forcing you to pay if it is a PD, you can check with Sony service center if they can return the unit free of charge.

[Deeko76]

As the OP, I called Sony support and was just flat out told that it was physical damage I had to pay for, no ifs or buts. There was no notion of the headphones being inspected for a design fault beforehand, just that I can send them in for repair for a fee. I have never ever come across such obtuse customer service for a premier item. It is clear what is going on here, denial is they way of it and the passage of time will erode customers memory of the issue. From Sony's perspective they will never want to lose face over any engineering issues with these headphones. The size of this thread is no coincidence.

[HannahEd01]

Hey Deeko76, you can call Sony and ask for the service centre info and send it on your responsibility since you're pretty sure it's not  physical damage.

[Bines134]

same thing here, broken after a few years and SONY wants to charge me a lot of money to repair it.

I bought replacement part at AL***** cost me less than 12 € and a few hours but I got it fixed.

SONY, never again.

Thanks SONY.