well, this is rather comical.

if i can reduce at least part of the problem to the headphones, the first thing i want to check is the cord, right? i can replace the cord. i can't replace the phones [they're long out of production].

about two years ago now, i had the cord replaced, but it was unstable in the left side so i replaced it a second time. meaning, i have a backup. and, i checked the backup and sure enough it seemed to sound better. but, i have to be careful - this is in the realm of bias, and i can hardly double-blind it.

but, i had to really push the left side in to account for the short.

so, i put the working cord back in and made sure it was really pushed in as tight as i could push it. and that seems to have made the difference.

i need to test. i've been through this so many times. but it maybe explains the randomness, if the cord was just not quite in enough.

well, if that turns out to be it, it's worth a laugh from future readers, i guess. fuck.

i think the device is just about charged. i'll find out soon.

it's the kind of thing that snaps in really easily. but it's also ancient. so, it would be easy to not realize it's not pushed in far enough.