Before I left London, I bought an iAudio X5 audio player. The main selling point was that it plays mp3, ogg and flac, along with the fact it just shows up as a USB mass storage device, unlike other players that require their own annoying software.
Anyway, the left audio channel in the headphones stopped working recently. It would cut back in if I put some pressue on the headphones. Seems it's not an uncommon problem, as it's widely discussed in the forums.
I've never been much of an electronics whizz, mainly because me with a soldering iron is like a blind man trying to solder with a hot brick. But I think I've got better in recent times.
So I whipped off the cover, worked out how to get the daughterboard holding the headphone jack out, and managed the solder. Worked perfectly first time! Whacked a little blob of solder on all the contact pads, and away we go.
Normally when I try these kinds of hardware hackery, I end up with a very expensive and useless brick.
Yay me!