You are very right about the strain relief being the culprit. Mine failed 4 times at that point. The thing is so tight and stiff, that the cable bends harshly at the entry, destroying the insanely thin wires inside. Best thing to do is do a detachable cable mod, which is what I am researching...

I forgot to say, I have the p version, so no switchy thing.

This is pretty ridiculous at this price point. I have used phones for 30 years, and even the cheapest never gave me trouble like these things have. Just be bloody careful with them.

Are you saying you had exactly my issue and found it was the cable?: low volume with absolutely no apparent cable crackle/cut-out when wiggling the cable anywhere?

So can anyone tell me: is having sudden major volume loss in one ear likely to be a cable issue? I asked this in another thread already, but no replies. I wiggle and jiggle the cable and get no cut-out or change, so it doesn't seem to be a bad cable this time. Had two go bad with the typical...

Nice phones, comfy, but quality control is lacking. Mine failed 3 times in 2 years. Two bad cables, and this time, inexplicable low volume suddenly in one ear. Out of warranty of course.

I put my phones away, and picked them up a few days later and the right ear was suddenly at about 15% volume. I'm fairly sure it's not a bad cable, nothing I do flexing either end does anything to it. The cable has a beefy flex point on the player end and looks perfect. Sound is steady, just...

Hi, I just got a fiio x3 mk3 and am on the hunt for a new stereo receiver (with crossover for my new sub.) I can broaden my choices of receiver if I get one without a usb port. I play all my music off an mp3 stick, so normally that's a must. I'm thinking I could use the fiio to replace the usb...

I like the fiio x3. Took a little getting used to its sound, and I prefer it at lower volume, somehow, which is my norm anyway. Very well thought out menus, features, functions. Good sound. Bigger and heavier than I imagined, coming from a sansa clip. ;) Recommended.

I'm looking for a new receiver right now (with crossover/bass control), and I could possibly broaden my options a bit if I get something without a built-in usb stick player. If the fiio takes over that job, that would be fine. Receivers with usb stick play are very hard to find, and they're...

Thanks, that's on top of my list so far, already! edit - I just pulled the trigger on one on amazon and paid 5 bucks to get it here tomorrow. Can't work without my tunes! I'm still open to input, in case this one doesn't do the job for any reason, and out of curiousity. :)

Hi, My beloved sansa clip just died and when I opened my brand new backup (found the last one in europe probably, in a shop, by chance), it was dead too. Must have been in storage too long... So I'm shopping for the next best thing. I don't want another sansa. The new ones are crap, most say. I...

Thanks, I'll take a look at that. * The HD 589 is the same as your example, and the HD 650, for fun, was 7.7 extra db.  Ja, I want to try them; problem is there are zero shops with anything good to try anywhere near me. 

Hi, I'm reading and learning. I just want a great sounding pair of phones to use with my sansa clip plus. I don't want the hassle of an amp if I can avoid it, but I'm possibly open to one.   It seems the sennheiser 598s are really beloved. Can they be driven by my sansa player and sound good...

I didn't buy them yet, still reading, reading. Will run to town today and try some in a couple shops too.    I was happy with my etymotic HF5s and a decent cheap pair of sony over ears, but I got on the hunt when a friend recommended his beyer 770s to go with my new PC. I never really needed...

Hi, I am reading lots of reviews of cans, and seeing people say, "they need a good amp to make them shine", etc.  I just have a humble yamaha R-N500 receiver and wonder how that rates, generally speaking. Also curious, with all the talk about ohms, what is the likely ohm output of the jack on...