[Jbergner]

Something is to note that the stock Utopia cables is ideal for balanced applications such as XLR and or Pentaconn 4.4mm with the 5th pole for ground or shielding. I can confirm that instead of spending money on the upgraded expensive cables for Utopia right away, you can save up and perhaps even be satisfied with the stock cables re-terminate into balanced. It has a proper shielding built into it !

Agree. Since the Neutrik single-ended on the factory cable is easy to disassemble and remove, it was a real low-risk option to try the 4-pin Neutrik. I am far from experienced or an expert on cables, but after dissecting a few other "stock" cables in the past, it appears that the signal and shielding in the Utopia are first-rate. Works well to my ears and would recommend giving a try--if you don't like the results it's really easy to go back to the stock Neutrik single-ended. I'm staying balanced.

 

[Jbergner]

I'll learn how to do a proper quote to Whitigir....

 

[Sonic Guild]

Something is to note that the stock Utopia cables is ideal for balanced applications such as XLR and or Pentaconn 4.4mm with the 5th pole for ground or shielding. I can confirm that instead of spending money on the upgraded expensive cables for Utopia right away, you can save up and perhaps even be satisfied with the stock cables re-terminate into balanced. It has a proper shielding built into it !

Agree. Since the Neutrik single-ended on the factory cable is easy to disassemble and remove, it was a real low-risk option to try the 4-pin Neutrik. I am far from experienced or an expert on cables, but after dissecting a few other "stock" cables in the past, it appears that the signal and shielding in the Utopia are first-rate. Works well to my ears and would recommend giving a try--if you don't like the results it's really easy to go back to the stock Neutrik single-ended. I'm staying balanced.

Do u know a professional or a company that can re-terminate the Utopia's cable? 

 

[Jbergner]

Do u know a professional or a company that can re-terminate the Utopia's cable? 

Sorry but I do not. I am certainly not a professional but was a tech in an earlier life and was properly trained on how to solder. Piece of cake to re-terminate. If you are inclined you could purchase the 4-pin for about $12, a modest adjustable soldering station and solder/flux, and some helping-hands to hold the cable in place all for under a hundred bucks. It's therapy for me to do things like this and really do think it's fairly easy/enjoyable to learn with some you-tube research and practice on spare wire. Nice thing about the Utopia cable terminations is that they are easily disassembled/reassembled. Good luck!

 

[Kukua]

Do u know a professional or a company that can re-terminate the Utopia's cable? 

brandon peterek or moon audio

 

[Exidrion]

Not that I neccesarily believe in sonic benefits of aftermarket cables, but one thing is you can get them whatever length you need as well. Have to admit a lot of people probably don't need that long of a stock cable.

 

[Whitigir]

Stock cables is excellent for watching movies from large stereo system to Utopia

 

[vert]

Listening to the Danacable for the Utopia.
 
There is an ease and glass-like smoothness that wasn't there with the stock cable.
 
Also a layer of haze/grunge is removed.
 
Makes me wonder why it didn't ship with this cable.

 

[MarkF786]

Crap.  My second pair of Elear are now defective too.  My first pair had a defective adjustment mechanism on one side of the headband, and now the second pair has bass distortion on the right side.  When I listen to music with very deep bass, I hear distortion at a higher resonant frequency on the right sound, while the problem doesn't exist when listening with other headphones.  A good test track is Bass Outlaws - Slow down the Bass: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIUlgMF7aCo.  Let me know if others have problems with this track.
 
The odd thing is I listened to the same track two weeks ago when the second pair arrived and didn't have the problem, and over the past two weeks I haven't listened to them much and never at a high-level.  So it seems the problem can quickly develop without any apparent cause.
 
With the first defective pair, the dealer provided great service and replaced the headphones - but it costs me $50 to ship them, and it took a couple weeks to get them back.  It p*sses me off that I'm going to have to spend another $50 and wait another couple weeks - and hope the third pair are good.
 
It seems there's a pretty high failure rate on the headphones based on the many other reports of driver issues on head-fi.

 

[MarkF786]

  Crap.  My second pair of Elear are now defective too.  My first pair had a defective adjustment mechanism on one side of the headband, and now the second pair has bass distortion on the right side.  When I listen to music with very deep bass, I hear distortion at a higher resonant frequency on the right sound, while the problem doesn't exist when listening with other headphones.  A good test track is Bass Outlaws - Slow down the Bass: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIUlgMF7aCo.  Let me know if others have problems with this track.
 
The odd thing is I listened to the same track two weeks ago when the second pair arrived and didn't have the problem, and over the past two weeks I haven't listened to them much and never at a high-level.  So it seems the problem can quickly develop without any apparent cause.
 
With the first defective pair, the dealer provided great service and replaced the headphones - but it costs me $50 to ship them, and it took a couple weeks to get them back.  It p*sses me off that I'm going to have to spend another $50 and wait another couple weeks - and hope the third pair are good.
 
It seems there's a pretty high failure rate on the headphones based on the many other reports of driver issues on head-fi.

 
UPDATE: Thinking about the problem some, it sounded like something might be vibrating inside the right earcup causing the distortion-like sound.  Not that I'd admit to disassembling my Elear (though I've been doing electronics repair for much of my life), but if someone were to remove the earpad and use a T6 driver on the screws beneath, they'd find it pretty easy to open the earcup.  Within, they might find black wires routed carefully through guides, and if any of the wires inside came loose, they might vibrate with low bass notes and cause rattling or distortion.  Reseating all the wires and verifying that all the screws holding the driver are tight may alleviate these distortion & rattling issues some have experienced.

 

[buzzlulu]

Can someone save me from going over this entire thread again.
 
A list, please, of ways to carry the Utopia?  Carrying cases, cases capable of also holding a Mojo etc.  The smaller the better BUT they need to fit the Utopia perfectly and offer up significant protection.  Oh - and with cables attached - don't want to remove them

 

[Kukua]

Crap.  My second pair of Elear are now defective too.  My first pair had a defective adjustment mechanism on one side of the headband, and now the second pair has bass distortion on the right side.  When I listen to music with very deep bass, I hear distortion at a higher resonant frequency on the right sound, while the problem doesn't exist when listening with other headphones.  A good test track is Bass Outlaws - Slow down the Bass: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIUlgMF7aCo.  Let me know if others have problems with this track.

The odd thing is I listened to the same track two weeks ago when the second pair arrived and didn't have the problem, and over the past two weeks I haven't listened to them much and never at a high-level.  So it seems the problem can quickly develop without any apparent cause.

With the first defective pair, the dealer provided great service and replaced the headphones - but it costs me $50 to ship them, and it took a couple weeks to get them back.  It p*sses me off that I'm going to have to spend another $50 and wait another couple weeks - and hope the third pair are good.

It seems there's a pretty high failure rate on the headphones based on the many other reports of driver issues on head-fi.

bane of the elears unfortunately....I went through similar experience(2 copies)...Ive a 3rd copy and i can't say hand to heart that it's a perfect copy.

 

[rnros]

   
UPDATE: Thinking about the problem some, it sounded like something might be vibrating inside the right earcup causing the distortion-like sound.  Not that I'd admit to disassembling my Elear (though I've been doing electronics repair for much of my life), but if someone were to remove the earpad and use a T6 driver on the screws beneath, they'd find it pretty easy to open the earcup.  Within, they might find black wires routed carefully through guides, and if any of the wires inside came loose, they might vibrate with low bass notes and cause rattling or distortion.  Reseating all the wires and verifying that all the screws holding the driver are tight may alleviate these distortion & rattling issues some have experienced.

To help clarify this issue for others, the Elears I auditioned had a problem with excessive/uncontrolled driver dome excursion. So this was not a 'distortion' of any particular frequency range.
Using some standard test tracks, and with SPL peaks in the the low '80s, certain bass passages would cause the drivers to rattle or chatter at a sound level that exceeded the SPL peaks of the music. The chatter was so loud and sharp (relative to the music) that I thought the dome might be making contact with the metal screen over the driver. Not the case, just the sound of the very fast and excessive dome excursion. The right side did this repeatedly, the left side only once or twice.
 
The test tracks and sound levels used were nothing excessive. Have used these same tracks and sound levels for many years and many headphones and never had any problem such as this. In fact, for actual listening sessions, I will occasionally use sound levels similar to actual live performance levels (orchestra) and that would exceed the low 80s peaks used in these instances.
 
Just a variance in the tolerances and/or performance response of the individual driver samples. The SQ of the affected driver(s) did not seem to suffer in any way afterwards with other tracks.

 

[arnaud]

Maybe part of the challenges with designing a large excursion mobile equipment without using a spider? There's nothing preventing the diaphragm from bottoming out except the surround.

 

[MarkF786]

 
To help clarify this issue for others, the Elears I auditioned had a problem with excessive/uncontrolled driver dome excursion. So this was not a 'distortion' of any particular frequency range.
Using some standard test tracks, and with SPL peaks in the the low '80s, certain bass passages would cause the drivers to rattle or chatter at a sound level that exceeded the SPL peaks of the music. The chatter was so loud and sharp (relative to the music) that I thought the dome might be making contact with the metal screen over the driver. Not the case, just the sound of the very fast and excessive dome excursion. The right side did this repeatedly, the left side only once or twice.
 
The test tracks and sound levels used were nothing excessive. Have used these same tracks and sound levels for many years and many headphones and never had any problem such as this. In fact, for actual listening sessions, I will occasionally use sound levels similar to actual live performance levels (orchestra) and that would exceed the low 80s peaks used in these instances.
 
Just a variance in the tolerances and/or performance response of the individual driver samples. The SQ of the affected driver(s) did not seem to suffer in any way afterwards with other tracks.

When I turned the volume up further in my testing, the bass "distortion" started to sound like what you describe, to the point I thought the driver might be physically damaged.  But I believe loose wires can indeed cause this sound.
 
The two wires that connect the driver to the jack are routed through a series of plastic channels or guides, with runs of wire between the guides that lay against the plastic plate to which the driver is mounted.  If those wires start to vibrate sympathetically, they could cause quite a racket.
 
I'm not saying this is the cause of all driver rattle issues, but I wouldn't be surprised if it explained many of them.