[makne]

Yea it sounds like your chain is a little different, the Jot can be both a Dac and Amp, so your Aune X1 has a PCM2707 dac, which is a warmer darker sounding source. An the Texas Instrument PCM series are know for an organic darker top end, which isn't as sparkly as An eSabre Dac. I have a Hifiman HM601 which is a BurrBrown TI Dac and an HM 901, I also used to have the Hifiman HM801 which was also a PCM Dac chipset, and it had the same... "lack of sparkle" your hearing. When I upgraded from my hm801 to my hm901 I noticed an improvement in the top end clarity! The irony though is my HM 901 has a "Vintage" Filter that gives me the less sparkly top end, and I've started to prefer it more recently lol

Still the Jot if it has the dac option runs a AK4490 DAC, I can't say how they sound but based on your experiences it's a little more sparkly on the top. So to start use a simple EQ to boost the highs a little more to your liking, and then look at switching to another dac that has the sound that you like.

Thanks. So do you really think it's mostly down to the dac, and not the amp? I just know that from my experience, I normally hear more difference in amps than dacs. Still, may try to get hold of a Modi or something to see.
Will also try playing around with eq after some burn in.

 

[makne]

48 hours of burn in with pink noise, they've now opened up quite nicely. Wow, these sound as beautiful as they look and feel...

 

[edhou1]

Nice and well said @edhou1 what is your Source for feeding the Lehmann Rhinelander? Are you using the Mojo as your dac in both situations

Using the Rhinelander directly on the S/E analog outs on a Linn Unidisk SC universal player. Player despite its age, have had no complaints nor any digital upgraditis.

Used the Mojo DAC when it was connected. Now its my travel portable go-to option.

I basically leave the Rhinelander on all the time, which you don't want to do if you were using a tube amp :->

 

[Makiah S]

48 hours of burn in with pink noise, they've now opened up quite nicely. Wow, these sound as beautiful as they look and feel...

That's good! I had a demo pair for a little over a week, so It would seem they where already burned in, I'm happy you've heard it open up!

Using the Rhinelander directly on the S/E analog outs on a Linn Unidisk SC universal player. Player despite its age, have had no complaints nor any digital upgraditis.

Used the Mojo DAC when it was connected. Now its my travel portable go-to option.

I basically leave the Rhinelander on all the time, which you don't want to do if you were using a tube amp :->

oooh yea there's nothing wrong with having a DiscPlayer for a source! Good tech age's well,

 

[waveSounds]

Mine sound exactly the same as they did the day I got them brand new...

Switched from using the Mojo straight, into feeding the Mojo into a Little Dot MKII and it, also, sounds lovely. Which is better? Who knows. They both sounds good in their own right.

 

[Stars700]

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[AverageGuyNC]

Hi, I just got an elear from a head fi member and noticed that when I turn the volume up, I can hears pops in the sound. Especially when there is a lot of base. I don't really have to turn it up that loud to get it to start popping so was curious if this is common? I'm using the 1/4 jack from my ifi pro, could I have something switched around somehow? They sound great otherwise. Thanks for any help!

 

[TSAVJason]

Hi, I just got an elear from a head fi member and noticed that when I turn the volume up, I can hears pops in the sound. Especially when there is a lot of base. I don't really have to turn it up that loud to get it to start popping so was curious if this is common? I'm using the 1/4 jack from my ifi pro, could I have something switched around somehow? They sound great otherwise. Thanks for any help!

Well first I suggest if you're using an amp be sure it's NOT on high output if it has this option. Elears are pretty efficient. If it is one of the first runs it could have developed an issue or it may have been sold to you damaged. It's difficult to say. You could call our office tomorrow so we can understand your system if any to better advise on other tests you could take. Excuse me. I see you're using an amp I'm not well versed at. My staff would be a better resource than I am.

 

[Makiah S]

Hi, I just got an elear from a head fi member and noticed that when I turn the volume up, I can hears pops in the sound. Especially when there is a lot of base. I don't really have to turn it up that loud to get it to start popping so was curious if this is common? I'm using the 1/4 jack from my ifi pro, could I have something switched around somehow? They sound great otherwise. Thanks for any help!

I thought I heard the Focal Team built a "popping" noise into the driver to prevent people from listening at a certain volume level... it sounds like distortion, it's possible they purposefully chose to allow the driver to distort at a certain volume level to discourage you from listening to it at levels that could danger your hearing or the driver... Let em search through the thread, but it's possible what your hearing is clipping from your amp or distortion from the Driver. My suggestion is to use another amplifier, and see if you can replicate those results. Also if you have a nicer celluar device you can download some pretty accurate apps that can measure SPL, I have a mic feed into my PC/Software suite to more accurately measure spl, but in a Pinch I can use my LG V20, with an app it measures within 1db of my Mic Set up,

 

[TSAVJason]

I thought I heard the Focal Team built a "popping" noise into the driver to prevent people from listening at a certain volume level... it sounds like distortion, it's possible they purposefully chose to allow the driver to distort at a certain volume level to discourage you from listening to it at levels that could danger your hearing or the driver... Let em search through the thread, but it's possible what your hearing is clipping from your amp or distortion from the Driver. My suggestion is to use another amplifier, and see if you can replicate those results. Also if you have a nicer celluar device you can download some pretty accurate apps that can measure SPL, I have a mic feed into my PC/Software suite to more accurately measure spl, but in a Pinch I can use my LG V20, with an app it measures within 1db of my Mic Set up,

Focal did not build in anything that would cause a popping sound.

 

[JuanCamiloso]

I thought I heard the Focal Team built a "popping" noise into the driver to prevent people from listening at a certain volume level... it sounds like distortion, it's possible they purposefully chose to allow the driver to distort at a certain volume level to discourage you from listening to it at levels that could danger your hearing or the driver... Let em search through the thread, but it's possible what your hearing is clipping from your amp or distortion from the Driver. My suggestion is to use another amplifier, and see if you can replicate those results. Also if you have a nicer celluar device you can download some pretty accurate apps that can measure SPL, I have a mic feed into my PC/Software suite to more accurately measure spl, but in a Pinch I can use my LG V20, with an app it measures within 1db of my Mic Set up,

When I was testing the Elears during the first weeks, I was driving them to unbearable volume levels and was obtaining those clipping noises. I contacted Focal and they answered this:

Dear M. Jaramillo,



I have received your email from our German distributor. First I like reading you love our product !



What are you describing does not seem to be a Quality issue.


Indeed, for Elear and Utopia, we have made a clear design choice. Our headphones have no level compression - on the contrary of our competitors. This allows our products to work with full performances until the mechanical clipping is activated. Meaning you jump directly from a very low distortion to a sound which could be heard as rattling / cracking noise.



The following table sum up the level in dB achieved before clipping and the associated distortion (Total Harmonic Distortion) on a representative Utopia.

We can see that we achieved 117dB @50Hz with only 2% of THD. This combination of high level of low frequencies with such low distortion is very rare on open electrodynamics headphones. For instance the acclaimed HD800S has ~2% THD @50Hz for a level of 100dB => 17 dB difference.



To sum up, on very special tracks with only very low frequencies at very high level, you can head some noises - as you will do on classic loudspeaker unit.

Please mind that if are listening to a song with a neutral mixing (meaning the same amount of low frequencies, medium and treble), if are hearing a noise for example at 25Hz (~108 dB), it means that you are listening ~ 120 dB at 3 kHz which is highly armful for the ears.



To conclude, that’s not a Quality issue! A potential new Elear will be designed like yours and you would also have a cracking sound when you’re listening to music with high volume and a fair amount of bass.

After that, I have been listening to the Elears with normal volumes with no problem at all.

 

[AverageGuyNC]

Ok so I guess this is supposed to happen. I listen to music rather loud

 

[TSAVJason]

Ok so I guess this is supposed to happen. I listen to music rather loud

That may be the case

 

[Makiah S]

When I was testing the Elears during the first weeks, I was driving them to unbearable volume levels and was obtaining those clipping noises. I contacted Focal and they answered this:



After that, I have been listening to the Elears with normal volumes with no problem at all.

Thanks for following up! Good to get confirmation on that, I'm sure some people will resent this kind of "control" but frankly it's smart of Focal to do. Try to cut down on some of the user error, to protect both the product and listener

Focal did not build in anything that would cause a popping sound.

Also, please try to more reliably confirm your stand, before you deny something.

 

[TSAVJason]

Thanks for following up! Good to get confirmation on that, I'm sure some people will resent this kind of "control" but frankly it's smart of Focal to do. Try to cut down on some of the user error, to protect both the product and listener



Also, please try to more reliably confirm your stand, before you deny something.

I'm pretty sure my answer is correct. They didn't build in a popping sound that is designed to tell you you're driving it too hard. I stand by this statement