[Deja Vu]

As some of you know, I've recently purchased a pair of A500s. They only have around 25-30 hours of burn-in yet, and I don't think I ever did anything that could "hurt" the drivers.

However, I get an annoying distortion when I turn the volume higher than, say, 80%. I don't have a headphone amp, and I'm using a Sony D-EJ955 PCDP. Is it the PCDP's crappy output what's causing this, or is there some other problem?

Thanks,

 

[bangraman]

It's unlikely to be distortion but clipping. Turn off any bass assist you have and listen at lower volumes... or get a 'real' amp and source.

 

[D-EJ915]

It's the PCDP's output, not the headphones; the same thing happen's with my cd players. If you want to be 100% sure, plug in some other 'phones and listen to them at that level...there'll be distortion there too.

 

[Zuerst]

When I had my A900, I experinced some clipping too at modest volume... But's running off my laptop's crappy AC`97 sound processor or something like that... It runs fine with better source and it just keep getting louder and louder as you turn up the volume without any distortion/clipping and the sound is loud not harsh-loud as with other headphones and some speakers.

 

[Deja Vu]

bangraman: I don't use any bass assist, and there's no problem at lower volumes.

D-EJ915: I don't recall hearing any distortion/clipping with other headphones, could it be the combination of a crappy output & high (64 Ohms) impedance?

Zuerst: In contradiction with your experience, I get no distortion through my laptop's headphone output (AC97 here, too), probably because it has a more powerful output than my PCDP...

 

[Zuerst]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Déjà Vu bangraman: I don't use any bass assist, and there's no problem at lower volumes. D-EJ915: I don't recall hearing any distortion/clipping with other headphones, could it be the combination of a crappy output & high (64 Ohms) impedance? Zuerst: In contradiction with your experience, I get no distortion through my laptop's headphone output (AC97 here, too), probably because it has a more powerful output than my PCDP...

Hmmm... musta been my crappy downloaded 128kbs mp3 than...

 

[Deja Vu]

^ No distortion/clipping on 128kbps AACs purchased from iTMS either...

Anyway, I believe it's the PCDP's output...

 

[Zuerst]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Déjà Vu ^ No distortion/clipping on 128kbps AACs purchased from iTMS either... Anyway, I believe it's the PCDP's output...

I guess that was just a poorly encoded or ripped track that I was listening to then...