[shapetheLOLa]

Hey there,

So I have just bought a pair of the flc8s für 140 euros. I just noticed its coming with a 2.5 mm balanced cable, which I cannot use with my phone.

Will I hurt the flc8s if I buy a cable from null-audio? Is there something to even it out?
Or do you just recommend using the silver upgrade cable?

 

[qu8it]

Hey there,

So I have just bought a pair of the flc8s für 140 euros. I just noticed its coming with a 2.5 mm balanced cable, which I cannot use with my phone.

Will I hurt the flc8s if I buy a cable from null-audio? Is there something to even it out?
Or do you just recommend using the silver upgrade cable?

You would have to ask null-audio if they have any 0.74mm 2pin cables with the correct polarity for the flc8s.
The silver upgrade cable will work of course. (or the "FLC8 Black TPU Rubber Cable" or "FLC8S Blue Braided Cable")
Another option is to get a 2.5mm balanced female to 3.5mm male adapter to use with your balanced cable.
If you can do some DIY, you have more options.

 

[csglinux]

Hey there,

So I have just bought a pair of the flc8s für 140 euros. I just noticed its coming with a 2.5 mm balanced cable, which I cannot use with my phone.

Will I hurt the flc8s if I buy a cable from null-audio? Is there something to even it out?
Or do you just recommend using the silver upgrade cable?

You could get an adapter. It's trendy to be rocking dongles these days

Or you could order a replacement 3.5 mm cable from lendmeurears.com. (Copper or silver cables available for the FLC8s.)

 

[shapetheLOLa]

Thanks, guys.

I just ordered both a new cable and adapter.
I want to try the default cable with adapter first, but I have heard not the best things about the stock cable.
If it does not work out I will try the replacement cable

 

[meowzus]

Hi everyone! So, this is my second replacement cable that I'm using for my FLC 8S, and for both I noticed that when using them the right ear is louder than the left ear. When I use the stock cable this issue isn't there. Sadly the stock cable now has given up. Anyone know why this is happening with two different replacement cables (TF10 0.75mm cables) - from different suppliers, different models (one had a mic, the new one doesn't). I bought both of them from eBay. Right now I'm fixing it my adjusting the balance on my computer / phone, and it's alright, but it seems pretty weird! I also ordered an FLC 8D off ebay for around $140 USD. Seemed like too good of a deal to pass up! Thanks for the help in advance.

 

[qu8it]

maybe the cables have a different polarity than the original?

 

[originalsnuffy]

Hi everyone! So, this is my second replacement cable that I'm using for my FLC 8S, and for both I noticed that when using them the right ear is louder than the left ear. When I use the stock cable this issue isn't there. Sadly the stock cable now has given up. Anyone know why this is happening with two different replacement cables (TF10 0.75mm cables) - from different suppliers, different models (one had a mic, the new one doesn't). I bought both of them from eBay. Right now I'm fixing it my adjusting the balance on my computer / phone, and it's alright, but it seems pretty weird! I also ordered an FLC 8D off ebay for around $140 USD. Seemed like too good of a deal to pass up! Thanks for the help in advance.

I am guessing either polarity or the new cable itself is faulty. I would start with asking to exchange the cable. Don't know where you bought this but in general Lend Me Ur Ears is the go to place for the FLC brand. Teo gets a bit overwhelmed so I tend to include previous correspondence in each email to remind him what has been said before.

Why is the price of FLC units, new and used, crashing so hard?

 

[hakuzen]

I am guessing either polarity or the new cable itself is faulty. I would start with asking to exchange the cable. Don't know where you bought this but in general Lend Me Ur Ears is the go to place for the FLC brand. Teo gets a bit overwhelmed so I tend to include previous correspondence in each email to remind him what has been said before.

Why is the price of FLC units, new and used, crashing so hard?

the "wrong" polarity comes from FLC 8S, because thy use different polarity in each side, which is not very usual. that's why i only use straight 2pins plugs or adapters, not angled, to reverse one of the sides in order to match FLC 8S polarity.

 

[Ziggomatic]

the "wrong" polarity comes from FLC 8S, because thy use different polarity in each side, which is not very usual. that's why i only use straight 2pins plugs or adapters, not angled, to reverse one of the sides in order to match FLC 8S polarity.

Do you happen to be aware of a good option with a 4.4mm balanced termination?

 

[meowzus]

So it's not an issue of polarity since I switched them around both ways - I can tell the sound difference caused by polarity. Is it really a bad cable? I had a similar sort of issue with another cable that I got as well. Right now this is the only working cable I have for my set and it took quite a quite for shipping from China - not sure if it's worth to ship it back to china for a refund. Any suggestions other than just ordering another cable? Why is this such a common problem (it's happened twice to me now for two different cables) Any way that I can ensure I'm getting a good cable? I'll take any 0.75mm cable

 

[hakuzen]

Do you happen to be aware of a good option with a 4.4mm balanced termination?

sure.
got these straight adapters:
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=567813754454 (mmcx to TF10 0.75, straight)
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=578325266070 (0.78 to TF10 0.75, straight)
so i can use any of my standard high quality mmcx/2pin cables (check my list of cables in my signature)

edit:
cheaper adapters to 0.78mm, like https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000240601042.html
also work, after sanding the pins to convert them to 0.75

 

[Ziggomatic]

sure.
got these straight adapters:
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=567813754454 (mmcx to TF10 0.75, straight)
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=578325266070 (0.78 to TF10 0.75, straight)
so i can use any of my standard high quality mmcx/2pin cables (check my list of cables in my signature)

edit:
cheaper adapters to 0.78mm, like https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000240601042.html
also work, after sanding the pins to convert them to 0.75

Thank you!

 

[st66]

Hi everyone! So, this is my second replacement cable that I'm using for my FLC 8S, and for both I noticed that when using them the right ear is louder than the left ear. When I use the stock cable this issue isn't there. Sadly the stock cable now has given up. Anyone know why this is happening with two different replacement cables (TF10 0.75mm cables) - from different suppliers, different models (one had a mic, the new one doesn't). I bought both of them from eBay. Right now I'm fixing it my adjusting the balance on my computer / phone, and it's alright, but it seems pretty weird! I also ordered an FLC 8D off ebay for around $140 USD. Seemed like too good of a deal to pass up! Thanks for the help in advance.

I had a similar experience -- left driver was noticeably louder than the right driver. The drivers came balanced, but this problem developed over the course of a year.

You can check to see if it's a cable issue or a driver issue by swapping sides on the cable (so that the left channel goes into the right driver and vice versa -- keeping the polarity issue in mind). If the imbalance switches sides with the cable swap, then it's a cable issue; if the imbalance remains on the left side even after you switched channels on the cable, then it's a driver issue.

To check if it's a fit issue, you can also try swapping drivers, putting the left driver in the right ear, etc. (Some people's ear canals are asymmetrical.)

For me, it was definitely a driver issue, and I ended up buying another pair used (couldn't get a refund). I suspect it was a driver failure because the right channel was not only less loud, but also had a lot less bass. But you could also check to see if the nozzle might be blocked with earwax.

 

[meowzus]

I had a similar experience -- left driver was noticeably louder than the right driver. The drivers came balanced, but this problem developed over the course of a year.

You can check to see if it's a cable issue or a driver issue by swapping sides on the cable (so that the left channel goes into the right driver and vice versa -- keeping the polarity issue in mind). If the imbalance switches sides with the cable swap, then it's a cable issue; if the imbalance remains on the left side even after you switched channels on the cable, then it's a driver issue.

To check if it's a fit issue, you can also try swapping drivers, putting the left driver in the right ear, etc. (Some people's ear canals are asymmetrical.)

For me, it was definitely a driver issue, and I ended up buying another pair used (couldn't get a refund). I suspect it was a driver failure because the right channel was not only less loud, but also had a lot less bass. But you could also check to see if the nozzle might be blocked with earwax.

So, I tried your recommendation about swapping the driver cables and it seems like it might be a driver issue! It's a bit unclear though because I believe that the original cable didn't really have this pronounced issue. But actually also I did remember I switched from the original cable to a replacement cable because I saw that the cable was wearing out and that the right side was getting softer than normal. Then when the first replacement cable broke (actually it might not have broke, it might have just been the driver wearing out), I went back to the original cable and saw the balance was better. In reality it might have been that the left driver was getting softer, and the balance issue with the original cable actually balanced things out. Now with a brand new replacement cable I can hear the imbalance again. Anyways sorry if that was convoluted.

Is there any way for me to get the driver issue fixed? I know the FCL guy (Forrest is it?) is on this thread at times. I purchased my set beginning of 2018. It seems like too early for them to break I guess I'm already ordering a set of FCL 8Ds - it would be nice to get this pair sorted out as well though somehow.

 

[originalsnuffy]

If your pair has a problem its worth contacting LMUE about a warranty exchange. Even if you are out of warranty they might help out. Forrest and LMUE have been fairly reasonable in my dealings; one of the reasons I was willing to purchase the 8D after the 8S. I must admit I use the 8D more but the 8S is a good travel pair for me.

In theory I am selling the 8S pair; but every buyer that has contacted me asked about two million questions then never bought. I think the customization of the units scares off some buyers.