[styks]

Just got my pair to crackle, but it was at a way higher volume than what I am used to.

One interesting thing to note: If I listen to the track in Hifi mode, the cracking noise can be audible but just barely, you really have to know its there.
Same track, same volume, same time (around 4:30) but the MASTER version : big pop from the left channel.

Elear - Balanced to Oppo Ha-1

Hi, yes with my new pair if I turn up War Anthem it cracks on the left channel.
Is it possible there is something present in the mix that we can't hear causing this? Something out of the human range?
I ask this because with other tracks I have with sub-bass / very low frequencies, I feel approaching the level of War Anthem if not as low, will not make the Elear crack, even at much higher volume.

I tried on my Mojo last night and was surprised to find the Elear crack at a lower volume than my Marantz.
A little disappointed about that tbh, it was only just a fraction above where I listen to War Anthem so I could easily drift into that area.

Could someone with the gear take an occilsscope trace of War Anthem to see why this track only, in my case it is only this track so far. ... I thought i heard less obtrusive crackling occasionally on other tracks but don't know if it was in the recording. This is the problem when you become aware of a problem, you hear everything, becoming hyper sensistive / critical.

 

[tuckers]

So I played War Anthem at a level a bit higher than I would ever listen to it normally, and I heard no crackling in my Elears. I think I listen fairly loudly to headphones and I am satisfied that my pair doesn't have this problem in normal range. This track does have seriously low and strong bass, really probably less than 1% of music has this kind of bass. I'm no longer concerned about this problem.

 

[styks]

Oh dear oh dear, this is like a friggin roller coaster ride for me.
Big valley, up to peak, down into the valley again so on and on and to be honest I'm now feeling rather sick on this ride.
Played War Anthem again to day, now cracking just about where I listen, maybe a fraction over.
Popped on Tom Raybolds "The machine sound tracks" and now it cracks on those too, ok at a higher volume but it cracks, cracks and cracks higher rate like a machine gun in pkaces.

I've had it guys, there going back again! .... I thought it was fine yesterday and was gushingly happy as you no doubt read.

I loved the sound but I'm NOT putting up with this from a £900 headphone, no way!

I'm genuinely happy for the guys who have been lucky enough to get a pair that are good, a crackin good pair so to speak ( a rather fed up attempt at a pun) ... Enjoy.

I'm a patient and reasonable chap who rarely gets upset / angry but FOCAL have managed to get me rather annoyed. There IS an issue here that CAN NOT be glossed over, it's NOT my equipment, it's the same on my Mojo as it is on my Marantz. ......

Too many are experiencing the same for it to be called a anything other than a problem, QC, bad design or whatever, it's a problem that needs addressing and customer service needs to be addressed also from what I'm hearing.
If it was a design decision it was a bad one and I'm not going to add IMO, it now appears to be many people's opinion.

Glad I bought through Amazon, no hassle returning, I'd advise you do the same if you wish to try these out, you may be lucky, on the other hand you may not be, like me!

 

[x RELIC x]

@styks, I’m curious, for a point of reference, what volume do you have the Mojo on with the Elear (what is the volume color)?

 

[styks]

@styks, I’m curious, for a point of reference, what volume do you have the Mojo on with the Elear (what is the volume color)?

I was that fed up I didn't note it, I think double green but can't be sure. I'll pop them on again and get back to you.

 

[DivaFonda]

I wish Focal would research the problem better. I think my equipment is too low end to reproduce this issue. I have laptops and cheaper amps. Just about every time I see people mention this, it's on better equipment, which is what these headphones are really for. I may try on my Android phone with the DAC to see if it happens there, because UAPP gets VERY loud.

 

[styks]

@styks, I’m curious, for a point of reference, what volume do you have the Mojo on with the Elear (what is the volume color)?

Ok x Relic x, ..... start to crack lightly top of pale blue, cracking hard going further into solid blue, by purple (is it?) Like a machine gun loud and painful..... The HD650 go well past, through purple through white then start to breakdown when marble next to power starts getting red. ........ I won't try that again, .... ouch!

 

[styks]

@styks, I’m curious, for a point of reference, what volume do you have the Mojo on with the Elear (what is the volume color)?

Oh, just to add, source Qobuz, War Anthem, CD quality, imported not streamed, iPhone SE.... It may have been lower on my Galaxy TAB S2, that allows you to control the source volume level (i set about 70-75%) the iPhone does not.

 

[waveSounds]

Ok x Relic x, ..... start to crack lightly top of pale blue, cracking hard going further into solid blue, by purple (is it?) Like a machine gun loud and painful..... The HD650 go well past, through purple through white then start to breakdown when marble next to power starts getting red. ........ I won't try that again, .... ouch!

Good Lord, man. BLUE range on the Mojo with a high sensitivity, low impedance can like the Elear?! Blimey.

I live in the double red - orange range 99% of the time.

 

[Bern2]

Oh dear oh dear, this is like a friggin roller coaster ride for me.
Big valley, up to peak, down into the valley again so on and on and to be honest I'm now feeling rather sick on this ride.
Played War Anthem again to day, now cracking just about where I listen, maybe a fraction over.
Popped on Tom Raybolds "The machine sound tracks" and now it cracks on those too, ok at a higher volume but it cracks, cracks and cracks higher rate like a machine gun in pkaces.

I've had it guys, there going back again! .... I thought it was fine yesterday and was gushingly happy as you no doubt read.

I loved the sound but I'm NOT putting up with this from a £900 headphone, no way!

I'm genuinely happy for the guys who have been lucky enough to get a pair that are good, a crackin good pair so to speak ( a rather fed up attempt at a pun) ... Enjoy.

I'm a patient and reasonable chap who rarely gets upset / angry but FOCAL have managed to get me rather annoyed. There IS an issue here that CAN NOT be glossed over, it's NOT my equipment, it's the same on my Mojo as it is on my Marantz. ......

Too many are experiencing the same for it to be called a anything other than a problem, QC, bad design or whatever, it's a problem that needs addressing and customer service needs to be addressed also from what I'm hearing.
If it was a design decision it was a bad one and I'm not going to add IMO, it now appears to be many people's opinion.

Glad I bought through Amazon, no hassle returning, I'd advise you do the same if you wish to try these out, you may be lucky, on the other hand you may not be, like me!

Maybe the Clear will solve the issue.

Bern

 

[styks]

Good Lord, man. BLUE range on the Mojo with a high sensitivity, low impedance can like the Elear?! Blimey.

I live in the double red - orange range 99% of the time.

Yes I do mainly on my Samsung TAB, occasionally popping into the green for a bit of excitement.
I run the Samsung approx 75% .... I have no option than to accept what the iphone supplies. As I said earlier the cracking comes in in the green when connected to the Samsung, so just above the level I listen at.
Red or orange is very low out of the iPhone. .... I know little about it but it must be that source output can vary between smart phones, certainly in this case.

 

[waveSounds]

You want the source at 100% and to then control the volume through the Mojo. Why do you only use 75% of the volume on the Samsung?

 

[styks]

Good Lord, man. BLUE range on the Mojo with a high sensitivity, low impedance can like the Elear?! Blimey.

I live in the double red - orange range 99% of the time.

Had my new OTG cable arrive, just tried it, you never know. Nah, on the Samsung Tab/Mojo, still cracking in the green. ..... You live in the red WaveSounds ?? ...... That's quiet to me, I thought i had sensitive hearing!
I'm preferring top of orange to lower green, especially with War Anthem.

 

[Sonic Defender]

I'm with you, my Mojo was always in the blue range. Can't imagine listening to music quietly, no excitement factor for me and I fall asleep. I also agree that Focal can spin it anyway they wish, if this is a consistent and known issue, calling it a design decision is, well laughable. The fact that not everybody experiences this cracking sound does make me think that it is more individual units as opposed to a wholesale design issue. I had an Elear here for a few weeks and was just too busy to listen to it. Shame, I'll have to get it back if I can and test it out. If it is a design issue related to how much current the Elear is fed I'll guarantee you I will pick it up. My average listening level is easily around 90db with higher peaks, but I also listen for shorter sessions and my hearing remains quite good. Mind you last night went to a small club and saw an old school punk band, DOA live. I hate doing that to my ears, but it wasn't too bad as I made sure to limit my exposure to the very worst spots in the venue.

 

[DivaFonda]

So styks, you were using a mobile device but a higher end amp when this happened? Blows my theory a bit about it only happening on high powered equipment. I would return ASAP too because mobile doesn't usually have the power to blow headphones.