[miceblue]

And it looks like that kind of damage is NOT LH's fault.
http://support.lhlabs.com/support/solutions/articles/5000547879-geek-pulse-setup-and-user-guide

Was there a warning that came with the item inside the box?

Doesn't look like it.

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzMrvzyuQFI[/video]


At least with the LPS there was a warning note for making sure you're using the right voltages with the LPS.

 

[pedalhead]

A manufacturer can put all the disclaimers they like against potential damage caused by their product. Doesn't mean it'll stand up if tested in court.

Schiit had similar popping issues with their amps. After a bout of negative publicity (including that YouTube video of the AKG being tortured), they took the sensible (imho) decision to add a relay into their amps to prevent the cap charge/discharge popping.

LH have stated they took the decision not to add a relay for sound quality reasons. Of course, we can debate how much impact a good relay would have on sq compared to the risk posed by the capacitor spikes...

 

[miceblue]

Well I'd say having headphones that work definitely has better sound quality than headphones with blown drivers. I think even a deaf person would agree with that. XD

But yeah, seriously, they should have at the very least put the aforementioned power on/off warning in the darn box if they know ahead of time that the (dis)charging capacitors could cause damage to anything connected to the unit. That's just common sense to me. With the redesigned support page that not everyone will go to as soon as they receive the Pulse, and the lack of any documentation or warnings within the package itself, they're really asking for trouble.

 

[Zenifyx]

I wish they would have added the relay.
Personally I would rather have the convenience and peace of mind over the SQ that leaving it out provides.
 
My main fear is that my family members turn it on with the headphones connected
Well, my parents already managed to turn off the power while a game was playing on my PS3, and that occurred like half a dozen times over a year, so my worries aren't unfounded...

 

[uncola]

The power on pop the pulse has shouldn't be destroying any headphones, it sounds like Lachlan had a generally faulty unit and that's what destroyed his headphones.  He was smart to use a cheap takstar pro 80 to test.  I think LH Labs said the soft start relay raised the noise floor 2.5db or something.. so I'm ok with not having it I guess.  It might be more of an issue if you're controlling a speaker amp through the pulse.. 

 

[pedalhead]

  The power on pop the pulse has shouldn't be destroying any headphones, it sounds like Lachlan had a generally faulty unit and that's what destroyed his headphones.  He was smart to use a cheap takstar pro 80 to test.  I think LH Labs said the soft start relay raised the noise floor 2.5db or something.. so I'm ok with not having it I guess.  It might be more of an issue if you're controlling a speaker amp through the pulse.. 

 
Yes, the issue was first raised on the LH forum by a Pulse reseller who blew multiple fuses in his Maggies. He was judged to have been a bit too vocal about it and won a temporary forum ban as a reward. 

 

[uncola]

Update from Larry Ho:
 
http://www.lhlabs.com/force/geekpulse/3305-pulse-xfi-current-delivery-estimates#53684
 
"We resume the shipping for Geek Pulse. Geek Pulse X FI is under the testing of first batch. Sorry that we are very strict for Geek Pulse X FI's quality standard. We will update the overall schedule in forum very soon.

Larry"

 

[pedalhead]

Good to see that testing is being taken seriously with the X range.  Clearly it's not in anybody's interests to have a second round of releases with the level of bugs that the first Pulse units seem to contain.  Sounding like a stuck record here, but please Larry/Gavin/Casey...keep us updated with what's going on...in a single, consistent location (LH Forum "Updates" section seems appropriate).  Even a "nothing's changed since yesterday" message is better than nothing.

 

[mscott58]

  Good to see that testing is being taken seriously with the X range.  Clearly it's not in anybody's interests to have a second round of releases with the level of bugs that the first Pulse units seem to contain.  Sounding like a stuck record here, but please Larry/Gavin/Casey...keep us updated with what's going on...in a single, consistent location (LH Forum "Updates" section seems appropriate).  Even a "nothing's changed since yesterday" message is better than nothing.

I'd be happy with a weekly update in the "Updates" section, as long as it is regular and informative. Sad to see that the "Updates" section for the Pulse hasn't been refreshed since 12/30 and for the Wave since 12/12. 

 

[lobehold]

The updates are on Indiegogo, seems LH labs is neglecting their own website.
 
Schiit gears have insane amount of power, way more than most people needs. I guess that's one of their marketing strategies, most people worry about powering their phones "properly" and with Schiit there is no question. I'm hoping that the power-on/off popping for a functioning Pulse is safe to leave the headphones plugged in, but not going to try until confirmed safe.
 
With the advertised noise floor so low, personally I'm willing to trade 2.5 db of noise for the relay, but of course that decision was made early in the process where everyone was extremely gung-ho about sound quality at all costs, the few dissenting opinions didn't matter.

 

[Ungie]

A manufacturer can put all the disclaimers they like against potential damage caused by their product. Doesn't mean it'll stand up if tested in court.

Schiit had similar popping issues with their amps. After a bout of negative publicity (including that YouTube video of the AKG being tortured), they took the sensible (imho) decision to add a relay into their amps to prevent the cap charge/discharge popping.

LH have stated they took the decision not to add a relay for sound quality reasons. Of course, we can debate how much impact a good relay would have on sq compared to the risk posed by the capacitor spikes...

 
I'm very sorry, but any audio component that is going to be sold to the general public should not make ANY noises on turn-on or turn-off, regardless if it can damage connected equipment or not. It is simply a matter of good design and engineering practice...end of story. So what happens when there is a severe brown-out or power outage? Can we make sure everything is unplugged from the Pulse when this happens? And LH Labs insistence that this decision was because of sound quality is total BS. A muting circuit can easily be made that is NOT IN THE SIGNAL PATH, so it will have exactly ZERO impact on fidelity. This is simply case of cheaping out on ~$3 worth of parts.

 

[pedalhead]

   
I'm very sorry, but any audio component that is going to be sold to the general public should not make ANY noises on turn-on or turn-off, regardless if it can damage connected equipment or not. It is simply a matter of good design and engineering practice...end of story. So what happens when there is a severe brown-out or power outage? Can we make sure everything is unplugged from the Pulse when this happens? And LH Labs insistence that this decision was because of sound quality is total BS. A muting circuit can easily be made that is NOT IN THE SIGNAL PATH, so it will have exactly ZERO impact on fidelity. This is simply case of cheaping out on ~$3 worth of parts.

 
Just for clarity...I agree with you 

 

[mscott58]

   
I'm very sorry, but any audio component that is going to be sold to the general public should not make ANY noises on turn-on or turn-off, regardless if it can damage connected equipment or not. It is simply a matter of good design and engineering practice...end of story. So what happens when there is a severe brown-out or power outage? Can we make sure everything is unplugged from the Pulse when this happens? And LH Labs insistence that this decision was because of sound quality is total BS. A muting circuit can easily be made that is NOT IN THE SIGNAL PATH, so it will have exactly ZERO impact on fidelity. This is simply case of cheaping out on ~$3 worth of parts.

Have to disagree with you on this one. Pretty much every piece of high-end amplification gear that I've owned makes a sound on turn on, be it a headphone amp or a 2-channel tube-amp, from $500 to $10K. 
 
And by definition, doesn't a muting circuit have to be in the signal path? If you put a relay in to break the circuit until the caps settle, the relay would have to be in the path, right? (have to admit I'm a ChemE not an EE). 
 
And regarding a power-spike from the wall, the power circuit and fuse would take care of this. They wouldn't handle a lightning strike of course, but in that case I'm not sure that the state of my headphone amp would be the first thing I'd worry about...
 
Cheers all and happy listening!

 

[frank2908]

Seems like Light Harmonic has a very good head of engineer (Larry), very good head of marketing (Gavin) with all that crowdfunding stunts, but they lack a competent project manager.With all that free time that the boxes not arrived, only now that they are testing the first batch of xfi?

 

[lobehold]

Well to be fair, they were testing quite quickly and "efficiently" before, the only thing they didn't do was testing properly: lachlan's defective unit that destroyed his Takstar, that guy who got his Magnepans blown, and all those firmware issues like volume changed to max after power cycle - apparently turning the unit off and on again wasn't part of the tests conducted.
 
I'd rather they do it slow and proper and release a product that doesn't destroy my hearing nor my headphones than the other way around.