[halocog]

I have a pair of Grado SR-60i's powered by my laptop's "HD sound card" .
 
After about 10 minutes of play at regular volume, if i stick my nose to the grills on the side of the cans, i can smell a sorta "burnt" smell. They have less than 10 hours on them, and sound fine.
 
Is this ok/normal? 
 
Thanks.

 

[gknix]

Whoa. Never heard this before. I don't think the sound card has anything to do with it.
How new is your sr-60? Perhaps burn them in and use them for a little longer to see if the problem still persists..

 

[Chamakazi]

Have you tested the sound card for DC offset? This may be your problem.

 

[Shoreman]

Quote:

Have you tested the sound card for DC offset? This may be your problem.

What's the likelihood that the OP would even know what "DC offset" is, much less know how to "test" it? This is his first post. Do you get the impression that he's a seasoned computer audiophile? It would have been more helpful if you had given your rationale for the linkage between the smell of his headphones and the sound card's "DC offset," (which seems a bit of a stretch from just a common sense standpoint) and then perhaps explained how to do what you're suggesting.

 

[stang]

Don't be so ignorant, Shoreman. Maybe he has experience but has just joined head-fi. 

 

[Shoreman]

Quote:

Don't be so ignorant, Shoreman. Maybe he has experience but has just joined head-fi. 

Read my response--in full--before you spout off. I think it's safe to say you miss the point.
 
Talk about ignorance...
 
Oh...and yeah...it's obvious he HAS just joined Head-Fi.

 

[Mad Max]

Burnt smell? That's not right and further use is not going to remedy that. Stop using your headphones with that soundcard.
 
See if you can find someone to test the output for Direct Current, which there should be very little to nothing. Enough DC can ruin your headphones/speakers.
 
Let us know the results or if you can at least borrow a multi-meter, with which you can test it yourself.
We'll tell you how.
 
Alternatively, there could be a pinch of material on the voice coils that shouldn't be there, I think. They heat up, that is all I know about that.

 

[mistyfud]

The only Grado smell I know of is the new pad smell! How I enjoy that smell, alas it vanishes over time...
 
Is it more of an ozone smell or actual burning smell? Grados are hand built, so it might be faulty wiring insulation. Never the less, I would send them back; the warranty is free for a year so you should be covered.

 

[Mr_Tasty]

Probably just the new Grado smell being enhanced by the heat from your head.
 
What kind of music are you listening to? Grado's will melt your stinking face off with some guitar tracks.

 

[Mad Max]

My SR325is' backside has always smelled like the inside of my Audio-gd Compass.
I find it pleasant.

 

[stang]

Shoreman, one thing is for sure. Trolling on Head-Fi will not earn you any respect. 

 

[Shoreman]

Quote:

Shoreman, one thing is for sure. Trolling on Head-Fi will not earn you any respect.

Pretty predictable response.
 
Stick to the subject matter and spare me the personal attacks.
 
No...better yet, just go away.

 

[halocog]

Like one person said, i think it may be where they are not fully broken in yet. The smell is very faint at best at low volumes, and at higher volumes, a little stronger. It does this over other sound cards too. I'll just give it some more break in time and if it is still doing it i will send them in to Grado. 

 

[Chamakazi]

You may want someone to check for DC offset on your source, if you don't happen to have a multimeter. Also try checking inside the phones to see if there's anything caught in the driver.
 
 
oh, and
Quote:

Pretty predictable response.
 
Stick to the subject matter and spare me the personal attacks.
 
No...better yet, just go away.

Yea, because your first post on this thread totally wasn't a personal attack.