[Mackenzie]

   
Hmm... we're gonna need the whole jury out on this one.  Considering you don't have this problem on the cheap gaming headset, I can't imagine this being related to DAC/amp at all.  I've only had issues like this with some kind of interference, faulty drivers or a failing DAC/sound card, or as a glitch that's fixed when rebooting the computer.

If it were a failing card or driver though.. wouldn't I experience it on the gaming headset as well? Gosh, I hope I didn't get a faulty pair of headphones. :[ Definitely not fixed by reboot. I'll test an obvious song on my headset just to be sure.

That's really strange, now I can hear it on my headset if I turn it up loud enough. Either my ears have become aware of the sounds existence through the upgrade or it is the card. The sound card is just about as new as the headphones come to think of it. But could that really be the issue? I'll have to try on board audio again with both devices.

Let's go ahead and assume it is the sound card / on board audio having interference from all of the metal and electricity inside the tower. How would I bypass this problem?

 

[Rhamnetin]

 
If it were a failing card or driver though.. wouldn't I experience it on the gaming headset as well? Gosh, I hope I didn't get a faulty pair of headphones. :[ Definitely not fixed by reboot. I'll test an obvious song on my headset just to be sure.

That's really strange, now I can hear it on my headset if I turn it up loud enough. Either my ears have become aware of the sounds existence through the upgrade or it is the card. The sound card is just about as new as the headphones come to think of it. But could that really be the issue? I'll have to try on board audio again with both devices.

Let's go ahead and assume it is the sound card / on board audio having interference from all of the metal and electricity inside the tower. How would I bypass this problem?

 
An external DAC would bypass the problem and give you much better sound in the process.  It may be EMI, which would also be solved by an external DAC most likely (unless you position it next to some other device that would cause EMI issues).

 

[Mackenzie]

Troubleshooting now. Seems I'm using some fluky setups to try and demonstrate the sound to my ears for tests. I just tried some .spc songs on a dedicated SPC media player and the crackling from the winamp SPC plugin is 100% gone. So that rules out that and gives me ideas to try different players and listen from different sources. I also reconnected the HD Audio (motherboard) from my front panel back to the rear ports while the PC was off of course.

Did more tests. Can hear crackling on both output devices on both the card and on board audio. Thinking it's the odd music files I'm listening too. It is really starting to seem that way. Thank goodness it is not my Q701s!! If that was the price to pay for excellent quality 'when it doesn't crackle' I'd have been so upset! Far worse than picking your poison with monitors so to speak, but I'm glad that's seemingly not the issue.

Going to try a much wider selection of music and even some on youtube so see if I can notice it again.

Come on Schiit, send me my gear! haha

 

[Mackenzie]

Seems the crackling is related to the source audio and not equipment. I tried the headphones and headset in several other devices too (stereo, MP3 players, iPods) at peak volumes and it seems only certain specific audio files have the issue if a high enough volume is used. It only seemed like it was a fairly substantial % of what all I've been listening to because I haven't been listening to that much variety lately. The same music on say YouTube, it either didn't crackle at all or significantly less, sometimes more. Pretty sure it's the source, but the DAC is on its way so that should solve any possible interference issues anyway. Thanks for helping my investigation, you're awesome. ^^;

Quote:

  As for equalizing, this is the way to do it.
 
http://www.head-fi.org/a/how-to-equalize-your-headphones-a-tutorial
 
Not sure if you were following that guide. I've been too lazy to try it myself but that will probably change this weekend or next, or the one after that...

Ahh that took way longer than I thought it would. My goodness, the whole night is gone now nice going Rhamnetin!

I followed that equalizing guide for my AKG Q701s. Mmm that sweet, sweet sound it's like twice as good as no EQ. Really balances out a pair of headphones in areas it may be too subtle or too prominent without taking away from any quality. It fixed any overpowering issues I was having before! Thank you so much for showing that to me!

I highly recommend you give it a shot one of these days. It's like tuning up your headphone instead of your car hehehe >< yayy I'm so happy.

 

[Rhamnetin]

Right, bad music files can cause those problems too.  Good thing that's all the problem is.  Time to say hello to HDTracks.com!
 
I'll try to get around to equalizing my DT 880 this weekend.  After my K7xx arrives and after I "get to know it" I'll do the same for it.  I'm not keen on spending all day or all night though, but then again that's what makes an audiophile.

 

[Mackenzie]

  Right, bad music files can cause those problems too.  Good thing that's all the problem is.  Time to say hello to HDTracks.com!
 
I'll try to get around to equalizing my DT 880 this weekend.  After my K7xx arrives and after I "get to know it" I'll do the same for it.  I'm not keen on spending all day or all night though, but then again that's what makes an audiophile.

I sure hope that was the problem, logic seems to lean that way.

I agree, it definitely is a time sink but if you want to fine tune each pair of headphones that you own and love and spent very good money on - it's like adjusting a chair to be in the perfect position for you, or adjusting the steering wheel and review mirror of a vehicle to your specific needs. Very personal experience. Definitely worth the work and a good learning experience on top of it.

You'll have to end up hunting down alternatives to the downloads the guide links to as they are mostly broken, but the information is still good. Thank you again. Checking out HDTracks.com now. :]

 

[Mackenzie]

It's gonna make me re-buy all my tuuuuunes? u.u Aww. Those samples sure sound nice but they don't sound all that different to my actual tunes.

 

[Rhamnetin]

Maybe only replace the ones that give you those cracking sounds?  Also the difference may become more pronounced when you get your Schiit, not that I'm encouraging re-buying everything since their prices are up there.  The difference is pretty big to my ears, at least when comparing typical 320 Kb/s MP3 to HDTracks FLACs.

 

[Mackenzie]

I love my FLAC files more than what I'm hearing on HD tracks haha. Compared a sample, so at least for this album's samples.

 

[Mackenzie]

Problem is most of the crackling ones are custom recordings, custom creative works, ancient classical masterpieces by composers from various eras in the past or otherwise video game tracks. Most of my MP3 and FLAC files of standard music from modern times work fine, even my 50s and 60s music for the most part (I like a lot of classical jazz, blues and a bunch of others).

 

[Rhamnetin]

  Problem is most of the crackling ones are custom recordings, custom creative works, ancient classical masterpieces by composers from various eras in the past or otherwise video game tracks. Most of my MP3 and FLAC files of standard music from modern times work fine, even my 50s and 60s music for the most part (I like a lot of classical jazz, blues and a bunch of others).

 
I see.  I guess if using other players solved the problem, that will have to suffice.

 

[Mackenzie]

Wait, so the HD Tracks tunes are all FLAC files or mostly FLAC / lossless formats? I might not have to re-buy as much as I thought then, my dad taught me to get FLAC every chance I can get for my favorite music and that it's just like compressing a video when I get MP3 format. For a very long time that is all I believed quality was for audio.

 

[Mackenzie]

   
I see.  I guess if using other players solved the problem, that will have to suffice.

It hasn't in some of the cases but in other cases it has, particularly SPC files.

I did determine it was most likely the files, or at least the most considerably noticeable amount of imperfect audio coming from the source and not the device from trying to reproduce the problem in various situations using headphones, a headset, speakers and two ear buds. The EQ overhaul however, seems to have helped some in that regard too.

 

[Rhamnetin]

  Wait, so the HD Tracks tunes are all FLAC files or mostly FLAC / lossless formats? I might not have to re-buy as much as I thought then, my dad taught me to get FLAC every chance I can get for my favorite music and that it's just like compressing a video when I get MP3 format. For a very long time that is all I believed quality was for audio.

 
HDTracks sells mostly lossless, higher bit rate music.  I see plenty of 96 KHz/24-bit and 88.2 KHz/24-bit.

 

[Ethan Groover]

Leaning towards the Audio Technica ATH-M50x pair so far, for closed back.

If you like the Q701 I would shy far away from the ATH-M50x. They have hardly any soundstage and a V shaped sound signature. I've listened to them, and they do in fact touch your ears.
 
The M70x is neutral and accurate, albeit maybe a bit bright, but my real recommendation is still the Mr Speakers Mad Dog. They are known for having an out of head sound stage in the closed headphone that they are. I think they would fit your needs perfectly.

 

With and without these slight +1 to +4 decibel tweaks on the lower frequencies I also seem to find certain sounds and effects drown out other sounds and effects and make them harder to hear. On my gaming headset I never noticed this, because I'm pretty sure they don't have this problem. What do you think is up with the AKG cans? Could they just be seemingly inferior in these drowning out qualities without the aid of additional equipment or is a $40 cheap gaming headset getting the better of my cans for letting me hear all sounds in musical architecture equally without drowning each other out? I will admit hands down the quality of the sound is far superior on the cans but yeah I guess you could say I'm tuning in to more potential flaws in comparison to what I've been used to for a long time?

You are using an equalizer to increase bass frequency response. You are going to drown out mid-range elements in your music, it is just inevitable. Digital Equalization always, always loses some of or a significant portion of your music. 

Here is what's up with your situation:
-the most major factor of you not getting the bass response you desire is the fact that you are not amping the Q701s. I used to own the K712 Pro, and when I tried it directly out of my phone, just for kicks and giggles, it had literally no bass response that I could discern. When I hooked it up to an Objective2, suddenly all the bass response it was lacking was there. Amping your headphones is very important.
-another major factor is that all (and I mean ALL) realtek audio chipsets in motherboards roll off bass frequencies.
 
Both of those things will be rectified when you plug in your Modi2/Magni2 stack, so I would wait until you have your dac/amp setup before you think anything is wrong with your headphones. You really have no idea what they sound like yet if you haven't amped them yet haha