[VSTOLL]

Hello guys,

I really need help. I had a Sennheiser HD660s with a FiiO K3, bought in May of last year. The headphone left driver died without giving any warning, I was using it, went to the kitchen to take something to eat, when I got back it was busted, tried different cables, sources and nada, left side was dead. I sent it to warranty and the driver was busted beyond repair, so they'll send me a new unit in August.

Last week I bought a AKG K702, and I was really enjoying it, nice soundstage, different than the Sennheiser but very good on it's on way. When I took the headphones out of the stand today, guess what... The left driver was dead. A brand new headphone, less than 4 days of use. I got a new amp for it and I can't even test it now.

Something must be happening. Just for the sake of it. My desk is made of steel and it has an epoxi protective layer, my room is carpet. I always placed the headphones on a wooden stand when not using it. I'm changing rooms and desk just in case. I really don't want my other electronics dying out of nowhere.

Is it static electricity? Bad power?

I really want to solve this, it's way too frustrating, a U$500 and a U$350 headphones dying like this doesn't make any sense to me...

 

[NA Blur]

Have you tried the dead headphones on another music player to make sure it is the headphone and not the player?
Static is not good for headphones for sure, but the chances of you completely ruining a driver, while the headphones rest at your desk, are really low.

Do you ever feel static shocks on the headphones when you either put them on, pick them up, or place them onto the stands?

What amp / player do you have your headphones plugged into?
Are you using an adapter to plug your headphones into?

 

[VSTOLL]

Have you tried the dead headphones on another music player to make sure it is the headphone and not the player?
Static is not good for headphones for sure, but the chances of you completely ruining a driver, while the headphones rest at your desk, are really low.

Do you ever feel static shocks on the headphones when you either put them on, pick them up, or place them onto the stands?

What amp / player do you have your headphones plugged into?
Are you using an adapter to plug your headphones into?

Yeah, tried on my phone and iPad, doesn't work on any of them.

I never felt static shocks through the headphones, but I did once I got up the chair and touched the desk (without the headphones on).

No adapters, plugged straight into a FiiO K3.

 

[NA Blur]

My only guess right now is static is damaging the driver and the left side is more susceptible due to the wiring.

 

[VSTOLL]

My only guess right now is static is damaging the driver and the left side is more susceptible due to the wiring.

It's my only guess too.

I've already took the carpet out of the room and I'll replace it with vinyl flooring, I already wanted to do it before, because it's much easier to clean and it's not gross like a 20 year old carpet is. I'm now using a FiiO K5 Pro (arrived today after the death of the AKG) and I'll sell the K3.

If my headphones keep dying, than I guess i'll stick with my WH-1000XM3, get a much cheaper headphone and abandon the hobby.

 

[GREQ]

It is impossible to damage any headphone with static electricity.
Even with what most people would consider a 'high static discharge' enough to create a visible spark would not be anywhere near enough to destroy a transducer of any type.

Drivers are not electically or mechanically delicate components. They are designed to move while taking moderate levels of electricity over time, so a minor sudden jolt of static wouldn't linger anywhere near long enough to generate the heat necessary to even start warming it up, let alone cook it to death.

My guess is a faulty amplifier or bad luck.
Hopefully your luck is still under warranty, or just get a new luck.

 

[VSTOLL]

It is impossible to damage any headphone with static electricity.
Even with what most people would consider a 'high static discharge' enough to create a visible spark would not be anywhere near enough to destroy a transducer of any type.

Drivers are not electically or mechanically delicate components. They are designed to move while taking moderate levels of electricity over time, so a minor sudden jolt of static wouldn't linger anywhere near long enough to generate the heat necessary to even start warming it up, let alone cook it to death.

My guess is a faulty amplifier or bad luck.
Hopefully your luck is still under warranty, or just get a new luck.

I got my money back from the AKG. Sennheiser will send me a new one in August

I got a new amp too, but I don't know if it's really the amp. I never heard any distortions or popping coming from it. Is it possible that I've been discharging the static on the amp and it caused clipping or any one thing that damaged the headphones?

 

[GREQ]

I got my money back from the AKG. Sennheiser will send me a new one in August

I got a new amp too, but I don't know if it's really the amp. I never heard any distortions or popping coming from it. Is it possible that I've been discharging the static on the amp and it caused clipping or any one thing that damaged the headphones?

I don't think a tiny static discharge will be enough to 'force' amplifier components to consistently create more output than they are designed to.

My amp and headphones/earbuds at my office PC at work have had SO much static go into them over the past few years, and they're both completely fine.

I think you just got unlucky to purchase two headphones with faulty driver units.

 

[VSTOLL]

I don't think a tiny static discharge will be enough to 'force' amplifier components to consistently create more output than they are designed to.

My amp and headphones/earbuds at my office PC at work have had SO much static go into them over the past few years, and they're both completely fine.

I think you just got unlucky to purchase two headphones with faulty driver units.

Hope so! Thanks for all your info

Anyway, I'll just buy headphones that have warranty on my country now, it limits my options a lot, but I don't want to deal with another headphone dying and having nowhere to run. Thankfully Sennheiser will sent me a new one, but I'll have to pay the shipping to my country, and probably taxes.

 

[NA Blur]

I'm pretty sure DC voltage into an analog driver distorts and thus stresses the driver. You can dig around and find videos of this yourself. Headphone drivers are not immune to static and DC damage. Your claim about them being immune is just not true, GREQ.

I'm with ya tho regarding something else may be the culprit. It's pretty difficult to completely kill a driver with static.

One last question. Do you ever listen to your setup with speakers and perhaps leave the headphones plugged in while you turn the volume way up? Drivers usually die from being driven way too hard.

 

[VSTOLL]

I'm pretty sure DC voltage into an analog driver distorts and thus stresses the driver. You can dig around and find videos of this yourself. Headphone drivers are not immune to static and DC damage. Your claim about them being immune is just not true, GREQ.

I'm with ya tho regarding something else may be the culprit. It's pretty difficult to completely kill a driver with static.

One last question. Do you ever listen to your setup with speakers and perhaps leave the headphones plugged in while you turn the volume way up? Drivers usually die from being driven way too hard.

I don't have speakers and I don't listen with loud volumes, I prefer getting my anc headphones when there's too much background noise.

I already changed the amp and I'll replace the carpet with vinyl flooring to lessen the static buildup. I'll also call some electrician to see if my power is bad, but I guess it would've killed my PC before, since the K3 is fed through the usb

 

[NA Blur]

Very strange indeed. Hope all of your changes help. Keep us posted.

 

[VSTOLL]

Very strange indeed. Hope all of your changes help. Keep us posted.

I really hope it's just bad luck and nothing is messing with the headphones. At least I'm getting rid of the carpet flooring, the first day I got into this apartment I already started hating it

 

[GREQ]

I'm pretty sure DC voltage into an analog driver distorts and thus stresses the driver. You can dig around and find videos of this yourself. Headphone drivers are not immune to static and DC damage. Your claim about them being immune is just not true, GREQ.

I'm with ya tho regarding something else may be the culprit. It's pretty difficult to completely kill a driver with static.

One last question. Do you ever listen to your setup with speakers and perhaps leave the headphones plugged in while you turn the volume way up? Drivers usually die from being driven way too hard.

If we're talking theoretically, then yes, you could MAYBE damage a driver if your amplifier is running extremely high or full volume with a signal being played and the transducer succumbs to a sudden jolt of extra static energy that the amplifier amplifies... which could theoretically encourage the voice coil to extrude further than it is designed to.

But under normal circumstances, there is basically zero chance of blowing a driver with static.