[JaZZ]

Thanks, Ken, will do.

Moving on to your other issues, we do not recommend you use your portable devices while they are connected to the mains.

Yes, I already know that, it's been «explained» by the support person. On the other hand, I don't just use portable gear with them, but every now and then my balcony system looks like this:

So mains connection is unavoidable. Nevertheless, I'd like to know the reason for this restriction (which I don't consider necessary anyway). And the reason for the hum during a few seconds after Atlas and Andromeda insertion. Could you explain, please? Also, why is one of my Andromeda drivers not affected?

 

[Earbones]

Thanks, Ken, will do.

Yes, I already know that, it's been «explained» by the support person. On the other hand, I don't just use portable gear with them, but every now and then my balcony system looks like this:

So mains connection is unavoidable. Nevertheless, I'd like to know the reason for this restriction (which I don't consider necessary anyway). And the reason for the hum during a few seconds after Atlas and Andromeda insertion. Could you explain, please? Also, why is one of my Andromeda drivers not affected?

Jesus Christ.

 

[Earbones]

For those who wear the Atlas inverted, with the cable over the ear, do you find that orientation works well with cables that feature memory-wire ends, such as the litz, super litz, etc?

The memory-wire implementation of the Andro and Vega cables are some of the most comfortable I’ve ever experienced. But obviously, the position of the MMCX inputs on the housings plays a big part in that... those models are designed specifically for over-ear cables, after all. Wondering how the Atlas might fare.

 

[sorrick]

Thanks, Ken, will do.

Yes, I already know that, it's been «explained» by the support person. On the other hand, I don't just use portable gear with them, but every now and then my balcony system looks like this:

So mains connection is unavoidable. Nevertheless, I'd like to know the reason for this restriction (which I don't consider necessary anyway). And the reason for the hum during a few seconds after Atlas and Andromeda insertion. Could you explain, please? Also, why is one of my Andromeda drivers not affected?

Most desktop gear will hiss or hum with iems...it is the nature of the beast...desktop gear is generally designed for full sized headphones. I can hear my Hugo2 hum when it is charging and plugged in with every iem I own. This is why audiophile companies sell power supplies and power cables that cost hundreds of dollars to eliminate noise from wall power.

 

[KB]

Most desktop gear will hiss or hum with iems...it is the nature of the beast...desktop gear is generally designed for full sized headphones. I can hear my Hugo2 hum when it is charging and plugged in with every iem I own. This is why audiophile companies sell power supplies and power cables that cost hundreds of dollars to eliminate noise from wall power.

+1 ... 10-4

Kb

 

[sorrick]

Most desktop gear will hiss or hum with iems...it is the nature of the beast...desktop gear is generally designed for full sized headphones. I can hear my Hugo2 hum when it is charging and plugged in with every iem I own. This is why audiophile companies sell power supplies and power cables that cost hundreds of dollars to eliminate noise from wall power.

As a follow up, one less expensive thing you might look into is the ifi groundhog. I know some others have had success with when trying to address hum out of a Hugo2 when plugged into power (I keep referencing the Hugo I see you have some very nice chord gear). It may help if the hum is resulting from a ground loop (a common cause of hum from what I understand...I only understand this stuff enough to get myself in trouble). I haven’t used this myself, but several folks in the lcd-i4 thread has success using it. The i4 seems to be particularly sensitive to hum from wall power.

 

[Earbones]

Wearing the Atlas over-ear with cables featuring memory-wire ends? Good/Bad? Anybody?

 

[abirdie4me]

Wearing the Atlas over-ear with cables featuring memory-wire ends? Good/Bad? Anybody?

Not a fan. I have FiiO pure silver 4.4 cable I wanted to use with the Atlas, but the memory wire just doesn’t mesh well with the Atlas. Even with the stock cable, I don’t find over ear orientation comfortable and I can’t get a good seal either. I even removed the memory wire on the 4.4 cable, but still don’t like it.

I’ve given up for now and just wear them straight down, which sounds good but is physically tiring on my ears after about an hour. I have custom tips ordered, so hoping that resolves my comfort issues. Love the sound of the atlas, just not for long periods of time.

 

[JaZZ]

Most desktop gear will hiss or hum with iems...it is the nature of the beast...desktop gear is generally designed for full sized headphones. I can hear my Hugo2 hum when it is charging and plugged in with every iem I own. This is why audiophile companies sell power supplies and power cables that cost hundreds of dollars to eliminate noise from wall power.

Please read my post once again – this time more carefully! None of my gear shows hiss or hum, not even with the most sensitive IEMs. The described hum only shows up during a few seconds right after insertion, hence the decompression phase in the ear canal, and only with the Campfires with their metal housings. One exception being one of three Andromeda drivers. And note that it's loud, almost the level of the music signal itself, not a low-level background hum. Fortunately it completely disappears after the decompression.

+1 ... 10-4

Kb

That's too cryptic for my understanding. I'd rather have above scenario explained.

 

[sorrick]

Please read my post once again – this time more carefully! None of my gear shows hiss or hum, not even with the most sensitive IEMs. The described hum only shows up during a few seconds right after insertion, hence the decompression phase in the ear canal, and only with the Campfires with their metal housings. One exception being one of three Andromeda drivers. And note that it's loud, almost the level of the music signal itself, not a low-level background hum. Fortunately it completely disappears after the decompression.


That's too cryptic for my understanding. I'd rather have above scenario explained.

Yes, I read your post. It is common for gear to hum more strongly the first several seconds and then quiet down some when it is plugged into the wall. This is what typically happens with my i4 when I plug it into my Hugo2 while the Hugo is plugged in to charge. It is a wall power-related (probably grounding-related) issue. I don’t know the physics of it, but it happens with a lot of my gear too. I have not noticed it with my Atlas, but I don’t often use my atlas with my Hugo2 while it is plugged in.

 

[JaZZ]

Yes, I read your post. It is common for gear to hum more strongly the first several seconds and then quiet down some when it is plugged into the wall. This is what typically happens with my i4 when I plug it into my Hugo2 while the Hugo is plugged in to charge. It is a wall power-related (probably grounding-related) issue. I don’t know the physics of it, but it happens with a lot of my gear too. I have not noticed it with my Atlas, but I don’t often use my atlas with my Hugo2 while it is plugged in.

Im still not sure if we're talking of the same thing. «My» hum disappears completely after the decompression phase, it doesn't just «quiet down some». That is, until I'm starting to fiddle with the fit again, which logically causes some pressure fluctuations in the ear canal. It's very different from a typical ground-loop hum, much stronger in intensity, and its frequency has no relation to the mains frequency of 50 Hz (it's 118 Hz). Moreover, the Campfires are the first and only IEMs i my audio career that show this behavior, with the exception of one Andromeda driver.

I'm sure there's a physical explanation for it, and I still hope that Ken will break cover and make for clarity. Also still no one from CA has ever substantiated the recommendation not to use their IEMs with (portable) gear plugged into the mains. Looks like some taboo topic.

 

[sorrick]

Im still not sure if we're talking of the same thing. «My» hum disappears completely after the decompression phase, it doesn't just «quiet down some». That is, until I'm starting to fiddle with the fit again, which logically causes some pressure fluctuations in the ear canal. It's very different from a typical ground-loop hum, much stronger in intensity, and its frequency has no relation to the mains frequency of 50 Hz (it's 118 Hz). Moreover, the Campfires are the first and only IEMs i my audio career that show this behavior, with the exception of one Andromeda driver.

I'm sure there's a physical explanation for it, and I still hope that Ken will break cover and make for clarity. Also still no one from CA has ever substantiated the recommendation not to use their IEMs with (portable) gear plugged into the mains. Looks like some taboo topic.

hmm, that does sound curious. I hope you figure it out!

 

[JaZZ]

hmm, that does sound curious. I hope you figure it out!

Oh, it's not a big deal, I can live with it, do so since quite a while. What I can't live with, though, is the lack of info to the matter from CA's part – the culture of not answering questions.

 

[subguy812]

Oh, it's not a big deal, I can live with it, do so since quite a while. What I can't live with, though, is the lack of info to the matter from CA's part – the culture of not answering questions.

The question was answered by sorrick, above Ken's +1 post. Ken was merely saying sorrick was correct.

 

[JaZZ]

The question was answered by sorrick, above Ken's +1 post. Ken was merely saying sorrick was correct.

Meanwhile sorrick has a better understanding of my issue, unlike Ken Ball, apparently, who still doesn't care and still hasn't answered my question: Why does CA recommend not to use gear that's plugged into the mains? It's the same kind of information boycot I got from the CA support. Have I already meantioned the electrical shocks you can get from the Campfire IEMs? I'm not the only one with this experience. I'm not saying it's dangerous, but it might be the key to the (self-)censorship.

And yourself you seem to be blind to the info I gave on my hum issue. It's definitely not a normal ground-loop thing – if you manage to deactivate your brand-loyalty filter for a moment and take the time to read my posts carefully. And I still hope Ken will do again as well.