[Mak333]

Before I begin, I would like to say I'm a newbie when it comes to serious audio equipment.
 
I purchased some new Sennheiser HD595s this week from an authorized Sennheiser dealer... These are my first "quality" set of headphones.  So far I've only been able to test them with two receivers due to my limited access to other devices.  In any case, the problem I'm having with the 595s is that they crackle/pop when a good amount of bass is introduced to the headphones.  I'm experiencing this at loud volumes (but not unbareable) and also when the bass EQ on the receiver is engaged.  The receivers I've tested are mid-range AIWA and YAMAHA receivers.  I'm using the 6.5mm or 1/4 inch headphone output, standard on the 595s.
 
Now I've read some issues already with these 595s and clipping with low frequencies.  Because I've only seen a handful of other similar issues, I'm getting the assumption that these are defective phones.  I tested another set of headphones (Koss SKH-120s) and the whole audio distorts before they cut out like the Sennheisers are doing.  Keep in mind that this crackle/pop is short and louder than the audio itself.
 
What's wrong here?  I'm not using any equalizers on both receivers, increasing volume to reasonable hearing levels and I'm still getting this pop, crackle, or cutting out of the whole audio signal.  When I use the EQ for bass boost, it pops at lower volumes, as expected.
 
I'm not saying that these are cutting out easily... I understand the 595s are under some stress when this happens, but why would the Koss' distort before they cut out or pop like the 595s are doing?
 
I know it's hard for anyone to tell, but is it possible I have defective headphones?  Shouldn't I be able to hear audio distortion before this very loud popping?
 
Again, I'm not testing through a soundcard... The path starts strictly from a CD/DVD player, then tested with RCA and Optical to the receiver, and then straight to the headphones.  Tested with several original audio CDs.
 
Any response is well appreciated.  Thanks!

 

[1Time]

Welcome to Head-Fi. 
 
Patient says to the doctor, "doctor it hurts when I do this." Doctor says to the patient, "don't do that". 
 
You don't want to hurt your new headphones with that crackle / pop sound. You could try playing the headphones over night at a loud volume that's not loud enough to cause the crackle / pop. That might fix it. Problem could be with your receiver's headphone out. 

 

[omgitsoop]

yes definately break them in first, then see how it sounds. i actually have some 595's that had crackling issues, but it was a cord issue after a few accidental walk too far away and rip the cord out of the jack (whoops) but for you to have them so soon seems a little out of the norm.

 

[Mak333]

Thank you for the quick replies.  I'd like to break them in, however I'm on a time constraint.  The authorized dealer that I purchased them from only has a return window of 7 days.  I'll contact the dealer to see if I can extend this window allowing me to get 60-80 hours of playing time to break them in.  The issue definitely doesn't seem normal to me, but then again I'm new to these headphones and overall higher-end headphones.  I just don't think headphones of this quality should be this "fragile" if you will.
 
I'll keep this thread updated.
 
Thanks again.

 

[1Time]

Right, the issue is not normal. I wasn't suggesting an extended burn in (which may seem appropriate for headphones without this issue). I suggested letting it play without the crack / pop over night - a brief period of time to see if it would self correct. Otherwise, I say you'd be better off returning them as defective and moving on to another set. 

 

[Mak333]

Well I let the 595s play overnight to 50 Cent's "The Massacre" album; around 22 straight hours of play time, not including the 14 hours I had these running when I received them last Friday.  The album has a ton of strong bass at low, mid, and high bass range frequencies.
 
These ran on a mid-range YAMAHA receiver at my father's place as I went home to see family this holiday weekend.
 
Now that I'm back at my place, the best audio setup I have is an X-Fi GamerExtreme soundcard.  Plugged the phones in, and tested "The Massacre" on a very loud, almost intolerable volume and no pops or cracks!  Even have played with the EQ a bit to boost the bass and I am getting a little distortion before it gets too loud.  Sounds like the issue may be gone.
 
I'm heading over to a buddy's house later this week who has multiple serious setups to really test these HD595, instead of a lame X-Fi card.  We'll know for sure on that day, but for now, no cracks at the volume I was listening to before!  Looks like 22 hours of bass may have corrected the issue.

 

[violeta88]

A word of caution:
 
I would just caution you that what you were hearing might be clipping on the recording, and continuing to play the headphones at very high volumes with albums with digital clipping on it will severely damage any headphone in the long run, not just the HD595, not to mention your hearing.  It's always best to listen at moderate volumes no matter what quality the recording is, so your hearing will continue to last throughout your entire life, instead of just a few years.  Without your hearing, you aren't able to enjoy music at all, regardless of the volume.  That being said, you should only worry about maximum volumes for purposes of potential short passages of loud music, or dynamic range preservation, not how loud they can play continuously, as listening continuously at the maximum volumes that the HD595 can easily play (extremely loud I might add) will cause a condition called tinnitus, a moderate to loud loud ringing in your ears that never goes away.  I am just stating this because too many people listen to their music too loudly, and your posts are worrying me that that is the problem in your case as well.
 
--Eric

 

[Mak333]

Eric,
 
Thank you for your concern.  However, I do not play music or much audio at all for that matter at very loud volumes.  I don't know if I mentioned this earlier, but the popping and crackling is something I experienced accidentally, not by forcefully turning up the volume beyond the limits of the headphones.  On a second note pertaining to bass, I'm not going to settle for medium volume with an EQ set up for bass that is going to make this popping noise.  I should be hearing distortion if the bass levels are too high, not a pop.  While I take your concern seriously, I can assure you that I do not listen to hardly any audio of any form at loud volumes for extended periods of time.  Once in a while I'll crank a tune I love for 20-30 seconds max, but not at levels where I feel I am damaging my hearing.
 
Also had my hearing checked a month ago (job requirement) and passed with flying colors - This was comforting after have attended a good amount of rock concerts
 
I did some research on "bass clipping" and it may have been what I was hearing.  I've tried with a completely different source and I'm getting distortion at the same bass and volume levels, rather than the pops I was hearing earlier.
 
Thanks again.

 

[violeta88]

I was just making sure.  The clipping is probably from the recording itself, as most rock albums I have encountered have digital clipping present on them, especially ones released by large record labels--(even classical albums have this problem when released by large record labels--it's more a problem with the "loudness" wars between executives than the ability of the recording and mastering technicians).  I have to remind myself sometimes not to listen too loudly, so I'm glad that wasn't the case with you.   Anyway, enjoy your HD595's, I'm actually learning to like my pair again, as they are one of the few midrange headphones that I like unamped out of an iPod.  Take good care of the headband though, as they aren't the most durable headphones on the market.
 
--Eric

 

[inteificio]

Sorry might be a stupid addition as I tend to deal with speakers not phones.
 
You mentioned that you get clipping when connection to your CDP, but then after the break in occurs you test on a different source?
 
Could it be that the CPD has a DC offset on the outputs, or has a fault causing the clip?
 
Are you using two different sources?
 
 
Speak to the shop, they will help.

 

[Mak333]

Thank you.  Thought it was kinda odd, and it may also have to do with the receivers themselves, not the headphones.  Maybe it's just me but as I listen more and more out of the X-Fi sound card, it sounds "weaker," or has less characteristics, than when playing out of an actual receiver using the 1/4 inch jack.  This is probably normal - In both cases I was playing straight to the headphones, no pre-amp, amp, or DAC inline.

 

[violeta88]

I would try finding a high-current dedicated headphone amplifier (above 100 mA of output current capability, EDIT: though even 40 will do), as most inexpensive receivers use a very cheap, generic grade opamp in their output stage that at most sources 10-15mA of output current.  Even though the HD595 is very efficient, it does require a decent amount of current behind it to sound good, and be properly driven with loud passages in recordings.  When properly driven, the headphones should sound play much louder than you would listen to normally, cleanly provided that the recording is free of clipping.  With clipping, it will start to pop/click regardless of the quality of the amp at moderately loud playback.  The only resolution for this is to change recordings, or turn the volume down.

 

[Mak333]

Quote:

Sorry might be a stupid addition as I tend to deal with speakers not phones.
 
You mentioned that you get clipping when connection to your CDP, but then after the break in occurs you test on a different source?
 
Could it be that the CPD has a DC offset on the outputs, or has a fault causing the clip?
 
Are you using two different sources?
 
 
Speak to the shop, they will help.

CPD?  Sorry, newbie here.  I tested the headphones on a YAMAHA receiver after about 36 hours of burn-in, the same receiver that was also giving me the pops and cracks.  I turned up the volume and started getting more of a distortion or less loud pops than a very loud pop.  I then tested it with my X-Fi card and again, distortion before the pops.  Before I would get no distortion with a lot of bass, just pops.
 
I contacted the dealer and received a telephone number for Sennheiser support.  I will talk with them tomorrow to see what they have to say.  I will also be testing these on other receivers, with and without amps, just to confirm if these are defects or not.  From the sound of things, they aren't defective headphones and it does sound like what Eric suggested:  clipping.

 

[inteificio]

cdp is cd player