The SA5000 is a scary monster; hearing pulsing static at 1 second intervals

[Veniogenesis]

Today, I came to the scariest realization since buying my first headphone. A week ago I started noticing a weird static coming out of the right driver of my SA5000. During the silence gaps between songs, I would hear a pulsing static. I was immediately worried. Were my SA5000's broken? I sure hoped not. I put on my HD650 and tested it extensively. Different kinds of music. Different volumes. Nothing.

Seriously hoping that my SA5K weren't actually faulty, I proceeded to suspect my crappy equipment so I tried plugging the headphone into my 2 CD players, my 2 recievers, my laptop's headphone out, and my iPod. Same thing! I would notice a faint pulsing static (near one second intervals) after playing the music for about 5 minutes. I guess it's not my source then.

I then suspected my ears were messed up. Nope, I never hear the pulses when I don't have headpones on. What exactly was the problem?

Then I noticed something. The pulses of static buzz happened on an average of 1 second intervals and actually varied somewhat over time. This is absolutely abnormal.

Whoa.

Was it picking up my... hearbeat... my pulse?

I placed my fingers against my neck to test my pulse just a few minutes ago with my headphones on.

My goodness. They were in synch.
What the hell is with these headphones?

I... don't know what to say.

 

[J-Pak]

Needs an exorcism!!

 

[sgrossklass]

Well, at least now you know you're not listening at insanely loud levels...

 

[Veniogenesis]

Sure, we all know the cable is really "microphonic", but... this is just insane. I don't think it's the cable as the cable isn't touching my body... but... ahhhh!

Am I insane?

 

[fewtch]

What you're hearing is probably being conducted by the earpads and/or cable, rather than being truly mixed into the music. Could be pressing hard against your temples or something of that nature. For sure, a headphone couldn't actually play back someone's pulse.

P.S. don't think you're insane, unless you start hearing ghosts of dead people, or voices telling you to cuss the head-fi moderators out or something like that

.

 

[raisin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fewtch For sure, a headphone couldn't actually play back someone's pulse. .

Unless he is in actuality, a Terminator mole, implanted from the future with the intent of interfering with high-quality headphones everywhere!

 

[stevesurf]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Veniogenesis I would notice a faint pulsing static (near one second intervals) after playing the music for about 5 minutes. I guess it's not my source then.

Perhaps your cans are grabbing some EMI/RFI...are you wearing a phone when listening? Do you have WiFi or a Cordless phone at home?

 

[Veniogenesis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevesurf Perhaps your cans are grabbing some EMI/RFI...are you wearing a phone when listening? Do you have WiFi or a Cordless phone at home?

Hmm, I don't have WiFi or a Cordless phone. I've taken my setup to various parts of the house, but it's the same.

Bahhh

 

[stevesurf]

Wow - sorry this is driving you mad. Is the static still the same after a classical passage or a loud range of frequencies? If it's not induced interference, could a connection internal to the headphones have come loose? It sounds like you may have to use that warranty, although it will be very hard to tell Sony what's wrong.

 

[Meifa]

Ghost in the shell.

 

[Andresin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by J-Pak Needs an exorcism!!

Yes just send them to me. It will probably take quite some time to get rid of whatever evil spirit has posessed you SA5k though

.

 

[braillediver]

Put a sea shell or drinking glass (empty) up to your ear. Do you hear the 1 second pulse?


Are the SA5000 earpieces hornlike- like the Qualia?


Mitch

 

[Dr.Sade]

The SA5000 is picking up the signal emitted from the implant the MEN in BLACK put in your head (of course they wiped your memory of this incident).

 

[shplorgh]

*curse you head-fiiiiii.......*

Yeah, that's pretty wierd, I would return it saying there's a weird pulsing noise coming from it, and see if the problem persists.

 

[Veniogenesis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by braillediver Put a sea shell or drinking glass (empty) up to your ear. Do you hear the 1 second pulse? Are the SA5000 earpieces hornlike- like the Qualia?

No pulses there. The pulses with the SA5K are sound electrical. It's just like distortion static pulses. Eeeks.

And yes, the ear pieces are hornlike similar to the Qualia... as far as I know.

Quote:

Originally Posted by hungrych Yeah, that's pretty wierd, I would return it saying there's a weird pulsing noise coming from it, and see if the problem persists.

Haha yeah. I've owned these for two months now and I bought them used.