[ozzy1925]

guys tell me how to identify this ba problem exists or not?Should i just swap earbuds or is there a test program?

 

[ratboi]

Originally Posted by aerodynamics /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
Just received my Pro HD from Gearbest yesterday and immediately noticed this same issue. I thought it was a fitment issue at first since I wear different size tips for L&R ears. After changing out tips, checking fitment and then switching ears (left side in right ear) I can confirm the left earbud has no bass. I have submitted a support ticket with Gearbest but am not looking forward to the exchange process. 
 
EDIT: My mind is playing tricks on me. Used a tone generator app and it's actually the right side BA driver that doesn't work. Seems to cut out right around 1000khz. It starts to work around 9000hz but the levels are noticeably lower than the left side. Mid-low frequencies are about the same levels on both sides.  


Edited by aerodynamics - Yesterday at 9:10 pm
 

FWIW, received my Hybrid Pro from GearBest months ago, and have absolutely no problems with them at all. Put Comply 400 on them and they stay put better - but the foam cleans my ears too well, if you know what I mean. OK with the original medium silicone tips, single or dual too. Easier to get bottom end than with the HiFiMan RE400a, for sure, more efficient, and more clean sparkle. Requires the BA to be working, of course. I bought two of the original, one from Amazon and one (~$10 cheaper) from GearBest, and both are good, but the bottom end of the Pro is better. Serious arse kicking sound when they work, and for the price what the heck if some don't work. After my experience with two Sony MHC1 sets totally losing one side each - ebay with no real recourse - I'm a bit more laissez faire than I used to be. YMMV.

 

[aerodynamics]

guys tell me how to identify this ba problem exists or not?Should i just swap earbuds or is there a test program?

Download any tone generator app and play the entire range of frequencies. If everything is working properly there should be sound in both earbuds.

 

[Kirinx96]

Download any tone generator app and play the entire range of frequencies. If everything is working properly there should be sound in both earbuds.

I've just done that and results are... Strange. Whenever I'm listening to high or low frequencies, It doesn't seems that there's a real difference between both sides.

However, when playing music, it does just seems like somethink is slightly off on the left side.

Maybe I'm just getting used to this and I don't even notice a difference now? Can someone give a feedback about the tone generator test? 

 

[Marco Angel]

 

I've just done that and results are... Strange. Whenever I'm listening to high or low frequencies, It doesn't seems that there's a real difference between both sides.

However, when playing music, it does just seems like somethink is slightly off on the left side.

Maybe I'm just getting used to this and I don't even notice a difference now? Can someone give a feedback about the tone generator test? 

Have you try different silicon-foam tips? that could be the thing causing different seal.
If the tone gen is showig equal noise on them, they are OK

 

[Kirinx96]

  Have you try different silicon-foam tips? that could be the thing causing different seal.
If the tone gen is showig equal noise on them, they are OK

I tried again the tone generator app and I found something.

Before 7000Hz, it's just a volume level difference (which you'll notice when listening music). The defective side (left) is just slightly less present. Not a big deal really.

BUT, between 7000Hz and 7500Hz, things are progressively changing when you're going up in frequency. You can clearly hear that something is missing in the left earbud. And after 7500 Hz, you can just barely hear the left side struggling to follow, but there a clear difference. The right side, after 7500Hz, still handle things well.

So that's it. One of the 3 drivers on the left side is dead. It does explain why in some song, there's notes that are not present at all on the left side while being totally here on the right side. It does also explain why in every frequencies, the sound is globally less present, and precise on the left side.

Can't really make something I guess...

 

[Slater]

 
I tried again the tone generator app and I found something.

Before 7000Hz, it's just a volume level difference (which you'll notice when listening music). The defective side (left) is just slightly less present. Not a big deal really.

BUT, between 7000Hz and 7500Hz, things are progressively changing when you're going up in frequency. You can clearly hear that something is missing in the left earbud. And after 7500 Hz, you can just barely hear the left side struggling to follow, but there a clear difference. The right side, after 7500Hz, still handle things well.

So that's it. One of the 3 drivers on the left side is dead. It does explain why in some song, there's notes that are not present at all on the left side while being totally here on the right side. It does also explain why in every frequencies, the sound is globally less present, and precise on the left side.

Can't really make something I guess...

 
When you hear 'volume changes' in BOTH sides equally as you listen to certain frequencies, you're experiencing the natural part of every headphone driver's frequency curve. It's what people mean when they say treble is 'forwards' or mid-bass is 'recessed' for example.
 
Take this example curve for instance - when listening to frequency sweeps (or individual sine wave tones), you would hear a number of volume increases and decrease between 1k - 15k:
 

 
But as you have determined, when you only hear these volume changes in ONE ear, where there are entire frequencies that are completely missing, that's a definitive symptom of a defective driver.
 
I would be sure to contact the seller ASAP, because the more time that passes from the purchase date, the less likely they'll be to offer a refund or replacement.

 

[Kirinx96]

   
Yeah, if it was BOTH sides equally, the "volume changes" as you listen to certain frequencies are a natural part of every headphone driver's frequency curve.
 
Like this curve, where you would hear a number of volume increases and decrease between 1k - 10k:
 

 
But yes, what you are describing in ONE ear (ie missing frequencies) is a definitive symptom of a defective driver. I would contact the seller ASAP, because the more time that passes from the purchase date, the less likely they'll be to offer a refund or replacement.

Thanks for what you're bringing. 

Yes, however I think I'm getting used to it. Obviously, with the left side being a little less effective, those earphones are clearly not a wonderful experience. But it's still usable, and since I'm buying earphones each month because of wires disconnecting on one or another side (probably related to the heavy usage I'm making), I don't want to spend anymore money for the moment.

My final experience with thoses earphones is pretty positive. My problem is just bad luck.
 
For the refund, it won't work. Already tried. But for 24 euros (=27$) it's not that dramatic. And I learned a lot of things.

 

 

[Slater]

 

Thanks for what you're bringing. 

Yes, however I think I'm getting used to it. Obviously, with the left side being a little less effective, those earphones are clearly not a wonderful experience. But it's still usable, and since I'm buying earphones each month because of wires disconnecting on one or another side (probably related to the heavy usage I'm making), I don't want to spend anymore money for the moment.

My final experience with thoses earphones is pretty positive. My problem is just bad luck.
 
For the refund, it won't work. Already tried. But for 24 euros (=27$) it's not that dramatic. And I learned a lot of things.

 

 
It's definitely something to keep in mind for the future.
 
Anytime you have a multi-driver headphone, this will always be this risk.
 
And it as time goes on, we'll see more and more multi-driver headphones. And the current trend of "more is better" is producing in-ear products with 8, 10, 20, and 30 or more individual drivers (most of the extra drivers are these failure-prone BA drivers). As you found, it's easy to test a dual or triple-driver headphone for a defective BA driver. But in a year or 2, when these 10+ driver headphones will cost well under $100, how will consumers even know if 2, 3, or 4+ of the BA drivers are defective upon arrival (or multiple drivers slowly die over time)? It will basically be impossible.

 

[RogerF81]

As there are so many cases with the Xiaomi Pro HD where the BA driver is defective, would you recommend to get the Pro HD nevertheless or the "Pro non-HD" version instead?

 

[Kirinx96]

  As there are so many cases with the Xiaomi Pro HD where the BA driver is defective, would you recommend to get the Pro HD nevertheless or the "Pro non-HD" version instead?

Well, there's case where the BA driver is defective, but overall it's seems to be not so frequent. If it was, everyone would talk about that, especially on amazon, gearbest etc.
So I would recommend taking the Pro HD.

 

[RogerF81]

 

Well, there's case where the BA driver is defective, but overall it's seems to be not so frequent. If it was, everyone would talk about that, especially on amazon, gearbest etc.
So I would recommend taking the Pro HD.

Thanks for your response! Has anyone here a comparison between the Pro HD and their pre-predecessors Piston V3? Respectively has anyone here tried/owned the "Meze 11 NEO" or the beyerdynamics Byron? I'm just asking because I can't decide which one to get, though I know of course the Meze or the beyerdynamics costs double compared to the Xiaomis...

 

[Kyrts]

From what I've been reading at amazon.co.uk the Meze 11 NEOs might be the EU version of the previous gen hybrids soundwise, sort of anyway.
 
Some QC problems surfaced already though, so I would go with the prev gen Xiaomis in this case, paying less and getting something that works out of the box never hurt anyone.
 
Just my 2c.
 

 

[Slater]

From what I've been reading at amazon.co.uk the Meze 11 NEOs might be the EU version of the previous gen hybrids soundwise, sort of anyway.

Some QC problems surfaced already though, so I would go with the prev gen Xiaomis in this case, paying less and getting something that works out of the box never hurt anyone.

Just my 2c.

 

Why compromise on superior sound for a slim situation that may never even happen?

I know people that have had a few minor issues with their Honda Accords, one of the most reliable cars in the world 3 decades running. But that wouldn't stop me from buying one. ALL car makes & models have issues. But those issues are in the vast minority. That's why manufactures and dealers offer warranties. To cover these minor niggles that crop up every now & then.

The Pro HD has better sound than the previous Pro. The cable and volume controls are made better too.

There's absolutely no guarentee that just buying the Pro will prevent any problems.

Most owners have had zero issues with their Pro HD, including myself.

There's QC issues here & there with ALL of these ChiFi headphones. I've had issues with a few of my KZs, but that hassn't stop me from owning more than 2 dozen of them.

The important thing is that no matter what brand or model you get, you buy from a reputable seller, who will stand behind the product when there's an issue, and either offer a replacement or refund. In all cases of my KZ defects, Gearbest has promptly replaced or refunded no questions asked.

 

[Kirinx96]

Why compromise on superior sound for a slim situation that may never even happen?

I know people that have had a few minor issues with their Honda Accords, one of the most reliable cars in the world 3 decades running. But that wouldn't stop me from buying one. ALL car makes & models have issues. But those issues are in the vast minority. That's why manufactures and dealers offer warranties. To cover these minor niggles that crop up every now & then.

The Pro HD has better sound than the previous Pro. The cable and volume controls are made better too.

There's absolutely no guarentee that just buying the Pro will prevent any problems.

Most owners have had zero issues with their Pro HD, including myself.

There's QC issues here & there with ALL of these ChiFi headphones. I've had issues with a few of my KZs, but that hassn't stop me from owning more than 2 dozen of them.

The important thing is that no matter what brand or model you get, you buy from a reputable seller, who will stand behind the product when there's an issue, and either offer a replacement or refund. In all cases of my KZ defects, Gearbest has promptly replaced or refunded no questions asked.

Fully agreeing with what you say. I would go for the Pro HD. Who knows if the Pro (non-hd) are more reliable?