What is wrong with the system or what did I do wrong?

[shaney777]

What is wrong with the system or what did I do wrong?

First listens with HE400i/JDS Labs Atom stack, and voices sound like there is a huge hole/recessed/bad connection/faint, along with sibilance. The rest sounds really amazing - bass, detail, imaging, air, high instruments, etc. HE400i plugged into the laptop headphone jack confirms something terrible is going on with the mids using the stack. But why would it only really affect the voices/mids mostly? All I know is one or both of the units are defective. It sounds the same with low and high gain. Computer volume was nearly all the way up. Cable connections are all firm and correct.

 

[dkinric]

Obviously you haven’t let it burn in yet. /s

Hmmm. Have you checked for any eq settings applied? You don’t mention the playback software, but it sounds like one of those awful eq presets you can choose from, but just adding the amp in line shouldn’t do that.


What about a different cable from the laptop to amp? It would be unusual, but possible.

 

[shaney777]

Obviously you haven’t let it burn in yet. /s

Hmmm. Have you checked for any eq settings applied? You don’t mention the playback software, but it sounds like one of those awful eq presets you can choose from, but just adding the amp in line shouldn’t do that.


What about a different cable from the laptop to amp? It would be unusual, but possible.

It's an open box HE400i, so it could have some burn-in already, but no, I haven't listened much. EQ is off in Amazon Music and no other EQ is applied. A different cable... Hmm. Maybe ask JDS Labs for another cable? I don't have another here. I am disappointed because this is my very first bigger audio purchase and it's screwed up lol

 

[shaney777]

You said "open box". Could it be a returned item, as in a defective item? Could be the source of your problem. Jim

The headphones are refurbished, yes. But I don't think the headphones are faulty since they sound good from the computer headphone jack. Is that logical? They only sound bad when used with the stack.

 

[Bob-23]

You sometimes have weird sound effects when something's wrong within the plugs: loose solder joints, or reversed polarity (signal to ground). If you've got a multimeter you could test the cable's polarity/continuity, or, try, at first, another cable between laptop and amp. But the plugs within the amp might also be the reason*.

* you could open the amp and test that, too, in case, you have a MM. BUT you might loose warranty in doing so!

 

[raindance]

Post a photo or drawing of how it is all connected when the issue is present.

 

[Eetu]

My first guess was that the HE400i has a loose connection with the Atom amp. Sometimes you have to use a bit of force to 'click' the 1/4" jack in properly.
EDIT: but you probably tried that already..

 

[dkinric]

It's an open box HE400i, so it could have some burn-in already, but no, I haven't listened much. EQ is off in Amazon Music and no other EQ is applied. A different cable... Hmm. Maybe ask JDS Labs for another cable? I don't have another here. I am disappointed because this is my very first bigger audio purchase and it's screwed up lol

/s = Sarcasm. No burn in required.

How does another pair of headphones sound connected to the amp? Are you able to try the headphones on another amp/source besides the laptop?

 

[raindance]

/s = Sarcasm. No burn in required.

How deas another pair of headphones sound connected to the amp? Are you able to try the headphones on another amp/source besides the laptop?

+1 !!!

 

[Weeb Labs]

What is wrong with the system or what did I do wrong?

First listens with HE400i/JDS Labs Atom stack, and voices sound like there is a huge hole/recessed/bad connection/faint, along with sibilance. The rest sounds really amazing - bass, detail, imaging, air, high instruments, etc. HE400i plugged into the laptop headphone jack confirms something terrible is going on with the mids using the stack. But why would it only really affect the voices/mids mostly? All I know is one or both of the units are defective. It sounds the same with low and high gain. Computer volume was nearly all the way up. Cable connections are all firm and correct.

When connecting the headphones to the amplifier, are you making use of the 6.3mm TRS adaptor supplied by HIFIMAN? That particular adaptor is quite often defective.

 

[shaney777]

You sometimes have weird sound effects when something's wrong within the plugs: loose solder joints, or reversed polarity (signal to ground). If you've got a multimeter you could test the cable's polarity/continuity, or, try, at first, another cable between laptop and amp. But the plugs within the amp might also be the reason*.

* you could open the amp and test that, too, in case, you have a MM. BUT you might loose warranty in doing so!

Thank you!

I don't have another cable. How do I go about testing with a multimeter?

 

[shaney777]

/s = Sarcasm. No burn in required.

How does another pair of headphones sound connected to the amp? Are you able to try the headphones on another amp/source besides the laptop?

I do but nothing technically close to the planar - i.e. 32 ohm Grado
They sound good.

 

[shaney777]

My first guess was that the HE400i has a loose connection with the Atom amp. Sometimes you have to use a bit of force to 'click' the 1/4" jack in properly.
EDIT: but you probably tried that already..

I'll make sure.

 

[shaney777]

When connecting the headphones to the amplifier, are you making use of the 6.3mm TRS adaptor supplied by HIFIMAN? That particular adaptor is quite often defective.

Interesting. I'll try the one that came with my Grados.

 

[Bob-23]

Thank you!

I don't have another cable. How do I go about testing with a multimeter?

Test 'continuity' from one end of the cable to the other - of each of the 3 poles : does left go to left, right to right, ground to ground? (1. ring/tip: left; 2. ring: right; shaft: ground). Wiggle the cable near the connectors.

 

[shaney777]

Post a photo or drawing of how it is all connected when the issue is present.

It's with USB from computer to DAC, and RCA cables connecting DAC to amp
I have all the cable placement correct for sure.

 

[shaney777]

Test 'continuity' from one end of the cable to the other - of each of the 3 poles : does left go to left, right to right, ground to ground? (1. ring/tip: left; 2. ring: right; shaft: ground). Wiggle the cable near the connectors.

Which cable do you mean exactly?

 

[shaney777]

When connecting the headphones to the amplifier, are you making use of the 6.3mm TRS adaptor supplied by HIFIMAN? That particular adaptor is quite often defective.

I have tried four total 1/4" adapters now. John from JDS Labs suggested I purchase an $11 Sennheiser adapter, so I am waiting for that to come in now.

 

[raindance]

Are the plugs on the headphone end of the cable seated fully? Did you try the headphones with another source, such as a phone or a home theater receiver or some such thing? You should note that it is almost impossible for both channels of a headphone to be faulty, so this issue has to be elsewhere.

 

[shaney777]

Are the plugs on the headphone end of the cable seated fully? Did you try the headphones with another source, such as a phone or a home theater receiver or some such thing? You should note that it is almost impossible for both channels of a headphone to be faulty, so this issue has to be elsewhere.

I will check the plugs and see if they look off, but the headphones are fine when used with the computer headphone jack, so the headphone cable probably isn't at fault, right? And I should say that the left channel is affected much more than the right.