Sequential damage

[dmac6419]

Audio Technica w5000. Ouch!

My condolences

 

[fumli]

I've got a L30 on its way and I'm really starting to get worried with all the recent post about the amp. I may consider grounding the case, do you think it might help avoiding any issue ?

 

[Jimbob54]

I've got a L30 on its way and I'm really starting to get worried with all the recent post about the amp. I may consider grounding the case, do you think it might help avoiding any issue ?

I'd have to let those knowledgeable reply on that! My honest answer is, if you're currently experiencing static discharges in your living /listening environment, don't use the amp!

There was no smoke or loud bang after the shock, so nothing to say it might kill the headphones the next day.

 

[Bob-23]

My condolescense to Jimbob54!

It can only be repeated that a modern 'adult' headphone amp should contain a dc-protection circuit - that should be standard, at today's headphone prices.

For anyone who builds headphone amps: Solderdude developed very capable dc-protection, and there's also the very intelligent and slim (!) circuit Epsilon 12 of AMB Laboratories (not difficult to implement).
https://www.amb.org/audio/epsilon12/

 

[Jimbob54]

In the EU, damage to property other than the product itself is covered by the Product Liability Directive. The UK would have implemented the directive, and it is probably not yet replaced.
Property damage in private use is covered mandatorily by the directive if the damage is at least 500 EUR. There may be other laws that apply to lesser damage. The directive applies if the product was purchased from an EU reseller, in that case the importer is responsible. If the product was imported from China by the consumer, the directive does not apply.

Thanks. Sadly imported from China. Another lesson learned. Pay the extra to buy from a UK based seller.

 

[v5cvbb]

I'm thoroughly disgusted. I'll be removing my L30 from my system when I get home today.

I never notice static charges when using my system, but when my wife walks by and touches me it happens often enough to be of concern. I'll not risk my headphones any longer. Better to end this experiment as a $120 mistake.

 

[andreasmaaan]

Long time since I practised law, I’m not from the UK, and consumer law was never my field, but notwithstanding all those caveats, I’d be very surprised if a warranty could effectively insulate a manufacturer or vendor from liability for (reasonably foreseeable) consequential loss, even if the Product Liability Directive does not apply.

Whether such a claim is worth pursuing is another question ofc... But I would definitely approach discussions with the seller/manufacturer on the basis that you expect to be compensated for the damaged headphones.

 

[GDK]

Although I loved the sound from my E30/L30 stack, I recently replaced them as I was concerned/fed up with their performance otherwise. The E30 would not play nice with my RPi streamer running Ropieee, constantly resetting to full volume levels and introducing a few seconds of very loud static whenever it was first turned on. And the L30 would frequently drop a channel on start-up which would only be rectified by flipping the gain switch a few times (!), which indicated some internal issues. After seeing reports of headphones being destroyed, I decided to move on. I cannot now, in good conscience, sell them or even give them away.

In any event, the RME ADI-2 DAC has resolved all of these issues and I am very happy I made the change.

 

[dmac6419]

I'm thoroughly disgusted. I'll be removing my L30 from my system when I get home today.

I never notice static charges when using my system, but when my wife walks by and touches me it happens often enough to be of concern. I'll not risk my headphones any longer. Better to end this experiment as a $120 mistake.

Same situation as yours only i have a cat

 

[NTK]

Very sorry to hear that @Jimbob54. My condolences. My question to Topping is: Did Topping conduct any EMC compatibility testing on this product?

EN/IEC 61000-6-1 (Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) - Part 6-1: Generic standards - Immunity standard for residential, commercial and light-industrial environments) is referenced as one of the harmonized standards in the EMC Directive. IEC 61000-4-2 is the test method for electrostatic discharge immunity.

If the product does not meet the electrostatic discharge immunity requirements, I think it would be in violation of the CE Mark requirements and Topping can be in some trouble with the authorities.

A picture of the requirements I found on the web.

 

[threni]

The E30 would not play nice with my RPi streamer running Ropieee, constantly resetting to full volume levels and introducing a few seconds of very loud static whenever it was first turned on.

Sounds faulty. I power up/down my hifi (Pi 4 running mpd on Raspbian, E30, Asgard 3) via a switch to an extension cable with it all attached, and the E30 remember the source, filter, display brightness, the fact it's in pre-amp mode and the current volume. Before throwing away faulty kit personally I'd definitely approach the seller and query what they were going to do about it.

 

[threni]

Long time since I practised law, I’m not from the UK, and consumer law was never my field, but notwithstanding all those caveats, I’d be very surprised if a warranty could effectively insulate a manufacturer or vendor from liability for (reasonably foreseeable) consequential loss, even if the Product Liability Directive does not apply.

Whether such a claim is worth pursuing is another question ofc... But I would definitely approach discussions with the seller/manufacturer on the basis that you expect to be compensated for the damaged headphones.

I'm pretty sure a warranty only adds obligations to the business providing the warranty, and can never remove legal protections; it's an optional (you don't always get a warranty) protection over and above various legal protections. In the UK you practically never read a company describing a warranty or the returns process in ads/webpages etc, and on receipts without also stating "your statutory rights are not affected".

 

[raistlin65]

Audio Technica w5000. Ouch!

That's terrible. Those are some great headphones.

Do you have another amp to use in the meantime with your other headphones?

 

[Zensō]

Topping should replace your headphones and refund the price of the L30. Anything short of that is unacceptable and is likely to cost them much more in lost sales.

 

[dmac6419]

Where's John Yang ?

 

[Jimbob54]

That's terrible. Those are some great headphones.

Do you have another amp to use in the meantime with your other headphones?

No shortage of amps thanks. Or headphones. Luckily I got them at a very good price from amazon warehouse so it's not the worst loss imaginable.

 

[Jimbob54]

Long time since I practised law, I’m not from the UK, and consumer law was never my field, but notwithstanding all those caveats, I’d be very surprised if a warranty could effectively insulate a manufacturer or vendor from liability for (reasonably foreseeable) consequential loss, even if the Product Liability Directive does not apply.

Whether such a claim is worth pursuing is another question ofc... But I would definitely approach discussions with the seller/manufacturer on the basis that you expect to be compensated for the damaged headphones.

Seller (in China) has asked me to return it. I will if they pay but UK to China won't be cheap. But a new amp is of no use to me. Topping have said they won't contribute to headphone repair or replace, so the matter going nowhere fast.

 

[dmac6419]

Seller (in China) has asked me to return it. I will if they pay but UK to China won't be cheap. But a new amp is of no use to me. Topping have said they won't contribute to headphone repair or replace, so the matter going nowhere fast.

You might want to keep it and have someone in the UK perform an autopsy to find the cause,me I would make Topping send me something other than a L30, if they don't I would never buy Topping again

 

[Zensō]

Topping have said they won't contribute to headphone repair or replace, so the matter going nowhere fast.

Bummer. That seals the deal for me, I just removed multiple Topping products from my wish list. Any product may fail, but this shows it’s best to stick with companies that have a track record of good customer service.

 

[dmac6419]

John Yang you need to fix this, make it happen.You need to reach out to Jimbo54