Submitted by Status-Half-919 t3_zz22q3 in headphones
ill get straight to the point, i can't tell if my IEMs are broken or if I'm going insane. i have a pair of Audio Monarch Mk2s and there's a subtle crackle everyone once in a while for less than a second. I can't tell if it's actually there though. It will happen in a song, ill go back over that same section, and its gone. The reason why its annoying is previously i had the SAME issue with Sennheiser IE 600s where the left monitor was distorted and sounded terrible a few days later it was dead completely. At the time i figured i got shipped a bad unit as it died within 3 days of me using it or user error "throwing them around" taking them out and setting them on my desk. But now i dont know if its user error this time around, maybe what I'm using it to power it (Elgato wave xlr), or if I'm going insane due to the fact things sound so good all the time when something is mixed badly or is slightly off i cant tell. Its driving me insane b/c the only real way to test is a get a new dac for them like a schiit hell (not that big of a deal but a pain in the ass due to my audio set up.) or get another pair of IEMs to see if its my current one/user error/ im going insane (this would be expensive and annoying) So im asking reddit does anyone else have this issue with IEM crackle, experience with outputting from elgato wave xlr, issues with the monarch mk2s. I need answers.
LauriCular t1_j290j74 wrote
The jack can give out a bit of a crackle when there's a bit of movement. Often, stuff can build up on them over time but they can be a bit crackly straight out of the factory. Breath on the jack and give it a wipe with your jumper or a cloth a few times. It might help.