Driver crinkling noise | ESP-95X

Submitted by ourvoid t3_10gs4hd in headphones

I recently have been using my 95x with leather pads from DARIN FONG AUDIO and love the sound. It brings out the bass and warmth and really makes them sound better in my opinion.

The problem is when they move on my head. I am consistently hearing this noise on the slightest tugs of the cord or when moving them on my head. After I will feel like the side that made the noise is slightly quieter. Hard to tell tho. Its happening quite often and Im worried about the driver popping. I was warned about this on the LCD X as the leather pads create a air seal and can pop the drivers when compressed, but this has never happened on the LCD X. Even the slightest sounds on that i would wind back the track and it would be on the recording.

This is not that. And is happening in both ears consistently. I have not damaged them or done anything with them. I am already worried about the overall strength of the plastic and am very careful when using them. What could this be? Is this dangerous?

I will be contacting the pad creator as this was not a issue mentioned in the desc of the product info. This seems like a concern tho as they arent built for it.

3

Comments

You must log in or register to comment.

QuatreMyr t1_j54r7bt wrote

This is the sound of air pressure moving the dust cover and diaphragm. Those leather pads create a better seal than whatever you were using before, and the air pressure inside the cups is shifting the films around. On Stax it's know as "Stax fart".

7

ourvoid OP t1_j57v280 wrote

Thank you for this. Does this mean its normal? I take from the nickname that im not damaging them in any way?

1

QuatreMyr t1_j5834wy wrote

Well it doesn't damage Stax anyway, I wouldn't think it would here either. Still, it's a very annoying thing to have to just deal with. It's fixable through driver design, but that obviously doesn't help here.

3

ourvoid OP t1_j5898lu wrote

It just seems to be happening more and more frequently. Without a vent I imagine it could stress the driver over time and potentially lead to warping. I would have gotten perforated pads if I had known this and the pad creator should be advertising the potential issue. Idk maybe im over thinking it.

1

MRSallee t1_j5d9fce wrote

As a fellow ESP owner with Vesper pads, I would not sweat it.

1

MRSallee t1_j5d9c68 wrote

Yeah it's an estat thing. TBH I don't recall noticing it on my ESP-95X, but I demoed an Audeze CRBN at CanJam and literally thought the headphone might be broken. Wasn't an occasional if-I-move-my-head-just-so sorta thing, it was as ever-present as the swish of a swishy jacket.

BTW, I graphed the ESP with stock and those Vesper pads, the pads do good stuff! https://squig.link/headphones/?share=Super_OE_Target,Koss_ESP-95X,Koss_ESP-95X_(Vesper)

1