1 Topic by FunderFURY (edited by FunderFURY 2021-08-14 06:56:48)

  • Registered: 2019-02-23
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Topic: Channel imbalance - digicheck?

I have an ADI-2 DAC. I've been experiencing a strange issue where every once in a while it's like the left or right channel plays with reduced volume or has no sound at all. If I turn up the volume a bit (~5-10) then it pops and the channel balance fixes itself. Not too long ago it was only the right channel. I've been trying to figure out whether it's the headphones or the ADI-2 but the only other headphones I have are either IEM or have a substantially different impedance rating (13 ohm vs 600 ohm). I've connected the headphones to a different dac/amp and have had no issues. I've also connected the different set of headphones to the ADI-2 without problems.

Digicheck does not show the channel imbalances - should it if the problem lies with the ADI-2?

Any ideas for me to try or things for me to check?

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Re: Channel imbalance - digicheck?

Digicheck would show this if the problem was happening with the playback app or ADI settings (pan, etc). If the issue is with the ADI hardware at analog output, Digicheck will not show any discrepancy.

Regards,
Jeff Petersen
Synthax Inc.

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3 Reply by KaiS (edited by KaiS 2021-08-14 05:38:50)

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Re: Channel imbalance - digicheck?

FunderFURY wrote:

Any ideas for me to try or things for me to check?

Try wiping the headphones plug with a dry cloth.


If still a channel drops out, while this happens:

• Turn the headphones‘ plug inside the socket, without pulling it out (dirty or damaged plug and/or socket),
• Wiggle the cable connectors at the headphones’ cup side (bad connector contact, typically older Sennheiser ‘phones),
• Carefully move, pull, push the cable close to the connectors, then let the whole cable slide through your fingers, any bump in the isolation? (broken cable),

until you located and isolated a possible problem with the headphones interconnect.

• ONLY if the above doesn’t help, knock on ADI-2’s case (you know the russian laser: the sledgehammer!).
If this helps, it’s likely a hardware problem inside ADI-2.

KaiS's Website

4 Reply by FunderFURY (edited by FunderFURY 2021-08-14 07:35:53)

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Re: Channel imbalance - digicheck?

Thank-you for your suggestions. I've already gone through all of those things. I have a second cable that has never been used which results in the same problem. I also took a swab and wiped the contacts in the socket. When trying to fix it originally I would try a number of things like disconnecting the cable from one ear and reconnecting it or unplugging and plugging back in. This never fixed the problem. Powering off the unit and then turning it back on would often fix it but that meant a few extra steps in my workflow.

It's only recently that I've discovered that turning up the volume a bit fixes it with a pop. Turning the unit off for a bit and then on again often resolves it as well. When it starts to happen as I'm using it, the sound slowly fades out. I have to then put a song or something with consistently loud sound and turn it up for a few seconds. Not a great sign but I hoped that symptom would help identify the problem. It's intermittent but happens at least once daily so that makes it a pain to troubleshoot.

I'll try turning the unit off every day to see if that resolves the problem.

5 Reply by KaiS (edited by KaiS 2021-08-14 11:20:00)

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Re: Channel imbalance - digicheck?

Does the sound fade away distorted, crackling (= bad mechanical contacts) or smooth and soft?

When it happens, did you try to knock ADI-2 with your knuckles?

BTW: a different cable usually does not fix the problem with older Sennheiser ‘phones, only bending or replacing the contact springs inside the cup helps.

KaiS's Website

6 Reply by MC

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Re: Channel imbalance - digicheck?

One possible culprit might be a defective relay contact. In that case the issue usually goes away (temporarily) as soon as the relay is toggled one time. You have several relais in the signal path. When the issue returns try this:

- switch between Phones and Line and back to Phones without unplugging the phones. This can be done by a press on the volume knob when Options - Phones/DSD - Mute Line is set to Toggle Ph/Line

- switch between Phones and Line and back to Phones by re-plugging the phones. This is done when Options - Phones/DSD - Mute Line is set to vs. Phones

- switch between Phones and Line and back to Phones by re-plugging the phones, but with Options - Phones/DSD - Mute Line set to Off.

- In I/O - Phones - Settings toggle set AutoRef Level to OFF and toggle Hi-Power On/Off quickly (in case you use Hi-Power Off this will not cause a super loud issue as the ramp-up needs longer than your toggling).

Results?

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

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7 Reply by FunderFURY (edited by FunderFURY 2021-08-23 12:45:53)

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Re: Channel imbalance - digicheck?

KaiS wrote:

Does the sound fade away distorted, crackling (= bad mechanical contacts) or smooth and soft?

When it happens, did you try to knock ADI-2 with your knuckles?

Usually smooth and soft. I have not tried knocking the ADI-2 but will the next time it occurs.


MC wrote:

- switch between Phones and Line and back to Phones without unplugging the phones. This can be done by a press on the volume knob when Options - Phones/DSD - Mute Line is set to Toggle Ph/Line

No effect. Problem persists. Sound does not return on channel.

MC wrote:

- switch between Phones and Line and back to Phones by re-plugging the phones. This is done when Options - Phones/DSD - Mute Line is set to vs. Phones

Sound does return almost every time but temporarily - sound tends to drop out again shortly after. This is the mode I had it in prior to this post. In this mode sound drops on the channel frequently.

MC wrote:

- switch between Phones and Line and back to Phones by re-plugging the phones, but with Options - Phones/DSD - Mute Line set to Off.

With mute line set to off, the volume locked and I got quite a surprise. I turned off volume lock for line out. Left on overnight with no signal and there was no sound on left channel in the morning. Unplugging and replugging headphones resolved the issue. Day two problem did not occur in this mode. Day 3 the sound finally dropped this time on the right channel. Unplugging and replugging did not resolve the problem. The only way I got it to go away was again turning up the volume until the sound kicked in. Confirmed it happens about once a day in this mode too. Much easier to deal with but still frustrating.

MC wrote:

- In I/O - Phones - Settings toggle set AutoRef Level to OFF and toggle Hi-Power On/Off quickly (in case you use Hi-Power Off this will not cause a super loud issue as the ramp-up needs longer than your toggling).

Put back to vs. phones to retest that scenario. Immediately the left channel was almost silent. Unplugging/replugging fixed it. Reoccured within minutes. Switching down to low gain and back does not have any effect.

8 Reply by FunderFURY (edited by FunderFURY 2021-08-17 06:54:52)

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Re: Channel imbalance - digicheck?

It makes no sense to me that this used to occur on the right channel and now occurs on the left if it was a relay. Would there not be different relays on each channel? This used to occur on the right channel but for the past two days it has been exclusively the left.

Leaving mute line set to off for now as it was stable for days this way. When I first switched it back to this mode I had to unplug and replug to get the left channel to work again. I feel like this again makes no sense if it were a relay.

Perhaps this conversation belongs in a support ticket rather than on the forum.

9 Reply by MC

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Re: Channel imbalance - digicheck?

It does make sense if the headphone mute relay has a contact problem. And there is only one for both channels.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

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Re: Channel imbalance - digicheck?

I attempted contacting support believing there was no need to continue this on the forums. It's been almost a week and I have not received a response. What happens next?

11 Reply by MC

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Re: Channel imbalance - digicheck?

What address did you write to?

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

  • Registered: 2019-02-23
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Re: Channel imbalance - digicheck?

I used the page https://www.rme-audio.de/support.html and clicked "Request Support" then filled in all of my information.