[ocnlogan]

Thanks to this great site, I managed to finally choose my first pair of full size headphones. I got a great deal on the CAL ($60), and I've been very happy with them ever since I got them.
 
I hadn't used them in a while (finals and whatnot), and I picked them up and noticed that when not playing anything, there is a slight hissing/feedback noise coming from the left ear. This was NOT the same as it used to be (they were dead silent). I have now had these cans for a few months (basically since my join date), and while I know they're not "high end", I'd still like for them to function properly. Of course you can't notice it when most music is playing, but it is noticeable when not playing, and is very irritating.
 
Now, I know that the CAL isn't known for being super durable, but I've been treating them pretty well. There have been at least one or two times when my knee got snagged on the cable sitting at my desk and things like that, but thats about it.
 
My question to you guys is basically how to check if I totally broke these things or not, and if so, how to fix them. I know that some people say the cabling on these things is a joke, and that recabling them would help them sound better. Would recabling these guys fix the hissing sound that I'm getting right now? If so, does anyone have any guides on how to do it. I'm not afraid to work on things, I've just never been inside a headphone before.
 
Thanks for the help,
 
Logan

 

[NA Blur]

What exactly are you listening to when you hear the noise? Please list the equipment, any connectors used, and what player / device the headphones are plugged into.

 

[ocnlogan]

Thank you for the reply.
 
I'm using a Fiio E10 straight into the computer (through USB of course), with the CAL plugged straight into the front output of the E10.
 
The source is just my computer. I have about 1GB of MP3's ranging from about 128-320kb/s. 
 
The interesting part here is that the source has not changed (or even been unplugged), and the music files are the same set of files. Now I hear the noise in only the left ear. Most of what I have been listening to lately has been electronica, so I don't notice it during music playback, but when the headphones are on and nothing is playing it gets pretty annoying.
 
Anything else you guys need to help me get this sorted out?

 

[NA Blur]

Try these two things first; 1.) Move the FiiO further away from anything that may contribute to electrical noise. This includes the PC, USB, Power cords, or even your cell phone 2.) Unplug the FiiO entirely and listen straight to the PC's audio. Report back with your findings.