ciml Posted December 25, 2009 Share Posted December 25, 2009 About eight months ago I purchased a set of Klipsch Image X5 headphones. Two or three months ago the strain relief on each earpiece started to split. The split on one strain relief is 1/5 inch (5 mm) long and on the other 1/3 inch (8 mm) long. I do not believe that I have subjected my headphones to anything other than normal use; I have not "abused" them in any way. I am very disappointed that the strain reliefs started to split less than six months after I purchased my headphones. Consequently I post this as a warning to potential purchasers of Klipsch Image headphones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speedboxx Posted December 26, 2009 Share Posted December 26, 2009 This is a problem on the x10s as well. The strain relief design is the same as the x5. As of now, I dont see ANYONE at Klipsch taking note of the design flaw and providing a solution to customers unless they are under warranty. Unfortunately my x10s not only started to split at the end, but at the end closest to the earpiece as well. Here's what my x10s looked liked when the split was initially small (I used my x10s very lightly...didnt even take them out of the house): Then it eventually leads to this: VERY dissapointing, especially for Klispch fans like myself =( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hammy Posted December 27, 2009 Share Posted December 27, 2009 I had the same problem on my X10s which I sent back to Klipsch a month ago, £20 by courier to Ireland !! Klipsch acknowledged the problem and have promised replacements when they get more in stock. Two emails saying 'next week' for the replacements to be sent have not yet been honoured though. More interestingly one email stated they were waiting for stock with a new material to prevent the problem I experienced. I am tempted to ask for a refund but the sound quality from the earphones is brilliant and the promise of a fix makes it worth giving Klipsch a chance to resolve the problem. Would someone at Klipsch like to confirm that this is a correct and there is a solution being provided to this problem? Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Professor Thump Posted December 29, 2009 Share Posted December 29, 2009 Your X5 tail defect would be the first I have ever heard of in 18 months of sales. Could you post pictures? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ciml Posted December 30, 2009 Author Share Posted December 30, 2009 Here are a couple of photographs showing the splits in the strain reliefs of my Image X5 headphones. I do not have a camera so I have taken these using my PC's webcam, hence the poor picture quality. Whilst this may be the first time you have heard of a problem with the strain reliefs on the Image X5, other users appear to have reported problems with the strain reliefs on the Image X10 (e.g. http://community.klipsch.com/forums/t/103289.aspx?PageIndex=1 and http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f103/klipsch-image-x5s-still-no-solid-reviews-386889/#post5079951). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Professor Thump Posted January 13, 2010 Share Posted January 13, 2010 Whilst this may be the first time you have heard of a problem with the strain reliefs on the Image X5, other users appear to have reported problems with the strain reliefs on the Image X10 (e.g. http://community.klipsch.com/forums/t/103289.aspx?PageIndex=1 and http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f103/klipsch-image-x5s-still-no-solid-reviews-386889/#post5079951). Thanks for the photo's ciml X10 was one of the first headphones that we designed. We have recognized a problem with this material in about 5% of the users. It has to do with the chemical make up of the user. The only way we could duplicate it in testing was to soak it in gasoline. When X5 was launched we changed material which we believe have eliminated this problem. I am not sure why you are seeing this occur with your pair. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hammy Posted January 13, 2010 Share Posted January 13, 2010 Hi Professor Thump, Would you like to comment on my previous questions? Are X10s now being made from a new material to resolve this problem? Will my replacements be made from this new material as promised - how can i tell? Thanks in advance Hammy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Professor Thump Posted January 15, 2010 Share Posted January 15, 2010 Yes... Any X10 in the new packaging is the new material. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
naddy Posted January 15, 2010 Share Posted January 15, 2010 What does the new packaging look like? I just received a warranty claim on my X10s for the same issue, but the packaging looks exactly the same as my original pair that had the strain relief issues. Yet they assured me that it was the newer material? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlamRacket Posted January 25, 2010 Share Posted January 25, 2010 Any update on what the new packaging looks like? Now on my second pair of X10s which have split. If I can't make sure that the replacement pair aren't going to do the same thing I'll have to switch as they'll be out of warranty in a few months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hammy Posted January 25, 2010 Share Posted January 25, 2010 I received my replacements on Friday. I will try and get a picture of the packaging uploaded tomorrow.However it is clearly different from the original so there is no chance of confusing the two. I can not tell if the material in the strain reliefs is different. The cable however is different. It is noticably thicker than the original and has a better quality feel. Sadly the large carry case that came with the original is no longer included. The carry case that is included is too small for the phones in my opinion. Even with the cable tightly looped around two fingers there is very little room. Having had problems with the strain reliefs I am surprised that Klipsch have provided such a tight fitting case. Winding the cable quite tightly and still having to force it into the case can not be good in the long term. I am using the case that came with my Custom 1s instead as there is a lot more room in there. Like you though I am concerned that the fault may not be completely resolved. There is a two year warranty and I have almost a year left so if they fail again I will go down the refund route. Hammy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ciml Posted January 25, 2010 Author Share Posted January 25, 2010 It has to do with the chemical make up of the user. Whilst this may be true (and if you send me a swab kit I will happily provide you with a sample of my unique skin secretions!), it seems strange to me that the only impact of some particular chemical make up of the user is to affect that part of the strain relief that is rarely touched by the user (well, by me at least), namely the end of the strain relief. I normally only grip each strain relief near the body of the earpiece, with perhaps half a finger tip on the metal of the earpiece and half a finger tip on the strain relief. The strain reliefs on my earpieces show no signs of distress in this area. Furthermore, if the problem was due to some adverse chemical reaction then it also seems strange that this reaction affects both strain reliefs at the upper edge of each strain relief. I can't help but wondering whether, in some cases, the strain relief is a little too thin at the end where the cable passes through the relief and the diameter of the cable is a little too small, resulting in a gap between the cable and the strain relief (as is the case in my headphones). The curvature of the strain relief means that the strain relief is slightly less flexible when stressed in an upwards direction by the cable than when it is stressed in a downwards direction by the cable. The small gap between the cable and the upper edge of the strain relief allows the cable to impact into the strain relief which, perhaps because it is a little too thin at the edge where the cable passes through it, starts to tear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colterphoto1 Posted January 26, 2010 Share Posted January 26, 2010 Owned X10's since they first came out (Jan 2007 was it?), no splits cracks or failures of any kind. I use them a few times each week, keep them loosely coiled in their hard case when not in use. Have taken them travelling, to sound gigs, no issues at all. Thanks Thump! Michael Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speedboxx Posted January 27, 2010 Share Posted January 27, 2010 While the skin oils/chemicals of the user might contribute to the splitting, the fact of the matter is that the strain reliefs simply arent designed that well from a physical standpoint. The rubber is flimsy and thin but also, it is not a single rubber piece. It is two separate pieces bonded together somehow (you can see the line where they bond together). This bond appears to be where the split usually occurs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlamRacket Posted February 9, 2010 Share Posted February 9, 2010 I'm going to have to return mine as the split has become quite bad but I'm in two minds as to either get them replaced with another pair (my third!) or to give up on them! Anyone know if Amazon UK are selling the new ones with the different packaging and the improved rests? Cheers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlamRacket Posted February 9, 2010 Share Posted February 9, 2010 Actually I meant the X10 (which have the same problem), though another question is does anyone know if klipsch.co.uk are selling the newer models? If so I'll return the ones from Amazon and reorder from Klipsch ... even though that means a £40 price hike as I make £189 for mine at the time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bunsco Posted February 15, 2010 Share Posted February 15, 2010 Yep, well my X10 only lasted 3 weeks before showing signs of the dreaded stress relief problem. surely not acceptable. Will try to get them replaced with the new and improved stress relief's - hopefully I wont have to wait ages like Hammy had to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlamRacket Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 I've had my new X10 a month and they've started to show signs of a split. These are the new packaging ones with the thicker cable ordered directly from Klipsch and I've been uber-carefull with them this time Any ideas on how to repair / prevent this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bunsco Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 I had mine replaced - I guess its the new one, though I didn't know they had thicker cables (can someone confirm this). Anyway, my replacements are holding up at the moment - and like you im being uber careful like i was with my first pair - which is the older X10. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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