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So, for the first time, I have at my disposal balanced headphone out via 2.5" plug. What audible benefits--besides more power--would I derive from (purchasing and) connecting balanced headphones? Talking about Fiio BTR5 with the AT MSR7b and Sony MD1AM2, specifically.
I have to respectfully disagree here having been a single-ended user for 15 years and been around the start of the balanced era via HeadRoom.
Having balanced and differential helps reject common mode noise found in so many systems. I continue to read and have personally found instances where my balanced differential system removes unwanted and very audible noise on the ground. Everyday I read probably 20 posts about this issue. Balanced is such a simple way to cure the issue.
In regards to power and the great age of hard to drive planars having extra power or at least voltage swing is critical for getting superb sound from these headphones. You gain almost double the power in balanced systems because you essentially drive each side of the circuit with its own amplifier. That is why you see that 4volts instead of 2volts on balanced outputs on unity gain.
Talking about cost and is it worth it is entirely up to you and your budget. Who are we to say what you are willing to pay for? Take something like the THX AAA 789 amp that has balanced output as well as excellent single ended and IEM outputs. It’s only $400 and you will be hard pressed to find something better period. Now of course balanced headphone systems are often used to sell expensive cables so yeah I feel that “is it worth it” sentiment. Again, this cost is up to you. There is at least one very important and in my post 2 obvious benefits of balanced systems.
Single ended systems are simpler to build because they require fewer parts, fewer amps, and thus have fewer parts to fail and interfere. Balanced systems are used all of the time in microphone setups and long cable runs and frankly you will see them more and more because of the common mode noise reduction.
I’m not here to tell you you MUST have a balanced setup, but if your budget allows and you go with something like the D90 DAC and THX amp listed above you pretty much have an end-game setup that can drive any headphone be it balanced or not.
In all seriousness, I just enjoy the XLR connector that is sturdy and by design is making contact fully, or not at all. Instead of sometimes when I plug my quarter inch, or 3.5mm connectors, I get like intermittent signal when I don't notice I didn't plug it in all the way.
The power thing on the other hand is a downside in my book. I've only seen one device (from Hegel) that purposefully doesn't double voltage output. Spec sheet wars for power are annoying because even at the lowest gain on both DAC and AMP (Dac at like 0db), I can't get past 9-10 oclock. Instead I have to lower my DAC output to -30dB to be able to use the full range of the volume pot on my AMP. I hope this power fad goes away, and we reap benefits in other areas as a result perhaps.
I have to respectfully disagree here having been a single-ended user for 15 years and been around the start of the balanced era via HeadRoom.
Having balanced and differential helps reject common mode noise found in so many systems. I continue to read and have personally found instances where my balanced differential system removes unwanted and very audible noise on the ground. Everyday I read probably 20 posts about this issue. Balanced is such a simple way to cure the issue.
In regards to power and the great age of hard to drive planars having extra power or at least voltage swing is critical for getting superb sound from these headphones. You gain almost double the power in balanced systems because you essentially drive each side of the circuit with its own amplifier. That is why you see that 4volts instead of 2volts on balanced outputs on unity gain.
Talking about cost and is it worth it is entirely up to you and your budget. Who are we to say what you are willing to pay for? Take something like the THX AAA 789 amp that has balanced output as well as excellent single ended and IEM outputs. It’s only $400 and you will be hard pressed to find something better period. Now of course balanced headphone systems are often used to sell expensive cables so yeah I feel that “is it worth it” sentiment. Again, this cost is up to you. There is at least one very important and in my post 2 obvious benefits of balanced systems.
Single ended systems are simpler to build because they require fewer parts, fewer amps, and thus have fewer parts to fail and interfere. Balanced systems are used all of the time in microphone setups and long cable runs and frankly you will see them more and more because of the common mode noise reduction.
I’m not here to tell you you MUST have a balanced setup, but if your budget allows and you go with something like the D90 DAC and THX amp listed above you pretty much have an end-game setup that can drive any headphone be it balanced or not.
Balanced interconnects, say between dac an amp, help reject noise however "balanced" headphone connections do not.
Regarding power they only have more power if they offer higher output voltage. A single ended output at 4 volts is the same as a balanced output at 4 volts.
The only benefit of a balanced headphone output is that it can offer a small improvement (read inaudible) in crosstalk due to the use of a 4 pin connector.
Balanced interconnects, say between dac an amp, help reject noise however "balanced" headphone connections do not.
Regarding power they only have more power if they offer higher output voltage. A single ended output at 4 volts is the same as a balanced output at 4 volts.
The only benefit of a balanced output is that it can offer a small improvement (read inaudible) in crosstalk due to the use of a 4 pin connector.
If you're walking around in a very large room... and you're still listening to headphones... you're doing it wrong. J/K mostly. I get that the "headphone guys" find a superior presentation or appreciate that an incredibly high SQ level is achievable with $500-$1000... while with speakers and sub it might take much more to have the equivalent.
Still think that it's much, much more a case of jewelry over necessity on the balanced side... though I agree that the 4-pin XLR is a much nicer physical connection to the amp than other options. Doesn't mean it sounds better however. The much bigger question is how much is the cable costing? Many of those I've seen were nearly the cost of the headphones themselves - so that's definitely not compelling value just for a better connector.
Generally as @March Audio said. @IVX makes good use of a balanced output to get the extra output swing within the constraints of a dongle, but that's a corner case.
I worry when I read people claiming that balanced opens up the soundstage. The only way it will do that is if there is a phase issue really. That’s a problem and not a benefit of a poorly implemented balanced system in my book.
Take something like the THX AAA 789 amp that has balanced output as well as excellent single ended and IEM outputs. It’s only $400 and you will be hard pressed to find something better period.
If I purchase a JDS Labs Atom or Schiit Heresy instead, that's $300 leftover that I could spend on something that actually provides a sonic improvement.
Hey, but since it's only $400, I'm opening an online shop that selles AudioQuest Victoria Interconnects. I'm hoping you'll stop by
If I purchase a JDS Labs Atom or Schiit Heresy instead, that's $300 leftover that I could spend on something that actually provides a sonic improvement.
Hey, but since it's only $400, I'm opening an online shop that selles AudioQuest Victoria Interconnects. I'm hoping you'll stop by
Is there a compelling closed-back balanced headphone under $200 that I absolutely need to have because it sounds like the cat's meow, which is impossible to drive straight out of a smartphone and which, therefore, could surely use the additional power of balanced output?
There's the AT MSR7b but those hardly need a lot of power.
The only other thing to mention is that with single ended output your headphone cable still needs to have seperate low conductors that only join in the jack.
Let's approach this another way. Is there a compelling, portable, closed-back balanced headphone that I absolutely need to have because it sounds like the cat's meow, which is impossible to drive straight out of a smartphone and which, therefore, could surely use the 2x Power of balanced output?
Its a bit of a misconception about power. Balanced in itself does not provide more power. It's just that it can give a higher output voltage. Single ended for the same output voltage gives the same power.
This might only become an issue in portable applications where a BTL output will make tge most of a potentially low supply voltage.
