Balanced XLR For Sennheiser HD490

[titanlife]

Hello guys, I have Sennheiser HD 490 pro, and I am willing to replace the original cable and switch to a balanced connection.
However I am finding difficulty in finding the right cable.

Sennheiser HD 490 Pro has a 4-pin mini XLR connection, and on the other end, I have an amplifier with a standard 4-pin XLR (not mini like Sennheiser).

I need a mini 4-pin XLR male connector to 4-pin mini XLR female connector

Could you please guide me and advise?

 

[zonk]

Balanced cable for Sennheiser but with 4,4 mm Pentaconn
https://www.thomann.de/intl/sennheiser_hd_490_pro_balanced_cable.htm

I doubt it will have a advantage soundwise.

 

[titanlife]

if i use adaptor to convert 4,4 mm Pentaconn to 6.5 mm, will the audio stay balanced?

 

[AnalogSteph]

if i use adaptor to convert 4,4 mm Pentaconn to 6.5 mm, will the audio stay balanced?

Which direction? You cannot connect a headphone cable with an unbalanced plug (e.g. 1/4" stereo TRS) to a balanced output.

I did find this 4-pin XLRm to Pentaconn adapter cable (also available on Amazon) that could be combined with the above Pentaconn to 4-pin Mini XLR. Not the cheapest combo but arguably the best option if DIY isn't your thing.

There is no reason why an XLR-4m to MiniXLR-4f headphone cable couldn't exist, it's just that no manufacturer may have bothered to make a run.

 

[zonk]

if i use adaptor to convert 4,4 mm Pentaconn to 6.5 mm, will the audio stay balanced?

No.

There are several companies that make customized cables. Don't know where you are located and how much money you want to spend.
https://oidiosound.co.uk/headphone-cables/sennheiser/hd490-pro/pellucid-dt177x-go
https://audioverse.de/produkt-kategorie/kopfhoererkabel
https://hartaudiocables.com/collections/headphone-cables

But as I said I would not expect improved sound quality.

 

[Vincent Kars]

Hart offer 4 pin mini XLR to almost any type of connector: https://hartaudiocables.com/collections/interconnects

 

[staticV3]

if i use adaptor to convert 4,4 mm Pentaconn to 6.5 mm, will the audio stay balanced?

No.

6.5mm can only carry Single-ended Stereo.

 

[DVDdoug]

Most amplifiers with balanced outputs can provide twice the voltage (6dB louder) to the balanced connections than the unbalanced connection.

If you aren't maxing-out the volume with the regular unbalanced connection there's no advantage. If you want to go louder, +6dB might not be enough and you may need a different headphone amp (or different headphones).

There are regular unbalanced headphone amps with enough output to damage your hearing with most headphones.

 

[Vincent Kars]

if i use adaptor to convert 4,4 mm Pentaconn to 6.5 mm, will the audio stay balanced?

It is very simple.
Normally you have an amp delivering L+ and a second amp delivering R+. They do have a common ground so all you need is a 3 wire connection between amp and headphone. A TRS jack will do.
What they call "balanced" in the headphone world is not about the connection but about the amp. Instead of 1, you use 2 amps per channel. One is the L+ and the other the L-. Now you have L+/L- and R+/R-. You can't use a common ground anymore as the "ground" has become active as well. You need a 2x2 wired connection between amp and headphone. The connection itself remains single ended. Talking plugs you now need TRRS or 4 pin XLR.
Assuming identical amps: if you use 2 amps per channel instead of 1, the power doubles. Of course impedance doubles as well. Likewise distortion. However modern headphone amps are low on impedance and distortion so if this will be audible is another question.

 

[solderdude]

Hello guys, I have Sennheiser HD 490 pro, and I am willing to replace the original cable and switch to a balanced connection.
However I am finding difficulty in finding the right cable.

Sennheiser HD 490 Pro has a 4-pin mini XLR connection, and on the other end, I have an amplifier with a standard 4-pin XLR (not mini like Sennheiser).

I need a mini 4-pin XLR male connector to 4-pin mini XLR female connector

Could you please guide me and advise?

Keep using the original cable (that little coil in the cable really reduces microphony). Cut of the 6.3 mm connector on the amp side and solder a 4-pin XLR to the cable. There is no audible benefit as the cable is 4 wire. The only reason to do this is when you only have a 4-pin out amp.

 

[Vincent Kars]

Obvious, if your headphone amp has a "balanced" out, you need a 4 wired connection to the headphone.
If you use an adapter to TRS you connect the L- to the R- so two amps injecting their power in each other. This might generate some smoke.....

The Pentagon is a different story. There are adapters from Pentaconn to TRS. Pentaconn is TRRRS so a 5 wire connection. The Sleeve is a ground. A "balanced" headphone out can be converted to TRS using a Pentaconn by using the L+, R+ and a common ground. By design this is not a "balanced" connection but is won't blow your headphone amp either.