HD 600 Balance 4.4mm Cable suggestions

[Deckard01]

Hello experts,

Some time now I read about the balance option cable for many Headphones.

I own an HD600 does it need to upgrade to Balance 4.4 cable. Is it a really difference or is a kind of snake oil.

As I see many manufacturers such as Chord still believe in 3.5mm.

Has anyone any 4.4? If anyone see difference can you recommend any cheap one that really works? Or need to pay the price of the headphone for the cable?

Thank you very much

 

[staticV3]

The cable alone doesn't make a difference. The Amp may.

If you have a headphone Amp that doesn't get loud enough using 3.5/6.35mm, and it has a differential 4.4mm output, then buying a 4.4mm cable for your HD600 and using that port may give you more volume.

If you're happy with the volume of your current equipment, then there's absolutely no point in buying fancy new 4.4mm cables and Amps.
The sound quality will stay the same.

 

[Klonatans]

I don't know what is your source but most likely the balanced output will provide more power than SE. I can recommend Forza Audioworks cables. They are solidly built and will last a lifetime, so I think the price around 100 EUR is reasonable. My Forza headphone cable has a 3,5 mm connector though as I ordered it in back in 2016 when I had a DAP without a balanced output.

 

[DVDdoug]

IMO - It's an unnecessary complication...

Depending on your amplifier it might go louder. i.e. If you have 1V relative to ground, the balanced output might go 2V and that's 6dB louder depending on the internal circuit design. Another unbalanced amplifier might go to 3V, etc.


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Balanced line-level connections can reduce/prevent noise pickup and ground loop noise. Pro microphone connections are balanced for the same reason. These problems don't exist with headphones (or speakers).... You can't pick-up enough radiated noise energy to drive headphones or speakers without amplification.

 

[Deckard01]

Thank you all for the response.

I have two headphones at this time HD600 and K701. i use to work with HD600 most and the only thing I miss is the soundstage that K701 can offer.

My source is mostly PC (Windows,Mac) and Android mobile. I have an old Arcam Rdac and the HEED CanAmp that can run both headphones easy.
But as I was looking for something compact to work on I was looking and still look for a Dongle or a battery in dac/amp such as Mojo 2 which is too expensive.

And in my country (Europe) I find a cheap IFI Go Link which I find fine for HD600 but not for my K701. I find out that I can connect the tiny dac Go Link to my amp and I see that can drive nice my Headphones.

With so much options such as Tempotec, TANCHJIM,Cayin,iBasso,Questyle and all the new dongle that are coming r-2r,1-bit dac.

I am really confused what to choose and if those dongle are really head to Head with the clear signal as I read of a Mojo 2.

So still can not decide which one to choose, and still keep Go Link so as to wait for any product that can offer a good package.
I check now that the ibasso DC Lite is coming as the DC 06PRO or the Hidizs S9 Pro Plus Marhta I believe is really tough what to choose.

And then we have the cables and planar-magnetic etc.

I believe am not the only one who has really lost the ball!

I think that I want an organic sound from the device with big soundstage.

Thank you all for the help. This forum is really very helpful and full of knowledge

​

 

[bobross]

I use these NewFantasia cables with the HD600s. Balanced audio is a worthwhile upgrade to me. I use balanced cables with both the Schiit Magnius/Modius and an iFi hip dac 2.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09HYY3GQP
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09PFKB59J

 

[Berwhale]

The stock Sennheiser cable is already balanced (i.e. it contains 4 conductors) but the plug isn't. This means that you can cut the plug off and replace it with a balanced connector (4.4mm or 4-pin XLR). I bought an OEM Sennheiser cable very cheaply and managed to solder a 4.4mm 'Pentacon' connector on it. It was a fun project, but it really makes no audible difference, the Topping A50s I was using at the time had plenty of power to drive my HD660S over the single ended connection.

4-conductor headphone cable

+1 for reterminating an HD650 cable for use with other dual entry headphones. I've replaced the cables on my HD800 and Aeon 2 Closed with HD650 cables reterminated on the headphone end. Much more supple and less microphonic. The litz wire may be a bit a of a pain if you're new to it. You...

www.audiosciencereview.com

On the other hand, I do use and benefit from a balanced cable when using my HD660S on my Qudelix 5K, it's this one... https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0BF4ZCYK9

 

[Dunring]

For $15 I get these on Amazon and they work great.
FAAEAL Replacement Audio Cable for Sennheiser
The extra grounding can help with the noise floor sometimes. The main reason I use balanced is for amps that put out more power on balanced you can stay in low or medium gain longer for the best sound quality. No need to break the bank on cables.

 

[mkmoss]

The cable alone doesn't make a difference. The Amp may.

If you have a headphone Amp that doesn't get loud enough using 3.5/6.35mm, and it has a differential 4.4mm output, then buying a 4.4mm cable for your HD600 and using that port may give you more volume.

If you're happy with the volume of your current equipment, then there's absolutely no point in buying fancy new 4.4mm cables and Amps.
The sound quality will stay the same.

Hey there... I'm late to the party but just wanted to ask about this.

I see varying answers on balanced cables everywhere. To someone just the other day on head-fi:

"running balanced has two other benefits - first, slew rate (how fast the audio signal can swing from one end to another) will be double and secondly, channels separation will improve as there is no common ground channel. Both of these might give you a sharper and cleaner image."

But I don't know if this is nonsense or what.

I'm asking because I own the BTR5 and HD 600's. The BTR5 gets the 600's loud enough for most songs, but not all. I am told a balanced cable can triple the output power for whatever reason.

So I have the option of getting a balanced cable, or upgrading to the BTR7 which is supposedly more than powerful enough for the 600's.

If I go the BTR7 route and it gets the headphones more than loud enough, then there is absolutely no reason to get a balanced cable also? No additional clarity or sharpness?

I'd have to admit that even if there was I probably couldn't tell unless it was quite significant.

Anyway I'm not trying to refute you, I'm just curious because I don't know and want to do some more research before buying something.

 

[staticV3]

I see varying answers on balanced cables everywhere. To someone just the other day on head-fi:

"running balanced has two other benefits - first, slew rate (how fast the audio signal can swing from one end to another) will be double and secondly, channels separation will improve as there is no common ground channel. Both of these might give you a sharper and cleaner image."

But I don't know if this is nonsense or what.

In a word. it's pseudoscience.

I'm asking because I own the BTR5 and HD 600's. The BTR5 gets the 600's loud enough for most songs, but not all. I am told a balanced cable can triple the output power for whatever reason.

Switching to balanced cables will give you 50% higher maximum volume.

However, I think the root cause for your lack of volume may be elsewhere.
Under normal circumstances, the BTR5's 3.5mm output should be way more than loud enough.