Question about balanced headphone jacks

[Ena]

I want to get a balanced cable for my Sivga SV021's, which I've heard do support a balanced cable. However there is something that confuses me.

The headphones come with an unbalanced cable, dual 2.5 -TS- to 3.5 TRS.

When I looked around for a balanced cable for them, there are 2 different kinds, 4.4 TRRRS to dual 2.5 TS and 4.4 TRRRS to dual 2.5 TRS.

It is my understanding that the TS jack does not support balanced signal, so I am not sure why the first one exist, but also not sure if the Sivga SV021's support dual TRS jacks.

If anyone could clear things up for me that'd be great, thanks.

 

[DUKE-DUKE]

Me adhiero al hilo.

Estoy en la misma pregunta que tú, solo que estoy buscando cable equilibrado para sennheiser hd 559 pero con conector xlr macho de 4 pines.

A ver si hay algún compañero que nos pueda ayudar.

Saludos.

 

[Soandso]

Ena, - Each of the 2.5mm plugs that insert into each of the ear cups just have respective "+" and "-" channel wires. Those connections are simple to use for making balanced cables.
Those 2 individual ear cup wires are probably mingled together at a visible "Y" junction of those individual cables and then terminating in the stock TRS. It is the mingling of each separate 2.5mm cables' "-" channel wire inside the TRS housing that you want to change.

Basically you'd need to cut off your stock wire at some point and then splice onto those 2 ear cup wires' "+" and "-" wires the kind of balanced fitting you'd use.
It is easiest to cut each of the 2 ear cup wires before they go into their "Y" junction. This allows you to peel some coating from both your left and right cables and easily locate the "+" and "-" channel wires; they'll be different colors. Then simply connect each particular wire to your chosen balanced connector; there's patterns of wiring on-line for different balanced connectors.

[A bit more tricky is to cut off the stock cable a few inches back from the stock 3.5mm TRS and then trace upstream to sort out the exposed wires' 2 respective "+" and 2 respective "-" channels; you'll want a connectivity meter to identify left and right "+" and "-" channel wires. Then you connect those to your chosen balanced plug.]

In other words you only have to splice your 2.5mm channel wires to a balanced plug. If for home use audio wire splices don't actually have to be soldered if you handle them sensibly; you can always re-splice once identified wires.

Maybe buy two 2.5mm plugs with a pigtail of wire already attached and the type of balance plug also with a pigtail of wire already attached (ex: like cheap used cables with XLRs to cut up) for splicing together. Then use this for your balanced cable experiments and still preserve the utility of your nice looking original stock cable.

 

[staticV3]

It is my understanding that the TS jack does not support balanced signal

That's not true. A balanced headphone cable has two active contacts per channel. A TS plug has two contacts, so there's no reason why it couldn't carry a balanced signal.

The TRS cable will have one of its contacts not connected to anything.

To make sure that the new cable has the correct pinout (signals on correct contacts), I would recommend you get the 4.4mm to 2x 2.5mm TS variant.

 

[Soandso]

DUKE-D., - Tendra que fabricarlo. Busca en Ingles "Mini XLR TA4F 4PIN Male" en USA eBay o por el Internet - son menos de US$10.
Si no tiene habilidad compra un 2.5mm TRRS (no TRS) ya connectado a 4 alambres y un macho XLR TA4F 4Pin ya connectado a 4 alambres. Cortar las terminaciones inutil para despues empatar los 4 alambres.

 

[solderdude]

there are 2 different kinds, 4.4 TRRRS to dual 2.5 TS and 4.4 TRRRS to dual 2.5 TRS.

Yes, it depends on how the headphone is wired in the cups.
With a 2.5 TRS there are 2 possibilities.
One is only the T and S are connected where the plugs are going to be color coded or marked with R and L.
There is also the possibility that the TRS plugs are wired the same way (so only T and S where R is left open)
When each cup has its own connector the headphone generally can be connected both balanced and SE.

Then there is the possibility that TRS are fully wired.
Sleeve is - driver, Ring carries right channel and is internally connected in the right cup only and Tip carries L signal and is connected in the L cup only.
That way the cable does not have to be marked and it does not matter which cable plugs in which cup and R and L are guaranteed.

BUT there are exceptions as well. The Rode NTH-100 is an example but there are more, that use a TRS connector (can be 2.5 or 3.5) yet can only be used SE.
In this case the left and right cup are both connected internally which gives one the choice of plugging in the cable on the right OR the left side and always have proper L and R connected. These can NOT be used balanced even though it would appear to be so.

Confusing isn't it ?

With Pentaconn (4.4mm TRRRS) one has the option to connect to both balanced AND single ended as well, which also could be a reason for 2 cables to exist.
When the headphone has a TRRS (Sennheiser for instance) or other 4 pin connector on the headphone itself the Pentaconn can be wired for SE or balanced (but NOT both at the same time) so 2 versions of Pentaconn cables can exist.

Pentaconn for AKG and Beyerdynamics (with 3 pin mini XLR) can be connected to Pentaconn (for ease of use) but can only exist in SE.

I know... its a mess and manufacturers often are not clear about this nor are after market cable sellers.

 

[Soandso]

Ena, - I see USA eBay sells six units of "2.5mm male plug to bare wire open end TS" for around $14. Their red wire is a plug's +" channel and black wire if the sane plug it's "-" channel. You only need two of those already wired plugs for what I described above and you can find sellers offering individual 2.5mm plugs with wire pigtails.

What is the balanced output device's configuration (ex: a male or female 4-Pin input receptacle; or rather a pair of male or female 3-Pin input receptacles; or rather a pair of 1/4" input receptacles ) of where you need to plug in your balanced cables? And how far away (in feet or meters) do you want to be able to use those headphones from your balanced out device ? These 2 factors will determine what else you'd need to splice to each of your 2.5mm TS wires.

 

[DUKE-DUKE]

Muchas gracias por toda la información que me habéis dado.

Saludos.