Balancing Senn 650's = Definite Improvement - Head-Fi: Covering Headphones, Earphones and Portable Audio

pageman99 · #1 (**permalink**) 08-04-2007, 10:52 AM

I'm going to keep this simple. There's been a lot of folks wondering if balancing Senn 650's is all it's cracked up to be.

In a word yes.

If you aren't sure if the extra cost of balancing is worth it and are confused by the differing opinions, here's my experience.

I just received my balanced beta 22. This amp has both single ended and balanced headphone outs so it's easy to compare the sound. No, I couldn't do an a/b comparo just by flipping a switch. But I didn't have to, the difference is that apparent.

The bass is much tighter and more resonant, the mids are richer, the highs more shimmering. I'd say if I had to put a number on balancing that there's at least a 20% improvement in sound quality over single ended.

And yes, I agree with those who have posted that the Senns scale up beautifully. I must admit that I'm one of those who has been disappointed with the Senns, trying different cables, different amps, seemingly ad infinitum.

Bottom line, I'm finally pleased with them, but it cost a bunch of money and required a good balanced amp.

vcoheda · #2 (**permalink**) 08-04-2007, 12:35 PM

congrats. balanced senns are awesome. they truly reach their potential and show you what they are capable of.

pageman99 · #3 (**permalink**) 08-04-2007, 12:44 PM

Thanks, the amazing thing to me is that these are $250 headphones. Yet to make them perform to their full potential requires thousands of dollars worth of equipment.

I don't know whether this is a good thing or a bad thing, either.

vcoheda · #4 (**permalink**) 08-04-2007, 01:39 PM

i've come to believe that money spent on audio is money well spent, because i enjoy the hobby and good musical reproduction. so if i spend a few hundred dollars on a cable or a few thousand on an amp or cd player, and it improves the quality of my listening experience, then it is well worth it.

my balanced zu costs as much as my 650 and i'm sure your balanced equinox costs more than it. that seems off. but that's the way it is. and i have no regrets buying it or anything else.

porschemad911 · #5 (**permalink**) 08-04-2007, 01:49 PM

A nice setup can give you many, many years of beautiful music, so it's worth investing in!

I mean, in proportion it's not really that much cash. If I bought a new car it would depreciate far more than I've spent on my setup in one year.

tbonner1 · #6 (**permalink**) 08-04-2007, 02:33 PM

Thanks for putting a number on the quantitative improvement.

Who made your Beta 22 and how much was it?

pageman99 · #7 (**permalink**) 08-04-2007, 02:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tbonner1

Thanks for putting a number on the quantitative improvement.

Who made your Beta 22 and how much was it?

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showth...=1#post3166000

A link for more information including answers to your questions.

4N6 · #8 (**permalink**) 08-04-2007, 04:40 PM

I agree than the Senns to scale wonderfully, especially coming alive with better amplification and cables. My experience of direct A/B comparison of balanced vs unbalanced (using Equinox cables, one single ended and one balanced) was that there is a difference, but to my ears only about "5%" improvement by going balanced (to put an objective number on a subjective evaluation).

pageman99 · #9 (**permalink**) 08-04-2007, 05:01 PM

I probably think the improvement is so large because I just don't like the Senns single ended signature. Too smooth, not enough passion, or excitement.

Just my opinion of course, I just don't like polite, but I also don't like the false, IMO, presentation of phones like the Grados, which after a while simply wear me out.