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Going Ballanced on the HD-650's WHY??

post #1 of 16
7/5/07 at 10:13am
Thread Starter 
Hi

I have been told by many people that using a ballanced cable and amp really brings the HD-650's to another level. What exactly happens that makes them sound so much better?

Thanks
Frank
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post #2 of 16
7/5/07 at 10:16am
I believe it's the faster slew rate and higher voltage swing.

Someone should give you a more detailed explanation
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post #3 of 16
7/5/07 at 10:37am
Thread Starter 
Thanks for your help

I could use a Noob explaination, not sure what slew rate or voltage swing means.



Quote:
Originally Posted by mofonyx View Post
I believe it's the faster slew rate and higher voltage swing.

Someone should give you a more detailed explanation
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post #4 of 16
7/5/07 at 3:05pm
Thread Starter 
anybody?
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post #5 of 16
7/5/07 at 3:07pm
Did you try the search function? I seem to recall a few threads expounding on the benefits of going balanced with the HD650. I would search both this forum and the amps forum.
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post #6 of 16
7/5/07 at 3:14pm
The general conception is that going balanced needs to be an entire stream. That is to say that balanced headphones only benefit when they're plugged into a fully balanced amp, fed by a fully balanced source over balanced cables. Using only one balanced connection can actually create grounding issues, and if the entire stream isn't balanced you get far better performance by using unbalanced connections.

For a better, though more complex, explanation go to blue jeans cable.
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post #7 of 16
7/5/07 at 3:16pm
Thread Starter 
No I guess I was being lazy. I will have a look thanks

Quote:
Originally Posted by PhilS View Post
Did you try the search function? I seem to recall a few threads expounding on the benefits of going balanced with the HD650. I would search both this forum and the amps forum.
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post #8 of 16
7/5/07 at 3:26pm
Thread Starter 
Got it thanks for the info

Frank

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sherwood View Post
The general conception is that going balanced needs to be an entire stream. That is to say that balanced headphones only benefit when they're plugged into a fully balanced amp, fed by a fully balanced source over balanced cables. Using only one balanced connection can actually create grounding issues, and if the entire stream isn't balanced you get far better performance by using unbalanced connections.

For a better, though more complex, explanation go to blue jeans cable.
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post #9 of 16
7/5/07 at 3:43pm
You're very welcome. Hope that saves you some money. I guess it could also cause you to spend much, much more.
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post #10 of 16
7/5/07 at 3:49pm
Thread Starter 
yes, I guess it could either way, but I am closer to saving now.

Frank

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sherwood View Post
You're very welcome. Hope that saves you some money. I guess it could also cause you to spend much, much more.
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post #11 of 16
7/5/07 at 4:01pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sherwood View Post
The general conception is that going balanced needs to be an entire stream. That is to say that balanced headphones only benefit when they're plugged into a fully balanced amp, fed by a fully balanced source over balanced cables. Using only one balanced connection can actually create grounding issues, and if the entire stream isn't balanced you get far better performance by using unbalanced connections.

For a better, though more complex, explanation go to blue jeans cable.
Everything in your chain doesn't have to be balanced.. I just use my DAC1 with my balanced 650's for a truly balanced experience.. You will benefit more if your entire chain is balanced, but not necessary..
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post #12 of 16
7/5/07 at 4:33pm
Yea, I still don't quite understand it either. Maybe I'll read up on that stuff when I get back from work.

On the flip side though, is any music recorded in a true balanced form? CDs are just bits read in by a DAC. No real balanced setup there is there? If not, then I don't understand the point of needing an entire balanced setup. All you need is an input, say from a CD player, and then an inverting and non-inverting amplifier stages with low DC offset and you are good to go, aren't you?

*shrugs* Like I said, I'll do more reading later tonight. And darn you guys, I ended up buying some HD650s last week. Curse Head-Fi!!!
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post #13 of 16
7/5/07 at 4:52pm
Quite a bit of music is recorded in a balanced form. Balanced cables are mic cables, which are everything that runs into the board.

And to Bubba: Are you converting the balanced output of the DAC to RCA into your amp? That conversion stands to create grounding issues, not euphonic audio. I'd be more inclined to take you at your word if you didn't post about how the government was going to start charging for emails yesterday.
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post #14 of 16
7/5/07 at 6:51pm
I'm pretty sure he runs his headphones straight out of the DAC.

I'm not sure why balanced is considered better (probably mostly because most balanced amps are much more powerful with greater voltage swing and slew rate), but I think one big contributor is probably the difference in connectors used. XLR is a much better connector than RCA or standard TRS connectors.
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post #15 of 16
7/5/07 at 7:13pm
a good place to start:

http://www.headphone.com/products/fa...ed-headphones/
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