Head-Fi.org › Forums › Equipment Forums › Sound Science › Balanced vs unbalanced at low volumes
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Balanced vs unbalanced at low volumes

post #1 of 8
10/13/10 at 8:25pm
Thread Starter 

Today I was playing music out of my K701 (unbalanced) through an EMU 0404 USB (yes I know, not a good amp for driving the K701, but I have not completed the M^3 build yet) and I noticed the right driver is underpowered when playing at very low volumes. The headphone cable is on the left side so perhaps the left driver receives more power than the right? Maybe it's my weak amp? I need someone to clarify it for me.

 

If you have both unbalanced and balanced headphones (any headphones that would normally require amping, but they must be the same), can you play them at very low volumes and tell me if there is any discerning differences between the left and right drivers? I'm thinking if I were to balance my headphones, each driver would receive the same amount of juice even at very low volumes, or maybe I'm wrong.

Reply
post #2 of 8
10/13/10 at 11:23pm

Hi

 

The problem you have described is I think most likely that your amplifier is not putting out the same level in both channels at low volumes.

 

It has nothing to do with the fact that AKG 701s have cable on one side. Nor does it have anything to do with whether the cable to the AKG 701s is balanced. Using a cable to either side of the AKG 701s won't make any difference to this issue, neither will using a balanced cable to both sides smily_headphones1.gif

 

I think the best solution is for you to finish building your M^3!

Reply
post #3 of 8
10/13/10 at 11:33pm
Thread Starter 

Thanks for clarifying! It'll take awhile for me to complete the amp as I have classes during weekdays, but my dad works on weekends (how inconvenient).

Reply
post #4 of 8
10/14/10 at 12:13am

Channel imbalance, most potentiometer have problem with outputting the same level on both channels, the sweet point is usually between 11 and 13 o'clock where the dB matching could be as small as 0,05 dB.

A 1 dB imbalance at the lowest volumes wouldn't be good, but wouldn't be surprising either.

Reply
post #5 of 8
10/14/10 at 10:07am

The good news, HeadFi Fanatic, is that when you get your new amplifier built I think you will be very pleased with the improvement in sound quality with the K701s.

 

The K701s just keep improving with better amplification and the quality of reproduction they are capable of with good amplification is amazing.

Reply
post #6 of 8
11/3/10 at 10:06am

I think the source of the problem is the volume pot and nothing else, like khaos said.

 

(also see http://tangentsoft.net/audio/atten.html, "tracking")


Edited by xnor - 11/3/10 at 1:55pm
Reply
post #7 of 8
11/3/10 at 1:08pm

I definitely agree with patrick. I've heard K701's with no amp, a decent amp, and really good one. It seems like they improve with good amplification disproportionately to other cans.

Reply
post #8 of 8
11/3/10 at 1:54pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by bahnbrenner71 View Post

I definitely agree with patrick. I've heard K701's with no amp, a decent amp, and really good one. It seems like they improve with good amplification disproportionately to other cans.


But this is out of context of the OP's problem.


Edited by xnor - 11/3/10 at 1:55pm
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Sound Science
Head-Fi.org › Forums › Equipment Forums › Sound Science › Balanced vs unbalanced at low volumes