Head-Fi.org › Forums › Equipment Forums › Cables, Power, Tweaks, Speakers, Accessories (DBT-Free Forum) › Why do we use "XLR" headphone cables?
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Why do we use "XLR" headphone cables?

post #1 of 3
2/2/13 at 5:33pm
Thread Starter 

I have a HD800 re-cabled with 2x3pin cable on my WA22.

I really enjoy the performance with this combination, though I know it doesn't matter to choose 2x3pin, 4pin, or 6.3mm output on WA22 due to its design.

However, there's still a lot of "true balanced" headphone amps which has XLR output for the headphones. 

Here comes the question:

Even the most expensive speaker system doesn't use XLR cables to connect amplifier and the speakers, so why do we use XLR cable on our headphones?confused.gif

Reply

Head-Fi's Best Sellers

post #2 of 3
2/2/13 at 6:11pm

Studios also use XLR cables. Reasons I've heard are to get rid of cross-talk and noise (generated by the amp and other components in the set up). As for speakers, I'd think it would be much more complicated to configure them so that they could use XLR pins. 

Reply
post #3 of 3
2/2/13 at 6:21pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by yk42b2001 View Post

I have a HD800 re-cabled with 2x3pin cable on my WA22.

I really enjoy the performance with this combination, though I know it doesn't matter to choose 2x3pin, 4pin, or 6.3mm output on WA22 due to its design.

However, there's still a lot of "true balanced" headphone amps which has XLR output for the headphones. 

Here comes the question:

Even the most expensive speaker system doesn't use XLR cables to connect amplifier and the speakers, so why do we use XLR cable on our headphones?confused.gif

 

Because that's what the designers of the first "balanced" headphone amps chose to use. I believe it was AKG that first used an XLR on the amp they sold for their K-1000's. Then Tyll Hertsens used dual 3 pin XLR's on the big balanced amp he did for HeadRoom.

 

As for why no loudspeakers use them, loudspeakers require a bit more current than headphones. Though XLR's can handle quite a lot of current.

 

se

Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home

Head-Fi's Best Sellers

Head-Fi.org › Forums › Equipment Forums › Cables, Power, Tweaks, Speakers, Accessories (DBT-Free Forum) › Why do we use "XLR" headphone cables?