[AudioNoob]

I hope I am not repeating something obvious but:
Given a single cable entry headphone like the Sennheiser 598 / 558, Is there any benefit to keeping the signal returns separate from the drivers until the source even when the grounds are common at the point in which they connect to the source's output? I am asking because it looks like Sennheiser decided to use a TRRS plug on the headphone side (though it seems like the internal jack is only three pole...) and some forum member had claimed keeping the return separate would be better at not having the signals out of phase, even if they are meeting at the source.
 
I will be recabling a hd558, and thought I would just get a TRRS jack if this is the case, or skip the removable cable altogether and patch to the driver cables.
 
thanks!

 

[VRSN 3pt oh]

I've done both before with my T20RP's (which were hardwired by the previous owner) and was never able to notice a difference in sound quality.  In cases of connecting two or more components to ground the main issue that could arise is one pulling on the ground and forcing current through the grounding plate of the source.  In unbalanced headphones the drivers' grounds will always be attached to the same node of the ground of the previous device in the chain unless you hard wire the headphone to make this not the case, and I seriously doubt you plan on doing that.  I'm not sure why the drivers would end up out of phase at all, the capacitance the wires cause on one another will be experienced by both channels equally regardless.
 
I say do whatever you find to be easiest to wire, you shouldn't be able to measure much of a difference if any, and I can't imagine any detrimental effects on sound.

 

[AudioNoob]

  I've done both before with my T20RP's (which were hardwired by the previous owner) and was never able to notice a difference in sound quality.  In cases of connecting two or more components to ground the main issue that could arise is one pulling on the ground and forcing current through the grounding plate of the source.  In unbalanced headphones the drivers' grounds will always be attached to the same node of the ground of the previous device in the chain unless you hard wire the headphone to make this not the case, and I seriously doubt you plan on doing that.  I'm not sure why the drivers would end up out of phase at all, the capacitance the wires cause on one another will be experienced by both channels equally regardless.
 
I say do whatever you find to be easiest to wire, you shouldn't be able to measure much of a difference if any, and I can't imagine any detrimental effects on sound.

Thanks, I don't know about the about of phase bit either, it was just anectodal and I do not know that much on currents, basically the person was claiming that if the headphones use a common ground (ie. shielding as with most portables) their return signals make them out of phase, or something to this effect.

 

[VRSN 3pt oh]

Yeah I can't see why any changes in phase wouldn't affect both channels equally, so you should be perfectly fine.