[brunk]

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Hi Jason
That is terrifying to hear. So I'll have to switch off my active speakers every time I wanna listen with headphones?
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Originally Posted by Jason Stoddard
Nope, both are active all the time.

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Originally Posted by Solude
Actually one question I'm not sure has been covered. Are the pre-outs disabled when a headphone is plugged in?

+1 agreed

 

[preproman]

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Too many doing it this way so I finally caved and pulled the trigger on a passive pre last night.  Didn't cost much, $150, and now whether my headamp has pre-outs or whether those pre-outs are defeatable is a non issue.

 
 
Solude
 
Post a link so I can see what the pre looks like.
 
Thanks

 

[Solude]

Well its a one of a kind for me but...
 

 

[preproman]

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Well its a one of a kind for me but...
 

 
 
OK cool..

 

[mcullinan]

Since this is balanced, If I have a 4 pin balanced cable what does the other end that goes into my HD598 headphones look like? I would eventually need a balanced to single end converter no? ( The two wires that go into the headphone)
M
Yes this reeks of headphone noob!

 

[elwappo99]

tQuote:

Since this is balanced, If I have a 4 pin balanced cable what does the other end that goes into my HD598 headphones look like? I would eventually need a balanced to single end converter no? ( The two wires that go into the headphone)
M
Yes this reeks of headphone noob!

 
Hi! 
 
I'm a little confused by your post. I think after reading it over a few times, you might be confused as well 

. I'll try to help, sorry if you know what I am writing already. 
 
 
'Balanced' amplifiers and 'balanced' DACs are a whole world of issues I don't want to jump into.
 
Let's look at 'balanced' headpones. The headphone itself has 4 connectors total. 2 connectors in each earcup, one for positive the other for neutral. All standard headphones take neutrals and they are tied together at some point to make 4 wires into 3. This makes the ubiquitous TRS connector, which has 3 connectors on it. 
 
This happens in two locations:
 
1. If the headphone has a single wire coming out of one cup (like the HD598), often the neturals are tied together in the cups and three wires come down. 
 
2. If the headphone has wire coming from both cups that join in a 'Y' (like the sennheiser HD650), often the wire at the connector contains all four wires. In a few rare instances, the single sided wire will contain all four wires as well.
 
If you are in the latter group, making the headphones 'balanced' is rather easy. You can cut off the connector and install a 4 pin XLR (see here and here). The kind that goes on the headphone is the 'male XLR', and the connector on the Mjolnir will be the 'female xlr'. The other type of connection is using two '3 pin XLR' connectors. I won't really touch on this, because really most balanced headphone connectors now just use the 4 pin xlr. (No disrespect to the design of the Mjolnir design. I understand why this was added in, but for brevity's sake, I don't want to get too much into it). 
 
If you are in the former group, you have to rewire the whole headphone. There's different ways to approach, but basically you need to add a new wire that will run all four connectors down. 
 
Whew, I hope that helps a bit. I'm not sure which category the HD598 fit into. I can't find any service manuals, so I'm not sure where it falls. 

 

[Jason Stoddard]

Quote:

Since this is balanced, If I have a 4 pin balanced cable what does the other end that goes into my HD598 headphones look like? I would eventually need a balanced to single end converter no? ( The two wires that go into the headphone)
M
Yes this reeks of headphone noob!

 
The short answer: you don't. You have to use balanced headphones (and balanced cables if you're using the preamp outputs.) Otherwise, you're shorting two active outputs together and you'll trigger the internal protection.

 

[disastermouse]

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The short answer: you don't. You have to use balanced headphones (and balanced cables if you're using the preamp outputs.) Otherwise, you're shorting two active outputs together and you'll trigger the internal protection.

 
But you DON'T have to be balanced in - that's the answer I got from Schiit.  Since HD650 balanced cables are relatively cheap, I personally don't have a problem - I can add the balanced DAC and balanced interconnects later.  One bite at a time....

 

[elwappo99]

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But you DON'T have to be balanced in - that's the answer I got from Schiit.  Since HD650 balanced cables are relatively cheap, I personally don't have a problem - I can add the balanced DAC and balanced interconnects later.  One bite at a time....

 
Gasp! Surely this sort of blasphemy must not be mentioned in the public square. Dare I say, although quite possible, it will surely draw the scorn of the balanced elite. 

 

[Chris J]

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Gasp! Surely this sort of blasphemy must not be mentioned in the public square. Dare I say, although quite possible, it will surely draw the scorn of the balanced elite. 

 
Guards!
Seize him!

 
Blasphemer!
 
(I must have watched too many B movies when I was younger!)

 

[Eee Pee]

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Since HD650 balanced cables are relatively cheap...

I've been eyeballing this one for a while: 
 
http://www.headphone.com/accessories/sennheiserhr-balanced-stock-hd650-cable.php
 

 

[elwappo99]

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I've been eyeballing this one for a while: 
 
http://www.headphone.com/accessories/sennheiserhr-balanced-stock-hd650-cable.php
 
 

 
Wow, that's pretty pricey for a stock cable. 
 
If you're good with a soldering iron, you could try doing this and this, and save yourself quite a bit. 

 

[Solude]

No kidding.  Several cable builders for Senn that would get you a better cable and balanced to 4 pin instead

 

[Eee Pee]

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Wow, that's pretty pricey for a stock cable. 

 
Hence why I've been eyeballing it for a while and don't have one yet.  Though they give you four Nuetrik connectors, but still, I agree.  Wait, not anymore!  They used to include the XLR to 1/4" adapter with it.  Well nevermind then.
 
I'm quite good with a soldering iron, and I have a stock 600 cable doing nothing.  Very good sir, thank you.  Cheers.

 

[JeffA]

Any further update on whether the Mjolnir has started shipping or will start shipping before the end of this week? And how many units will be going out?