[Stillhart]

If you do decide to go RSA, Norne makes one of their nifty adapters to allow the RSA to connect to a 4-pin XLR to keep it balanced.

http://www.norneaudio.com/litzheim/index.php?route=product/product&path=60_91&product_id=100

 
And only $85!  What a bargain!

 

[stjj89]

   
And only $85!  What a bargain!

 
Yeah, it blows my mind how high the price tag is on some of these adapters. I got a re-cabling done on my TH900 for less than that! 

 

[Stillhart]

   
Yeah, it blows my mind how high the price tag is on some of these adapters. I got a re-cabling done on my TH900 for less than that! 

 
Haha, me and Michael have had some nice discussions about cables.  He knows the poking is in good fun.  The great thing about expensive cables is that nobody is forcing anyone to buy one.  If people want to buy them and enjoy themselves, it's no skin off my back.  In the same way, my blissful ignorance on the potential benefits of something I can't afford is something I will hold dear for fear it'll bankrupt me if I don't!
 

 

[elwappo99]

 

If you do decide to go RSA, Norne makes one of their nifty adapters to allow the RSA to connect to a 4-pin XLR to keep it balanced.

http://www.norneaudio.com/litzheim/index.php?route=product/product&path=60_91&product_id=100

 
And only $85!  What a bargain!

 
Yea that's pretty expensive for $10 in parts plus labor.

 

[stjj89]

   
Haha, me and Michael have had some nice discussions about cables.  He knows the poking is in good fun.  The great thing about expensive cables is that nobody is forcing anyone to buy one.  If people want to buy them and enjoy themselves, it's no skin off my back.  In the same way, my blissful ignorance on the potential benefits of something I can't afford is something I will hold dear for fear it'll bankrupt me if I don't!
 

 
Yep, I agree with that. I actually am a (partial) cable believer, but I just wonder sometimes how much of the pricing is just markup vs. material cost and workmanship. That's another discussion for another thread though

 

[gr8soundz]

   
And only $85!  What a bargain!

 
I agree however, in Norne's defense (based on what little I know about cabling), there's more work involved making these super (hyper) short connections. Like cutting or machining pieces to make them fit within such a short distance.
 
I'm all for more reasonable pricing (even got a few adapters via Amazon for around $15-20 apiece) but the extra work involved here may be worth it. The Hyper-shorts certainly look more robust and higher quality than the 6-inch wired adapters I got.
 

 

[bflat]

Well I lost a bet to a good friend. Here is my upgraded Gungnir Multi-bit warming up in front of me and still waiting on LC. I think a lot of folks thought Schiitt would take another few months. Now that was faster than, well......Schiitt through a goose! Got my balanced cables and pretty power cable now waiting on LC! Maybe my GMB will be warmed up by then.

 

[warrenpchi]

@warrenpchi
Yeah, you bet I read (some of) your posts, and laugh about them with my Fiancée (Her name is Christine, Dan's already married )

 
Lol, I have no idea what you're talking about.  

  

 

---

 
BTW guys, just to chime in on the IEM cable discussion... I would personally do the following when sourcing a balanced cable for IEMs:
 
1.  Get them terminated for A&K players (2.5mm TRRS).  That is about as small as it can get.
2.  Get adapters built for all other terminations (RSA, XLR, etc.).

 

[Evshrug]

It's a good idea, but question... Is it possible to have a balanced 3.5mm? And if you plug that straight into an iPhone, could it still work?

I'm thinking no, because how the signal is routed and grounded. But maybe it's possible, because isn't the PM-3 wired in TRRS and balanced-compatible? In case of no, an RSA connector on the cable and a short SE adapter might be best to reduce portable weight. AFAIK. I'd be more interested in trying the 2.5 if I had an A&K player.

 

[gr8soundz]

It's a good idea, but question... Is it possible to have a balanced 3.5mm? And if you plug that straight into an iPhone, could it still work?

I'm thinking no, because how the signal is routed and grounded. But maybe it's possible, because isn't the PM-3 wired in TRRS and balanced-compatible? In case of no, an RSA connector on the cable and a short SE adapter might be best to reduce portable weight. AFAIK. I'd be more interested in trying the 2.5 if I had an A&K player.

 
My PM-3 TRRS cable doesn't work direct to my smartphone or other equipment. Have to use a balanced to SE adapter. (Or just switch back to the stock cable).
 
Also have a 2.5mm balanced adapter for the A&K pinout although I don't have a device like that (yet).
 
TRRS to XLR adapter is ready and waiting for the LC:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0108IEWNE?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00
 

 

[ButtUglyJeff]

It's a good idea, but question... Is it possible to have a balanced 3.5mm? And if you plug that straight into an iPhone, could it still work?

I'm thinking no, because how the signal is routed and grounded. But maybe it's possible, because isn't the PM-3 wired in TRRS and balanced-compatible? In case of no, an RSA connector on the cable and a short SE adapter might be best to reduce portable weight. AFAIK. I'd be more interested in trying the 2.5 if I had an A&K player.

 
You might want to ask that question in the Sony ZX2 thread.  It uses that very headphone out.  I think it will work, but I'm far from 100% sure.
 
For my modular cables, I went with mini 4 pin XLR

 

[gr8soundz]

   
You might want to ask that question in the Sony ZX2 thread.  It uses that very headphone out.  I think it will work, but I'm far from 100% sure.
 
For my modular cables, I went with mini 4 pin XLR

 
The ZX2 isn't fully balanced. It only uses a second ground on the TRRS to improve sound quality. Benefit is that TRRS and TRS work seamlessly on the same jack (w/o software or hardware switching) and the TRRS (from what I've read) does have more soundstage.
 
So there is a difference but it's not true balanced. Also not sure how that could translate to something like the LC as you'd need a TRRS to dual XLR cable which opens up another can of worms because dual-grounding. Probably safer to use a regular TRS cable and let the LC's phase splitter do the work.
 

 

[runeight]

Gents, with regard to TRRS jacks at the input please remember our conversation about the extra grounding needed to make this work, even if you adapt from TRRS to dual XLR.

 

[bflat]

  Gents, with regard to TRRS jacks at the input please remember our conversation about the extra grounding needed to make this work, even if you adapt from TRRS to dual XLR.

Does this mean don't take a battery powered (DC) source and connect via balanced out to an AC only amp like LC? If I remember correctly AK offers a very expensive cable for this that pulls an extra ground from the SE output.

 

[BucketInABucket]

Dude, we need a CALCulator to CALCulate how much money we're going to spend to get our rigs perfectly synergized with the CALC...
 
CALC meaning Cavalli Audio Liquid Carbon...
 
I'm sorry I'm punny I swear...