[akiroz]

I recently came across balanced headphone driving and just don't understand how this will make it sound better.
I understand how Balanced line transmission can cancel out interference induced to the cable using a Differential receiver.
but a headphone with a max cable length of maybe 5 meters?

 

[xnor]

The (headphone) driver is usually the weakest link so I don't see a balanced amp making the sound much better if at all. On a nice unbalanced amp neither distortion, nor noise or crosstalk is a problem which are areas a balanced amp could improve.

 

[liamstrain]

As I understand it, with some headphones, the increased voltage swing can make a difference. But otherwise, it appears to be mostly marketing. 

 

[alphaphoenix]

Read this and learn:
http://www.headphone.com/learning-center/art-i-balanced-vs-unbalanced.php
 

 

[nick_charles]

Quote:

Read this and learn:
http://www.headphone.com/learning-center/art-i-balanced-vs-unbalanced.php
 

All well and good but it would be nice to see the results of some level matched blind tests and/or some FR measurements for the different ( balanced/unbalanced) configurations
 
 

 

[alphaphoenix]

Quite true Nick. Care to indulge in your fancy of FR measurements?

 

[Currawong]

It's a design choice, like the rest of an amp's circuit. Every designer has their own ideas about what works best for what they wish to achieve.

 

[Willakan]

Quote:

It's a design choice, like the rest of an amp's circuit. Every designer has their own ideas about what works best for what they wish to achieve.

True, but just being a choice doesn't necessarily justify it. I can choose to smear cake over my PCB and even entertain the idea that it works best for optimum treble clarity...it's a deliberately stupid example, but the principle of being able to challenge a design choice stands, especially when the advantages are ill-defined and/or offset by significant disadvantages.

 
 

 

[akiroz]

I made a simple test circuit on a breadboard to try out Balanced drive, its basically a OP-amp output stage using 2 OP's per channel, both unity gain but one is configured to be inverting.
the test headphone is AKG K518 since it can take up to 2.5W (incase something bad happened, with a breadboard you never know...) and already have individual cables for each channel.
I hear no difference compared to driving it normally with 2 OP's parallel configured unity. So.... that means it doesn't make much difference?
 
btw nice DP Willakan, Fourier series

 

[xnor]

Quote:

Originally Posted by b1o2r3i4s5 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
So.... that means it doesn't make much difference?

Exactly that.

 

[nikongod]

 
Quote:

I hear no difference compared to driving it normally with 2 OP's parallel configured unity. So.... that means it doesn't make much difference?
 

How does that apply to amplifiers with a dominant second order harmonic distortion? 
How does it apply to amps with lowish damping factor? Lets define it as anything less than 5 single ended.

 

[stv014]

Quote:

 
How does that apply to amplifiers with a dominant second order harmonic distortion? 
How does it apply to amps with lowish damping factor? Lets define it as anything less than 5 single ended.

Even order distortion is reduced, and output impedance is increased (so lower damping factor). But for reducing the distortion, it might be more cost effective to build a better amplifier with unbalanced output.
 

 

[brod]

Quote:

Read this and learn:
http://www.headphone.com/learning-center/art-i-balanced-vs-unbalanced.php
 

Something tells me that a website that sells $1700 balanced headphone amps isn't going to be a great source of factual, unbiased information on the subject.

 

[alphaphoenix]

Did you read it and find it biased and after that made you want to smack down $1700 balanced cans?

 

[brod]

I haven't expressed an opinion on the merits and value of balanced sources/headphones, because I am not an expert on the matter. Just pointing out what should be obvious - that any claims of improved sound quality from a website that sells said equipment should be treated with suspicion.