[4N6]

Quote:

Originally Posted by vcoheda /img/forum/go_quote.gif balanced is worth saving for. no doubt about it. the 650 balanced is tough to beat.

I 100% agree if starting from scratch. My experience ( http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f4/rev...lanced-237907/ ) is that if one already has a high dollar, great sounding single ended rig, the SQ difference between balanced and single-ended is not worth dropping all that and spending the extra dough.

I do love the balanced HD650's, though. Terrific sounding headphone.

 

[The Legend]

What exactly is a balanced setup?

 

[lromlin]

Edited: Removed the link which was wrong.

 

[Kees]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lromlin /img/forum/go_quote.gif Balanced line - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sorry. Little correction: this has nothing to do with balanced headphone amping.

Balanced HD650 (or any headphones of course) are reteminated with two 3pin XLRs, which is the only (superficial) resemblance to balanced xlr-cabling between components.

Do a search. There are hundreds of posts about this.

 

[chesebert]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dreadhead /img/forum/go_quote.gif I may die with the HE90 but I was in a professionally treated room and the LINNs were Bi-amped with a full LINN system (each power amp was 20 grand or so and there were 4) and I'm sorry but they did not blow the HD650 out of the water as far as fidelity. Of course the soundstage is better but in general that's a recording effect anyway with a lot of the stuff we listen to these days; 10-20 mics all mixed together. The 801's were not "fully" set up but I stick by my impression. Anyway I don't think I'll die I hope to hear the HE90 someday for sure The part I fail to understand it why people seem to assume that because it costs more it must sound better. It's almost impossible to do with phones but DBT with speakers has had some fun results. And non DBT has even funnier ones: 6moons audio reviews: Acoustic Revive RR-77 I'm looking forward to my reference system. It's not the best but it's the best I will ever feel the own (most likely). It's not a matter of money it's a matter of diminishing returns. I'll definitely play around with different headphones though.

that's ok...eventually you will come around....and go through one of those..selling off all my HP for a great spkr setup ....

Back on topic...yes balanced 650 is great....with the right equipments.

 

[PFKMan23]

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Legend /img/forum/go_quote.gif What exactly is a balanced setup?

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f5/balanced-101-a-181150/

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f5/ok-...lanced-160324/

 

[derekbmn]

If you guys really want to here the Senns open up you should hear them on a well set up vinyl rig. It is truly amazing.

 

[kool bubba ice]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4N6 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I 100% agree if starting from scratch. My experience ( http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f4/rev...lanced-237907/ ) is that if one already has a high dollar, great sounding single ended rig, the SQ difference between balanced and single-ended is not worth dropping all that and spending the extra dough. I do love the balanced HD650's, though. Terrific sounding headphone.

True.. I'd rather have the Zuex Dana (whatever it is called) SE over my 650's balanced through my DAC1 any day of the week..

 

[kool bubba ice]

Quote:

Originally Posted by chesebert /img/forum/go_quote.gif that's ok...eventually you will come around....and go through one of those..selling off all my HP for a great spkr setup .... Back on topic...yes balanced 650 is great....with the right equipments.

It seems like you are trying very hard to convince him that the expensive speaker set up he heard sounds better then his 650's balanced. & what 2,000 Speaker set up can blow away a balanced 650? I only heard 500.00 Kliph speakers & my balanced 650's crapped all over them..

 

[ph0rk]

Hmm, I wonder what balanced 650's would sound like out of an 0404usb - it does have TRS balanced outs, after all.


I'd wager there aren't many 650 cables reterminated to TRS balanced plugs floating around, though.

 

[barmar46]

I'm listening to hd650/balanced equinox cables using the Headroom Balanced Amp/Dac w/home module. The sound is amazingly rich and three dimensional. The 650s balanced don't even resembled their former shadow of a self. It does seem to me however that Headroom hardly gets a mention and very few props for this fine sonic contribution. Why is that?

 

[Bizzel]

That's what I like to hear. The GS-X with a balanced cable from Alex is what I'm looking at as a future upgrade path. I hope it'll be well worth it!

 

[chesebert]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kool bubba ice /img/forum/go_quote.gif It seems like you are trying very hard to convince him that the expensive speaker set up he heard sounds better then his 650's balanced. & what 2,000 Speaker set up can blow away a balanced 650? I only heard 500.00 Kliph speakers & my balanced 650's crapped all over them..

Used Totem, Harbeth, ProAc, Spendor, among may others.

 

[chesebert]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ph0rk /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hmm, I wonder what balanced 650's would sound like out of an 0404usb - it does have TRS balanced outs, after all. I'd wager there aren't many 650 cables reterminated to TRS balanced plugs floating around, though.

sounds bad.

 

[vcoheda]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4N6 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I 100% agree if starting from scratch. My experience ( http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f4/rev...lanced-237907/ ) is that if one already has a high dollar, great sounding single ended rig, the SQ difference between balanced and single-ended is not worth dropping all that and spending the extra dough.

that's what the FS forum is for.

i see no reason to be single ended anymore at least for home use, esp. since by mid this year there should be some or more relatively affordable balanced amps on the market - both tube and solid state. also, in my experience headphones find additional improvement through recabling. whether recabling from stock SE to aftermarket SE is worthwhile is debatable. except for a few custom made SE amps, i see SE amps as entry level (in terms of cost and performance) and balanced as entry into high-fi. basically, the only legitimate reason i find for single ended use is lack of funds, which is a big reason, but not for sound quality or performance. in that regard, balanced is clearly better.