Balanced to stereo: adapter or audio cable?
Dec 19, 2023 at 12:48 PM Post #16 of 16
Thanks for summarizing in a more understandable way!

I think I will go for a 4.4mm to 2.5mm cable as the one you reported in the attached figure. My understanding is that such cable carries the balanced signal from the 4.4mm jack until the 2.5mm jack where is than "converted" to stereo. My only remaining doubt (really?!?!) is that being stereo, I would have expected just three contacts (i.e. 2 black rings) while in the figure there are actually 4 contacts (i.e. 3 black rings).

Where Am I wrong?

You are confusing single ended with stereo, I suspect due to part of the conversations above.

Stereo only means that the sound is created by two signals, both balanced and single ended circuits can provide stereo or could produce mono audio if both channels were the same.

Stereo only means that the recorded and played back music has different sound on each channel creating a more realistic listening experience vs mono where a single microphone recorded all sounds so there is no auditory illusion of space. A mono sound from headphones would create the illusion of the sound being completely central while stereo can create the illusion of sounds coming from different places in a ‘soundstage’.

Balanced audio has a positive and a negative for each left and right stereo channel while single ended has a positive signal for each channel with both signals returning to a common ground, hence the term “single ended” as in one ‘end’ to the left and right channel circuits.

Balanced has two amplifying circuits per channel, one positive and one negative, while single ended has one amplifying circuit per channel with both singles returning to ground. That is why true balanced has greater power all other things being equal and has technically better channel separation because the channels are literally better separated in the circuitry.



IMPORTANT NOTE: The other poster above is exactly correct, I was talking hypothetically. You must ensure that your headphones are actually capable of using a balanced cable. It is likely the four pole 2.5mm at the headphone end is to allow a microphone on the cable. I believe there are other Sennheiser headphones that use the same 2.5mm plug that are capable of being used balanced and thus the cables exist. Just because the cable exists and can plug into your headphone doesn’t mean that the cable and headphone are actually compatible.

Good luck
 
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