[onlychild]

Buying my first balanced amp (LD MKVI) to go with my TADAC balanced DAC.

Got some questions for the balanced gurus.

1. I have a pair of straightWire RCA interconnects that I absolutely love. Would an adapter like this on both ends to the Straightwires turn them into balanced interconnects :

3 pin XLR male plug to female RCA type jack

Either this adapter, but really looking for something nicer, if anyones knows please post link.

2. The little dot uses a weird 1 plug (4 pin XLR) input for the headphones. So If I wanted to use my HD650s with this, would an adapter like make the HD650s balanced, or do I need to get them recabled with a 4 pin XLR like headphile sells :

Neutrik - Audio - XX Series - NC4MXX-B

3. Would using adapters like this degrade the sound vs. having the same wires (Straightwires and stock HD650 cable) recabled with XLR connectors?


Thanks.

 

[timreeves]

balanced cable has 3 wires running through it, normal rca's only have 2, so yeah the adpaters will leave you unbalanced in both cases

 

[Lil' Knight]

2. The little dot uses a weird 1 plug (4 pin XLR) input for the headphones. So If I wanted to use my HD650s with this, would an adapter like make the HD650s balanced, or do I need to get them recabled with a 4 pin XLR like headphile sells :

Neutrik - Audio - XX Series - NC4MXX-B
[/QUOTE]
I don't find any reason why you it "weird". The weird ones are the 2x 3-pin XLR. And yes, you have to reterminate your headphones cable to the 4-pin XLR. Using an adapter won't turn you cable into balanced because it has ground common.

 

[kugino]

there are a number of ways to balance your headphones. a simple re-termination into XLR does not automatically balance a headphone...you have to see how the wiring into the drivers is configured. but i believe the hd650 is wired properly so reterminating it correctly will turn them balanced. you can also buy balanced wires to replace the stock ones on your hd650. a number of people/companies sell them. shop around.

now, the 4-pin XLR, which i think is the best way to go, is something found on the K1000. some amps cater to the k1000 by providing this 4-pin plug, like your LD. most others do the 2 3-pin xlrs, which i don't like very much. you can buy or build a 4-pin to 2 3-pin adapter, which is what i use with my headphones and the gs-x, or in your case, a 3-pin to 4-pin adapter. i don't think they degrade the sound at all, assuming they're built properly.

balanced cables (and wiring) can get expensive...my suggestion would be to build your own. it's not hard and there are great tutorials here on head-fi on how to do this...

 

[timreeves]

van damme balanced cable and neutrik XLR's is what I sue for all my balanced needs, dead easy to build (much easier than xlr's actualyl as the connectors on the xlr you can drop some hot soldr into, heat up from beneath then just puch each connecting wire in)

shouldn't take more than an hour presuming you've used a soldering iron once before

and shouldn't cost more than £20