[Elam79]

Hello All,
Long time lurker, first time poster here. I'm currently upgrading my old setup (Fiio X1, Fiio A3, Grado SR60) and am wondering if I could get some advice on cables. I've going with a Sony A55, Ifi Zen Can and Hifiman HE 400SE.
I've already received the HE400s, and the cable is really not great. My main question is should I look at balanced cables, and if so, both in and out of the amp?
The A55 has a balanced 3.5mm out, and the Zen Can has 4.4mm, RCA and 3.5mm in with 6.3mm and 4.4mm out. What would the best combination of cables be?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Elam79]

Anyone?

 

[HipHopScribe]

Are you sure the A55 has a balanced out? I don't think it does, I think it's a single-ended 3.5mm. So you can just use a 3.5mm to 3.5mm aux cable from the A55 to the single-ended input on the Zen Can. Then a 4.4mm pentacon cable for your 400SEs

 

[Elam79]

Thanks! So it doesn't need to be balanced from the source? Is the extra cost for cables worth the difference?
According to the Sony website, it is balanced.

 

[HipHopScribe]

Balanced isn't inherently going to sound better, but sometimes the extra power is good for some headphones or a specific amp might sound better through the balanced output. I don't know about the Zen Can specifically. If you're getting a new cable for the he400se anyway it probably makes sense to just go balanced if the extra cost isn't burdensome. You're probably not missing much if you just used single ended though

As for the A55, a balanced 3.5mm output would be a bit unusual (but not unheard of), so if that's the case definitely confirm that any cable you buy is wired to the correct specs from Sony

 

[TuneInSoul]

I own he400se too, be careful,some cables can not fit the headphones'jacks,because there is a dent in the outer surface,you can not use the cables with a big "handle",I don't know how to say it.

 

[NateInBelgium]

Giving this thread a little bump, as I'm also looking for a balanced cable for my HE400se terminated with a 4.4mm jack to use with my newly received iFi Zen Dac v2. Thanks in advance!