[Jazmanaut]

Hi all,

Thanks for our advice in advance.

I am looking to buy the GS2000e but am not sure if I should get the Balanced 4pin XLR option. I have balanced amps and portable DAC so the option of switching to balance appeals to me, however the balanced cable is not that cheap. Questions
- highly unlikely but anybody here has listened the G2K with balanced and standard cable? how about G1K? is the upgrade worth it?
- is it possible to buy the standard cable option and then retermitate the end to 4 pin balanced XLR myself? in other words, is the stock cable itself balanced? I have done this with my HD800 and TH900 earlier and the cost will be much cheaper than the $170 balanced XLR option from Grado,

Please can you comment?

PS: must say - these headphone loo awesome!

ThX!

I really dont believe, that there is any benefits to balance any headphones. Bet, let's just play along:
If you really do want that balanced options, you can allways use unbalanced adaptor for your mobile needs. It's very simpple connection to make, if you can do basic soldering, or know anyone who does.

 

[ruthieandjohn]

For those considering whether to buy the balanced or single ended version of the GS2000e:

I performed a comparison of both methods of driving the GS2000e to find:

There is a SIGNIFICANT improvement in balanced over single ended for this particular headphone.

Here are the details. https://www.head-fi.org/threads/grado-fan-club.530965/page-2472#post-13939321

 

[BLacklWf]

The SE cables share the return paths - or say it's shorting the return paths - which is ridiculous design to begin with. Removing this stupid design alone usually improves the crosstalk by about 20db. And, yes anything 20db is audible. On top of it, the true balanced amp pushes and pulls the diaphragm - the single ended amp only pushes the diaphragm. This usually has a bigger improvement if the diaphragm is larger or heavier. Still no matter how small/light the diaphragm is, it can be controlled more precisely because no longer the diaphragm has to return to the original position passively. So, by design - it's not even comparable between SE vs balanced in terms of headphone world. In practice - of course a better built SE amp will sounds better than crappy built balanced amp. But, fundamentally it's just not reasonable to short the return paths with SE cable. That's a heck of lousy engineering.

 

[sling5s]

Are the mids and upper mids just as forward like the rs2e? or GH1?

 

[gregorya]

The SE cables share the return paths - or say it's shorting the return paths - which is ridiculous design to begin with. Removing this stupid design alone usually improves the crosstalk by about 20db. And, yes anything 20db is audible. On top of it, the true balanced amp pushes and pulls the diaphragm - the single ended amp only pushes the diaphragm. This usually has a bigger improvement if the diaphragm is larger or heavier. Still no matter how small/light the diaphragm is, it can be controlled more precisely because no longer the diaphragm has to return to the original position passively. So, by design - it's not even comparable between SE vs balanced in terms of headphone world. In practice - of course a better built SE amp will sounds better than ****ty built balanced amp. But, fundamentally it's just not reasonable to short the return paths with SE cable. That's a heck of lousy engineering.

So how could this be corrected for SE use?

 

[sling5s]

Again from reading the TTVJ loaner impressions I get that some found the mids recessed, while other found the mids and upper mids more balanced/neutral but most found that while it's not forward as RS1i or GH1, it has euphonic clear mids. Overall, I get the sense that because the bass is less prominent, it gives the impressions that the mids are more forward then it really is.

 

[BLacklWf]

Nothing. SE is physically damned. The phone jack used to have two connectors back in mono days - one for the signal and other for the ground. When the stereo was introduced, a clever engineer said just add one more connector for additional signal and share the ground. Which isn’t much a problem for a signal transmission purpose. The problem was that the same connector/cable was also being used by headphones where ground serves as the return path instead. Obviously back in the days there was no head-fi.

 

[gregorya]

Nothing. SE is physically damned. The phone jack used to have two connectors back in mono days - one for the signal and other for the ground. When the stereo was introduced, a clever engineer said just add one more connector for additional signal and share the ground. Which isn’t much a problem for a signal transmission purpose. The problem was that the same connector/cable was also being used by headphones where ground serves as the return path instead. Obviously back in the days there was no head-fi.

Oh, so you meant that all SE headphones share this issue... I thought you were referring specifically to this model.

 

[sling5s]

Wish the GS2000e had the RS2e tonality rather than the GH1. Slightly more forward and aggressive. But that's just me.

 

[sling5s]

Is anyone selling their GS2000e here?

 

[GI-Mike]

Grab a set of the GH2 while you can, they are a great value. Very comfortable, good bass, air and detail. They sound wonderful on my MAD Ear tube amp. Their sound is somewhat similar to the approach that the PS2000e takes. In the meantime start saving for the PS2000e.

I agree such great tone from the GH2..