FallenAngel
Headphoneus Supremus
Why do you need a switch with the combo jack?
GTA meet 1/30/16
- Thread starter FallenAngel
- Start date
- Status
PeAK
Head-Fier
- Joined
- Jan 25, 2005
- Posts
- 62
- Likes
- 12
Hi Pavel...I assumed that back of the jack shared solder points but gathered from your response that I should check that assumption. Went to Neutrik page this morning after I read your reply and found that they are much more complicated and have separated connections (i.e. individual solder points for T, R, S,and 3 pins in XLR). I gather you knew that, already.
I guess the question that remains would be how you would provide a connection on, say, your single-ended Bijou to a headphone already setup for a balanced connector? Is it simpler just to go back to a traditional 3 wire loom with a TRS jack? Thanx in advance.
P.S. I think that I'll probably put this in a more appropriate forum as this is not really related to the meet other that the question being raised as a result of it..."just usin' me communitee"
FallenAngel
Headphoneus Supremus
Well, I think you answered your own question already, I wouldn't. People with balanced headphones are likely to have adapters to TRS and TRS is still the standard for unbalanced headphones.
I had a good idea before to reterminate everything I have to 4 pin XLR and just use that as the standards on all my amps but later realized that this would be an issue with smaller/portable headphones that I don't want to add a bulky connector to.
mikoss
1000+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Nov 29, 2013
- Posts
- 1,378
- Likes
- 678
Darn... just moved to Milton from Calgary and missed this meet. I'll have to keep my eyes peeled for the next one.
PeAK
Head-Fier
- Joined
- Jan 25, 2005
- Posts
- 62
- Likes
- 12
At the meet, I noticed some people walking around with "their preferred cable" loom. I'm not sure but if I were to specify and end game headamp, I'm sure some of them would like to get away from adapters just to be purists. I had a look at one headamp called the DNA stratus which seems to cater to this crowd and flexible, too: They provide a
- TRS (not in a combo jack)
- Independent 3-pin XLR for left and right channels with switchable balanced operation
- 4-pin XLR with switchable balanced operation
Have a look:
It does, however, add a bit more bulk. I've yet to do my own listening tests, but, is it worth using a fourth wire to separate the grounds all the way to the TRS plug in an unbalanced system. Is it just a theoretical advantage or not worth the effort for the minimal gain ?
tylerchris
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Apr 4, 2015
- Posts
- 145
- Likes
- 33
Don't have a good sense re: effort required, or the target market you'd be after...
But most TOTL amps these days (that are balanced, but also have a single-ended option) have a single 1/4" TRS jack for single-ended, and a single 4-pin XLR for balanced.
Look at Schiit Mjolnir 2 and Ragnarok:
http://schiit.com/products/mjolnir-2
http://schiit.com/products/ragnarok
I think that looks pretty sleek / clean, and if the target market is high end, that will cover pretty much everything. Few people have headphones that still use 2x3pin XLR cables, and for those that do use the 1/8" jack, the 1/8" female -> 1/4" male are the cheapest, simplest, smallest adapters around.
But most TOTL amps these days (that are balanced, but also have a single-ended option) have a single 1/4" TRS jack for single-ended, and a single 4-pin XLR for balanced.
Look at Schiit Mjolnir 2 and Ragnarok:
http://schiit.com/products/mjolnir-2
http://schiit.com/products/ragnarok
I think that looks pretty sleek / clean, and if the target market is high end, that will cover pretty much everything. Few people have headphones that still use 2x3pin XLR cables, and for those that do use the 1/8" jack, the 1/8" female -> 1/4" male are the cheapest, simplest, smallest adapters around.
FallenAngel
Headphoneus Supremus
Ditto.
4-pin XLR is becoming the norm for balanced headphones and I agree that it's the better way. I use 3-pin XLRs because when I built the amp, almost all equipment was using this standard.
4-pin XLR is becoming the norm for balanced headphones and I agree that it's the better way. I use 3-pin XLRs because when I built the amp, almost all equipment was using this standard.
PeAK
Head-Fier
- Joined
- Jan 25, 2005
- Posts
- 62
- Likes
- 12
I perused the Schiit links to confirm the use of 4-pin xlr for their balanced products with a single ended capability to support TRS.
The site also led me to a unfamiliar review site ( http://www.the-ear.net ). In the Dragonfly and Ether reviews, they mention that the buyer has the option of purchasing either 1/4" or 4-wire XLR plugs with their cables. This seems to confirm what both Pavel and Chris noted about current trends being reflected in the product offerings of both head-amp and the headphone manufacturers. 3-pin XLR would seem to be there for legacy. The combo jack seems ( to me) more of an outgrowth for pro-audio that use both XLR and 1/4" on the input side of amplifiers to save space. it begs the question of a 4-pin combo jack that would be more suited for the headphone space.
The site also led me to a unfamiliar review site ( http://www.the-ear.net ). In the Dragonfly and Ether reviews, they mention that the buyer has the option of purchasing either 1/4" or 4-wire XLR plugs with their cables. This seems to confirm what both Pavel and Chris noted about current trends being reflected in the product offerings of both head-amp and the headphone manufacturers. 3-pin XLR would seem to be there for legacy. The combo jack seems ( to me) more of an outgrowth for pro-audio that use both XLR and 1/4" on the input side of amplifiers to save space. it begs the question of a 4-pin combo jack that would be more suited for the headphone space.
FallenAngel
Headphoneus Supremus
On the headphone side, yes. On the interconnect side, you still need 3 conductors per channel for balanced.
- Status
Users who are viewing this thread
