[wje]

Yup.  The Neutrik 4-Pin XLR connector with gold pins is the way to go.  I've used the nickel Neutrik connectors before, but they only have the black rubber boots - and are not very exciting.
 
Here's a picture of my 4-Pin XLR Balanced Hifiman cable from a few days back.  I don't even own Hifimans at the moment, but was just excited to build one.  

 

 

[brunk]

  Yup.  The Neutrik 4-Pin XLR connector with gold pins is the way to go.  I've used the nickel Neutrik connectors before, but they only have the black rubber boots - and are not very exciting.
 
Here's a picture of my 4-Pin XLR Balanced Hifiman cable from a few days back.  I don't even own Hifimans at the moment, but was just excited to build one.  

 

+1 I don't consider anything else, unless I need it to color match, then I'll use the silver/nickel series. I'm a Neutrik fanboy I guess 

 You just cant beat their tank-like quality and defacto standard in stress relief. Not to mention that I've tried many other brands and most don't fit right, or fall apart.

 

[john57]

   
The load would be too big or something if I have 2 plugged in at the same time? I don't like the idea of that hapening... even by accident ... by a friend/guest whatever... any way to make sure no permanent damage happens if I accidentally plug both?

I believe that you would be fine also. Two different headphones are going to have difference volume setting.  Just start on low volume.

 

[chanwhk]

Is there any particular reason to make connect the HE-500 to the speaker output instead of the RCA out?
Correct me if I'm wrong, this is only for the convenience of having a balanced cable to connect to any speaker amp because they all have the speaker out?
so if my DAC has a balanced output eg. Emotiva DC-1 and a speaker amp has a balanced input eg. Emotiva XPA-200, then I'll have a full balance system.

 

[robrob]

   
The load would be too big or something if I have 2 plugged in at the same time? I don't like the idea of that hapening... even by accident ... by a friend/guest whatever... any way to make sure no permanent damage happens if I accidentally plug both?

 
Actually the worry would be the load would be too small. If you have a "preferred resistor network" in your Mini-X then you can run 3 headphones at the same time with little to no effect--that's the beauty of having a network--play around with the resistor network calculator and see for yourself. Even without a resistor network three 32 ohm impedance headphones = 10.7 ohms of total impedance and speaker amps are very happy with that. Three 600 ohm headphones = 200 ohms so don't worry about running multiple headphones.

 

 

[Thujone]

  Is there any particular reason to make connect the HE-500 to the speaker output instead of the RCA out?
Correct me if I'm wrong, this is only for the convenience of having a balanced cable to connect to any speaker amp because they all have the speaker out?
so if my DAC has a balanced output eg. Emotiva DC-1 and a speaker amp has a balanced input eg. Emotiva XPA-200, then I'll have a full balance system.

I'm pretty sure (correct me if I'm wrong, everybody) that the RCA output is just a preamp and is not affected by the volume knob.
 
 
I just got my Emotiva last night and got my Switchcraft 1230 adapter hooked up (thanks, manbear). For some reason, I noticed a significant channel imbalance (right channel louder than left) for quite some time. I tried several different things before I decided to reconnect the screw connections on the 1230 adapter. After a bit more listening, it seemed that the imbalance had dissipated a bit (if not completely). Is there some reason why the amp would need to run for a bit, maybe charge all the caps, in order to have a balanced left and right output? Or was my possibly weaker connection to the left channel screw on the 1230 causing a weaker signal? The latter makes no sense to me though... EDIT: who am I kidding, neither of those options make sense to me.

 

[robrob]

  Is there any particular reason to make connect the HE-500 to the speaker output instead of the RCA out?
Correct me if I'm wrong, this is only for the convenience of having a balanced cable to connect to any speaker amp because they all have the speaker out?
so if my DAC has a balanced output eg. Emotiva DC-1 and a speaker amp has a balanced input eg. Emotiva XPA-200, then I'll have a full balance system.

The RCA outs are line level so they won't drive headphones very well. The speaker outs put out much more power to drive low sensitivity headphones with authority.
 
I'm not going to touch the "full balance system" statement

 

[Makaan]

I ordered Emotiva mini X A100 for my HE500 today. Thanks for you who sharing your opinion and enlight my way of decision.
Now I should build my cable. My budget around 100 USD. So in my mind my list is :
 
1- 4 pcs Black Rhodium Banna Plug 39 USD with shipping. 
- http://www.ebay.com/itm/BLACK-RHODIUM-BANANA-PLUG-Side-Entry-Set-of-4-0-5mm-to-12-0mm-cables-/251384987823?pt=UK_Sound_Vision_Audio_Cable_Terminations&hash=item3a87b680af
 
2- 2 pcs female 4 pin XLR connection. I choose Neutrink Nickel w/Silver contact. 20 USD.  BUT is quality of connector affect the sound. Is this one enough or do I need better one : http://www.ebay.com/itm/Neutrik-NC4FXX-XLR-4-Pin-Female-Cable-Connector-in-Nickel-w-Silver-Contacts-/331037444215?pt=US_Audio_Cables_Adapters&hash=item4d135e8877 
 
3- 1 pcs male 4 pin XLR connection : Again nickel w/isilver connection : 14 USD : http://www.ebay.com/itm/Neutrik-NC4MX-XLR-4-Pin-Male-Cable-Connector-Nickel-Housing-w-Silver-Contacts-/330778606585?pt=US_Audio_Cables_Adapters&hash=item4d03f0fbf9
 
Process : 
1- I'm gonna cut my original HE500 cable and connent 4 pin Male XLR to the headphone side 
2- Cut 6.3 jack (I need 3.5) so I have 1 piece OCC copper cable blank both ends. So one side will ve female XLR orher side will be 4 banana plub
3- I will bur 30 cm headphone cable. One side will be 4 pin female XLR than other side will be 3.5 mm heaphone jack to connect my DX50
 
So any comment ? Is purchase list is ok and good enough for sound signature. I don't want to create problematic point to decrease my SQ.
 
Comment will be appreciated.
Thanks.

 

[john57]

The Black Rhodium Banna Plug are made for large speaker wire and may be harder to work with on the smaller gauge wire. If you are using the larger gauge make sure it is not too big for the XLR connectors.
 

 

[Makaan]

  The Black Rhodium Banna Plug are made for large speaker wire and may be harder to work with on the smaller gauge wire. If you are using the larger gauge make sure it is not too big for the XLR connectors.
 

Good point thank you, I'm gonna check it.

 

[wje]

Also, a 2nd one, but for Sennheiser this time around.  I hope that they have a few more X-100s left.  I'm close ... closet to considering an order and soon.  It looks like their next day to ship will be on Monday the 16th.  I think their shipper picks up pallets at a time, instead of stopping by each day at the COB.
 

 

[Taowolf51]

 
Correct me if I'm wrong, this is only for the convenience of having a balanced cable to connect to any speaker amp because they all have the speaker out?
so if my DAC has a balanced output eg. Emotiva DC-1 and a speaker amp has a balanced input eg. Emotiva XPA-200, then I'll have a full balance system.

 
If you have a balanced DAC and connect it using balanced interconnects (XLR) to the XPA-200, you will not have a balanced system since the XPA-200 is not a balanced amp.

 

[davidsh]

Yeah, and that means I might not have it before Christmas -_- It's a gift..
They do claim 2 day shipping, but across the pond?

 

[john57]

   
If you have a balanced DAC and connect it using balanced interconnects (XLR) to the XPA-200, you will not have a balanced system since the XPA-200 is not a balanced amp.

Like what I said before manufactures uses the term balanced in different ways. Emotiva uses the term "Balanced" to mean that both signal lines have the same equal impedance to ground.They may not be using a differential op amp at the input to cancel any noise on the line. The XPA-200 and a few others has a switch on the back for balanced and unbalanced inputs so  that only one is active when both are connected. This prevents one input from shorting out the other. It is my understanding that XPA-1 and XPA-1L are fully balanced. Those two are quad differential for signal path which is my definition of balanced.

 

[Taowolf51]

  Like what I said before manufactures uses the term balanced in different ways. Emotiva uses the term "Balanced" to mean that both signal lines have the same equal impedance to ground.They may not be using a differential op amp at the input to cancel any noise on the line. The XPA-200 and a few others has a switch on the back for balanced and unbalanced inputs so  that only one is active when both are connected. This prevents one input from shorting out the other. It is my understanding that XPA-1 and XPA-1L are fully balanced. Those two are quad differential for signal path which is my definition of balanced.

 
Right. Emotiva's keyword for fully balanced is "Differential Reference", and to my knowledge the only power amps that are given that title are monoblocks (XPA-1, XPA-1L and XPR-1).