[Lee Brindley]

Hi Tyll

Over here: -

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f4/pro...4/#post6079335

HF-er suggested i mention to you.

My troublesome balanced Denon cans worked fine in balanced mode with my old HR Desktop Balanced amp - then i sold it and used a Woo amp with 1/4" adaptor that came with the Denons.

I now have a HR Balanced Max. and when connecting up in balanced mode they dont work - whereas my AKG701's Balanced work fine.

Chatter seems to look to the Denons as being at fault - which maybe - but fact is they worked balanced on the desktop yet dont on the Max. Same cans - same xlr connectors....

Any thoughts???

Rgds

Lee

 

[grawk]

I'd guess that something has happened to them in the time since you owned the desktop.

 

[Tyll Hertsens]

Gotta say, Grawk's answer is the one that makes sense.

All HeadRoom amps are wired the same; if it worked before on one, it should on the other.

 

[Lee Brindley]

Tyll

HR gave wrong info to the re-cabler!

See below............

Hey Steve,



I am so sorry but I gave you the WRONG pin-out for the balanced wiring! Here is the correct info for a balanced headphone.

3 -

o

2 + 1-shield or n/c

o o



I am so sorry I hope this didn’t screw anything up. L I had pins 3 and 1 correct on my cheat sheet, but when I tried to be all fancy with my drawing I screwed it up. If you have any questions please let me know.



Sincerely,



Mike Olson

Technical Services Manager

mikeo@headphone.com

HeadRoom Corporation

2020 Gilkerson Dr.

Bozeman, MT 59715

1-800-828-8184

 

[Tyll Hertsens]

D'oh!!!


'Course Mikes done so many good things in the past ... can't get too mad with him.

Please let us know if there's something we need to do for you.

 

[Lee Brindley]

Hi Tyll

Perhaps i should have added - im not cross in any way - just pleased i got an answer to the problem. It was driving me mad and i thought all sorts - including my own sanity!

The cans will be going back to Steve to be re-wired properly so no harm done really.

Whilst posting, i should add that ive had a long association with your amps and the upgrade form the Desktop Bal (ive had all the lower ones too) up to the Max Bal is well worth it.

I know you dont make it any more (why???) but it is such a brilliant bit of kit.

With balanced cans it is nirvana. It is magical with bal AKG7 701's so can inly think when i get my D5K's back it will be a perfect match. Then there's the HD800's if i ever get them ........

Actually you can do something - sell me a balanced pair - as the UK importer is a complete snail !

Regards

Lee

 

[Big Werm]

Umm, this doesn't make any sense at all. So your balanced headphones worked just fine with your Balanced Desktop? Then the headphones are wired correctly end of story. Both amps balanced outputs are wired exactly the same.

Also, I'm not sure why you are throwing me under the bus, but just to clarify I wrote that email May 20, 2008. So are you telling me this headphone has not been wired correctly this entire time? I sent the CORRECT info so the headphone would be wired correctly. I guess I don't understand this post.

 

[Lee Brindley]

Ive no idea - im no technical expert.

All i know is that they ARE wired incorrectly and wont work with the Max Bal amp. How they managed to work with the Desktop i dont know!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Lee Brindley]

Hi - i hear what you say ! But as i have all the mechanical know-how of a slug - even when i removed the plug - still cant see the wires as they appear to be set or glued into the upper part of the plug where they are soldered!

For final ref - here is the entire email i received from Steve, including the Headroom comments - and Steve's follow up to me.

I am but the messenger!

Rgds

Lee



Hi Lee,
Sorry for the delay.

If you post on head-fi, maybe copy the whole email I sent you explaining the situation so it is clear for anyone involved that it was Headroom who gave incorrect info on the pin configuration of their amp, against what I had expected the configuration to be.

I knew this was different to what most people do, but followed their instructions. The headphones worked anyway with one of their amps which Damian had and after the second email from Headroom with the right information came through, Damian did not want to return the headphones to me for correction, understandably as they were working fine.

To clarify, Damians Headroom amp which they worked with must have had pins 1 and 3 shorted together internally (which is NOT normal). Your amp does not (which IS normal).

I hope that helps!
Thanks,
Steve.




Hi Lee,

Thanks for the message, sorry for the delay replying, and to hear about the trouble you're having. Don't worry we will get it fixed

I remember that pair for Damian, they were the first ones I did for use with a Headroom amp, though I had done plenty of balanced headphones before.

So I thought I would ask Headroom for their confirmation of the pin configuration, as even though there is consensus, there is no official industry standard for XLR plugs on a headphone.

Here is what I wrote:


From: steve mclachlan [mailto:stevenkelby@hotmail.com]
Sent: Saturday, April 26, 2008 10:34 AM
To: Mike Olson
Subject: Balanced Desktop wiring



Hi guys,

I am recabling some headphones to be used with a Balanced Desktop amp, and would like some confirmation with the wiring if that's ok?

What is the output wiring configuration of the amp, what are pins 1, 2 and 3 used for?

Normally Pin 1 is not used (or would be used for a shield), Pin 2 is the + (positive) and pin 3 is the - (negative).

Is that right?

Thanks,

Steve.





And the reply from Headroom:



From: Mike Olson
Sent: Tuesday, April 29, 2008 4:39 PM
To: 'steve mclachlan'
Subject: RE: Balanced Desktop wiring


Hey Steve,



I’m so sorry for the delay on this email; I wanted to double check and make sure I gave you the proper info. I will try to “draw” this out the best I can for you.



Now this is MALE XLR plugs on your HEADPHONES, NOT the pin-out for the female jacks on the amp. You should be able to see these numbers on the XLR jack.



Pin 3-shield or not connected

o



o o

pin 2 + Pin 1 -



I hope my very crude drawing makes sense. Also, we have sort of become experts at recabling most headphones so if you have any more questions, please don’t hesitate to ask.



Sincerely,



Mike Olson

Technical Services Manager

mikeo@headphone.com

HeadRoom Corporation

2020 Gilkerson Dr.

Bozeman, MT 59715

1-800-828-8184

406-587-9466 ext. 104




I thought it was lucky I checked, then I completed the headphonmes for Damian according to the instructions from Headroom.


I can't find the emails to and from Damian, must have been via PM which I didn't keep. Anyway he received the headphones and they worked perfectly apparently.

Then I got this from Headroom:


Subject: URGENT: Balanced Desktop wiring
Date: Tue, 20 May 2008 18:59:19 -0600
From: mikeo@headphone.com
To: stevenkelby@hotmail.com



Hey Steve,



I am so sorry but I gave you the WRONG pin-out for the balanced wiring! Here is the correct info for a balanced headphone.

3 -

o

2 + 1-shield or n/c

o o



I am so sorry I hope this didn’t screw anything up. L I had pins 3 and 1 correct on my cheat sheet, but when I tried to be all fancy with my drawing I screwed it up. If you have any questions please let me know.



Sincerely,



Mike Olson

Technical Services Manager

mikeo@headphone.com

HeadRoom Corporation

2020 Gilkerson Dr.

Bozeman, MT 59715

1-800-828-8184



As the headphones were working and Damian was happy we decided to leave things as they were. I offered to take them back, correct the connections and return them at my expense. Damian was happy so we left it. That offer still stands if you want to send them back to me now

Let me know if you want my address.

So that explains it, they were wired wrong, but worked anyway, the amp Damian was using must have had those connections joined internally, and yours doesn't.

Feel free to post any of this on head-fi too if you like.

Thanks,

Steve