[irvin59]

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Okay, thanks.
To clarify: If you put on a recording with zero hiss - then there is no hiss audible in a silent room? (As you can see I am quite picky about this.)
BTW: Do you have the Game amp to compare it with?
 
 

I cannot hear any hiss. With the JH 16's it does get loud quite low down on the volume knob and when that is set to zero I can still hear some sound. I don't have the game amp. Hope this helps. The soundstage is much improved as are dynamics and bass extension and especially texture.
 

 

[nc8000]

I don't hear any hiss other than what is in the recording with my JH13 and to me it is nearly on par with SR71-B. I heard hiss on both HM601 and HM602 with the JH13. I do have all 3 amp modules but my unit came as a demo unit with the balanced module fitted and I have not tried the other modules and am not likely to.

 

[ediverudt]

Ok this may sound like a strange question given that were compairing full sized cans and non budget EIMs but Is this the same balanced plug that you find on the hifiman Re -Zero (limited ones with the balanced plugs)?
 
if so would this be the reson that they released those phones with that connector so that everyone had to use with the included adaptors ?
 
and more importantly would that pair of buds sound any better with this card than the unbalanced one.
This is a serious question science they went out of there way to put that plug on the re-zero and they are made by hifiman also. 
 
If they do not sound any better than what was the point of that stupid plug that makes everything a pain?.
If they do sound significantly better than I would like to personaly thank fang for having the forsight to make a pair of sub 150 dollar referance eims. 

 

[nc8000]

Yes that would be right. RE262 and RE272 are also being sold with trrs plugs and converter cables. The RE262 does sound better when balanced

 

[estreeter]

I actually took the time to read up on the TRRS connector, and it has advantages and disadvantages over the more conventional XLR/mini-xlr connections. As pointed out earlier in this thread, Fang would have ended up with an even larger bump on the back of the 801 if he had gone with the latter connector.
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TRRS
 
The disadvantage of using TRS jacks for balanced audio connections is that the ground mates last and the socket grounds the plug tip and ring when inserting or pulling out the plug. This causes bursts of hum, cracks and pops and may stress some outputs as they will be short circuited briefly, or longer if the plug is left half in. Professional audio equipment uses XLR connectors which mate the ground signal on pin 1 first.

 

[ClieOS]

RE262 shows some improvement (comparing the balanced amp'ed vs single end amp'ed), but the biggest improvement I have heard is on RE272. I don't even want to listen to RE272 without balanced amp'ed anymore. A match made in heaven.

 

[nc8000]

Haven't heard the RE272 balanced as the one I have is such an early version that it is stock terminated in a longer cable with trs plug

 

[Thermionic]

 
My original 801 stopped working on battery power just after the arrival of the balanced amplifier module, so I have been in the doldrums a bit while the unit was replaced. I did however spend sufficient time with the HM-801 and my Sennheiser HD650’s before it went down to realise that ‘I was in the presence of greatness’, and it would be worth what turned out to be a reasonable cost to get things fixed. I now have a new 8mb version the HM-801, many thanks to Fang and Ms. T. 
 
Instead of modifying the supplied cable or buying a new one I decided to cut down my standard HD650 cable and fit the supplied 4 pole plug myself. Yuck, not the best connectors these hand soldered trrs things, as one of the rings seems only to make contact with it’s solder tag by means of a small brass ring pressed against it. This, coupled with thermoplastic insulation rather too easily damaged by the heat of a soldering iron, made for not a particularly happy soldering experience. Thank goodness for adhesive heat shrink tubing to cover everything up! 
 
Anyway, I now have a nice length of standard but balanced Sennheiser lead about a metre long, that I feel should be ‘good enough’ for SQ. (Using Equinox was all very well, but after a time it fealt a bit like you were fighting with a snake.)
 
And how does it sound? Well for what my opinion might be worth, the balanced HM-801 and HD650 sounds like a very happily balanced set of qualities. Indeed this simple portable system has made me move away from my Stax Lambda Signature system as my own modest headphone reference, and has left the electrostatic system disconnected and gathering dust. While having yet to do back to back comparisons, the balanced 801/650 combination (with the right material) seems to have a fulness and smoothness of sound akin to real instruments in a live acoustic. The separation and placing of instruments in space is impressive, as is the articulation of the bass and it’s extension. Perhaps lacking the ultimate HF extension and definition of a good electrostatic transducer, but in this case it seems to be an equitable trade of treble fireworks for a sense of midrange smoothness and general realism. Think of it as sitting 4 or 5 rows away from the musicians in an intimate venue compared to sitting next to the drum kit. It’s a cliche, but with this combination I have been hearing things not done so before. 
 
In other words (and IMHO) Fang’s balanced black brick with a pair of 650’s is a wonder.
 

 

[estreeter]

Quote:

RE262 shows some improvement (comparing the balanced amp'ed vs single end amp'ed), but the biggest improvement I have heard is on RE272. I don't even want to listen to RE272 without balanced amp'ed anymore. A match made in heaven.

Man, that is rubbing it in - not only do I need to find $1050 for the 801+balanced amp module, I need to find a further $250 for the RE272. Not to mention the 2K I'm hoping to 'find' for the LCD-3. Might as well quit while I'm behind.  

 

 

[Tympan]

If budget is a little tight, I would start with the Hifiman HM-801, some recent sennheiser HD650 (does not have the veil of the earlier version), and a Cardas cable 

 
This combo is soooo musical and enjoyable.
I just ordered the balanced card to see if it can actually improve what I am already hearing. But I wouldn't be surprised if I still prefer the sound signature of my actual set up. It is that good! 
I will post my impressions once it is all burned in and I can compare... 
 
Meanwhile, I would suggest you actually listen to the LCD3s before you purchase them if you can. I did buy a pair of LCD2 rev2 at some point, which were supposed to be miles ahead of the HD650. The truth is they are just different beasts. Sure, the LCD2s were more precise, had better instrument separation, stronger slam... but when used with the Hifiman, they also sounded sharper and a bit fatiguing to both my ears and neck!!! (the HD650 are twice as light!) 
Associated to the Hifiman HM-801, I simply preferred the sound signature of the Senn HD650 by quite a margin. And so did everyone in my surrounding, so it wasn't just me.
I know the LCD3s are supposed to be better than the LCD2s but $2000 versus $300 (for used HD650) is a lot to spend hoping you like them... 
That's for my two cents as far as going open cans with the Hifiman  

 

 

[pjw241142]

This is probably a really stupid question, but can you hook up the Balanced HM-801 to a balanced input amp like a source component? I suspect not as the output is to headphones, but just wanted to check. I know the 801 has line out but wanted to understand if the balanced amp added any other capability. 
 
BTW I have bought the amp and some RE-272s and got QUSP to make a balanced to XLR cable for my balanced HD800s/HD650s/HD25s but have yet to install the amp and then try the various options as I have been travelling/on hols. Trying that lot out is one of my Christmas projects!

 

[warp08]

Quote:

This is probably a really stupid question, but can you hook up the Balanced HM-801 to a balanced input amp like a source component? I suspect not as the output is to headphones, but just wanted to check. I know the 801 has line out but wanted to understand if the balanced amp added any other capability. 
 
BTW I have bought the amp and some RE-272s and got QUSP to make a balanced to XLR cable for my balanced HD800s/HD650s/HD25s but have yet to install the amp and then try the various options as I have been travelling/on hols. Trying that lot out is one of my Christmas projects!

Nothing has changed with the base design by adding the balanced amp module and augmenting the analog board.  The digital board has a USB-mini socket that enables the HM-801 to be used as a USB DAC from a computer.  Sadly, no SPDIF input is provided.
 

 

[kofk]

I too would like to know if it would be possible to connect a balanced HM-801 to the balanced imputs on my STAX SRM-006Tll amp and listen through my SR-404's. I know i could connect it to my amp via the line out of the HM-801, but i really would love to hear it balanced.

 

[nc8000]

Technically you should be able to make a trrs to xlr cable but the signal would then be the already amplified signal from the headout. The dap/dac part is stil single ended and just goes through a phase splitter/inverter in the balanced amp module

 

[Nishy]

Hi, I have the 801 with balanced amp and just got the HE-300. The sound is super with the Balanced Amp ! A very full satisfying sound with depth; sound stage sounds a little pulled in or more intimate than without a balanced card.
 
I have a Sennheiser HD558 which I much enjoyed until I got the HE-300: latter delivers clearer, more controlled and less wide-stagey sound with decent bass (I listen to jazz)! Sure the HE-300 is more bulky but more definitely satisfying (the cups are also bigger and rounded compared to Sennheiser's smaller more oval cups which are of course lighter). The 801 drives the HE 300 easily and to a comfortable listening level at about 3-4 Volume mark. 
 
I also have RE-262 IEMs which also work nicely with this play/amp just as much as the HM-602 I initially bought them for - great for travel.