[GuiltyRocker]

I could not agree more, the only other dac I like (if implemented well, is the akm4493, not the 4499ex).

I still remember, that I thought, jeezzz tje chord dacs are expensive, and I still think that, but they sound so extremely well. So in the end, bought them both anway.

Life's too short, get what you want now and enjoy.

 

[SteveHulk]

Life's too short, get what you want now and enjoy.

I remember my late father once said to me:

"If you have to break the bank for what you really want then do it. The pleasure it will bring you will soon make you forget the financial pain.

On the other hand, if you cut corners to save money then every time you look at it afterwards you'll remember every damned penny it cost you."

Add to that the old adage: "Buy cheap, buy twice" and I think the way forward is clear.

 

[GuiltyRocker]

I remember my late father once said to me:

"If you have to break the bank for what you really want then do it. The pleasure it will bring you will soon make you forget the financial pain.

On the other hand, if you cut corners to save money then every time you look at it afterwards you'll remember every damned penny it cost you."

Add to that the old adage: "Buy cheap, buy twice" and I think the way forward is clear.

Your father is a very wise man.

 

[LCMusicLover]

I don't understand how you connect headphones to TT2 in Balanced mode. I looked in the manual and saw that the word 'balanced' appears only once, but there are no instructions about connecting.

––Do you have a choice of single / dual balanced mode?

––I use headphone cables with XLR connection. How do I go from 4-pin mini-XLR to 3-pin TT2 outlets? I've looked on the Internet and haven't found an adapter, or an adapter cable, with the right male / female connections.

TIA for advice!

You need something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/Female-Balanced-Adapter-Hi-end-Silver/dp/B018ZN9IXI

Its important that the 3-pin plugs are wired on the balance signal pins.

What @Reactcore said.

I’ve done this, partly for a slightly different sound, and partly for the amp headroom.

But please note that you are using ‘amp mode’ and could easily blow out your cans.

Honestly, except for my Hedds, none of my cans benefit noticeably vs the front-panel SE jacks.

 

[LCMusicLover]

…Add to that the old adage: "Buy cheap, buy twice many times” and I think the way forward is clear.

FTFY

This is the correct adage for any obsessive hobbyist, regardless of the hobby. Just ask my brother how many telescopes and associated equipment he’s purchased. Or my other brother about his fly-fishing gear. Or me about all the head-fi gear I’ve bought/owned/sold.

 

[Thompsonkirk]

You need something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/Female-Balanced-Adapter-Hi-end-Silver/dp/B018ZN9IXI

Its important that the 3-pin plugs are wired on the balance signal pins.

Indeed that's what I'm looking for, to connect to TT2 in Balanced mode. But not a $12 Amazon connector, which isn't especially welcome in a moderately upscale system. I looked on TheCableCo, Furutech, and Moon websites, but didn't locate an adapter cable like this of reasonably 'audiophile' quality. Does anybody know of one?

 

[Reactcore]

Indeed that's what I'm looking for, to connect to TT2 in Balanced mode. But not a $12 Amazon connector, which isn't especially welcome in a moderately upscale system. I looked on TheCableCo, Furutech, and Moon websites, but didn't locate an adapter cable like this of reasonably 'audiophile' quality. Does anybody know of one?

From my POV and experience a 'cheap' cable can sound increddibly good. Higher price doesnt always equals better sound.

Running headphones out of XLR's is not something common and is actually a rare TT2 usecase so cables are special made.

If you dont need the extra voltage (volume headroom) not using the hardest to drive headphones.. for best transparency and SQ, keep the connection single ended, as you use a simpler amp circuit with less components in the signal path.

 

[alxw0w]

Lately I've been doing some clean up in my google's photos and found something that might interest someone
Insides of TT2 for those who care.

 

[Thompsonkirk]

From my POV and experience a 'cheap' cable can sound increddibly good. Higher price doesnt always equals better sound.

Running headphones out of XLR's is not something common and is actually a rare TT2 usecase so cables are special made.

If you dont need the extra voltage (volume headroom) not using the hardest to drive headphones.. for best transparency and SQ, keep the connection single ended, as you use a simpler amp circuit with less components in the signal path.

Thank you. Someone suggested I try/buy his Susvara headphones, and I thought this connection might be the way to assure TT2 outputs enough power.

 

[Nisachar]

Thank you. Someone suggested I try/buy his Susvara headphones, and I thought this connection might be the way to assure TT2 outputs enough power.

I have used such an adapter with the Heddphone, itself a hard to drive HP…but returned to the standard TT2 SE HP jacks. ..for my audio listening levels, they have more than enough volume, though some tracks I end up cranking to -5 to -8 volume levels…on low gain.

 

[Thompsonkirk]

I have used such an adapter with the Heddphone, itself a hard to drive HP…but returned to the standard TT2 SE HP jacks. ..for my audio listening levels, they have more than enough volume, though some tracks I end up cranking to -5 to -8 volume levels…on low gain.

So maybe was trying to solve a problem that didn't exist! Is it really true that one can use Susvaras effectively with TT2, without even engaging high gain??

 

[ericx85]

So maybe was trying to solve a problem that didn't exist! Is it really true that one can use Susvaras effectively with TT2, without even engaging high gain??

I feel like the TT2 runs Susvaras absolutely fine from the front HP out. Unless a track was mastered at a crazy low volume I don't ever see myself pushing past -8 or -5. If youre used to a very warm or rich sound and you plug a very revealing headphone into the TT2 like the Susvara and it sounds thinner, more analytical well then yeah that's how its supposed to sound. TT2 is a very accurate/technical dac. It's not meant to be lush and rich like an r2r which might lead to people believing its a power issue because that's a sound they've grown used to but I truly feel it isn't. I hear no static, no popping, nothing but clear sound. I go back and forth between TT2's HP out and the Holo Bliss for my Susvara on the TT2. It's entirely based on the sound I want, not because I think the TT2 can't handle the headphone. I even tried XLR adapters for the rear and I barely heard any difference, hell I think the front HP out sounded a bit better if I had to really think about it.

 

[Nisachar]

So maybe was trying to solve a problem that didn't exist! Is it really true that one can use Susvaras effectively with TT2, without even engaging high gain??

That’s only susvara users who have used it with the TT2 can answer.
That said, the Heddphone itself is a demanding HP. You can compare the specs.

 

[seaice]

So maybe was trying to solve a problem that didn't exist! Is it really true that one can use Susvaras effectively with TT2, without even engaging high gain??

I happily use Susvara directly from the headphone output of TT2 with high gain. I am not sure I have ever tried the TT2 headphone output's low gain with Susvara. However, if you have an external amp, e.g. SMSL SP400, then low gain from TT2 XLR outputs to your external amp is enough (at least in the case of SMSL SP400). That is all I can say after extensive listening sessions.

 

[alekc]

I happily use Susvara directly from the headphone output of TT2 with high gain. I am not sure I have ever tried the TT2 headphone output's low gain with Susvara. However, if you have an external amp, e.g. SMSL SP400, then low gain from TT2 XLR outputs to your external amp is enough (at least in the case of SMSL SP400). That is all I can say after extensive listening sessions.

@seaice I think the whole Susvara debate comes down to a single matter: with what other amps one have listened to Susvara and when one finds his/her perfect match going back can be very hard and painful.

So far I've found cans that are IMHO on the same level as Sus and sound great out of TT2: T+A Solitaire P-SE, the difference between this model and higher one is not a night a day and for me it was not enough to justify the difference in price level. The difference one can easily spend on music or if one needs to spend on add-ons tubes could be a good investment (assuming one is running TT2 with tube amp - I do actually while still loving listening directly from TT2 with particular headphones).