[Maxvla]

My balanced setup is not quite bargain basement, but it's also not nearly top end, but I am very happy with it.

Source: DACmagic $399
XLR Interconnect: Solid Silver ~.5m made by head-fi member mmwwhats $100
Headphone Amp: Little Dot MKVI $699
Headphone Cable: APS V3 4 pin 6ft $230
Headphone: Sennheiser HD600 $225 (used)

$1653 + shipping. That's a full system top to bottom that could very well be a good enough system to stop upgrades. I would certainly be happy with this if I could never change anything again.

 

[XXII]

Well one reason for getting a balanced cable without a balanced amp is that it allows you to upgrade to a balanced amp in the future without ditching the cable. But until you get the balanced amp there would not be any benefit.

 

[Maxvla]

There is no reason to get a balanced cable if you don't have a balanced amp though, you can't use a balanced cable on a SE amp as far as I know. Almost all balanced amps have XLR outputs either 2 x 3 pin or 1 x 4 pin. Almost all SE amps use TRS 1/4".

 

[XXII]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maxvla /img/forum/go_quote.gif There is no reason to get a balanced cable if you don't have a balanced amp though, you can't use a balanced cable on a SE amp as far as I know. Almost all balanced amps have XLR outputs either 2 x 3 pin or 1 x 4 pin. Almost all SE amps use TRS 1/4".

Of course, you would need an XLR->TRS adaptor as well...

 

[Maxvla]

Quote:

Originally Posted by XXII /img/forum/go_quote.gif Of course, you would need an XLR->TRS adaptor as well...

The open wound in the wallet keeps bleeding!

 

[scytheavatar]

I really think that you should just get your amp and headphone and worry about balancing when you feel that there's a need to get a balanced setup. As this post shows, the difference between a balanced and unbalanced setup is significant but not day and night:

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/4205745-post33.html

For more information you might be interested in this topic:

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f113/b...-worth-324811/

 

[librarian]

Ridin' high in april, shot down in may...think I skip balanced for now

Maybe this is a new thread, but is there a point i re-cabling hd650, though it's NOT a balanced set up? People are talking about hd650's "boomy bass" and a "veil" over the mids/highs, that dissappear, when you go balanced with the SAA Equinox cable. But is it because of the balanced setup or is it because of the better quality of the cable?