[Ichos]

Would you guys say that to get the most out of the empy, you would need to go XLR balanced?

No , it only depends on your chain.
If it is single ended stay as such, if it is fully balanced then go balanced.

 

[mynamesjeff]

No , it only depends on your chain.
If it is single ended stay as such, if it is fully balanced then go balanced.

I have a Qutest and Soloist so not fully balanced from Qutest to Soloist but Soloist has XLR out, I would say SE should be fine as the Empy is easy enough to drive?

 

[The1Signature]

Would you guys say that to get the most out of the empy, you would need to go XLR balanced?

there are tons of videos on youtube about this discussion - bottom line: balanced = balanced = 4.4mm as good as xlr. it is just the manufacturing type / shape.

why does xlr vs 4.4. exist? because different manufacturers want to push their products and become the monopolist. so they start heavily influencing and lobbying with big brands and music studios to place their "new world standard"... so same stuff with just different plug-in form.

 

[Ichos]

I have a Qutest and Soloist so not fully balanced from Qutest to Soloist but Soloist has XLR out, I would say SE should be fine as the Empy is easy enough to drive?

Empty are very easy to drive but since the Soloist seems to be inherently balanced I would try from the balanced output to get the most of the circuitry.

 

[Neweymatt]

Would you guys say that to get the most out of the empy, you would need to go XLR balanced?

Depends on your gear I suppose, but for me there is quite a substantial difference in favour of XLR balanced vs SE out of my Jotunheim. Same is true listening with LCD-2C and IER-Z1R fwiw.

 

[bagwell359]

Depends on your gear I suppose, but for me there is quite a substantial difference in favour of XLR balanced vs SE out of my Jotunheim. Same is true listening with LCD-2C and IER-Z1R fwiw.

Schiit products I have used always seem to have more output out of the balanced vs SE. As much as I believe balanced trumps SE (and have for over 20 years) - the Schiit situation isn't that simple. My Rag 1 (Schiit hasn't issued the details) goes from Class A to AB over 4 watts, I'm quite sure in gain 1 that a pre-amp gain stage is removed, in gain 3 there appears to be a strapped amp. Gain 2 pre-amp stage back. There is no doubt to me other stuff is going on outside of the simple SE vs balanced. Rag 1 puts out 16 wpc at 50 ohms thru balanced and like 5 or 6 thru SE.

It's a great amp for any planars.

 

[Newsee]

Would you guys say that to get the most out of the empy, you would need to go XLR balanced?

I have a Qutest and Soloist so not fully balanced from Qutest to Soloist but Soloist has XLR out, I would say SE should be fine as the Empy is easy enough to drive?

Someone was asking on the Burson C3XR thread if it is true that the SE output has better stage than the 4 pin XLR. I tried, and found it true, but stayed using the XLR out to get all the circuits burned. The difference was marginal, but recognizable at direct comparision. (I was using the same Forza Noir Hybrid HPC with 4.4 mm ending, with SendyAudio Asura Pigtail Adapter 6.3 and XLR).

So you can stay with the SE with good conscience.

 

[frix]

does someone have the meze headphone couch? Hard to find impressions/review for it.
I like the look of it. Though I'm asking myself if it's cumbersome to hang empy/elite like this.

My rooms stand is not high enough and the cables tend to bend in a way I don't like.

 

[ThanatosVI]

does someone have the meze headphone couch? Hard to find impressions/review for it.
I like the look of it. Though I'm asking myself if it's cumbersome to hang empy/elite like this.

My rooms stand is not high enough and the cables tend to bend in a way I don't like.

I have two and use them for All my headphones on Display, even the Solitaire P.

I do recommend them

 

[Andykong]

Would you guys say that to get the most out of the empy, you would need to go XLR balanced?

Definitely don't. Both single-ended and full balanced amplifier can offer high quality performance with Empyrean.

I happen to use XiAudio Formula S with Empyrean and Elite recently and had a very enjoyable treat for the whole month. The Formula S is an single-ended designed headphone amplifier despite it offers XLR4 headphone connection. It only accept RCA input so they don't hide this from their users, and the Formular S offers one of the best experience with Empyrean. I use XLR4 instead of 6.35m headphone cable in this system. When comparing the two connectors, XLR4 has better structure, it is more secured, and has larger contact service. That's why I won't hesitate to use XLR4 terminated cable with single-ended headphone amplifier if they provide this option.

If design (and implemented) properly, single-end amplifier can also be very powerful and offer impressive current when called for, which is crucial for planar headphones. The only technical advantage of full balanced design amplifier is separation, but IMHO, if vocal is your main subject, then you might prefer a more focused presentation from single-ended headphone instead.

However, if your amplifier is fully balanced by design, there is no point to compare the SE and BAL output of the amplifier and then conclude balance is better because you are comparing half an amplifier vs a complete amplifier. The single-ended option is compromised in this comparision.

 

[ThanatosVI]

Definitely don't. Both single-ended and full balanced amplifier can offer high quality performance with Empyrean.

I happen to use XiAudio Formula S with Empyrean and Elite recently and had a very enjoyable treat for the whole month. The Formula S is an single-ended designed headphone amplifier despite it offers XLR4 headphone connection. It only accept RCA input so they don't hide this from their users, and the Formular S offers one of the best experience with Empyrean. I use XLR4 instead of 6.35m headphone cable in this system. When comparing the two connectors, XLR4 has better structure, it is more secured, and has larger contact service. That's why I won't hesitate to use XLR4 terminated cable with single-ended headphone amplifier if they provide this option.

If design (and implemented) properly, single-end amplifier can also be very powerful and offer impressive current when called for, which is crucial for planar headphones. The only technical advantage of full balanced design amplifier is separation, but IMHO, if vocal is your main subject, then you might prefer a more focused presentation from single-ended headphone instead.

However, if your amplifier is fully balanced by design, there is no point to compare the SE and BAL output of the amplifier and then conclude balance is better because you are comparing half an amplifier vs a complete amplifier. The single-ended option is compromised in this comparision.

To add to this.
Many tube amps are Single ended internally and have balanced connections only for convenience in those cases the balanced connection doesn't offer any advantage

 

[Andykong]

To add to this.
Many tube amps are Single ended internally and have balanced connections only for convenience in those cases the balanced connection doesn't offer any advantage

That's certainly true for OTL vacuum tube headphone amplifier, the tube topology determined whether the amplifier is single-ended or balanced, the connectors has nothing to do with that.

For Output transformer coupled vacuumed tube amplifier, you can have the vacuum tube in Single-end amplification, but the final output still technically in balanced driven because you can easily generate negative phase in the output transformer. The Cayin HA-300 with Empyrean is a very good example. The vacuum tubes circuits is 100% singled-ended, but the XLR4 and 6.35mm output do sounds noticeable different. Balanced driven from output transformers offers a different sound signature while the quality of performance remain almost the same* for Empyrean.

* Only in the context of Empyrean.

*

 

[ThanatosVI]

That's certainly true for OTL vacuum tube headphone amplifier, the tube topology determined whether the amplifier is single-ended or balanced, the connectors has nothing to do with that.

For Output transformer coupled vacuumed tube amplifier, you can have the vacuum tube in Single-end amplification, but the final output still technically in balanced driven because you can easily generate negative phase in the output transformer. The Cayin HA-300 with Empyrean is a very good example. The vacuum tubes circuits is 100% singled-ended, but the XLR4 and 6.35mm output do sounds noticeable different. Balanced driven from output transformers offers a different sound signature while the quality of performance remain almost the same* for Empyrean.

* Only in the context of Empyrean.


*

Is this a Rinaro driver shaped lamp?

 

[Andykong]

Is this a Rinaro driver shaped lamp?

Haha, That's a Rinaro driver model we make to show the switchback and spiral coil pattern of Isodynamic hybrid array driver. I have several small LED light to enhance the display effect, when I put the LED behind the Rinaro driver model, it looks like a Rinaro driver shape lamp.

 

[ThanatosVI]

Haha, That's a Rinaro driver model we make to show the switchback and spiral coil pattern of Isodynamic hybrid array driver. I have several small LED light to enhance the display effect, when I put the LED behind the Rinaro driver model, it looks like a Rinaro driver shape lamp.

If Meze ever decides to make Lamps out if those, that would be the nerd level Merchandise I am up for