[captblaze]

greetings all
 
 
I am seriously considering purchasing MJ2 / Gumby combo and have a question regarding balanced and single ended inputs and outputs.
 
if I only go balanced from source to amp, will the SE output still function?

 

[sheldaze]

  greetings all
 
 
I am seriously considering purchasing MJ2 / Gumby combo and have a question regarding balanced and single ended inputs and outputs.
 
if I only go balanced from source to amp, will the SE output still function?

TL;DR - yes!
 
Your question is more to do with the Mjolnir 2 side. Though the FAQ can be helpful (linked below), I'll try to explain this in my own words:
 
http://schiit.com/products/mjolnir-2
 
The Mjolnir 2 amplifier is balanced - input to output. There's no getting around that basic topology. It's what it is!
 
So to make the 1/4" single-ended output function on the output side, they had to take the balanced output, and use a summation circuit. I cannot explain how they do this, but they basically add the outputs back together (without creating a short) and end up with a single-ended output. And there are some side effects:
 

1. My guess (I do not own the Mjolnir 2) is there would be a noise increase, as the signal is passed through the summation. Like I said, I do not own this and cannot comment on if you could hear the noise (probably very unlikely). But it is certainly an extra circuit through which the signal must pass, and there is likely some measurable difference in THD.
2. From the FAQ, the output is limited to 2 watts into 32 ohms. This is down from the original balanced output of 8 watts into 32 ohms. But you're not likely to need as much power if you are connecting a headphone that comes only with single-ended cables. Headphones that require more power are likely to have an option of a balanced cable.

 
Short answer is, you most certainly can convert from balanced to back single-ended. This feature is taken care of by the Mjolnir 2!

 

[captblaze]

thanks for the help..
 
This will be my first rig with balanced circuitry and I would like to benefit from the added boost that a balanced circuit can provide.
My budget on the other hand cannot handle a complete re-cabling of all my headphones.
 
Time to experiment and see where it takes me