4N6
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There are many reviews on this site and in the trade magazines about the benefits of using balanced amplification and cabling for the Sennheiser HD-650. Many, however, compare apples to oranges, relegating the review to relative uselessness. For instance: cheap single ended amp vs. expensive balanced amp; cheap stock cable vs. expensive balanced cable; one brand of cable/amplifier vs. a different brand of cable/amplifier; balanced headphones using an unbalanced source component. What I found missing was a review that made the variables as few as possible. Same amp, same brand of cables, same headphones, balanced source...simply HD-650 balanced vs. unbalanced.
The Set-up
I have been quite smitten with the Stefan Audio Art Equinox brand of HD-650 replacement cable, using the single ended version for about a year now. After I purchased the Ray Samuels B-52, which offers both single ended and balanced headphone outputs, my first thought for a balanced cable went to the Equinox. After putting over 100 hours on the new cable, I thought it was time for a comparison. The source was an Audio Research Reference CD7, which has balanced outputs. Interconnects were Kimber Select KS-1130.
The test was quite easy to perform. The two Equinox cables were both 10' in length, with the only difference being the termnation. I kept the single-ended and balanced cables inserted into the amp and simply connected the 650's to one or the other. This permitted a quick and easy switch between balanced and unbalanced.
One concern is the loudness level differences when using the balanced headphone output. The balanced output offers slightly elevated volume when compared to the single-ended output, a difference which could subjectively favor the balanced side. Unfortunately, due to the stepped attenuator of the B-52, I could not perfectly compensate for this difference, as the difference between steps was greater than the change when switching from single-ended to balanced. This caveat was well in mind when making the A/B comparisons and all attempts were made to notice differences that were not related to simple volume level changes.
The Sound
First up, "Too Darn Hot" from Holly Cole Shade. Holly Cole likely does not need much introduction to the jazz connoisseurs among the crowd, but for the uninitiated, if you like terrific female jazz singers, she is a must-have for any collection (start with Don’t Smoke In Bed). This song has a tremendous bass line, opening with acoustic bass and piano laying down the rhythm. The balanced HD-650 displayed greater bass weight than the unbalanced counterpart. Spatial cues were also slightly better retrieved, with the percussion set a little further back in the stage. The body and dimensionality of the vocals and instruments also were better presented, albeit the effect was subtle.
Next up, “Every Deep Dream” from Philip Aaberg Upright. Philip Aaberg is a pianist who grew up in Chester, Montana, not far from my hometown of Helena. This CD includes mellow, acoustic “new-age” jazz and rump shakin’ Joplin-inspired ragtime piano. “Every Deep Dream” is one of the former pieces which includes piano, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, upright bass, and drums, all recorded well with plenty of detail, spaciousness, and air. Similar differences were heard when comparing balanced vs. unbalanced, with bass weight and texture being the easiest noticeable improvement with the balanced set-up. The song was just a shade warmer via the balanced HD-650, likely due to better bass and lower midrange presence.
Dave’s True Story is a New York City based duo with Kelly Flint on vocals and David Cantor on guitar. Her singing packs beauty and terrific vocal shading, making her one of my favorite female vocalists. The album Sex Without Bodies is a fabulous recording by Chesky Records, done live without overdubs at the St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Chelsea, NY. Listening to “Baby Talk” the differences between the two cables were subtle but consistent. Upright bass had greater weight and presence and the spaciousness of the church were better rendered by the balanced set-up.
Finally, it was time to turn up the heat a little. Monte Montgomery is an electric blues guitarist from Austin, TX. I have heard Eric Clapton, Eddie Van Halen, Mark Knopfler, and many other guitarists live in my life but until I saw Monte at the University of Texas I literally had not seen the light. His mastery of the guitar is complete, being able to draw sounds from his beat-up Alvarez that I did not think possible. Listening to “Soldier” from the CD Wishing Well is a butt-thumping, shake-your-money-maker experience with Monte laying down the rhythm and lead guitars, his cohort Phil Bass rocking out on the drums, and Chris Maresh providing the propulsive bass. The unbalanced HD-650 seemed to shrink the whole stage a notch, with the weight, presence, and size of the instruments being a degree lessened in comparison to the balanced version.
Conclusion
So, balancing the HD-650 leads to a completely different, highly improved headphone, right? Not so fast, my friends. All of the improvements were easily heard yet relatively minor. From my limited experience, the biggest improvements with the HD-650 come from improved amplification, better aftermarket cables, and of course, perhaps most importantly, a better front end (remember, “garbage in, garbage out”). If you already have a terrific single ended set-up, I do not know if trading that in just for a balanced amplifier justifies the cost, especially since you would also need a balanced source. However, if starting from scratch, and you love the HD-650, going balanced is definitely a step in the right direction for achieving audio bliss.
The Set-up
I have been quite smitten with the Stefan Audio Art Equinox brand of HD-650 replacement cable, using the single ended version for about a year now. After I purchased the Ray Samuels B-52, which offers both single ended and balanced headphone outputs, my first thought for a balanced cable went to the Equinox. After putting over 100 hours on the new cable, I thought it was time for a comparison. The source was an Audio Research Reference CD7, which has balanced outputs. Interconnects were Kimber Select KS-1130.
The test was quite easy to perform. The two Equinox cables were both 10' in length, with the only difference being the termnation. I kept the single-ended and balanced cables inserted into the amp and simply connected the 650's to one or the other. This permitted a quick and easy switch between balanced and unbalanced.
One concern is the loudness level differences when using the balanced headphone output. The balanced output offers slightly elevated volume when compared to the single-ended output, a difference which could subjectively favor the balanced side. Unfortunately, due to the stepped attenuator of the B-52, I could not perfectly compensate for this difference, as the difference between steps was greater than the change when switching from single-ended to balanced. This caveat was well in mind when making the A/B comparisons and all attempts were made to notice differences that were not related to simple volume level changes.
The Sound
First up, "Too Darn Hot" from Holly Cole Shade. Holly Cole likely does not need much introduction to the jazz connoisseurs among the crowd, but for the uninitiated, if you like terrific female jazz singers, she is a must-have for any collection (start with Don’t Smoke In Bed). This song has a tremendous bass line, opening with acoustic bass and piano laying down the rhythm. The balanced HD-650 displayed greater bass weight than the unbalanced counterpart. Spatial cues were also slightly better retrieved, with the percussion set a little further back in the stage. The body and dimensionality of the vocals and instruments also were better presented, albeit the effect was subtle.
Next up, “Every Deep Dream” from Philip Aaberg Upright. Philip Aaberg is a pianist who grew up in Chester, Montana, not far from my hometown of Helena. This CD includes mellow, acoustic “new-age” jazz and rump shakin’ Joplin-inspired ragtime piano. “Every Deep Dream” is one of the former pieces which includes piano, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, upright bass, and drums, all recorded well with plenty of detail, spaciousness, and air. Similar differences were heard when comparing balanced vs. unbalanced, with bass weight and texture being the easiest noticeable improvement with the balanced set-up. The song was just a shade warmer via the balanced HD-650, likely due to better bass and lower midrange presence.
Dave’s True Story is a New York City based duo with Kelly Flint on vocals and David Cantor on guitar. Her singing packs beauty and terrific vocal shading, making her one of my favorite female vocalists. The album Sex Without Bodies is a fabulous recording by Chesky Records, done live without overdubs at the St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Chelsea, NY. Listening to “Baby Talk” the differences between the two cables were subtle but consistent. Upright bass had greater weight and presence and the spaciousness of the church were better rendered by the balanced set-up.
Finally, it was time to turn up the heat a little. Monte Montgomery is an electric blues guitarist from Austin, TX. I have heard Eric Clapton, Eddie Van Halen, Mark Knopfler, and many other guitarists live in my life but until I saw Monte at the University of Texas I literally had not seen the light. His mastery of the guitar is complete, being able to draw sounds from his beat-up Alvarez that I did not think possible. Listening to “Soldier” from the CD Wishing Well is a butt-thumping, shake-your-money-maker experience with Monte laying down the rhythm and lead guitars, his cohort Phil Bass rocking out on the drums, and Chris Maresh providing the propulsive bass. The unbalanced HD-650 seemed to shrink the whole stage a notch, with the weight, presence, and size of the instruments being a degree lessened in comparison to the balanced version.
Conclusion
So, balancing the HD-650 leads to a completely different, highly improved headphone, right? Not so fast, my friends. All of the improvements were easily heard yet relatively minor. From my limited experience, the biggest improvements with the HD-650 come from improved amplification, better aftermarket cables, and of course, perhaps most importantly, a better front end (remember, “garbage in, garbage out”). If you already have a terrific single ended set-up, I do not know if trading that in just for a balanced amplifier justifies the cost, especially since you would also need a balanced source. However, if starting from scratch, and you love the HD-650, going balanced is definitely a step in the right direction for achieving audio bliss.
