[sahmen]

Not in Australia are you?

Unfortunately not. I live in Massachusetts

 

[raband]

No probs

 

[sahmen]

You could also have a 2 * 1/4" jack to 4-pin adapter made if you already have a balanced cable for your phones.
That way the phones and cable can be used on any balanced amp without the adapter and on the Realiser with the adapter.

If you're referring to 2 of these, then they may be already available here: https://www.amazon.com/6-35mm-Female-Balanced-Headphone-Adapter/dp/B00KQRN306

 

[mikemav]

I think from the looks of that adapter pictured above, it is balanced (XLR) to unbalanced (1/4" TRS); you would need a 4-pin XLR to dual TRS to use the balanced out on the A16 since it uses both single-ended (TRS) headphone jacks to get to fully balanced output.

 

[AppleheadMay]

If you're referring to 2 of these, then they may be already available here: https://www.amazon.com/6-35mm-Female-Balanced-Headphone-Adapter/dp/B00KQRN306

Nope, these are available from every cable manufacturer. It’s actually one of these but with two ¼ plugs instead of one. Can easily be custom made by cable guys.

 

[sahmen]

I think from the looks of that adapter pictured above, it is balanced (XLR) to unbalanced (1/4" TRS); you would need a 4-pin XLR to dual TRS to use the balanced out on the A16 since it uses both single-ended (TRS) headphone jacks to get to fully balanced output.

Nope, these are available from every cable manufacturer. It’s actually one of these but with two ¼ plugs instead of one. Can easily be custom made by cable guys.

Are you both referring to what was posted earlier from custom cans, or something different? These are both one 4-pin XLR female to two 1/4 male plugs. Each one can be used as an adapter for the A-16 with a balanced headphone cable. If these are not it, then I am not sure I recognize the model of adapter you're describing.

 

[AppleheadMay]

Yep, these are it, 4-pin female to double ¼.
Any custom cable maker can make these, even my hi-fi dealer would make one if I gave him a call.
Or DIY.

 

[dsperber]

Or, A16 optical output -> external DAC -> XLR to amp

 

[462429]

Another question for the pros here. Just bought the sennheiser hd800s which come with a balanced cable. If I remember correctly the a16 supports that if you use both 6.3mm HP jacks. Anyone know how that works ? Haven’t found an adapter from 4 pin XLR to 6.3mm. I think the HD800 were driven balanced at the High End (2016) and at CanJam LA. So I was hoping that someone who went there would have an answer.

Note that not all audio engineers recommend balanced HP connections:
https://www.amb.org/forum/benchmark-engineer-on-balanced-v-unbalanced-headphone-amps-t326.html#p2942

 

[raband]

Note that not all audio engineers recommend balanced HP connections:
https://www.amb.org/forum/benchmark-engineer-on-balanced-v-unbalanced-headphone-amps-t326.html#p2942

Yeah/nah

https://benchmarkmedia.com/products/hpa4

"
BALANCED AND UNBALANCED I/O
The headphone output of the THX-888 amplifier features a 1/4" TRS and a 4-pin XLR. Both outputs deliver the full performance of the HPA4. However, we recommend the XLR4 due to its lower contact resistance. The HPA4 features two balanced stereo inputs and two unbalanced stereo inputs. The line amplifier provides one balanced stereo output, one balanced mono sum, and one unbalanced stereo output."

 

[Dixter]

sure wish they would discern the difference between a true balanced circuit and a isolated common ground circuit.. even though they interchange the " Balanced " in the same breadth.. I would characterize the A16 not balanced but more like a double mono block setup... where the op amps when switched just let the A16 output the left signal through the output A channel and the right signal through the output B channel... and all this actually does is double the output power to the headphones... my understanding of a true balanced circuit is when the output channel signal is inverted and added back to the original signal creating a difference signal of noise that is subtracted out by the inversion... a audio signal being a sine wave and the inverted signal being a co-sine wave... and if the two signals are equal in phase and amplitude will cancel each other out and eliminate the noise... and this being done on the left channel and the right channel the power output is double as the amps don't share the outputs... (simplified version)

 

[m8o]

@Dixter , yes, what they are describing many of us know to be called 'bridged'.

One thing. I'd avoid using the term co-sine for a sine wave 180 degrees out of phase. Because it's too easy to be confused with the term cosine wave, which already has a meaning: one that is 90 degrees out of phase with the sine wave.

 

[Dixter]

yep... you are right... should have just written signals inverted and added for the subtraction of noise or unwanted values..

 

[sander99]

(I erased this post because I think there was something wrong with my story here - read: probably it was BS - and I don't know yet what the right story should be)

 

[462429]

(I erased this post because I think there was something wrong with my story here - read: probably it was BS - and I don't know yet what the right story should be)

OK, but if we assume that the stronger signal is the main and maybe the only reason why A16 will have that balanced mode, can we please continue your expertise in the direction where maybe no changes on the side of the original cable would be needed. I mean, if we merge signals from both A and B 1/4" sockets into the third 1/4" socket (which is the part of the external adapter, together with the two 1/4" plugs on the A16 side), then we can have that stronger signal without having to replace original cable with the XLR cable or without having to cut original cable's plug and replace it with two plugs. Am I right?
And why would I want to avoid changing the original cable on my HD600? Because I have negative experience with my earlier HD589SE. I put the 'upgrade' cable and got different headphone. Not better, but worse.