[HK_sends]

You right. Sorry. There are many on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=3.5mm+Female+to+2.5mm+Male+adapter&rh=i:aps,k:3.5mm+Female+to+2.5mm+Male+adapter

Is a nice one: https://www.amazon.com/Extreme-Audi...r=8-12&keywords=3.5mm+Female+to+2.5mm+adapter

Be careful, most of those are vague in their description. Many are Balanced 2.5mm TRRS male to STEREO 3.5mm TRS female so you can use a regular stereo headphone from a balanced jack on your DAP. What Trinity's balanced cable needs is a TRRS balanced connector on both sides.

Disclaimer: I am not hawking the adapters below. Just make absolutely sure you know what you are getting to be able to use the Trinity 3.5mm balanced cable with a 2.5mm balanced output from a DAP. Two examples I found that appeared to meet that need are below (there may be other cheaper options available but read the fine print):

https://www.amazon.com/Adapter-Bala...=2.5mm+balanced+Male+to+3.5mm+balanced+Female

https://www.amazon.com/Balanced-Fem...=2.5mm+balanced+Male+to+3.5mm+balanced+Female

Hope this helps...

Cheers!
-HK sends

 

[HK_sends]

Here's one of the cheaper options. I don't know how valid the single review is, so YMMV...

https://www.amazon.com/MyCableMart-...rd_wg=2xi7S&psc=1&refRID=DGXFKQE4BCW94411KVVB

Cheers and Good Luck!
-HK sends

 

[Hi-Fi'er]

I've made balanced cables from trinity standard cables, they have always been 4 pole all the way to the Jack in my experience.

Check continuity with the 3.5mm Jack still on to find the +R and +L at the iem connector end, then take it off the 3.5mm jack and work back from the iem connectors (remaining 2 pins) to find -R and -L, it's pretty easy in practice.

Good luck.

Thank you! I've never does this before. I'll try it. I have a bunch of 2.5mm balanced replacement jacks.

 

[Hi-Fi'er]

I've made balanced cables from trinity standard cables, they have always been 4 pole all the way to the Jack in my experience.

Check continuity with the 3.5mm Jack still on to find the +R and +L at the iem connector end, then take it off the 3.5mm jack and work back from the iem connectors (remaining 2 pins) to find -R and -L, it's pretty easy in practice.

Good luck.

But going from 3 to 4 connection on the jack to change it; where is each line going to on the other side pin wise? Have a diagram what goes where on the 2.5mm side to the IEM pin side? I don't want to have anything backwards or shorting out. I know the below is what is on the 2.5mm jack side but how do you figure out what is + or - on the cable pin side goes to what?

Guess I just need to know on the pin side that goes into the IEM what is what pin? One is +R/-R and one is obviously +L/-L on each, but how does one know which is which? What is the polarity of the pin that is by the slotted side would tell me what to do. Is it - or +?



Thank you.

Update: Appears the pin by the slotted side is - for both the L and R on the pin side to the IEM.

 

[sososerious]

But going from 3 to 4 on the jack to change it, where is each line going to on the other side pin wise? Have a diagram what goes where on the 2.5mm side to the IEM pin side? I don't want to have anything backwards or shorting out. I know the below is what is on the 2.5mm jack side but how do you figure out what is + or - on the cable pin side goes to what?

Guess I just need to know on the pin side that goes into the IEM what is what pin? One is +R,-R and one is obviously -L/+R on each, but how does one know which is which? What is the polarity of the pin that is by the slotted side would tell me what to do. Is it - or +?



Thank you.

Do you have a multimeter? I just use continuity mode and do the following steps...

1) draw the iem connector twice (with trinity it's easy to orientate by the notch on the connector), mark one left and one right.
2) using the meter touch the negative section of the 3.5mm jack with one prong and use the other to find the two negative pins on the iem side, mark on your drawing.
3) repeat step two for the tip and ring of the 3.5mm connector to find the two positives, mark on drawing.
4) chop off the 3.5mm connector and check each negative pins on the iem side (that you marked in step 2) one by one against the 4 wires you have (after cutting off the connector), mark the wires with some tape or marker.
5) test the last two wires against the two positive pins (iem side) and mark with tape or marker.
6) you know have both the iem connectors and the 4 wires going to the Jack mapped and can add any connector you want, I go with dual 3.5mm TRS for Pono but use whatever you want.

The back of the 2.5mm connectors is normally pretty simple to interpret but you can check with the meter in continuity mode again.

A meter is as little as £5 or £10 on Amazon.

Happy cabling!

 

[Hi-Fi'er]

Do you have a multimeter? I just use continuity mode and do the following steps...

1) draw the iem connector twice (with trinity it's easy to orientate by the notch on the connector), mark one left and one right.
2) using the meter touch the negative section of the 3.5mm jack with one prong and use the other to find the two negative pins on the iem side, mark on your drawing.
3) repeat step two for the tip and ring of the 3.5mm connector to find the two positives, mark on drawing.
4) chop off the 3.5mm connector and check each negative pins on the iem side (that you marked in step 2) one by one against the 4 wires you have (after cutting off the connector), mark the wires with some tape or marker.
5) test the last two wires against the two positive pins (iem side) and mark with tape or marker.
6) you know have both the iem connectors and the 4 wires going to the Jack mapped and can add any connector you want, I go with dual 3.5mm TRS for Pono but use whatever you want.

The back of the 2.5mm connectors is normally pretty simple to interpret but you can check with the meter in continuity mode again.

A meter is as little as £5 or £10 on Amazon.

Happy cabling!

Yes I have a Fluke Digital MM. I figured it out as you wrote all that up, thank you. Your step #2 is the key but you have to know what that is on a 3.5mm SE pin. Guess the question was really which one that is polarity/location wise on a 3.5mm and then match that to what is the polarity on the PIN (IEM) side; once that is figured out all else is easy. I just never knew which it was on a 3.5mm SE jack. Using Google Search that was easy to find. See pic. Apparently the tip is always Left + and the ring is + Right both R&L - is to the sleeve ground. Knowing that with the balanced line (which I already know) just need to chop the 3.5mm SE and connect. It is easy.



Thank you for you help. I hope our post helps others here.

 

[Hi-Fi'er]

I ordered these: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01CJE1CV0/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Conversion time!

 

[HK_sends]

I finally got my Icarus III shipping notice! Should be seeing them on Monday. Looking forward to it.

Cheers!
-HK sends

 

[HK_sends]

Listening to my Icarus III (stock config...haven't rolled anything) with the balanced cable and this adapter:

https://www.amazon.com/Balanced-Female-Hi-end-Headphone-Adapter/dp/B072SWWZJ9?tag=viglink21084-20

It's only been about an hour but I am liking what I am hearing over the Masters...so far...AND, I confirmed the 3.5mm balanced Icarus III cable (and the above adapter) will play with the Masters as well. I'm using a FiiO X5iii as a balanced source.

Time to roll some tips and filters!

Cheers!
-HK sends

P.S. - No frays on the cables I received. If yours are frayed, customer service may be able to help....
P.P.S. - Now, I'm just waiting on the Icarus IV...

 

[redryder]

Listening to my Icarus III (stock config...haven't rolled anything) with the balanced cable and this adapter:

https://www.amazon.com/Balanced-Female-Hi-end-Headphone-Adapter/dp/B072SWWZJ9?tag=viglink21084-20

It's only been about an hour but I am liking what I am hearing over the Masters...so far...AND, I confirmed the 3.5mm balanced Icarus III cable (and the above adapter) will play with the Masters as well. I'm using a FiiO X5iii as a balanced source.

Time to roll some tips and filters!

Hi, I'm new to this balanced cable concept. My Icarus iii came with two sets of cables but I thought they were duplicates. So is one of them balanced and the other not? How do I distinguish them apart? And does it matter if I don't have a balanced source?

 

[rr12267]

Hi, I'm new to this balanced cable concept. My Icarus iii came with two sets of cables but I thought they were duplicates. So is one of them balanced and the other not? How do I distinguish them apart? And does it matter if I don't have a balanced source?

Looking at the connector SE will have 1 ring and balanced will have 2 rings.

SE tip/ring/sleeve
Balanced tip/ring/ring/sleeve

 

[redryder]

Looking at the connector SE will have 1 ring and balanced will have 2 rings.

SE tip/ring/sleeve
Balanced tip/ring/ring/sleeve

Thanks. Do I have to use the balanced cable with a balanced source/amp or it doesn't matter?

 

[HK_sends]

Hi, I'm new to this balanced cable concept. My Icarus iii came with two sets of cables but I thought they were duplicates. So is one of them balanced and the other not? How do I distinguish them apart? And does it matter if I don't have a balanced source?

Look at the plugs of the cables. One will have plugs with two little black rings separating the tip, a small metal ring, and the sleeve at the base of the plug; that's the "unbalanced" cable. The other has three black rings on both plugs...this is your balanced cable (it has the tip, two metal rings, and sleeve). Balanced output can only come from a source (such as a Digital Audio Player) that supports a balanced output (like my FiiO X5iii). If you don't have a balanced output on your source, don't bother using the balanced cable, it won't work.

The big "issue" with the Icarus III balanced cable connectors is they are both the same size (3.5mm) which is not a "typical" plug size on a portable sound source...it's normally 2.5mm...definitely a problem if you want to listen to balanced sound. That's why there was an adapter discussion several posts up and why I bought the adapter I mentioned.

Lastly...as for sound...are you going to miss anything by not using balanced? That's probably an answer only your ears could tell you; but I might suggest that if you are already enjoying the sound you are getting from the music player you have (even if it is "unbalanced"), you should be just fine with the Icarus III. While I've noticed real differences in soundstage and instrument separation on full size headphones, today was the first time I ever tried a "balanced" IEM. I didn't hear as dramatic a difference as full size cans but only had the chance to listen a short time.

Look at the bright side, it's nice to know the option for balanced listening is there!

Hope this helped a little. Please understand this is all IMHO and YMMV!

Cheers and Happy Listening!
-HK sends

P.S. - The more commonly used term for an "unbalanced" plug is "Single-Ended"

*Edited to synch with rr12267's post...

 

[rr12267]

Thanks. Do I have to use the balanced cable with a balanced source/amp or it doesn't matter?

Yes balanced cable goes with balanced source.

 

[redryder]

Look at the tips of the cables. One will have tips with two little black rings; that's the "unbalanced" cable. The other has three black rings on both tips...this is your balanced cable. Balanced output can only come from a source (Digital Audio Player) that supports a balanced output (like my FiiO X5iii). If you don't have a balanced output on your source, don't bother using the balanced cable, it won't work.

The big "issue" with the Icarus II balanced cable connectors is they are both the same size (3.5mm) which is not a "typical" plug size on a portable sound source...it's normally 2.5mm...definitely a problem if you want to listen to balanced sound. That's why there was an adapter discussion several posts up and why I bought the adapter I mentioned.

Lastly...as for sound...are you going to miss anything by not using balanced? That's probably an answer only your ears could tell you; but I might suggest that if you are already enjoying the sound you are getting from the music player you have (even if it is "unbalanced"), you should be just fine with the Icarus III. While I've noticed real differences in soundstage and instrument separation on full size headphones, today was the first time I ever tried a "balanced" IEM. I didn't hear as dramatic a difference as full size cans but only had the chance to listen a short time.

Look at the bright side, it's nice to know the option for balanced listening is there!

Hope this helped a little. Please understand this is all IMHO and YMMV!

Cheers and Happy Listening!
-HK sends

You answered all my questions, thanks! I was wondering why the Icarus III had such a weird design with the female plug on the end, this explains it!