[Bengkia369]

I'm using a AK240 and a Opus#2 both daps can run balance with the 2.5mm plug.
IEMs are JVC HA-FW02, Ck100pro and Inears SD2.
Do you think I should upgrade to run balance and does it really sounds a lot better?!

 

[daulagiri]

Hi, first post here in headfi

Yes, go balanced. You won't regret it. I don't hear much difference first time switching to balanced cable, but now I can't go back.

There is something missing when I listen on single ended. Maybe just placebo, but for me its real.

 

[Thx1326]

Question on the 2.5 balanced vs 3.5.... I have seen adapters that have a 2.5mm male with a 3.5mm female which supposedly allow you to run your 3.5mm as balanced? Is this for real or snake oil? Don't the headphones themselves have to have balanced circuitry?

 

[ajaxender]

Question on the 2.5 balanced vs 3.5.... I have seen adapters that have a 2.5mm male with a 3.5mm female which supposedly allow you to run your 3.5mm as balanced? Is this for real or snake oil? Don't the headphones themselves have to have balanced circuitry?

Sort of. A balanced circuit has a ground (negative) channel for each positive channel (left and right). A standard unbalanced circuit has just one ground that works for both. So its reasonably straightforward to convert between the two - but the whole circuit has to be balanced to get the whole effect of being balanced. Possibly, you may find balanced devices that won't work nicely with this, but I have not had such an experience.
Mostly it's just an easy way to let you use the balanced output of a device - perhaps the only output, or if a device has both then often the balanced is superior *on that device* because it's a selling point, regardless of any possible benefits of a fully balanced circuit - without having to replace a cable, or with IEMs or headphones with fixed cables. You can also do the reverse, where if you have balanced cables on your gear you can just add an adaptor to use them with an unbalanced source instead of having to switch the cables out.