What the $^&# heck is it?.........iFi iEMatch!

[iFi audio]

The Geshelli Labs Erish headphone amplifier only has a balanced 4-pin XLR out. Used in conjunction with a 4-Pin XLR to 3.5mm balanced female 4-pole adapter, will the iFi iEMatch 3.5mm convert the balanced signal to SE so that I can listen to my SE (3.5mm cable) headphones with the Erish?

It won't work.

 

[antdroid]

@iFi audio now that you guys have a few 4.4mm products out there, are you planning to release a 4.4mm IEMatch?

 

[Joe Bloggs]

The Geshelli Labs Erish headphone amplifier only has a balanced 4-pin XLR out. Used in conjunction with a 4-Pin XLR to 3.5mm balanced female 4-pole adapter, will the iFi iEMatch 3.5mm convert the balanced signal to SE so that I can listen to my SE (3.5mm cable) headphones with the Erish?

If a balanced amplifier cannot suffer having its negative poles for the two channels tied together (by an adaptor reckoning that they are both the SE ground), it cannot be done, no matter by what device.

iFi S-balanced ports CAN have their two negative poles tied together with little ill effect other than becoming much like SE in circuit layout, because S-balanced has voltage swings only on the positive pole of each channel (the 2 "negative" poles grounding these two amps separately, thus maintaining the perfect separation of balanced output).

Most other balanced ports CANNOT have their two negative poles tied together.

@iFi audio now that you guys have a few 4.4mm products out there, are you planning to release a 4.4mm IEMatch?

There's an idea

 

[mattris]

It won't work.

That's a shame. I wonder, what is the result of using the iEMatch - set to 'SE' mode - plugged into a balanced 3.5mm connection, using a SE 3.5mm headphone?

 

[iFi audio]

That's a shame. I wonder, what is the result of using the iEMatch - set to 'SE' mode - plugged into a balanced 3.5mm connection, using a SE 3.5mm headphone?

You have a PM

 

[gatorengineer]

The Geshelli Labs Erish headphone amplifier only has a balanced 4-pin XLR out. Used in conjunction with a 4-Pin XLR to 3.5mm balanced female 4-pole adapter, will the iFi iEMatch 3.5mm convert the balanced signal to SE so that I can listen to my SE (3.5mm cable) headphones with the Erish?

I would like to know the answer to this as well.... I have full sized and earbuds, and would love to use this with my buds.

 

[mattris]

I would like to know the answer to this as well.... I have full sized and earbuds, and would love to use this with my buds.

ifi confirmed with me that the iEMatch does not convert a balanced (3.5mm) signal to SE to listen to regular (3.5mm cable) headphones with the Erish.

Contrary to popular belief, I can confirm that 'balanced connection to SE connection' adapters do exist... and work perfectly. I presume they use only the positive (+) left and right signals. The one I got came from an eBay seller in China and was named "2.5mm TRRS Balanced Male to 3.5mm Stereo Female". If you need one that takes an amplifier's XLR-out, it will need to be an adapter or cable called "XLR Balanced Male to 3.5mm Stereo Female".

The Erish is great, but you'll need to get a proper balanced DAC (at least 4V) to take full advantage of its potential.

 

[iFi audio]

ifi confirmed with me that the iEMatch does not convert a balanced (3.5mm) signal to SE to listen to regular (3.5mm cable) headphones with the Erish.

That's true, yes

 

[zombywoof]

Received my iEMatch today. Using it with iPod Classic - LOD - JDS Labs C5 - SE846. Works very, very well. I have had the SE846 about two weeks and had been primarily using them with my desktop rig (Magni3). The OI mismatch between my portable rig and the 846 destroyed the sweet sound of the 846. The iEMatch did the trick. The bass came alive and the sparkle is back. Good product for my specific application.

 

[iFi audio]

Received my iEMatch today. Using it with iPod Classic - LOD - JDS Labs C5 - SE846. Works very, very well. I have had the SE846 about two weeks and had been primarily using them with my desktop rig (Magni3). The OI mismatch between my portable rig and the 846 destroyed the sweet sound of the 846. The iEMatch did the trick. The bass came alive and the sparkle is back. Good product for my specific application.

Thanks! And yup, we got feedback oin the past that iEMatch does really well with SE846. Enjoy!

 

[rodel808]

Looks like there's a new iematch.
Don't know what's the difference from the previous version besides the cable being used.

https://ifi-audio.com/products/iemp/

 

[HuoYuanJia]

Looks like there's a new iematch.
Don't know what's the difference from the previous version besides the cable being used.

https://ifi-audio.com/products/iemp/

Awesome, thank you!

Mine oxidized and has a ugly green color now. Good accessory to have, I’ll probably get the new one too!

 

[Sebastien Chiu]

Looks like there's a new iematch.
Don't know what's the difference from the previous version besides the cable being used.

https://ifi-audio.com/products/iemp/

Official thread on this coming tomorrow!

Awesome, thank you!

Mine oxidized and has a ugly green color now. Good accessory to have, I’ll probably get the new one too!

Yay! Do post up impressions when you grab it

 

[HuoYuanJia]

Yay! Do post up impressions when you grab it

Any chance you can guide me to where it’s available in Germany?

 

[Sebastien Chiu]

Any chance you can guide me to where it’s available in Germany?

I'll check in on this and get back to you!