[Dawnrazor]

It seems like the headphone manufacturers are saying balanced is not a big deal because lots are SE. But my amp for instance The Liquid Platinum basically says dont even bother listening single ended. But my best headphones are only se and I doubt I will mod them. What gives?

 

[LithosZA]

It's because single-ended is superior. https://benchmarkmedia.com/blogs/application_notes/audio-myth-balanced-headphone-outputs-are-better

 

[SilverEars]

It seems like the headphone manufacturers are saying balanced is not a big deal because lots are SE. But my amp for instance The Liquid Platinum basically says dont even bother listening single ended. But my best headphones are only se and I doubt I will mod them. What gives?

It's because Cavalli gimped the SE. I don't know why he does this and provided the SE? What is the damn point? I don't know any other amp manufacturer gimps the SE if they provide it. This is so stupid.

 

[Dawnrazor]

It's because single-ended is superior. https://benchmarkmedia.com/blogs/application_notes/audio-myth-balanced-headphone-outputs-are-better

yeah I read that a while ago. Not sure I buy it.

 

[Kammerat Rebekka]

There’s no difference in sound quality
Balanced drive is only for professional use. It’s for keeping the signal free from outside interference like the multitude of other amps and gear that’s turned on in the recording studio...or if you fancy running your cables through a Metallica concert before they reach your headphone..then you may just find that balanced drive weeds out a little noise.
It’s the new snake-oil and folks seem to be buying it hook, line and sinker.

 

[Sam Spade]

I get a lot more headroom out of my burson conductor 3X ref and Astell & Kern SP1000M with balanced cables. Not that i need it with the burson. But the SP1000M handles Audeze LCD3s just fine. I'm expecting it will even drive my new LCD4s in balanced configuration.

My CX3 ref is in my main system and has a fully balanced CD and power amp. The XLR connectors are a dream compared to using RCAs and quality pro XLR balanced microphone cables are better quality and so much cheaper than audiofool RCAs with the special fairy dust and flux capacitors.

My chord Qutest DAC into Sparko Aries head/pre amp in my home office are both single ended and are awesome.

 

[HipHopScribe]

Generally speaking balanced is pointless for headphones. With some very efficient IEMs it might actually be worse depending on the amp. If you have very inefficient headphones a specific amp may only have enough power from its balanced output, but of course there are many many single ended amps with more than enough power for any headphone you throw at them.

I would guess most of the time that people claim to hear a difference it's a volume matching issue making the balanced sound better because it's louder or it's confirmation bias.

It is also possible that it's an amp issue, the single-ended output on some amp may be noticeably worse than the balanced output. But that more of an indictment of the designer than it is an indication that balanced is inherently superior.

 

[gimmeheadroom]

How did you decide most headphones are not balanced? Any headphone with a double-entry cable can be run balanced.

 

[HipHopScribe]

How did you decide most headphones are not balanced? Any headphone with a double-entry cable can be run balanced.

This is true 99% of the time, but it should be noted that there are some dual entry headphones that can't run balanced without modiciation, like the Avantone Pro Planar, NAD Viso HP50 and I think one V-Moda model. There might be more out there.

 

[SilverEars]

I have heard amps that SE sounds worse, and no wonder people develop predjudices through experience. Science will tell you if both are properly implimented, no difference. Which does seem reasonable, but don't automatically rule out designers gimping the SE. I have experience it being so obvious.

And the point about volume matched is important because balanced will provide 4 times the power output and this can realkly make a difference in terms of headphone drivability and fletcher and munson curve.

 

[Sam Spade]

It seems like the headphone manufacturers are saying balanced is not a big deal because lots are SE. But my amp for instance The Liquid Platinum basically says dont even bother listening single ended. But my best headphones are only se and I doubt I will mod them. What gives?

The biggest pain is needing 2 sets of cables if you have single ended and balanced sources. But i wanted a 5m cable for my lounge room anyway so that was going to be custom. And i needed a bananced 2.5mm for my A&K. Custom too. And the single ended stock cable with the LCD4s is good quality. It sucks that manufacturers can't come up with and follow a standard configutation at the amp and headphone end.

 

[NickMimi]

To answer your question, balanced is not a commodity required for the consumer market, it is a pro audio connection which made sense for that environment. As more consumers decide they “prefer” balanced, more manufacturers will eventually provide it as standard fare especially if consumers are willing to pay For it or demand for SE goes down or away.

 

[Sam Spade]

To answer your question, balanced is not a commodity required for the consumer market, it is a pro audio connection which made sense for that environment. As more consumers decide they “prefer” balanced, more manufacturers will eventually provide it as standard fare especially if consumers are willing to pay For it or demand for SE goes down or away.

Perhaps but 2.5mm 4.4mm and 4 pin XLR all are balanced and different. Contrast 2 for single ended. 3.5 and 6.3 with plenty of adapters in either direction. And then the numerous different connectors at the headphone end.

 

[NickMimi]

Perhaps but 2.5mm 4.4mm and 4 pin XLR all are balanced and different. Contrast 2 for single ended. 3.5 and 6.3 with plenty of adapters in either direction. And then the numerous different connectors at the headphone end.

Yes, and 2.5 and 4.4mm are common on portable units due to their smaller size, no disagreement on that. The standard continues to be 3.5 and 6.3 SE as it was once determined cheapest? Best use? For consumer market many years ago. Sorry, I’m no expert. Just saying as balanced is asked for more by the market it will make its way there possibly as more standard.

 

[Sam Spade]

Yes, and 2.5 and 4.4mm are common on portable units due to their smaller size, no disagreement on that. The standard continues to be 3.5 and 6.3 SE as it was once determined cheapest? Best use? For consumer market many years ago. Sorry, I’m no expert. Just saying as balanced is asked for more by the market it will make its way there possibly as more standard.

Hopefully. Now I'm set up with multiple audeze its a real disincentive to try other brands. I'd love to try the Senn HD820. But i hear they leak a lot more sound than my LCDxc.

The industry managed to agree on a CD standard. And DVD, BLU ray etc

I suspect it's possible balanced is advantageous with my burson as a stereo and audio preamp with the tangle of cables and 7 electronic devices in play plus internet and TV FM AM DAB+ antenna cables. And maybe for my 5m headphone cable.

But it wasn't a deal breaker i went SE with the Qutest and Sparko Aries in my home office.

But like i said for hifi components the professional microphone XLR cables are substantially cheaper and easier to use than RCAs.