what headphones do you own thread - i own dt150's :)
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It must do, if it looks better it surely must sound better
I will be interested to hear a more sensible answer though.
I would also like to know more about these cables, NP - particularly those on your LCDs, and how they compare to Audeze's stock
I just want to state before I go any further that I don't believe expensive cables make any audible difference to the sound profile of a headphone (copper making things sound 'warmer' or silver making things sound 'brighter'...). As long as you are getting a signal from your source to your headphone without any unwanted noise and it isn't of some stupidly high impedance then it's all good.
So does balanced sound better than unbalanced?
Hmm, I have to say I'm not sure (crappy answer I know). I agree with what both rids57 and TwsT have said in regards to the objective performance of balanced vs unbalanced signals in that it's largely useless for a headphone out. The practical benefits would be inaudible for the most part. The only real noticeable difference would be that the balanced output would sound louder due to having twice the voltage swing compared to a unbalanced output.
So then it just sounds the same but louder?
Not quite. What I've found is that the internal circuits for amplifiers that have both unbalanced and balanced outputs tend to use rather different designs depending on what output is being driven (note that this isn't always the case and there are some designs which just give a balanced output for the sake of having a balanced out).
My BMC PureDAC is a pretty good example of this. They have actually said that their unbalanced implementation is not that great and that if you are wanting to drive headphones, use the balanced out. If you look at the specs, the unbalanced output has an impedance of around 100 Ohms (lol) as well as built in crossfeed which you cannot turn off (again, lol).
Now you could kind of chalk this up to poor/lazy circuit design (I have the feeling it may have been gimped on purpose since BMC are now releasing the UltraDAC which has 'magically fixed' those issues with the unbalanced out...). Nevertheless, there is quite the noticeable difference in the output sound signature when switching between the two different outputs (think muddy/uncontrolled bass and all the oddities of crossfeed on the unbalanced out versus a fairly clean/unmolested sound from the balanced out).
The above is perhaps a bit of an exaggerated difference but I hope it does serve to illustrate that whether a balanced or unbalanced output sounds different/better is largely down to the circuit design of your source gear. The Auralic Taurus for instance does sound slightly different when running balanced (a more 'neutral' sound) compared to the unbalanced out (seems a bit more lush/thick sounding in the lower mids), but the difference isn't huge.
So, TLDR: Balanced cables don't really do jack, but amplifier design does certainly make a difference to the output sound.
As a side note, I will say that running balanced interconnects between my DAC and amp have definitely helped to eliminate some of the unwanted noise (probably still a ground loop issue somewhere in my system) in my source chain. The noise floor is pretty much dead silent when running a fully balanced system whereas you can hear a very slight hiss when running just dual RCA's.
Sorry if the above is poorly written, I've just got back from dinner and I may have had a few too many.
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Your answer makes perfect sense Ninja and is kinda what I was expecting you to say to be honest.
From my experience and limited theory of pro audio one of the big reasons for balanced connections is noise rejection/cancellation. However in the couple of feet from your amp to headphones it shouldn't make much difference.
In pro audio the signal path tends to be balanced - although most sources aren't balanced but converted to balanced to run distances - but the feed from the amp to the speakers are not, the equivalent of your headphone cable.
I think you've hit the nail on the head that it's likely to be far more to do with the design of the amp rather than the connection/output type.
(Hope my rambling makes some sense, probably way past my posting bedtime
)
Cheers, NP
So there's no difference in terms of frequency response compared to stock cables? I didn't think there would be - audiophile snake oil syndrome, and all that - but I'd recently read so many "OMG it's much moar better!!" 'reviews' from purchasers of other aftermarket cables that I'd begun to doubt my skepticism.
Having said that, the black and purple ones look awesome, and I'm teetering on the apex of the money/sense ratio at the moment, so: where did you get 'em from?
So there's no difference in terms of frequency response compared to stock cables? I didn't think there would be - audiophile snake oil syndrome, and all that - but I'd recently read so many "OMG it's much moar better!!" 'reviews' from purchasers of other aftermarket cables that I'd begun to doubt my skepticism.
Having said that, the black and purple ones look awesome, and I'm teetering on the apex of the money/sense ratio at the moment, so: where did you get 'em from?
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Cheers, NP
So there's no difference in terms of frequency response compared to stock cables? I didn't think there would be - audiophile snake oil syndrome, and all that - but I'd recently read so many "OMG it's much moar better!!" 'reviews' from purchasers of other aftermarket cables that I'd begun to doubt my skepticism.
Having said that, the black and purple ones look awesome, and I'm teetering on the apex of the money/sense ratio at the moment, so: where did you get 'em from?
Nope. No difference in the FR between the stock or aftermarket cables. The audiophile world is chock full of snake oil and magic... Heck there are companies trying to sell you mega buck USB cables that will 'improve' the sound of or even worse, the all mighty cable lifters (facepalm)...
If you don't have any issues with the stock Audeze cable (I found it to be a bit too long and easy to tangle) and have no need for a different termination, don't bother getting a different cable.
I got these cables from http://www.bestintheversecables.com/
Zach (the guy who makes the cables) is a decent guy to deal with and he is also an active member on reddit (which was where I found out about his cables).
I paid $79 USD + shipping for a 6ft balanced Audeze cable.
That's brilliant, thanks
Yeah, the stock Audeze is a bit long for my setup, and I really like the look of these [most other twisted replacement cables on offer look like they've been nicked from an NHS hearing aid from the 70s]. Good price too!
Yeah, the stock Audeze is a bit long for my setup, and I really like the look of these [most other twisted replacement cables on offer look like they've been nicked from an NHS hearing aid from the 70s]. Good price too!
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Hmm I think it might be getting reworked, you could try contacting Zach if you are on reddit (/u/BestintheVerse) if you are really wanting a cable.
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Creative Aurvana Live!, rope mod, custom magnetic mic boom with Speedlink SPES attached for mic.
Beyerdynamic T70:
It's a pretty unusual headphone and not that common, but I like it a lot, good soundstage for a closed headphone, decent enough bass and great clarity. Opinions on it are very mixed, but I found it comparable to the T90 which many consider the best headphone behind the T1. I might get the T1 at some point in future.
PC360:
Because clip-on microphones are really annoying.
I've got some DT770's too and RHA MA750i (and Shure SE215) for my phone.
It's a pretty unusual headphone and not that common, but I like it a lot, good soundstage for a closed headphone, decent enough bass and great clarity. Opinions on it are very mixed, but I found it comparable to the T90 which many consider the best headphone behind the T1. I might get the T1 at some point in future.
PC360:
Because clip-on microphones are really annoying.
I've got some DT770's too and RHA MA750i (and Shure SE215) for my phone.
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Yeah I can't say I've been a huge fan of the Beyers recent Tesla range though I haven't tried the T70. The T1 is hit and miss, I've heard an ok one and I've also heard a terribad one (driver variability seemed to be a big issue with the earlier runs). The T90 I thought was even worse (somehow they made it even brighter/harsher than the T1...).
Personally I still think the DT 880 is probably Beyers best open back headphone that they produce (tonally it's a slightly colder sounding T1 with a less expansive sound stage).
But hey everyone has their own preferences
Personally I still think the DT 880 is probably Beyers best open back headphone that they produce (tonally it's a slightly colder sounding T1 with a less expansive sound stage).
But hey everyone has their own preferences