BruxSC

BruxSC OP t1_ixhz9qk wrote

It is cool for the novelty 👍🏼

Also for me specifically, just with the way my workbench / desk is set up, I'm more likely to use a headphone that can be ran balanced than I would one that isn't. But again, that's very specific to me.

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BruxSC OP t1_ixhx2of wrote

As I mentioned to someone else in the thread.

  1. It's fun to play around with / with the way my stuff is set up, I'll use the headphones more if I can hook them up to my balanced interconnects, but that's just specific to me.

  2. I've had a lot of people ask me about it over the lifetime of the 560S headphones existing, so I figured there'd be some amount of people interested.

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BruxSC OP t1_ixhwobh wrote

The basic benefits of a balanced connection are:

  1. More power. In most general "balanced" setups, you end up with two discrete amplifiers powering each cup of the headphone, rather than one powering both. Generally this results in more power going to the headphones.

  2. Less noise. By nature of the way things are wired in a balanced set up, things are less susceptible to "noise".

But please note that for the vast majority of headphone applications, noise is not really a concern because the distances signals are being ran are so short, and in most cases (such as this one, which many other pedants in this thread have kindly pointed out lol) the extra power is not needed.

In the case of the Sundaras, you may find yourself wanting more power than what your phone / laptop / whatever you're using provides, but there are plenty of single ended (unbalanced) amplifier options that would do the job just fine, even if the balanced options are neat / fun to play around with.

Hope that made sense.

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BruxSC OP t1_ixhvctu wrote

Unfortunately you're mistaken.

I think you're confusing "Single Ended" with "Single Entry".

Single Entry != Single Ended

As long as the headphones are not wired internally with the grounds tied together (Which in this case the HD560S is not), there's nothing preventing a single entry headphone from being ran balanced.

The only thing making the HD560s Single ended (unbalanced) is the cable / source. If you have the right connector (a 4 pole locking connector that fits the headphone), and wire it right, you're in balanced capable territory, just need a balanced source and the right connector going to the source.

Other examples of balanced capable "Single Entry" headphones would be the Fostex T60RPs, Modhouse's Balanced Argons, Hifiman DEVA, Beyerdynamic DT177X GOs, The new Hifiman headphones with the ridiculous cups (Can't think of the name, but boy can I picture the hideous things, they're a metallic red) that can take a balanced single entry connection etc.

Hope that info helps / makes sense. As someone else linked elsewhere in the thread, Sennheiser themselves have confirmed these headphones are balanced capable. That way you don't even need to believe / trust me.

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BruxSC OP t1_ixf0ife wrote

I've been on the lookout for a 4 pole locking 2.5mm connector for almost two years now I think. Finally was able to get ahold of some recently!

I really like these headphones. Very comfortable, they sound great, and are at a reasonable price point which is always a big deal for me. Being able to run a single entry headphone balanced is underrated I think, especially when considering casual or entry level enthusiasts.

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