Thank you. I appreciate your help.
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I have been bitten by the balanced connection bug. Recently bought 2 balanced amps (Schiit Jotunheim with a separate Bifrost Multibit DAC and Sennheiser HDV 820) and am using them with the 4 headphones I have with balanced terminations (HD650, HD660S, HD800S and Focal CLEAR). My experience to share with our group is that balanced cables can really, honestly, truly produce a dramatic improvement in sound quality. The most notable enhancement Iāve noticed is with the HD650, where there is an absolutely huge difference with the Cardas Cross cable (maybe 25-33%) and to a lesser (but still substantial) degree with Sennheiserās stock cable. My question for the community, please, is this. Which specific headphones do you think get the most improvement from a balanced connection? Thanksā¦Lee
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Since a balanced connection offers two technical benefits over a single-ended connection, itās largely going to be those headphones which can take the biggest advantage of those technical improvements.
Specifically, a ābalancedā connection should have completely separate signal paths for each channel, rather than the shared ground that you get with a single-ended headphone connection. And if itās a ābalanced differentialā amplifier feeding them, then youād expect to have twice as much power on hand as well.
So, headphones that benefit from more power will generally fair better with a balanced differential output. Things like the LCD-4, Abyss AB-1266 Phi CC, HE-6, Susvara are four definite examples there ā¦ though there are plenty more. Though, of course, if you have, say, 2 watts in SE mode, and 2 watts in BAL mode (i.e. not differential), this difference will not be there.
And then the effect of having completely separate left/right channels, with no shared ground, means less cross-talk which, depending on what level it was at to being with, will give a better stage, allow resolution of more detail and reduce smearing of micro-dynamics. The more competent dynamic headphones will really benefit here, and the more resolving they are the more likely you are to hear a real difference. So things like the entire Focal line, the HD8XX and HD6XX, almost any IEM, most electrostatics, and really anything that does micro-dynamics and resolution well to begin with.
Note, something like the Jotunheim is balanced-differential, so you get both the power and totally separate channel drive there, where as, say, the iFi Nano iDSD Black Label only has the separate channels, so it doesnāt get the benefit of more power.
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Thanks Torq. Insightful and helpfulāas always.
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I concur about the benefits for the HD-600 family. My HD-600s were utterly transformed by a $20 eBay balanced cable. I concur with @Torq and have had similar experiences. There were big benefits for the Focal Elex, and my HE-560s sound fantastic on balanced.
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you knowā¦I have balance cables for the Elex and I never used them with them specificallyā¦I went right to the clears with themā¦I will have to remedy that tonight! 
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I have the HE560 to and like them alot (with Cardas Cross cable on the Schiit Lyr2). So maybe Iāll give them a try on balanced. What cable do you use?
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Factory. The 2nd edition (gray metallic plastic housing) shipped with XLR-4 and single ended cables. I havenāt used the singled ended cable much.
Pick one also.
I also bought from, to complete the other connections
https://www.veclan.com/engappliance_sel_one?eng_ApplianceVo.eac_id=36
3.5 TRRS to 4PIN XLR
4.4 to 4PIN XLR
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Potato quality but @generic Iāll be giving these a go tonight.
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Iād rather have performance than looks. To me better to spend $$$ on high quality components
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Iām usually that way also, function over formā¦but I do also like how certain things look 
these are Periapt cables, big fan, plus their Customer support is awesome!
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definitely something iāll consider once i upgrade my dac/amp from just the mojo
in a few months.
i wasnāt aware of the reasoning behind balanced vs unbalanced, only, like
many others that a good balanced approach āsounds betterā
i found this youtube video from PS Audioās Paul McGowan helpful.
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Bear in mind that what ābalancedā means for interconnects (and sources/amps) is a bit different to what it means for headphones and headphone cables.
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thanks Torq (as always)ā¦iām still learning this and putting all the dots together
ā¦so i appreciate your patience if i ever forward āincompleteā info
this said, for those watching this, feel free to send me some links on helpful info.
i was reading that not only are balanced cables important but the ampās circuitry has to be
truly balanced, too. (or something like thatā¦)
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Paul McGowan is a quirky kind of guy in a good way. I was looking at a video of i2s last night of his. He is extremely knowledgeable and tries hard to keep it down to earth so guys like me have a shot of understanding it.
I appreciate your your video link. It has me rethinking balanced vs non balanced again.
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yes he sure isā¦
i know this is off topic but as an aside PS Audio is developing their own line of speakers (see their ālistening room seriesā
as they build/reno their listening roomā¦shows the 7ā speakermonsters that paul and his crew currently listen to)ā¦wow!.)
i contacted them a few months agoā¦for now there will be 3 sets of speakers, all at nose bleed prices unfortunately, all with servo driversā¦should be out in fall of 2019
ā¦1st series will be in the US$20-30k rangeā¦2nd series in the $50-70k rangeā¦and then the $80-100k rangeā¦of course these prices can change in futureā¦but howād you like to listen to those puppies?
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talk/rationalization with better half:
āāhoney weāve been talking about using the equity from our place and downsizing anyway, right?
our new 10x30 trailer park home will be the new trendy ājapanese reductionistā designā¦and so what if the audio takes up 30% of the spaceā¦the sound will be worth itā¦no please donāt dial the divorce lawyerā¦put the phone downā¦āā
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Ian
Maybe some where in between your wedding preparations, vows or honeymoon.
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