Your amp would go boom.
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What he said. Bad idea. You are doing exactly what is shown above - creating a short. This will do bad things.
On XLR connections, because both + and - are always assumed to be actively driven for each channel, you cannot just shunt one to ground or tie these connections together. Harm will come.
The only way to do this safely would be to convert the output via transformers, similar to how this device works:
https://www.jensen-transformers.com/product/pc-2xr/
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Hello all!
The type of headphone I am looking for is: full-size headphone, preferably closed. Could be open if it doesn’t leak a ton of sound, since I’ll be using it in an office with 6 other people. I own the HiFiMAN RE-400 and I really like their sound signature, though they can sound a bit dry and too revealing for some genres. I’d love something that retains their level of detail, their mids, and their fast and tight bass, but maybe have a bit more bass quantity.
My price range is: up to $400, but I’d rather stay around $250 so that I can have some cash to buy a DAC and an amp if the headphones require it.
I like to listen to: lots of 70s, 80s, and 90s rock, lots of jazz and classical, some hip hop, EDM, and R&B, little bit of pop here and there.
I will be using them: at the office, as I mentioned before, to listen to music while I work.
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Hi @Alejandro_Arias_Mart , welcome to the forum!
Out of interest, what is your source going to be? It sounds like you don’t have a DAC or amp, so are you currently using a phone or DAP?
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Welcome to the forum!
I always enjoyed the m40x and add zmf pads. I had cowhide but I don’t know if you can still get cowhide. It won’t break the bank lol.
Also like the cooler Master mh751. Gaming headphone but it’s comfy and decent sound for price. Just don’t use the mic, leave it detached.
Also you could try to find a used focal Elegia. That’s close to your max price tho.
Another option is the porta pros with yaxi pads. Not full size but punch above their price. Love mine.
Is that Jensen gadget similar to the Decware ZBIT (albeit no gain) and ampsandsound add on input transformer.
I currently have no external DAC or amp, I use my phone (Pixel 4 XL) and computer (MacBook Pro) to power my IEMs right now since the RE-400s are pretty easy to drive.
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They appear to be the same thing to me. I don’t know if Justin uses Jensen Transformers or not. Probably different in that regard. The zbit appears to have a potentiometer in the mix as well to control output levels. All in all, they appear to be variations on the same process.
As for input transformers inside his amplifiers, that’s kinda different… only not. The same process is occurring: take a signal and pass it through a transformer. This provides electrical isolation and helps defeat ground loops and EMI/RFI issues, but he may/may not be deriving a single ended signal from the output. I don’t know how his amps are wired for that.
As for how these boxes work, Decware has a good diagram on their site for the zbit:
- Balanced input goes into the transformer,
- Transformer output is 1:1. (It’s not making the signal any bigger or smaller.)
- One end of the transformer output is then sent through a potentiometer for volume control…
- which then drives the box’s RCA output…
- while the other side of the transformer output is sent to ground, creating a single ended output.
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Here’s a Canadian alternative widely used in Pro world:
They also have a budget option with their own transformers:
I have a Pro D2 myself and play with it every now and then. And here’s a version with an attenuator:
They do have active stuff as well. Too bad it’s not battery operated. It’s tailored for mixing consoles where there is phantom power (48V).
An active box like this would be a killer interface in converting from SE RCA to balanced XLR. This is all in theory, of course. 
Hope that helps. 
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I have the ampsandsound input transformer box connected between my Aurender A10 server and Kenzie Encore amp. I was thinking of adding one of these transformers to my preamp for connection to the second Kenzie Encore input. The preamp manages my tube buffer, and two DACs. The ampsandsound box is a pretty simple rig. XLR in to two can shaped input transformers, to RCA out. All of the above is contained in a small black box. The Kenzie Encore did not have factory input transformers installed. I added the box later.
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@Alejandro_Arias_Mart , I’m just “bumping” your question because it got lost in the discussion on XLR to RCA converters.
Unfortunately I don’t have much experience of closed headphones in your price range, but in addition to the answers from @Rhodey and others, you might want to look at the What headphones do you have in your collection and why? thread to see what people have ended up with.
I also found a thread by @SenyorC on closed back headphones that might be useful.
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In this price range I would look at the Blessing 2 dusk IEM if you are open to that instead of a closed back.
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@Alejandro_Arias_Mart listen to @mfadio
At this price the dusk + qudelix 5k will be a stellar closed back option.
All closed backs leak more sound than iems. Trust me, my wife’s sensitive ears tell me frequently.
If you really want a good office closed back that needs no separate amping: audeze mobius, but I honestly find the dusk to be more enjoyable (preferences may change that)
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I’m not really open to IEMs, mostly because I’m already pretty happy with my RE-400s’ sound signature but I don’t find them comfortable enough to use for extended periods of time. I’ve owned different models and different brands of IEMs since 2010, and have never really found any that were truly comfy. I’m pretty sure my ears are shaped weirdly lol. I’m gonna buy some Comply tips for my RE-400s as a final attempt to make them comfortable, since lots of people recommend them.
@Dynamic that’s actually the headphone I’m looking at right now! I’m trying to get it for around $180 used and in seemingly excellent conditions. I think that’d be a pretty sweet deal!
There are tons of tips. What is uncomfortable for you? And what have you tried? (Comply are not the most comfortable for me). I ask because I have now tried several dozen tips to solve comfort. I also struggle with inflammation due to allergies and at least one weird canal.
For that price, it is hard to beat! The only other headphone I genuinely like in the under $400 price range so far is the sundara. And it doesn’t fit your use case. I haven’t tried a ton of stuff in that range though.
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@Alejandro_Arias_Mart I can’t comment on the Mobius as I haven’t tried them, however, based on you liking the sound signature of the RE-400, a couple of options you could try out are:
AKG K361 - this has less bass than the K371 and is more similar to the FR of the RE400 but you may find the same issue of it being a little bass shy for some stuff. The positive thing is that you can find them almost anywhere through Amazon with easy return policy if you don’t like them. They are also cheap. I personally prefer the K371 overall but the K361 is a way of reducing that bass a little.
Beyerdynamic Custom Studio - I don’t know if these are still easily available or not, especially if you are in the US. I prefer them to the AKGs mentioned above and the bass slider lets you easily adjust bass quantity to your liking track by track without EQ (the bass slider actually works well and is not just a gimmick). Note that these are the Custom Studio and not the Custom Pro (very different headphones although they do seem similar on paper).
If you want more detailed (of my personal) opinions on these headphones, search for their threads on here as I have posted full reviews with my opinions.
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Since 2010 I’ve used Shure, VSonic, HiFiMAN, and MEElectronics IEMs. They’ve had different shapes and insertion depths and materials, but all of them become itchy and feel too big, even when I use the smallest tips. Have you had any luck with specific brands/models?
And yeah, for it seems like I’ll be getting it for $185 shipped. Pretty good deal, considering it’s in great condition and the MSRP is $399.
I’ve looked at the Sundara, as well as the Sennheiser HD6XX. I’ll get them sometime in the not-so-distant future, along with a decent desktop DAC and amp. I was thinking about my next upgrade before I even bought the closed back headphones lol.
Welcome to the ranks of audiophiles! I think that might be our definition. 
Tips are definitely a per iem thing. I also can’t always wear them for long periods and allergy season has made that much harder. I have found that super smooth materials that conform relatively well are the best option for me. Foam isn’t that smooth. The spinfit cp145 is slightly “bullet” shaped which seems to help (narrower at the tip). Extremely smooth and soft material. That worked best on my zen. But the Azla xelastec worked best on the dusk.
I have also found that larger tips that seal without going very deep can help. The xelastec work in all six sizes with basically the depth varying. The dusk worked wonderfully with the largest xelastec tips.
Silicon covered foam worked pretty well. (Symbio w in this case). But these were a bit finicky, and I suspect would work better sized smaller. Seal can be finicky for me. But comfort is good.
Azla sedna earfits (which variation really depends on you) also do well for comfort. These also reduce the bass a bit which I don’t typically want, but they are comfortable. I just got spiral dots in and haven’t even tried them yet. I have tons of others but these are the ones that floated to the top of the list. The zen came with these round blue tips that are superb but I don’t know what they are or how to get the separately.
For sound, I have some double and triple flanges, but the edges between flange layers burn me. Wonderful for sound, but I usually can’t wear them for more than 20 minutes.
I also have variations of some of these that would fit wider or narrower nozzles.
There are tons of things to try!
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