Now that you are good and motivated 
I think it is time for some impressions
Also the Audeze Mobius is a fun headphone with a lot of the Nx tech built into itā¦ I should bring it to the next meet for you to check out @Torq
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There are certainly other factors, but this statement is largely my guide, both in audio and in most other areas of life when a new toy tempts me.
To give a (rather long-winded) example:
It was around 2910-11 and there were not too many $1000 headphones you could buy off the shelf at your local hi-fi store.
The AKG1000 comes to mind, but I donāt remember other specific models. I think there may have been a Grado @ close to a grand but am not certain.
At the time, āthe site that shall not be namedā was really beginning to take off, CanJam and Headroom were making waves and headphone gear was beginning to take a big chunk of the audio $ pie.
Sennheiser had to notice the dramatically increased interest in headphone gear.
The HD650 had been a huge hit (even if a bit divisive with āpurist audiophilesā re the HD600) and has since attained sales numbers that are likely unmatched in the headphone world.
I remember the praise heaped on the HD800 on its release but also the outcry at the cost by many.
Iām pretty sure much of the complaining came from many who couldnāt afford the new headphone. But I also remember some respected reviewers complaining that it looked āplastickyā and too futuristic.
Anyway, a good friend bought a pair and loved them. We got together so I could hear them and I also loved them. What I loved most was their comfort. They also sounded phenomenalā¦except for the bass.
I wonāt go over everything thatās been attempted, both by Sennheiser and individual āmoddersā to address the lack of fullness of the bottom end on the HD800 to some ears.
Whether it was people not being used to a ālinearā headphone, or any one of a hundred other reasons given for why the sound was either perfect or lacking in some way, I simply couldnāt understand why a headphone costing $1000 at that time was lacking in any way.
But to my ears and to those of some others with far more experience, the bass emitted from the HD800 just didnāt cut it.
And thatās where the law of diminishing returns kicked in harder than I think Iād ever noticed before.
I loved these cans. But Iād paid $250 for a pair of pristine HD650s and I loved those too. And Iād solved the āpuristā debate over the HD600/650s by owning bothā¦and at half the cost of the new HD800s.
Were the 800s better? In many ways, yes. Were they worth more than twice what 'd paid for the 600/650 twins? Not IMHO.
Iāve never had a ton of money. But neither was I ever afraid to spend what I had on something I wanted that was clearly worth the cost.
Different personalities come into play with many things. And I think Iām very much a āstick to what I know and likeā kind of person.
Money is certainly a factor. But to better illustrate my point, Iāll use an example where money isnāt an issue.
I love coffee. But I love coffee that has a particular taste. I believe anticipation is a large part of enjoying anything, so if Iām about to enjoy a cup of coffee and it doesnāt match with what Iāve anticipated, Iām disappointed. Could I learn to enjoy the new taste? Probably, and occasionally I do. But if Iām honest, in the end I very rarely enjoy the new flavour any more than the one Iād already grown to love.
They say "variety is the spice of lifeā and in many cases I suppose itās true.
But ātheyā say a lot of things. And perhaps Iām more tuned into it what they say about something being āas comfortable as an old pair of slippersā.
I think I just have a hard time buying new slippers, especially if they cost a fortune. And if I have to
break them in or sell the ones I love to find out if I enjoy the new ones as much as the ones Iām wearing? Itās a tough sell.
I hope this made at least some sense. It did while I was thinking about it but Iām not too sure now that itās written down.
Oh well, itās written and Iām not going to trash it. So I hope someone gets my point (and I apologize to those who donāt).
PS
This may say little as to the quality of any review I might write. But it should also dispel any doubts about my willingness to express my thoughts on things 
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And where would that meet be happening? 
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Seattle.
Thatās one long haul from London Ontario
I think Iām going to have to find some gear (perhaps on the used market) a bit closer to home!
Iām curious myself as to how some of the older stuff stacks up to the new, especially when it comes to pure SQ.
Youād think sound engineers/manufacturers would have gotten that āwire with gainā thing down a long time ago!
After all, any colouration can be added a hundred different ways (at least).
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Anticipation of new headphones or related gear is a great part of the experience. Sometimes I donāt open a delivery straight away, I just bask in its glow as it stokes up my excitement. I live getting gear. It doesnāt happen enough.
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I am generally wary of unclear distinction between DIFFERENTIAL and BALANCED for this kind of topic, particularly for amps.
Differential circuits can be implemented in several different ways with different sets of advantages and disadvantages. Balanced connection is ā at least for me ā another story. For example, two identical single-ended amp circuits (typically viewed as ābalanced ampsā) can accept and handle balanced signal, but do not benefit in the same way how differential operations are suggested to do.
For meaningful discussion (bottom line, we need to talk about the same thing among discussion participantsā¦), Iād like to distinguish at least balanced signal (+ and - phases) and differential operations (gain as a function of phase delta).
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I never used balanced for many years until I built a Bottlehead Mainline amp that has a 4 pin XLR headphone jackā¦and the Focal Clears come with a nice balanced cableā¦so I had to try both SE and XLR to see for myselfā¦
In my case zip, zero, nadaā¦both sonically the same with this amp. That said I have not issue with either interface, technically the separate grounds seems very desirable as an old engineerā¦but in reality in a really well designed and laid out amplifier to me its really a ādont careā.
One thing in many designs, to get more power the balanced side provides moreā¦so if thats an issue for you then thats your answer. To me this would be more important than any discerable reduction on crosstalk or isolationā¦
Alex
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To begin with I would like to use an older A/V Yamaha receiver , convert the headphone output to balanced for a balanced headphones . I tried to use older V- Moda M-100 cross fadeās because of a port on each can and someone on line said it could be balanced if I cut the wire connecting the cans which I didnāt do just yet .
If I cut that wire and I unhook one side and can still hear music Iām gonna feel foolish. Also I tried the Art CleanBox nonpassive converter with the v moda 100s without cutting wire and I was left with a short bout of tinnitus AFTER listening for a couple minutes
Iām not sure I understand what you are trying to achieve here.
The output of your AVR is unbalanced (as in, a TRS) correct?
If this is the case, then no matter what you do to the headphones, it will still be unbalanced.
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If you are just trying to plug a pair of headphones with only an XLR balanced connector to your AVR that only has a single ended TRS output, you can simply use an adapter. My Hifiman HE6se V2 came with one.
Thanks , but the headphones I ordered come with a pair of 4 pin mini XLRS to a Y and TRS which I believe means they could be balanced with the right cables and a balanced amplifier or hopefully in my case a ā unbalanced to balance converter ā
I guess all I really need to know is has anyone ever tried on of these reasonably priced unbalanced to balanced converter with A/V receiver ? This Yamaha receiver has a built in DAC and obviously an amp so I donāt need that stuff . Itās going to be a dedicated source for my headphones I hope . I think these converters are common amongst musicians and used for microphones for long distances . I read on line a good pair of headphones and a balanced signal will get the best sound.
I assume what Iām trying is probably the cheapest way to do this.
I think you are confusing line level and amplified signal.
The converters you refer to that are used on stage (i.e: DI boxes) are commonly used to convert things like an unbalanced output (from a DJ mixer for example) to a balanced signal for longer runs that help avoid interferences and signal loss etc. (BTW, 99% of mics used on stage are actually balanced and the DI boxes you see are usually just to increase the level for a longer runs, converting mic level to line level).
What you are wanting to do is convert the output of an amplifier, which is a totally different subject (the converters you refer to will not work in this case).
The amplifier is single ended, or unbalanced, so no matter what you do to the headphones, the amplifier will still be SE.
Also, have a read through this thread to try and grasp what the real benefits of balanced are (increased power, lower crosstalk, etc.). It is not that balanced is better just because it is balanced, it is more about how the amplifier has been designed.
Edit to add: donāt get too caught up in the balanced thing, SE can sound just as good if the amp is decently built. Sit back and enjoy the music!
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On top of this, the odds are that the headphone output of a typical A/V receiver will compare unfavorably to a $100 to $200 dedicated balanced or SE headphone amplifier anyway. Iād personally spend $200 on an iFi ZenDAC V2 with an integrated balanced amp.
As an aside, Iād be surprised if you hear any difference whatsoever with a V-Moda M-100 on SE versus balanced out of the same amp. These are modestly priced closed back headphones ā and closed headphones are absolutely not the place to start if you seek quality sound.
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Ok thanks , I guess what caught my eye was I thought balanced was just the left and right driver not sharing the same ground like in a TRS and generally used on headphones.
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I know Iām confused and thatās ok , I just thought going from a shared ground or neutral to a dedicated one for each driver wouldnāt be that complicated and would be clearer sound , anyway thanks for your help.
No problem. To be honest, I was very confused by the terminology ābalancedā used for the output of an amplifier when I got into the headphone world.
After working in live and studio sound for most of my life, what is referred to as a balanced amplifier in the headphone world, we would just call a 2 channel amp, or a dual mono amp.
And it is. Again, think of it like using a separate amplifier for each channel (like dual mono I mentioned above), where each amplifier is totally separate from the other (not sharing a common reference to ground as you said).
However, in the case of your AVR (or an unbalanced amp in general), no matter how you divide the signal after it leaves the amplifier, it still shares that common reference to ground inside the amp.
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āThey just get downright aggressive. I donāt go online to get hassle. I come online to talk to likeminded people who discuss their different opinions in a civilised manner. I have stopped posting as much on a certain forum for this very reason. Itās a shame really. I donāt mind anyoneās opinion. Weāre all different people but some folks see it one way and shout loudly when their product or opinion is challenged. Oh well nevermind. Rant over.
ā
AMEN!
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