If you have a multimeter, test continuity on the hedd cable to see how it’s wired.
Apparently so, i got the following from a post on head-fi regarding it:
I shared it with customcans and they advised:
“technically it would not really make much difference as long as both are inverted as the audio signal is AC so constantly swaps between being positive and negative” but offered to wire it as per the supposed arrangement anyway if I wanted.
Further down the thread i linked, two comments mentioned:
“if you reverse polarity on both drivers at same time, there is no phase distortion. this is called absolute phase - vs relative phase (if only one channel has polarity reversed relative to the other). relative phase is what you want to avoid, though some claim they can hear aboslute phase change (I certainly cant)”
(from buonassi)
“Flipping the absolute phase can affect how well and to what degree sounds are layered and separated in the recording. Can affect how bass sounds and percussion sounds (will either suck or blow, it should blow and have punch rather than suck the air away). Can affect how some instruments image and layer in the mix. In some mixes two instruments can move in front of or behind the other just by flipping absolute phase (it affects imaging depth of each instrument). Can affect the overall room or hall sound in the recording (the hall sound will either fill the recording space or suck it out)”
(from Ham Sandwich)
so considering 1) other hedd users dont seem to have any problems using an audeze lcd cable with their heddphones; 2) reversing the polarity isn’t too significant in an AC config. Meaning 3) even if initial claim that hedd wires their cable differently is false, point 2 will kick in and there wont be much different in my experience using the inverted cable; 4) if the initial claim is true, then I wont have to worry about the concerns highlighted by Ham Sandwich.
I then proceeded with my request to have the cable wired as per the claimed config.
Let me turn on my fluke and check the continuity on the SE cable provided in the heddphone box and report back in a bit.
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And if you have a Bifrost 2 you can invert phase via remote, which will be inverted again by your cable for the correct phase.
Not that it’s likely to matter.
Thats a really good comment on how I felt with the HD800s…“skinny”…
Great I am thinking of ordering a balanced cable and this would be good information to have, I sent a note to HEDD as well but no reply as f yet.
Alex
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Hmm a bit of a fail, my test lead wasn’t slim enough to fit through any of the +ive -ive holes on the mini xlr jack. so no beeps at all on pin 1 and 2 but I did get a beep on pin 3 to the bottom most pole on the SE cable.
I did unscrew the jack to access the pins from the inside but i got squirmy to go pass this point…
and i cant find any needles to tape on my test leads smh… i trieddddd lol
Edit - Attempt # 2
Repurposed an 18awg cable to bridge the pins to the test leads.
- Pin wiring for 2x 4-pin mini XLR to SE cable:
mini XLR L 1 to SE 1
mini XLR L 2 to SE no beeps
mini XLR L 3 to SE 3
mini XLR L 4 to SE no beeps
mini XLR R 1 to SE 2
mini XLR R 2 to SE no beeps
mini XLR R 3 to SE 3
mini XLR R 4 to SE no beeps
- Pin wiring to 2x 4-pin mini XLR to 4-pin XLR
mini XLR L 1 to XLR 3
mini XLR L 2 to XLR 3
mini XLR L 3 to XLR 4
mini XLR L 4 to XLR 4
mini XLR R 1 to XLR 1
mini XLR R 2 to XLR 1
mini XLR R 3 to XLR 2
mini XLR R 4 to XLR 2
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Does this equate to the Audeze mini xlr connector pins?
Would be nice!
Alex
Many thanks @callmevil. These explanations are indeed very helpful. I hope you enjoy the HEDDphones with the new cable.
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Ahh the Bifrost 2… it was tough deciding btwn it and the rme adi-2 dac, i went with the rme mainly because of its robust software and the retro visualization. But i admit the bifrost 2 is still at the back or my mind 
maybe if I can find one cheap on the pre-loved market lol
@lost33 ill borrow a friend’s balanced audeze cable later and will add an edit of my findings here
@astr0n0m1nus thanks! glad to help 
Edit -
Its wired exactly the same. Hmm either the poster on head-fi is mistaken about the heddphone having a different wiring schematics or customcans made a mistake with my order
hmm hedd’s official balanced xlr cables are for sale now on one german site, but I’m sure the microphonics is just as terrible as on the stock cable. There’s another custom cable site, corpsecable thats offering balanced cable specifically for the heddphones. hmm ill just wait till there’s more information regarding this matter.
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Thanks!!
Going to order a balanced cable soon.
Alex
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Nice! Lavricables here has the prettiest braid for the heddphone, Corpsecable here offers some more options to either go with mogami or cardas (gravedigger option) cables. Hedd Audio here has the official balanced xlr cable.
There’s another german site that’s not coming up in the search on my phone…
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I haven’t been here for a while because I’ve been busy with work and also because I’ve mainly been listening via speakers since Covid-19 so my Hp hasn’t had much head time since then unfortunately. But I wanted to address the hot head point that some of you are dealing with. I might have posted it before but I have a suggestion that is totally reversable and is transferable to all your other headphones even if you do not have a hot head point with them.
I actually bought this pad to use with my original Abyss, which to me has more of a hot head point than the Hp. Since I did not remove the sticky cover, I just place under the headband and transfer it from headphone to headphone. I even use it with the HD800, which are totally comfortable as they are but this makes it even more comfortable still.
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Where could these pads be purchased from?
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Listening to Aaron Copelands, Fanfare for Common Man…Holy Cow…!!!
Never have I heard this so GOOD than with these HEDDS…
Absolutley phenomenal!!
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These sound pretty interesting. Not sure about the weight and fit.
What’s the general consensus about the HEDD vs. Stax phones? I’ve always held Stax as the standard for high end headphones. The issue with Stax is a proper amp to drive them is cost prohibitive.
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The issue with the Stax is cost period for most of us.
There have been some comparisons of Hedds with Stax, and several other TOTL headphones. For me its right up there with many TOTL cans costing 2x amd more that the HEDDS. Which can be had for a lot less than $1899.
Weight, yes they are heavy 718gms, just under the LCD4. The fit with the second gen headband has a few more extensions to better fit more head shapes.
For me they are perfectly comfortable, weight is felt, but the headband takes up most of the weight if properly worn…have used these for 4+ hours at a time.
With my Focal Clears and other great headphones these have become my go to headphones…they are that great IMO…and for the price of admission its a total deal.
Alex
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Well, that’s pretty high praise indeed. Do you now prefer these to the Focal Clear?
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If I had to choose between the two it would be the HEDDS.
But I still like the Clears very, very much…excellent headphone. Soundstage is not as wide and missing that euphonic presentation…
I still find them an excellent dynamic headphone and will keep mine for a long time.
You have to hear both for yourself to understand…
Alex
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Sorry for the delay in responding.
Since I live in Hong Kong there are shops that sell more pads than I ever thought existed. But I remember seeing the same pads online too. Here is one of them that is similar to mine but not exactly the same and there are many vendors selling this same pad. The key is that it be a double band so that the pressure is spread out to the two thinner bands instead of a single one.
You will not regret it, or rather your head will not regret it. Like I said, I did not peel off the paper attached to the adhesive so I transfer it from headphone to headphone to use it on all of them. It even makes the most comfortable headphone even more comfortable.
Good luck!
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