Click to view our Accessibility Statement or contact us with accessibility-related questions
URNape2
21
Apr 21, 2017
So from what I've been reading, this amp sounds like a terrific bang for the buck. This will be my first major gear purchase to complement an AKG anniversary K-702 I picked up a while back. My question is: do I care that this amp doesn't seem to do balanced output? I don't know enough about this stuff to know whether that should matter or not in my first big amp purchase. Any input is appreciated!
Socratease
191
Apr 22, 2017
URNape2IMHO, I wouldn't worry about the lack of balanced at the level you're at right now, you will get a lot of enjoyment out of an amp like this and will start gathering experience to make your next pick more informed. If you're really worried about it, go for the NuForce HA-200 instead and you can go balanced later by buying a second one, they're both good-sounding amps.
Edit: Thinking about it a bit more, I've been to two HeadFi shows and, outside of the electrostatic headphones, at least 90% of the setups at the show were unbalanced. So there's a data point for you.
Jbiggie12
14
Apr 22, 2017
URNape2Unless your cable from amp to headphone is more than 10 feet long, balanced changes nothing. What balanced does is cancel out "noise" or external signals that might mess with the audio signal while it travels through a cable (this is a pretty basic explanation). So studios need it because there are lots of other signals in a studio room and cables tend to be freakishly long. For at home listening, unless your particular situation requires you to have a 10+ ft long cable and you live next to a radio station, balanced is useless(mind you I said "and", because even if you had a 10 ft long cable, there probably won't be enough interference for it to create a noticeable difference for someone who is buying their first 200+ amp). A lot of people disagree with this, and I encourage you to look up other opinions, but the counterargument to what I said is usually "But I can hear the difference on my 4ft balanced cable". I'm telling you that electrical engineering says there is no difference.
Posterized
30
Apr 24, 2017
URNape2You'll love the amp. It's amazing for the price. Plus you can roll opamps, which can bring even more improvements. As others have said, no need to worry about not having an balanced output.
PrnXtar
5
Jun 27, 2017
URNape2Balanced outputs for 1- 2 meter length cables are marketing gimmicks. Don't let the snake oil cloud your judgement.
PrnXtar
5
Jun 27, 2017
PosterizedHow you know this, have you measured it? -Manufacturers usually sell the best performing opamp from a technical perspective. This amp sounds wonderful tho...
Bigkel747
9
Jun 29, 2017
URNape2I wouldn't worry about the whole balanced or unbalanced thing this a great amp and it's a steal at this price. I paid $340 for mine and I'm very happy with it.
PRODUCTS YOU MAY LIKE
Trending Posts in Audiophile