Although I am trying to write about “balanced music”, I run the risk of appearing to be a bit “unbalanced!”
Here is my first concern:
Because I have rambled, although my thoughts were clear in this old mind, you might not see it, for I haven’t the time balance out the presentation, nor the time to edit this!
Here is my second concern:
Teac sells the UD-503, and it really is a very nice and practical component. I say component as it fits right in with the "Bigger Boys" as opposed to the 2in X 4in X 4in. “save a few” portables. The Teac sits right here and I can attest that it offers many choices and not only can it become the PC hub for music but it is also "strong" enough that every item in your arsenal can be filtered through it.
Sennhesier obviously, most know about and would consider its products to be bundled with integrity.
So, if one customer, makes the most simple and reasonable assumption related to a balanced connection, and goes ahead and purchases the Teac UD-503 for $999.99 and the Sennhesier HD 800 S for $1,685; how in the world do these two massive ocean-going vessels manage to pass one another in broad daylight and within shouting distance, yet totally unaware that the other was there, as if they were "Like Ships passing in the night"; translated for us "little row boats" is that the customer who has done some research but is still fairly new to this "Fairly Unbalanced", or "Balanced Unfairly" issue; one who has just dropped $2,800, is now 2 days deep into a nightmarish web search, which will not only leave him "Balancing his paycheck with regrets", but also there is a good chance that the customer will become "Emotionally Unbalanced"!
Why and how does this kind of thing happen, which results in a customer having to waste so much time, forced to locate more components, and then, because of being sick to his/her stomach, will probably never enjoy the difference that the balanced combination was supposed to provide because the expensive parts have robbed him/her of the quiet peace one needs to enjoy the "Sounds of Balance".
I just have a difficult time with this true story, for these two Big Boys could have and I believe should have thought all of this through before the day would arrive when one customer would buy one of each!
HELLO Teac: Two 1/4-inch balanced headphone plugs on the front of a $1,000 Teac? WHY? And Sennhesier, please help me understand! WHY only provide a single end 1/4-inch headphone plug dangling at the end of a $1,685 set of headphones? WHY? And then fill me in as to WHY, you provided a silk bag to hold the additional cable which came with the deal, but it was a "WHAT DO I DO WITH THIS” 4 pin XLR connector!
What the heck! Toss the $40 bag and instead put two individual cables; one from the Right Ear and another from the Left ear, and the 2 Shall Never Meet. They will both have one thing in common though; each ending with a 3 pin XLR connector, and in two little plastic bags the customer can find in each one, a beautiful little one-piece adapter which has a 3 pin XLR female on one end and a 1/4 inch 3-part headphone plug solidly connected as if it were one piece. Very inexpensive as I have found.
That would have been so much cheaper than Sennhesier providing two completely different cables which would be more costly, less friendly, and easily could be the deal breaker for Sennhesier, for the customer didn't want to be forced into a 4 pin cable, for the one topic which impressed me the most, as I was learning by leaps and bounds and I was also using the same method, traveling to the bathroom; that to have two independent 3 pins is much more reasonable for there isn't any sharing from one end to the other.
And Teac, should have placed next to its 2 Balanced front end 1/4-inch headphone plugs; 2 very persuasive looking black 3 pin balanced XLR connectors. When I see those of the front of any AMP or DAC/AMP, my vision becomes tunneled and "I SEE NOTHING!" as was often spoken on Hogan's Heroes, for Teac has just become my hero and I am all in knowing that there will be many options.
And if Sennhesier wants to push their 4 pin XLR, that is fine , only let the customer open the Sennhesier DAC/AMP box lined with more silk, to find that there it is; The 4 pin XLR cable; which I have concluded is nestled in soft satin, lest minds wander and wonder, "Why isn't this a "freebie" when the box contents which will provide $1,685 worth of balance, costs $800 more than the Flag-"Ship" headphone which is obviously floating about on the high and low "waves" of the sea; not only is it unable to see that its own Balanced Flag is flying at half-mast, but it is passing right another "Balanced" "misfit" too blind to see, What a Wonderful Life" of great business these 2 Giants could have enjoyed.
Teac has Balanced written all over the UD-503, and although I can see why they didn't wire for a 4 pin XLR front connections, why didn't they put two 3 pin XLR connections? And Sennhesier, although its older version of the HD 800 embarrassingly sent the message, "If you want your balanced sound, they be quiet and buy it!”; for the message was sent that balanced is over-rated putting their ideas where they didn't put the money, by only providing ONE single-end 1/4-inch useless UNBALANCED headphone plug.
But to its credit, when Sennhesier replaced the old 800 with the NEW HD 800 with an "S”; they didn't FORCE the customer to buy the XLR balanced cable. But on the flip side there was still some pushing around going on, for what does the 4 pin XLR cable have to do with 95% of the "Affordable" DACS/AMPS that are on the market?
Two great products, and I either have to purchase some unknown off market branded cable, which, if all goes well, will arrive from China sometime before Thanksgiving of 2017 for $159 of Casino chips, Or the other choice is to join a club; and chat up a storm with fellow DIY’ers, all who are willing and able to pay $400 to $800 for a cable which leaves the greatest impressions of great sound for some members; but for others, the balanced sound priced tag puts a big sticker on my forehead which says, "This dude is Unbalanced!"
With that thought, I am thinking of selling T-shirts to the many "love the music" folks, that cannot afford; the money, the time, or both, to join the "audiophile club: and the shirt will read “Get out with your Cans, While you Can!"
Why didn't Teac have the foresight to see that its customers were going to be hung out to dry if Teac didn't take the lead and either provide the balanced cable, or adapter, or even the 3 pin XLR next door to the 1/4-inch pair; or at least ensure that it was outsourced to another company which Teac would make affordable simply by pointing its customers in the right direction and high volume would keep the cost down.
Or why does Sennhesier only provide 4 pin XLR balanced cables? Is it because they know that the choices are slim and it will drive the headphone customer back to Sennhesier as a DAC/AMP customer; crawling in fear that if he/she doesn't use the "inside company pick of the litter (good word there!), they will never hear what they should from the headphones which cost them dearly.
So Two of the biggest names in this market are unable to look forward and provide for the inevitable combination of these two products most likely going to be found in the same home? I find this very difficult to believe. And if you think this was an unnecessary "rant", just know that this took 1/1000th of the time I spent searching and perhaps you might give it a try and do a search, let’s say, just on the biggest river in South America and out of the 500,000,000 products, NOTHING will leap out at you no matter what you put in the search box- although both of the items are often right there in the same group of the best of the best.
Bottom line; I don't really know much about this topic and I am not criticizing those who do love to not only listen but to seek out the best, and put their technical and musical gifts to work or into a hobby. Headphones off to you all. And to those which would never refuse a gift of the best balanced headphones and components to drive them; until that day, someone out there please at least let us know where the bleacher tickets can be purchased for we too love the sound of a good old-fashion balanced swing connecting with that "pitch" we all recognize as "down-the-middle" ; given away by that pure end-to-end analog crack of the bat, and there isn't a digital sensation to be found while we are in this place; where it is real light waves we see, bouncing off the smile of the player as that deeper sound we hear when his foot hits each base, and when he rounds his way down the stretch to home, where he sees and hears the highs, which are priceless for only once will we hear and see for free, what will cost millions to "Play it again Sam" trying to get close to that rare and once in a life time experience of the lows, the mids, and the highs, with the added gift of pure light thrown, leaving in our memories the "Team's Joy", free; for all to hear anywhere in the stadium which for 3 hours was a balanced analog experience.
Here is my first concern: Because I have rambled, although my thoughts were clear in this old mind, you might not see it, for I haven’t the time balance out the presentation, nor the time to edit this!
Here is my second concern: Teac sells the UD-503, and it really is a very nice and practical component. I say component as it fits right in with the "Bigger Boys" as opposed to the 2in X 4in X 4in. “save a few” portables. The Teac sits right here and I can attest that it offers many choices and not only can it become the PC hub for music but it is also "strong" enough that every item in your arsenal can be filtered through it.
Sennhesier obviously, most know about and would consider its products to be bundled with integrity.
So, if one customer, makes the most simple and reasonable assumption related to a balanced connection, and goes ahead and purchases the Teac UD-503 for $999.99 and the Sennhesier HD 800 S for $1,685; how in the world do these two massive ocean-going vessels manage to pass one another in broad daylight and within shouting distance, yet totally unaware that the other was there, as if they were "Like Ships passing in the night"; translated for us "little row boats" is that the customer who has done some research but is still fairly new to this "Fairly Unbalanced", or "Balanced Unfairly" issue; one who has just dropped $2,800, is now 2 days deep into a nightmarish web search, which will not only leave him "Balancing his paycheck with regrets", but also there is a good chance that the customer will become "Emotionally Unbalanced"!
Why and how does this kind of thing happen, which results in a customer having to waste so much time, forced to locate more components, and then, because of being sick to his/her stomach, will probably never enjoy the difference that the balanced combination was supposed to provide because the expensive parts have robbed him/her of the quiet peace one needs to enjoy the "Sounds of Balance".
I just have a difficult time with this true story, for these two Big Boys could have and I believe should have thought all of this through before the day would arrive when one customer would buy one of each!
HELLO Teac: Two 1/4-inch balanced headphone plugs on the front of a $1,000 Teac? WHY? And Sennhesier, please help me understand! WHY only provide a single end 1/4-inch headphone plug dangling at the end of a $1,685 set of headphones? WHY? And then fill me in as to WHY, you provided a silk bag to hold the additional cable which came with the deal, but it was a "WHAT DO I DO WITH THIS” 4 pin XLR connector!
What the heck! Toss the $40 bag and instead put two individual cables; one from the Right Ear and another from the Left ear, and the 2 Shall Never Meet. They will both have one thing in common though; each ending with a 3 pin XLR connector, and in two little plastic bags the customer can find in each one, a beautiful little one-piece adapter which has a 3 pin XLR female on one end and a 1/4 inch 3-part headphone plug solidly connected as if it were one piece. Very inexpensive as I have found.
That would have been so much cheaper than Sennhesier providing two completely different cables which would be more costly, less friendly, and easily could be the deal breaker for Sennhesier, for the customer didn't want to be forced into a 4 pin cable, for the one topic which impressed me the most, as I was learning by leaps and bounds and I was also using the same method, traveling to the bathroom; that to have two independent 3 pins is much more reasonable for there isn't any sharing from one end to the other.
And Teac, should have placed next to its 2 Balanced front end 1/4-inch headphone plugs; 2 very persuasive looking black 3 pin balanced XLR connectors. When I see those of the front of any AMP or DAC/AMP, my vision becomes tunneled and "I SEE NOTHING!" as was often spoken on Hogan's Heroes, for Teac has just become my hero and I am all in knowing that there will be many options.
And if Sennhesier wants to push their 4 pin XLR, that is fine , only let the customer open the Sennhesier DAC/AMP box lined with more silk, to find that there it is; The 4 pin XLR cable; which I have concluded is nestled in soft satin, lest minds wander and wonder, "Why isn't this a "freebie" when the box contents which will provide $1,685 worth of balance, costs $800 more than the Flag-"Ship" headphone which is obviously floating about on the high and low "waves" of the sea; not only is it unable to see that its own Balanced Flag is flying at half-mast, but it is passing right another "Balanced" "misfit" too blind to see, What a Wonderful Life" of great business these 2 Giants could have enjoyed.
Teac has Balanced written all over the UD-503, and although I can see why they didn't wire for a 4 pin XLR front connections, why didn't they put two 3 pin XLR connections? And Sennhesier, although its older version of the HD 800 embarrassingly sent the message, "If you want your balanced sound, they be quiet and buy it!”; for the message was sent that balanced is over-rated putting their ideas where they didn't put the money, by only providing ONE single-end 1/4-inch useless UNBALANCED headphone plug.
But to its credit, when Sennhesier replaced the old 800 with the NEW HD 800 with an "S”; they didn't FORCE the customer to buy the XLR balanced cable. But on the flip side there was still some pushing around going on, for what does the 4 pin XLR cable have to do with 95% of the "Affordable" DACS/AMPS that are on the market?
Two great products, and I either have to purchase some unknown off market branded cable, which, if all goes well, will arrive from China sometime before Thanksgiving of 2017 for $159 of Casino chips, Or the other choice is to join a club; and chat up a storm with fellow DIY’ers, all who are willing and able to pay $400 to $800 for a cable which leaves the greatest impressions of great sound for some members; but for others, the balanced sound priced tag puts a big sticker on my forehead which says, "This dude is Unbalanced!"
With that thought, I am thinking of selling T-shirts to the many "love the music" folks, that cannot afford; the money, the time, or both, to join the "audiophile club: and the shirt will read “Get out with your Cans, While you Can!"
Why didn't Teac have the foresight to see that its customers were going to be hung out to dry if Teac didn't take the lead and either provide the balanced cable, or adapter, or even the 3 pin XLR next door to the 1/4-inch pair; or at least ensure that it was outsourced to another company which Teac would make affordable simply by pointing its customers in the right direction and high volume would keep the cost down.
Or why does Sennhesier only provide 4 pin XLR balanced cables? Is it because they know that the choices are slim and it will drive the headphone customer back to Sennhesier as a DAC/AMP customer; crawling in fear that if he/she doesn't use the "inside company pick of the litter (good word there!), they will never hear what they should from the headphones which cost them dearly.
So Two of the biggest names in this market are unable to look forward and provide for the inevitable combination of these two products most likely going to be found in the same home? I find this very difficult to believe. And if you think this was an unnecessary "rant", just know that this took 1/1000th of the time I spent searching and perhaps you might give it a try and do a search, let’s say, just on the biggest river in South America and out of the 500,000,000 products, NOTHING will leap out at you no matter what you put in the search box- although both of the items are often right there in the same group of the best of the best.
Bottom line; I don't really know much about this topic and I am not criticizing those who do love to not only listen but to seek out the best, and put their technical and musical gifts to work or into a hobby. Headphones off to you all. And to those which would never refuse a gift of the best balanced headphones and components to drive them; until that day, someone out there please at least let us know where the bleacher tickets can be purchased for we too love the sound of a good old-fashion balanced swing connecting with that "pitch" we all recognize as "down-the-middle" ; given away by that pure end-to-end analog crack of the bat, and there isn't a digital sensation to be found while we are in this place; where it is real light waves we see, bouncing off the smile of the player as that deeper sound we hear when his foot hits each base, and when he rounds his way down the stretch to home, where he sees and hears the highs, which are priceless for only once will we hear and see for free, what will cost millions to "Play it again Sam" trying to get close to that rare and once in a life time experience of the lows, the mids, and the highs, with the added gift of pure light thrown, leaving in our memories the "Team's Joy", free; for all to hear anywhere in the stadium which for 3 hours was a balanced analog experience.