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Tigerabbit
32
Mar 16, 2018
I'm used to seeing balanced gear in professional audio and sound reinforcement, but its somewhat new in consumer (home/personal) audio. Therefore, I'm reluctant to add yet another level of technology to my home system. I do live in a high EMI (electro-magnetic interference) area with a radio tower bristling with antennas just across the street. Would changing to a balanced amp for my headphones provide any additional protection from noise and interference?
Berserkker
1
Mar 17, 2018
TigerabbitYou could get rid of some of the effect that the EMI has on your cables. Yes its an improvement and has other benefits e.g. cross-talk.
davehutch
23
Mar 17, 2018
TigerabbitNo. Balanced audio in professional areas is very different to balanced headphone amp outputs. In pro circles, three conductors are used, one to send audio, one to send an invited version of the audio and one is ground. At the far end of the signal the two signals are combined and effectively cancel each other out exactly, therefore any signal left over HAS to be noise and is removed. This is used for low level signals such as microphones or long cable runs which would be subject to RFI (radio frequency interference). Balanced headphones and balanced headphone amps should never really have been called that, but it did give manufacturers a good chance to prey on the consumer and to make them believe that they were inherently better than unbalanced. They are based around audio circuits not sharing the same signal paths for the return signal. Actually there are some things that can improve such as better channel separation and higher voltage outputs which can control higher impedance headphones more satisfactorily, leading to some areas of improved audio, but there are also areas which become worse such as distortion and noise and also they cost more as twice the number of circuits need to be used. Here's a good link to have a quick read of https://benchmarkmedia.com/blogs/application_notes/audio-myth-balanced-headphone-outputs-are-better The jury is still out.
UpComing
32
Mar 17, 2018
davehutchI read the benchmark article and found it a bit disingenuous. Your point about the meaning of balanced is the salient one. In the case of headphone amps balanced means completely separate signal paths. The return signal is not shared. That improves crosstalk specs. That can be a significant improvement in sound. The argument that distortion and noise are increased or worse in some way in "balanced" headphone amps is simply not true. To argue that noise is doubled because effectively two amps are used is to ignore that power is also doubled, thus SNR is the same.
davehutch
23
Mar 17, 2018
UpComingDon’t shoot the messenger ;)
UpComing
32
Mar 18, 2018
davehutchHey Dave, Not at all. I appreciate your information and your making clear the meaning of "balanced" in the different contexts. My issue was not with you but with some aspects of the benchmark article. I put out my assertion with the hope that it is either corroborated or corrected so we can be a better informed community. Keep up the good work.
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