4.4 Balanced Into 3.5 MM Connection

[JJones]

I had recently bought a new set of Sony headphones and it came with a 4.4 balanced connection option. I was wondering since I dont really want to blow $700 on a portable player just to hear a slight difference in music quality. So I researched on amazon to see if a 4.4 mm adapter into a 3.5 mm adapter existed and sure enough, it does. I was wondering if it eventually turns into a 3.5 mm connection if the adapter is worthless as the sound boost would be hindred by the end result of it being a 3.5 connector?

[jcbenten]

For $10 it is worth a shot to see if you might care.  Balanced might give you a bit of a better experience but unless you spend 100% of your time in an environment to be able to hear the difference it might not matter.  I have messed around with all the different connecters, and have them somewhere along with amp modules for a dac, and I could never really tell the difference over time.  But my environments went from "OK" to truly awful.

[JJones]

What if I was to be using hifi quality? Would there be a larger difference between the different ports?

[DuckToller]

Afaik, the balanced hp output may gives you advantages in noise rejection and often higher voltage output.

Some manufacturers like Benchmark aren't convinced it performs better audibly.

Using a singled ended output with balanced cable seems to be not the smartest way to play.

Link

 

[emdeevee]

No, if the jack is 4.4mm, the cable is a balanced cable which should only be plugged into a balanced output (always preferable IMHO). You can mess up your electronics by doing what you're suggesting (I know as I tried it before I learned you're not supposed to). 

 

Either change the cable to a "single end" cable or find a 4.4mm balanced output to plug into (the better solution). 

 

It's unusual for junk headphones to come with that sort of cable, so maybe they're pretty good and deserve a balanced output. 

[davide256]

On 4/30/2022 at 11:11 PM, JJones said:

I had recently bought a new set of Sony headphones and it came with a 4.4 balanced connection option. I was wondering since I dont really want to blow $700 on a portable player just to hear a slight difference in music quality. So I researched on amazon to see if a 4.4 mm adapter into a 3.5 mm adapter existed and sure enough, it does. I was wondering if it eventually turns into a 3.5 mm connection if the adapter is worthless as the sound boost would be hindred by the end result of it being a 3.5 connector?

You will lose any improvement that balanced mode offers by using a converter to single ended ( 3.5 mm) and your volume will drop slightly

at same setting compared to same source using 4.4mm balanced.

You don't have to spend $700 to get the value of balanced, more like $250~$300 for a DAC dongle like a FiiO BTR7 or Cayin RU6

used with your smartphone

[emdeevee]

2 hours ago, davide256 said:

You will lose any improvement that balanced mode offers by using a converter to single ended ( 3.5 mm) and your volume will drop slightly

at same setting compared to same source using 4.4mm balanced.

You don't have to spend $700 to get the value of balanced, more like $250~$300 for a DAC dongle like a FiiO BTR7 or Cayin RU6

used with your smartphone

There are also a lot of good DAPs for less than $700, especially if purchased used. 

[DuckToller]

Coming back to a topic where the OP had been visiting this topic in May 2022 the last time.

For people looking on answers for a similar question:

If your headphone isn't strictly designed for balanced usage, it may be a lot cheaper to get an aftermarkte cable with 3.5mm SE connectors  (adaptable with 6.3 SE) and use already existing HP gear than looking for a new HP amplifier that offers balanced 4.4mm outputs.
Please be aware that not all 4.4mm TRRRS outputs provide all the assumed advantages of balanced outputs for headphones.
It would have the need to have a balanced amplifier structure inside the HP amp as well.
iFI i.E. have such a mixed bag design in the NEO (2020)
hth, Tom