Headphone Heights

Balanced Headphone outputs?

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jedrider

Well, what the hell ??!!## is that?

Didn't even realize until today that there were FOUR sizes of headphone plugs/jacks.

I think all my (single-ended) headphones are either 3.5mm or 1/4 inch.

What else is there out there?

I'm looking for a DAC and Headphone Amp, either integrated or separate, but, really, I must consider balanced or non-balanced? Seems like too many choices :-)

Follow Ups:

There are reasons... - mlsstl 14:12:08 01/21/24 (0)
The standard 1/4" and 3.5 mm headphone jacks have a common ground. There are some amplifier circuits than cannot have a common ground between the left and right outputs. So, that requires a four pin connection instead of three. The XLR headphone jack and TRRS jacks provide for separate ground connections.
Besides the amplifier requirement noted above, the Schiit Midgard I just bought has a "Halo" circuit option which includes the headphone drivers in the feedback loop. For this to work, again separate grounds are required. The Midgard has two headphone jacks -- a standard 1/4" one with a common ground and an XLR connection with four pins for the Halo option. (The difference between the two connections is subtle, but present. Per my experience I prefer the Halo connection with my Sundara phones, but according to the reviews, depending on the headphone used, some people prefer the 1/4" jack.)

Edits: 01/23/24
RE: Balanced Headphone outputs? - Dawnrazor 13:29:41 01/21/24 (3)
There are also balanced connectors on an xlr and a 4.4mm connector. The idea is that the amp/dac must be balanced and the balanced connector separates grounds. Its a bit different than balanced in line level connections where noise is cancelled.

Some say it makes a difference, and others not so much.

To get the benefits the chain needs to be balanced all the way through.

Cut to razor sounding violins
- "To get the benefits the chain needs to be balanced all the way through" - RhythmDevil 10:54:56 01/23/24 (2)
  Um... That's only mostly true. Certainly a fully balanced chain can offer benefits (but no guarantees).
  But headamps can have balanced outputs but only single ended inputs by intent. For example, some custom headamps made by ECP feed a single ended signal into a parafeed circuit that drives output transformers for balanced outputs to the headphones.
  Architecture matters, but implementation is more important.
  
  Cerebrate!
  
  Edits: 01/23/24 01/23/24
  - RE: "To get the benefits the chain needs to be balanced all the way through" - Dawnrazor 14:07:41 01/23/24 (1)
    Interesting. Benchmark uses a balanced connector for the headphones but the circuitry isn't balanced throughout iirc.
    
    My Liquid Platinum makes a big deal about the amp not sounding its best if its not balanced and that the se connection is just there for convenience.
    
    Like most things in audio there are shades so please forgive me.
    
    Cut to razor sounding violins
    - RE: "To get the benefits the chain needs to be balanced all the way through" - Tre' 14:43:04 01/23/24 (0)
      People think of studio gear as being balanced and some of it is but most of it has a balanced input and a balanced output but the circuitry in between is single ended.
      
      Tre'
      
      Have Fun and Enjoy the Music
      "Still Working the Problem"

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