We currently have a number of dongles (“USB headphone adapters”), desktop DAC/amps, DAPs (Digital Audio Players) [1] and amplifiers that feature a balanced output. However, few know how to use this type of connection properly. This ends up causing confusion when choosing cables with balanced connectors or adapters to be able to use them in different types of plugs.
It is possible, in most cases, with few exceptions, to make headphones use the balanced output of a dongle, DAP or DAC/table amp. However, there are some characteristics that you must have to use a balanced connection.
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Balanced cable and balanced output
To use a balanced output from a dongle, DAP or desktop DAC/amp, a balanced cable must be used. As there is no other way to make the connection, there is no point in looking for adapters to try to connect a cable with a 3.5mm or 6.35mm connector into a balanced 4.4mm, 2.5mm or XLR output. [2]. The explanation for this lies in the internal structure of the cables.
A single-ended (SE) cable usually has a 3.5mm TRS plug (P2). Cables of this type have two negative wires (left and right channel), which also function as a ground wire (ground or GND), and two positive wires (left and right channel). The negative wires are used as a shield against interference involving the positive wires.
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A balanced cable has 4 wires (cores) of equal size, length and impedance to carry the stereo signal. It is called balanced because the impedance of the 4 wires is balanced. Here there are four independent wires, while in the single-ended the negative part is joined (left and right wire), so we have: Left +, Left -, Right + and Right -.
According to FiiO, a Chinese manufacturer of audio equipment, balanced outputs (2.5mm, 4.4mm or XLR) cannot be converted to a single-ended output (3.5mm or 6.35mm), because when connecting a unbalanced plug to the balanced connection, the positive and negative wires will cause a short circuit, which may damage the device.
Connecting headphones to a properly balanced output
To correctly connect headphones to the balanced output of your amplifier, dongle (USB headphone adapter), DAP (Digital Audio Player) or DAC/amp you will need a cable that has at least 4 leads (cores) and a balanced connector, which can be a 4.4mm, 2.5mm or XLR. However, if your headphones do not have a removable cable system, that is, the cable is soldered directly to the headphone driver (speaker), you will need to send it to a service center to solder a new one. cable. Fortunately, the market today offers all types of headphones (earbuds, in-ears, on-ears and over-ears) [3] with the possibility of exchanging cables using, for example, MMCX and 2-pin connections [4].
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It is possible to use a balanced cable on a single-ended (SE) output through an adapter, but the reverse is not possible, as explained above. That is, if your headphones have a cable that has a 4.4mm, XLR or 2.5mm plug, you can use an adapter to connect it to an SE output (3.5mm or 6.35mm).
You will probably find adapters from 3.5mm to 2.5mm, 4.4mm or XLR but the reason for this is the existence of the 3.5mm balanced connection, which has 4 poles instead of the three that you normally have in the plug. 3.5 single-ended (SE). As it is extremely rare to find devices with a balanced 3.5mm output, always check if your equipment actually has this connection so there are no problems.
If I use a balanced cable with my headphones, will it burn out?
No, although balanced outputs typically provide higher output power compared to single-ended (SE), there are ways to prevent the headphone (speaker) driver from burning out when using balanced cables. The first is to reset the device’s volume to zero, before starting to play the music, and go up little by little. The second is to adjust the gain of the equipment at a low level, as this way you will have greater control over the released power. [5].
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Are modular cables balanced?
Today it is possible to find cables that allow the user to change the connectors between 3.5mm, 2.5mm, 4.4mm and 6.35mm. As we mentioned above, to use a cable in a balanced way, it must have the correct connections in the wires. That is, every modular cable is naturally balanced, as it is not possible to transform a single-ended cable into a balanced one just by changing the single-ended connector (3.5mm or 6.35mm) for the balanced one (2.5mm, 4.4mm or XLR).
Can I use the balanced output through an adapter?
If your cable is not modular (the one that allows you to change connectors) and has a 3.5mm or 6.35mm connector, which are single-ended, it will not be possible to use the balanced output of the dongle, DAP or DAC/amp . If you find a 3.5mm to 4.4mm (or 2.5mm) adapter, be aware that the 3.5mm jack is balanced and has four poles, unlike the 3.5mm jack commonly found on in-ear headphone cables. , earbud or on-ear.
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