[Chris_Himself]

I'm considering a balanced cable for myself because I'm considering making the dive to balanced drive since I'm in the market for a desktop amp. I'd need to know this to convert all my grados too
 
It would go:
 
Modded X-fi optical out>Little Dot Mk7 Balanced> 2x 3-pin XLR (WHERE DO THE GROUND WIRES GO???)> hot/cold leads to Cardas HPSC connectors>HD-580
 
So far my current setup is a 4 wire braided 28AWG silver cable to 3.5mm Neutrik and it's wrapped in paracord.
 
How would one even begin? From what I understand it's your standard 4 connector cable, each side has a hot end and a cold end, but now you have a ground... but where does that third wire end up going? I don't use shielded cable, so.... these would just kinda float around in my six wire braid and pick up any external interference like magic?
 
It's not soldered to the "foil" that cable companies use for EMI shielding right? That'd just create an antenna if anything...
 
I'd be making a balanced XLR to 1/4" TRS Neutrik and I understand how that would work, just not from the other end of things.
 
Thanks in advance
 
Chris

 

[Steve Eddy]

 
Just use pins 2 and 3 (pin 2 positive, pin 3 negative) and ignore pin 1.
 
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[Chris_Himself]

That would honestly be the same thing as what I'm running now, except maybe you get to avoid crosstalk within the amplifier...
 
That third wire has a purpose, I just need to know how to implement it....

 

[Steve Eddy]

Quote:

 
That third wire has a purpose, I just need to know how to implement it....

I already told you.
 
If your cables aren't shielded, then pin 1 serves no purpose.
 
In fact, Little Dot may not even have any connection to pin 1. For that matter, I don't see any Little Dot models that use dual 3 pin XLR's. They're using a single 4 pin XLR. Is yours an older model or something?
 
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[Chris_Himself]

I don't even own it yet. I'm just pondering the benefits of balanced drive. So far yeah it seems to be none other than an excuse to buy more cables until I run truely balanced.
 
 

 

[Steve Eddy]

 
So then are you looking at getting an older model that used dual 3 pin XLR's? Did Little Dot ever make a Mk VII with dual 3 pin XLR's? If not, then I'm confused about your saying "Little Dot Mk7 Balanced> 2 x 3-pin XLR."
 
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[Yoga Flame]

Steve Eddy: I think he just assumed it would be 3-pin XLR since several other balanced amp manufacturers use that.
 
 
Chirs_Himself: 
3-pin XLR is traditionally used for sending balanced audio signals from one device to another. Like a DAC to an amp, or a microphone to an ADC. In those cases, one wire is used for the + phase signal, another for the - phase signal, and yet another for the ground. This keeps the + and - signals separate. 
 
When balanced headphone drive was first introduced, 3-pin XLR was used, probably because that was the standard for balanced audio. But only 2 of each of the 3 pins is actually connected to the headphone driver. The headphones are the last stage in the audio chain, and the + and - signals are finally combined there after being kept apart from the beginning. So there is no need for the ground wire. Like Steve mentioned, some balanced amps use a single 4-pin XLR instead of the two 3-pin ones. This is the better way, IMO.
 
If you had a shielded cable, then you could tie that to the ground pin. Shields are only effective when grounded. And you are right about it being an antenna, but better for the shield to pick up interference than the actual audio wires inside it. XLR plugs and jacks also have an additional tab, separate from their signal pins, just for connecting the shield.
 

 

[Steve Eddy]

Quote:

Steve Eddy: I think he just assumed it would be 3-pin XLR since several other balanced amp manufacturers use that.

Ok. I was assuming he'd at least seen the amp.
 
Quote:

In those cases, one wire is used for the + phase signal, another for the - phase signal, and yet another for the ground.

 
Not to get too nit-picky, but pin 1 is shield, which may or may not be connected to ground.
 
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