[smoothlondoner]

Hi I currently have a YS-A1 Headphone AMP which is a Beyerdynamic copy.
Using it with Beyerdynamics T1 headphones fed by a Cyrus Audio DACX+ with external Cyrus power supply.
I wondered would there be An advantage in using the balanced XLR outputs from the cyrus?
Problem being the amp only has RCA phono inputs.
Would it be worth obtaining some type of Balanced xlr input mod?
Or would I get improvement from just making up a cable xlr to phono with an earth wire from the 3rd pin to the chassis?
I have the same problem on My avi s21 intergrated amp.....
Bit new to this modding  so help sorely needed.
Also considering upgrading DAC Maybe a audio G reference 7.1 or nfb 9.2.
They seem to suggest on there sight that the DAC would be wasted on RCA inputs :/
Cheers Folks

 

[smoothlondoner]

It's feeling a little siberiatic on My thread :/
Has anyone any views or help?
Hello, hello, any one out there!!!!!!

 

[johnwmclean]

A balanced signals potential is maintained through a balanced connection only.
Is your DAC fully balanced or a psuedo type masquerading as the real deal? 

 

[smoothlondoner]

pass,
cyrus are very guarded with there tech specs.....

 

[johnwmclean]

If you were to believe the literature:
 
http://www.hifix.co.uk/sku2.lasso?item=f1bfe44efb33e381139fa158e73194f1
 
Then I believe you have a fully balanced DAC so...
 
The amp in question is not balanced, you cannot use the XLR output from your DAC.
The circuitry in your amp unfortunately remains SE, no cable mod will work.

 

[smoothlondoner]

I use the fixed RCA output at the moment to my Headphone Amp.
But I usr a modified XLR to RCA cable with a wire from the XLR's earth pin directly to earth clamp on my AVI S21 amplifier and it seems to sound pretty good?
Why are you not supposed to use a balanced XLR to RCA?
What are the Mechanics of the connections?
Cheers
 

 

[johnwmclean]

Sure you can use XLR to RCA cable. But you will compromise the balanced signal, not that’s it’s all bad, let’s face it single ended sounds darn good. 
Fully balanced signal should be maintained right from the DAC chip to the headphone diaphragm. There’s no halfway measure, you either contaminate with a common ground or not. As soon as XLR meets RCA it’s over, no more balanced system, and a single ended amp uses a common ground internally through it’s circuitry.
Balanced benefits from the ejection of noise, long cable runs with professional gear for example would be a perfect example where this would be most advantageous. In a small headphone system, unless you live under a radio station there’s not much in it, imho of course.

 

[smoothlondoner]

Thanks.
So what would I need to make the headphone amp balance xlr also.
It will be simple to modify the headphones so that's the only bug bare at present

 

[johnwmclean]

Put simply a balanced amp uses twice the amount of circuitry (left+ left- right+ right-) as opposed to single ended (left, right and common ground).
 
Single ended:

 
Balanced: