I just got my MrSpeakers Aeon headphones yesterday. I ordered them with an XLR termination on the cable terminated assuming this meant I could use them with the balanced/XLR output on the GS-X. Then I opened the box and saw it said the headphone was a “single-ended planar magnetic headphone.” I’m confused. Is it fine to use with a balanced output? Is there any benefit? I can order the cable with a SE termination which would be better for portable use anyway.

Speakers or headphone drivers in general aren’t single ended. If the cable is wired with 4 conductors, 2 to each cup, then you should be able to use it with a balanced amp. Is it terminated in a 4 pin XLR?


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The magnetic circuit on the AEON is singled ended, with magnets on only one side (ear side) of the diaphragm.

Electrically, it can be driven by a balanced signal, so you should be good to go. 

Speakers or headphone drivers in general aren’t single ended. If the cable is wired with 4 conductors, 2 to each cup, then you should be able to use it with a balanced amp. Is it terminated in a 4 pin XLR?


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There is an option to have the cable terminated as 4pin XLR or 1/4”. I chose the XLR but why do that if not balanced?

Balanced done right gives you double the slew rate and 4 times the power. If it's a 4 pin xlr it's good to use on the gsx. Best with balanced source.

the headphone cannot otherwise know if it's driven from a balanced or unbalanced source.

To be safe, you may want to measure the conducitivity of the headphone’s XLR and make sure pin 1 is not shorted to pin 3 and pin 2 is not shorted to pin 4. If the 4 pin XLR is wired with only 3 conductors with one of the conductor being the common ground for the left and right drivers, plugging it into a true balanced amp will end very badly!

 

 

Edited May 13, 20188 yr by mwl168

Thanks guys.  I will check the conductivity and then use them. 

This should do great with your GSX!