I’m curious to hear the science behind this, as I’ve never heard this difference before.
If 3.5mm SE is providing more than enough power, then I’m at a loss as to how 4.4mm Bal can, or why would it do this?
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Tl;dr – placebo for 99% of use cases related to IEMs.
Balanced does make a large difference to the objective level of crosstalk between channels. However, the level of crosstalk on single-ended is already below the threshold of audibility for the vast majority of people. The other benefit of balanced, namely additional power, also isn’t relevant for IEMs because almost none of them need that kind of juice.
With that being said, if balanced listening increases your subjective enjoyment then no one should stop you. More enjoyment is the point. But objectively speaking, it isn’t making a relevant difference.
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So, if I notice an improvement when going balanced with Kato but not notice a difference with the Hana 2021, am I getting selective placebo effect only on the Kato? Lol
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Don’t laugh… but I like to use 4.4 because it feels sturdier than 3.5. XLR or 6.35 is too bulky for an iem.
4.4 just feels right.
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100% agree, it’s ascetically pleasing to the eye and any DAC/AMP or AMP with a 4.4mm out will have prioritised that over the SE one…4.4mm, one termination to rule them all…
Frodo’s saying it’s 4.4mm lol…
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Agreed, it isn’t a bad DAC, but there are so many better at or below that price. The Rhodium is well made and not much bigger than an Apple DAC, but it should have been about half the price, but it has a bit of power. It also does something weird to some sets where the they sound like they are in the bottom of a well. I still think the Apple and Samsung dongles are the pinnacle of the cheap options.
I am very happy that laptop makers are at least trying on their DAC/Amp. The current Macbook sounds better than the entry level Topping I have at my home office.
The only argument I have heard that makes any sense, beyond the extra power, is that balanced reduces the cross talk between the channels. which is the point @anaveragebear brought up.
I think it was Wasabi that did a video about this, but the notion was that you could measure the lack of cross-talk. This would in theory improve channel seperation which would impact stage and imaging. That said, the difference was pretty minimal, and probably not audible to humans.
I own sets in 2.5, 4.4, and 3.5. My desktop amps are only single ended ( 3.5 and 1/4" ), but I have dongles that do both balance and SE. After going through a phase of only buying balanced gear, I just get 3.5 most of the time, since single ended 3.5 is on every laptop, dongle, etc.
I am starting to reach the point where some of the dongles are good enough to just be your only answer. For $150, the Fiio KA17 has loads of power ( 270+270 mW single ended, and 650+650 mW for the balanced ) from the THX 78+ amp, and can even be powered separately. It is very neutral using the ES9069 ( used in the Topping E50, and Hifiman EF1000DAC ). If the DAC is good enough for Flagship source gear, I am sure it is more than good enough for my aging ears.
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I don’t know, but it is definitely true that a sample size of two without any controls in place for all of the other components of the listening experience isn’t nearly a good enough environment to know for sure.
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LOL! And yet you say this:
Do you have at least three peer-reviewed articles of double-blind tests with adequate sample size that adequately account for all statistically significant physiological/perceptual variables along with streaming service variables with DAC/amp variables with cable variables and with IEM variables with a p<0.001? When you can do this, then your statement has merit.
The comparisons between IEMs, etc. is quite similar to going to the optometrist. Should we avoid going to the optometrist as the prescription measuring methods are just “placebo”?
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Fair Point.
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Thanks. I think maybe the 7th Acoustic flagship will be more my thing
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PMG Apx SE also coming out soon. But yeah Asteria was nice, low treble dip made it closer to Storm than I thought too.
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Hey Chris am I tripping or did you once upload a video where you went into a high end hifi store in Japan? Where they let you play you’re library?
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This?
(that iem in the thumbnail looks like the Sony XBA-A3 or A2.)
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Wow thieaudio finally tackling the budget segment!
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$749 guesstimate? Or more ?
I will try to ask to the linsoul team.
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That was A2 best sounding set in whole shop. Before all the bias and buddies and “Dear friend” came around. That was a great setup I had. Good times 
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Removed for redundancy
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