However, an increasing number of better quality headphones, like Grado's, now come standard with 3.5 mm plugs and 6mm adaptors. Edit. Iphones appear to be rejecting headphone sockets altogether, constant rumours of bluetooth-only connections on next year's model. I have two sets of Sennheiser HD25s...

OK I can follow that, as you say it should be picked up at the sound check. You just have to hope there isn't a fault.

We are talking about line level, so there can be no danger. The main danger on stage is if you have a hum loop, quick fix is remove the mains earth, this means in a fault condition mics and guitars become live. Some equipment has earth break / lift switch so you can mix and match what is connected ...

I'm not saying that computers can't deliver HiFi performance, clearly they can and I use mine to create CDs, my problem is purely psychological, I have always regarded the 3.5mm jack as an inferior connector. This is nonsense of course as there are smaller connections within equipment that aren't a ...

This is the problem it is still a digital techy play thing, which seems to be most of the fun for them. What we need is a Pie where we don't have to add ingredients or flavour that we can just get it out of the fridge when we want it, heat it up in the microwave if needed, put lashings of cream on ...

Balanced is ONLY needed in RF or EMF rich environments and then only if line level cables exceed 5m in length, and that is marginal. There is a sonic trade off which is why if not needed then don't use it. Unfortunately the run is well over 5m and the MOD have a base a mile or so away, always cause...

I agree, the turntable is probably the second shortest cable run, the pre to power amp being shorter in most cases (if you include integrated amps).

Many years ago we were sold a thing called VSCF, Variable Speed Constant Frequency basically generate a frequency wild supply, rectify it and then run it through an inverter to get 200V 400Hz supposedly with a high quality sine wave output. Not long afterwards the VSCF generators were replaced with ...

Thanks for that Fretless the prices are reasonable too.

As far as I can see the only natively balanced source in domestic use is a phono cartridge and that is the one source I have never seen offer as a balanced input. Doesn't mean there aren't any.