PS Audio’s Stellar Gain Cell DAC and BHK Signature Preamp are fully balanced designs. The company touts this, and deservedly so.
But, why are the headphones outputs not offered with a balanced connection? It kind of doesn’t make sense. The balanced circuitry is already there.
Almost all better headphones have a balanced connection option, certainly ones that would be price and performance appropriate to $1700 (Stellar) and $6000 (BHK) units.
So, why this design decision?
It almost seems like a missed opportunity or mistake considering the class which this equipment is in.
I own the Stellar GCD and M700 monoblocks. I am very happy with them.
Having a great piece of equipment like the GCD and knowing that it is fully balanced, and yet not being able to go balanced with my headphones is the only aspect of this setup that leaves me itching for a function/feature that isn’t there.