SPL Phonitor, new reference amp? - Page 2

Hi guys! Im also having more than one eye on the phonitor since it appeared

Let me explain some of the technical stuff it contains:

The +-60V SUPRA OP amps inside are developded by SPL and used in their mastering grade hardware. Their EQs using the same OPamps range from 4000 to 10000 Euro, they are also used in their mastering consoles which go for around 20000 Euro. If im not wrong Bob Ludwig is using a console from SPL for example. Their mastering hardware is so widely used it doesnt make sense to start listing engineers.
Nine of these OP amps are used in the phonitor. SPL claims the phonitor offers a SNR of 116dB + 34dB headroom = 150dB dynamic range. More than any source will deliver.

You should check out the pictures mentioned in the PDF above. It's gorgeous

Now the most interesting thing about the Phonitor, besides the crossover is the "center level" feature. This can help to tune headphones to taste.
We all know the problem. Compared to speakers, headphones in general have the middle (in soundstage) too upfront, easily heard in vocals and drums.
The Phonitor is using a technic called M/S where you seperate the signal not into left/right, but into mono sum/stereo sum signals. That means the volume can be lowered ONLY for the middle signal without affecting the sides. You can turn down the mono volume from 0,3dB to 2,0dB. That helps nicely to give vocals, bass and drums some needed distance when listening to headphones.

Probably most people (me included) are used to listen to headphones the way they are, nevertheless i especially found that feature very nice and usefull.

I agree. This is certainly a unit I'll be checking out.

I'm also glad to see an amp design that will look good sitting next to my Tektronix oscilloscope!

It sure is an interesting amp. I had the honour listening to it last tuesday. Please take my impressions with a bottle of salt, the listening time was short, I never heard the source, a Naim cdp, I never heard the Phonitor and I am not that familiar with the Ed9, I just got it in (I did listen to it with a burned in pair, for the record).

The combo sounded very controlled, neutral maybe isn't the perfect word (when is it..) but very natural. Highly detailed and layered and a powerful representation of the music which makes it an absolute joy to listen to. I listened to "Amused to Death" by Roger Waters as I'm quite familiar with that album.

When I get to know my ed9 more I will go back and listen to that amp again only with my setup (when possible) to see what difference the amp would really make with my system. It has intriqued me a lot and the price is not too shabby if it can live up to it.
Thanx Hans for adding that to your stable.

Ow, and it's aimed at the Pro market not the highend "audiophile" market that's probably why there's so little info about them on here. Too bad though.

thanks for the impressions.

I had a listen to one earlier in the week and was mightily impressed... and also a little relieved.
Impressed because the sound really was just excellent; they have obviously designed it to be as neutral as possible. The build is top-end studio grade and the metering is just a joy.
Relieved because I had concerns that the mighty SPL had just decided to jump on the headphone amp bandwagon to make a buck, particularly as a poor implementation of the Phonitor's various features could have relegated it to novelty status... anyway, they have not, this amp is all business.

The crossfeed is one of the best I have heard and when combined with the too-clever speaker angle feature really is useful for someone who would work for extended periods with this unit. The centre channel feature is also well implemented. I found all three features to be very subtly implemented and could not detect any additional coloration of the sound when they were in use; The ability to switch them in/out without adjusting the settings made this pretty easy to confirm.

The unit - and it's volume dial - is designed to optimally run with 600 ohm headphones but I still had plenty of room on the dial with my 300 ohm Sennheisers. 11-12 o'clock (-12 to -9dB on the dial) was loud, not sure how you would go with 32 ohm 'phones, there is a switch to attenuate the volume by 20dB (giving you more range on the dial) but it also affects the VU/PPM meters; not such an issue if you are using it for "recreational" purposes but if you were mastering with it, perhaps not so good.

None the less, I think it will be my next amp purchase...

FWIW I was using my own HD-650's and a copy of Bon Iver's new CD and Becks Modern Guilt, I have also worked with some of SPL's preamps and EQ gear in the past.

20db is a lot. i bet you could use grados with this thing.

Oh you definitely could, it's just a question of whether you want to attenuate the signal by 20dB to give yourself more room on the dial but losing information on the meters; or leave the dial way down and let the meters show the true incoming levels.
I'd just be curious to know how much of the volume dial is usable (i.e., not deafening) with the lower impedance 'phones.

From the Phonitor manual:
"You can also use the Dim function to adjust among differences in headphone impedance and the resulting sensitivity differences. The Phonitor output and the optimal Volume level is based on the studio standard, 600 Ohms headphone impedance. However, there are many headphones which employ a lesser impedance, for example 250 Ohms or even only 50 Ohms. Such headphones effect a much louder level.
A 50 Ohms headphone thus yields a relatively loud minimum volume level. In such a case, the useful range of an amplifier’s output level control or potentiometer is much more limited. Here you may use the Dim function to reestablish a useful range for the volume control. The high component and circuitry quality of the Phonitor guarantees that despite activating the Dim function there is no measurable degradation of the signal quality.
Please note that the VU meter always displays the -20 dB damping when Dim is activated. You may activate the +6dB Meter Cal. setting to avoid that the needle sticks to the left – and add 14 dB to the displayed values to translate to actual input levels."

Not a super big deal, but something for potential buyers to be aware of...

this thing looks beastly. I wouldn't say it's not wallet-breaking (I don't anything worth that much yet) but I'm pretty interested in their implementations of crosfeed and the mono +/- sum business. Anyone with more impressions, I promise I won't complain if you write more

Gorgeous case work and interesting amp.
I'm still a bit confused about whether this is a balanced amp or not.
Could you connect an 840C say from its balanced output to the Phonitor's balanced inputs and is it worth it in terms of what you'd hear at the SE headphone stage?

It's not a balanced amp. You can connect a balanced source to it but headphones only se. About the difference it's supposed to make I am not sure. Opinions seem to vary and I never heard a balanced setup.
It is kind of a bummer (just a tiny bit) as I would like to experiment with balanced when the time comes just for kicks and to find out for myself whether the difference is big enough to justify the extra lay down of cash.

Pleazuhh anyone, I want to read more!!! Someone..buy..it...for...the greater good...which is me of course

In a word: this is PRO gadget, not Voodoo flim-flam.

By which do you mean it is inappropriate kit for audiophile listeners??

I think he means Pro in terms of not loading it up with features - and marketing hyperbole - that really have no bearing on a piece of true high-end studio gear.

The whole source-to-headphones dual-mono concept (what headphone and only headphone addicts call balanced) really has no place in that sort of gear. Studio professionals have no time for custom recabling headphones with non-standard interconnects. Single-ended is the way to go and IMHO at worst achieves 99.99% of the same result.

Of course that is not to say an audiophile should not love this unit, this is hardware that is designed for mastering afterall. My brief audition certainly has me seriously juggling my finances. It's just that that audiophile would have to believe in the virtues of high-end SE gear over high-end(cost) dual-mono gear.

I wonder if it being "Pro" gear as opposed to fickle and FOTM prone audiophile it'll be inclined to retain it's resale value better?

Hehe
Yeah good point! I'd say if the pro's buy it we'll never know - I've certainly always held onto all my gear no matter how old (might come in handy you know!)
I guess it'll still be subject to the whims of supply and demand on the secondhand HiFi market though...