Dear colleagues,
The SPL Phonitor 2 Head Phone amp was reviewed recently in a German HIFI Magazine and got favourable comments. So I took the opportunity, thanks to the courtesy of the long established audio retailer “Aug & Ohr (“Eye and ear”) in Zürich, Switzerland, www.augundohr.com to have a listen to this new device.
My write-up below would however NOT really give a full review or even a clear answer such as “the SPL sounds better or worse”, but I tend to concentrate on the intent and purpose - for the private head phone connoisseur! - of crossfeed circuit, or XFeed and other sound processing devices.
Some explanatory comments ahead: I’ve been using headphones virtually all my “HIFI”-Life, meaning over 45 years, and had lots of different phones on my head. So as an old “HP hand” (or would this be an old HP-HEAD..??) , I actually never complained or was bothered by what’s called the “In head-localisation”; on the contrary I always enjoyed the full virtually 180 degree panorama soundstage the phone usually offered.
Nevertheless, some years ago I got one of JAN MEIER’S HP amps, which included his own cross field compensation system. On recommendation of Mr Meier, I up-graded to Grace Design, which included this very design in their products M902 and M903.
Part of my current setup is, a Sony MDR R-10 (+ Grace M903), and the STAX SR-007 and -009, both driven by the STAX energizer 007t-2. My assessment so far was that the difference with XFeed was rather marginal – depending on the music used – but was never a disadvantage. I normally have it switched on when using the R-10; there is no such XFeed with the STAX, of course.
The reason for the audition was to compare the SPL to the Grace M903, especially with the view of the new specially designed XFeed compensation including new processor circuits to simulate speakers including the new feature, which allows the XLR output with the processed signal to connect to e.g the STAX Drivers.
Here I need to add: SPL clearly states, that such speaker simulation is primarily intended for the professional recording / mastering engineer, to allow use of phones and adapt them to the monitoring via speakers in the studio.
The SPL Phonitor 2 is a top professionally built unit, with state-of-the-art handling and performance. Connections, fine-tuning & switching and other features are clearly aimed at the audio professional, with us High-Enders possibly also benefiting from such qualities.
There is a manual here:
http://spl.info/fileadmin/user_upload/anleitungen/english/Phonitor2_BA_E.pdf
The unit sells in Switzerland for 1700. - to 1850.- CHF/ Swiss francs or approx. 1350 to 1500 Euros. (The M903 is listed for 2300 to 2500 CHF, or approx. 1850 to 2000 Euros) so, yes there is a price difference – the M903 sports an excellent DAC system, while the SPL is reportedly purely analogue
For the short test I took along my usual selection of “critical” CD’s, my Grace Design M903 amp & Sony MDR R-10. Comparing the two amps in neutral (without any processor) I tend to give the M903 a notch up, due to the slightly clearer sound in general , and notably better defined bass.
Please Note: this assessment may well be different with different phones and even listener preference ! (My explanation below may be slightly confusing, as to my incomplete use of the correct technical terms & language skills – I hope you still follow me !)
When engaging the respective processor options on the SPL I was more than puzzled: My expectation was a somewhat “narrower” but tighter soundstage (or head-stage ?? ) with a fuller sound in the centre, meaning the “panorama” shrinks from say 180 degree to 120 or so.
The "stage or panorama" did indeed shrink somewhat, but what I mainly perceived was : there was LESS sound in the middle of the “stage” and most baffled was the loss of deep bass. It sounded like all spatiality and the musical foundation has disappeared. i tried different set-uo Options, but the Overall effect was similar.
This was rather a disappointment, so I didn’t bother to carry on with the test.
This rather strange effect was common on all tracks; I tried this with different music:
Ray Brown, double bass and Laurindo Almeida on guitar with their amazing interpretation of Beethoven’s moonlight Sonatas
Cecilia Bartoli – various arias
Italian concerto on Cembalo (harpsichord )
Cantata Domino (Soprano, choir and Organ)
As mentioned: with the Grace, / Jan Meier Xfeed, I never heard any change in sound Quality, onyl this slight stage adjustment.
Maybe, just maybe: I tried to cure a problem, which I don’t have (aversion to in-head-localisation) with a therapy that I don’t need – (i.e. XFeed & head phone sound processing)
Conclusion of the story: Needless to say, that I’ll stick to my current set-up !
(…..until the next “up-grade bug” will bite me…!! There are many other excellent amps around , I know. So I may be tempted to try the MALVALVE headamp 3 one of these days…)
Regards
Urs
