[grizzlybeast]

Looking forward to your impressions @earthpeople

---

I dont know how to finish a review with the X unit's issue unresolved so I will share the gist of it. 
 
Strengths:

1. Clean and grain free sound
2. VERY refined
3. Decently holographic
4. Extremely well balanced
5. Crossfeed presets works well (E)
6. Beautiful midrange from the lower all the way to the upper
7. Treble presence without fatigue and extra hash. There are more natural out there but you need to pay a lot more to have more refinement in the treble
8. Good resolution
9. Has that finesse that some look for outside of solid states
10. Excellent clarity
11. Bass balance is good and satisfying in level without too weak. Decent mid bass body and sub bass rumble

On the fence:

1. Punchiness. This area will split crowds. Its neither engaging nor laid back and somewhere in the middle but with decent tonal density.
2. The treble doesn't possess the energy some may like to draw attention to itself (imo a good thing).

Weaknesses:

1. Transients aren't as energetic or abrupt as I would like. I would like the sounds to have a little more snap to them and the attacks to be more engaging. 
2. Sweeps and sub bass tests it played solid bass line rumbles with only average (for its price) control over the driver. It is not where it excels at but its not an absolute failure. I would personally prefer a more solid and gripping low end that is harder and tighter.

 

[grizzlybeast]

I am going to go ahead and post my review soon. It seems as though not being a customer I would have to wait months.
 
All I can do is advise you not to do the following for the X :
 
Make sure the headphone jack is fully inserted into the unit.
 
Do not plug a mono cable in (who has one of those for headphones)
 
mute the amp before plugging the headphones in. One of the reps says that that is a common problem with the amps and that it says that in the manual but it actually does not tell you to put the amp on mute first.

 

[earthpeople]

Phonitor e is on its way to @gzone3lement !
 
If anyone is interested, I updated my previous post with my thoughts a couple nights ago. 

 

[grizzlybeast]

  Phonitor e is on its way to @gzone3lement !
 
If anyone is interested, I updated my previous post with my thoughts a couple nights ago. 

Totally get your impressions. I agree as well. Its just a matter of how much someone prioritizes certain aspects. The things that I like about it are high on my priority list. 
 
I think your post was spot on! Thanks for sharing!

 

[gzone3lement]

Got the Phonitor E today. This is exciting!

 

[grizzlybeast]

HERE IS MY FULL REVIEW OF THE PHONITOR UNITS

 

[DoctaCosmos]

Niiiice! Love the website format too

 

[grizzlybeast]

Niiiice! Love the website format too

Thanks!

 

[Berdine]

I recently had a chance to listen to a Phonitor X at a show with HD 650.  It was show conditions and all that, but it seemed to me that turning on the crossfeed had a huge effect on the bass response, as in the bass just went away when the crossfeed was on.  Has anyone else had a similar experience?  I'm wondering if that was just a casualty of show conditions and I ought to try to get another listen.

 

[gzone3lement]

The SPL Phonitor E is on its way to @Hansotek!
 
Due to some wear and tear, I added more padding and changed the outside package and added some package peanuts. This should hold up for a few more trips!

 

 

 

 
Impressions coming soon...

 

[IHMEYERS]

I have a V280 which is basically a V281 without the flexibility.  I only needed a headphone amp as I have a high-end preamp in the system.
 
After living with the V280 for 3 months I love it's punch and raw power.  It's a little cooler than I am used to with my LCD-X at least compared to the RWA Audeze amp I had.  My biggest complaint is that the soundstage isn't very wide or at least as wide as I have heard with the LCD-X.  I am tempted to get a SPL X to compare it to.  From the feedback it's seems like that would image better than the V280.  I wonder if I will be trading off on resolution and punch though.
 
I wish there was a South Florida dealer where I could audition the Phonitor X before purchase.  It's a lot of money to spend on spec.

 

[Yoga]

  I have a V280 which is basically a V281 without the flexibility.  I only needed a headphone amp as I have a high-end preamp in the system.
 
After living with the V280 for 3 months I love it's punch and raw power.  It's a little cooler than I am used to with my LCD-X at least compared to the RWA Audeze amp I had.  My biggest complaint is that the soundstage isn't very wide or at least as wide as I have heard with the LCD-X.  I am tempted to get a SPL X to compare it to.  From the feedback it's seems like that would image better than the V280.  I wonder if I will be trading off on resolution and punch though.
 
I wish there was a South Florida dealer where I could audition the Phonitor X before purchase.  It's a lot of money to spend on spec.

I've had the P2 and Px, the V281 (XLR balanced) has a bigger stage than both. Not much in it though.

 

[drwlf]

 
I've had the P2 and Px, the V281 (XLR balanced) has a bigger stage than both. Not much in it though.

Difference in the beforementioned punch? Hows the attack/transients/decay, any differences down low or in the top end?

 

[Yoga]

 
Difference in the beforementioned punch? Hows the attack/transients/decay, any differences down low or in the top end?

Compared to he Phonitor 2/X, the V281 has a more authoritative and powerful sound. More engaging across the board. That may suit one's preferences or it may not.
 
I didn't have them side by side for a direct A/B comparison and hence do not want to comment explicitly as audio memory is fickle at best. Having said that, from my volatile human memory, the V281 has tighter lower frequencies and is more resolving of transients/decay.
 
TL;DR: the SPL units are more laid back.

I could easily live with either. 

 

[drwlf]

 
Compared to he Phonitor 2/X, the V281 has a more authoritative and powerful sound. More engaging across the board. That may suit one's preferences or it may not.
 
I didn't have them side by side for a direct A/B comparison and hence do not want to comment explicitly as audio memory is fickle at best. Having said that, from my volatile human memory, the V281 has tighter lower frequencies and is more resolving of transients/decay.
 
TL;DR: the SPL units are more laid back.

I could easily live with either. 

Thanks for the input, much appreciated. Any tidbits, even from auditory memory are more than welcome.
Kind of OT, but: have you had a chance to try to Pro iCan? Wondering the same things; laid-back with hints of thinness in general or in the lower end, or a pronounced treble roll off isn't exactly my thing.