SPL Phonitor X Headphone Amp/Preamp - Red

The SPL Phonitor x is the ultimate headphone amplifier. It offers connections for headphones operated both balanced and unbalanced. With up to 3.7 W output power the Phonitor x delivers an impressive performance. The revolutionary Phonitor Matrix delivers the most realistic playback on headphones. As almost all music was mixed for speaker playback the Phonitor Matrix lets you experience music on headphones as being played back through speakers. The Phonitor x is not just a headphone amplifier, but also an excellent preamplifier that can also drive power amplifiers or active monitors. All in all five input sources can be connected. Two of which are analog stereo inputs (XLR und RCA) and three more are digital stereo inputs (USB, coaxial and optical).

• 120V rail headphone amplifier and preamplifier
• Separate connections and power amplifiers for headphone driven balanced and unbalanced
• Suited for all headphones with impedances >10 ohms
• Balanced and unbalanced analog inputs (XLR and RCA)
• Optional digital inputs: USB, coaxial and optical
• Optional DAC: 192 kHz and 24 Bit, Win driver supplied, Apple Class compliant
• Balanced and unbalanced analog outputs (XLR and RCA)
• Innovative Phonitor Matrix: speaker-equivalent listening on headphones
• Laterality control: super-fine balance control
• Mono switch function
• Volume remotely adjustable (learns any IR remote control)
• Maximum output power: 2 x 3.7 W (into 120 ohms)
• Frequency response: 10 Hz - 300 kHz (-3 dB)
• THD+N: 0.00091 % (HP), 0.00085 % (Line)
• Dynamic range: 135.5 dB (HP), 136.3 dB (Line)
• AMP CTR connection with Performer power amplifier for coupled On/Off switching
• Made in Germany

The technical basis of all Professional Fidelity units is the proprietory 120 V Rail Technology, which SPL also calls VOLTAiR technology. The name makes reference to the unequalled high voltage of 120 V (+/-60 V DC) and the huge dynamic range of over 140 dB that goes with it. More information on the 120 V Rail Technology can be found here.

Phonitor is a success story. Designed and developed for the sound engineer and producer giving them a tool to be able to mix on headphones Phonitor soon found a big fan base among Hi-Fi aficionados around the world.

What is new about Phonitor x?

Dual power amp for balanced headphones

Now your headphones can be operated 'balanced'. Phonitor x has an advanced dual power amp built-in that drives headphones balanced which twice the power of the standard 1/4" jack. This tightens the bass response and makes the overall playback even more relaxed and transparent. The front houses a 4-pol XLR connector to connect the balanced headphone. Both the standard and the 4-pol headphone outputs can be used simultaneously.

Optional DA converter

Phonitor x can be equipped with a DA converter. With that installed the available inputs are expanded by USB, coaxial and optical digital stereo inputs. The DA converter supports sample rates up to 192 kHz with 24 bit. It syncs automatically to the sample rate of the selected digital input.

Optimized Phonitor-Matrix

The Phonitor matrix is become simpler, because the Phonitor x is purely designed for audio playback. Features like Center Level adjustment, Solo and Polarity are of use in music production and have therefore been left off in the Phonitor x. SPL has also reduced the amount os selectable Speaker Angles from six to four leaving off the 15° and 75° angles.

Crossfeed

The Crossfeed switch allows you to adjust the frequency-dependent crossfeed simulation of both channels by adjustments of interaural level difference – as if this characteristic would be heard from monitors when in their own room ambiance. One can compare variations in crossfeed values as approximating the influence of different room sizes and characteristics on a given loudspeaker setup. This adjustment can be made in six steps ranging from “minimum” to “maximum”. Crossfeed interacts with the Angle value to simulate the width of a stereo image

Angle

The Angle switch provides for frequency-dependent simulation of your stereo image width by adjustments of interaural time difference. This influences the moment in time at which a signal‘s wave form arrives at the ear and corresponds to a particular variation in the angle of an actual loudspeaker pair. The time constants of the interaural time differences between the left and right channels occur within a range of 90 to 635 microseconds. As a starting value select the 30° position.

Preamplifier

Phonitor x is not just a headphone amplifier but also a full-fledged stereo preamplifier. There is provision for connecting up to five stereo sources – two in the analog domain offering XLR connectors for a balanced source and RCA connectors for an unbalanced source. With the optional DA converter installed three more digital stereo sources can be connected via USB, coaxial and optical connectors.

You can connect your active loudspeakers or power amplifier directly to the Phonitor x. The rear Speaker Outputs provide both balanced (XLR) and unbalanced (RCA) connections.

Remote Control

To control the Volume you can use any IR remote control. The cool part is that the Phonitor x learns your remote! Take your remote control for the CD player for instance. There are many buttons and there are at least two you don't really need. Assign Volume Up and Volume Down to those buttons and let the Phonitor x learn them. Please check the manual for more.

AMP CTL (Amplifier Control)When Phonitor x operates as a preamplifier together with the Performer as power amplifier both units can be wire-linked for simultaneous power on/off. Therefore both units AMP CTL sockets need to be connected with a 3.5mm mono-jack cable.

When switching to headphone listening the Performer can automatically be powered down. To engage this feature set DIP switch #6 on the bottom of the Phonitor x to ON.

Professional Fidelity • Pro-Fi-SeriesPhonitor x is part of the Pro-Fi series of products. Pro-Fi stands for Professional Fidelity and it expresses that these products have their roots in professional studio technology being optimized for high-fidelity music playback. Mastering studios give your records and CDs the final tough – with SPL 120V technology. And because the Phonitor x is built with the same technology it belongs to best headphone amplifiers on the planet. With its extraordinary specifications and enormous headroom Phonos plays back audio in the most relaxed and uncompromised fashion. Ear fatigue is reduced by far and hearing session stay delightful for a long.