miroslav
Cosmic Cowboy
I ever have the need to upgrade...that looks like a nice upgrade from the S-Phone. When I see XLR instead of 1/4"...it always feels more pro.
I need a new headphone distribution amp. Recommendations?
- Thread starter sweetbeats
- Start date
I ever have the need to upgrade...that looks like a nice upgrade from the S-Phone. When I see XLR instead of 1/4"...it always feels more pro.
sweetbeats
Reel deep thoughts...
TheMaartian
New member
Since no one else has mentioned the Rane HC6S, I will. Pricey, but Rane make clean (audio and power) gear.
HC6S Headphone Amplifier
HC6S Headphone Amplifier
sweetbeats
Reel deep thoughts...
The Rane stuff is pretty true blue. You get what you pay for.
The old Tascam is nice because it can be worked on...lots of room inside and all through-hole components. It uses a 5532-based amplifier for the input amp. There was one for sale locally to me recently for $50.
The old Tascam is nice because it can be worked on...lots of room inside and all through-hole components. It uses a 5532-based amplifier for the input amp. There was one for sale locally to me recently for $50.
I have a SM Pro Audio HP6, but the HP6E is the new version (SM Pro Audo ? HP6E ?)
Knobs feel good to use, and the sound is fine. The reason I bought it though was because it has multiple inputs and any headphone can listen to any pair of inputs, plus Main mix if desired. It's been a very handy tool for testing, not to mention recording. Set up the mixer out, computer out, recorder out, etc., and then just change between them as needed. It's a handy 'master section' of a board that can be used for more then just your control room speakers...
Each headphone out can listen to the 'main mix' input plus one other so it can solve a lot of problems. It's a cheap way to monitor DAW playback while tracking without needed to worry about round trip latency into the computer. (Send main mix from DAW, minus track being recorded, and then use a bus, insert jack, etc., to wire into a numbered jack on the headphone amp. Blend them together and voila.)
So many uses...
I usually have it wired with a 'main mix' input and then the outputs of my Tascam M-1Bs, which I use as headphone mixers. Dial in some 'more me' on the M-1B, plus a rough mix from the recorder. Easy. I bought a bunch of M-1Bs before they went nuts on eBay. I bought 6 for $20 (or less..) per unit... not so much these days.
Knobs feel good to use, and the sound is fine. The reason I bought it though was because it has multiple inputs and any headphone can listen to any pair of inputs, plus Main mix if desired. It's been a very handy tool for testing, not to mention recording. Set up the mixer out, computer out, recorder out, etc., and then just change between them as needed. It's a handy 'master section' of a board that can be used for more then just your control room speakers...
Each headphone out can listen to the 'main mix' input plus one other so it can solve a lot of problems. It's a cheap way to monitor DAW playback while tracking without needed to worry about round trip latency into the computer. (Send main mix from DAW, minus track being recorded, and then use a bus, insert jack, etc., to wire into a numbered jack on the headphone amp. Blend them together and voila.)
So many uses...
I usually have it wired with a 'main mix' input and then the outputs of my Tascam M-1Bs, which I use as headphone mixers. Dial in some 'more me' on the M-1B, plus a rough mix from the recorder. Easy. I bought a bunch of M-1Bs before they went nuts on eBay. I bought 6 for $20 (or less..) per unit... not so much these days.
sweetbeats
Reel deep thoughts...
So I just wanted to follow up on this topic...I ended up finding a used Samson S Phone in excellent condition locally for $80.
So how do I feel about the purchase? Well, $80 is $80...and my fear was the Samson was the same under the hood as the Behringer (that created this need for a replacement headphone amp because the L channel died after what amounts to less than 40 hours of use) since the features and control layouts are nearly identical between the two. So I did what anybody would do and opened them both up to compare once I got it home.
They are NOT the same under the hood. There are definitely some similarities, but there are also some significant differences.
First of all notice the control surfaces of the two...almost identical:
But then you pull the covers off and wow. The Samson has an input and amp board almost the size of the bottom panel. This accommodates through-hole DIP opamps and logic switching chips rather than tiny surface mount parts. Behringer crammed the same PCB assembly onto a board less the 1.75" wide. The Samson also has a more robust power supply with more appropriate thermal management for the regulator transistors...see here...the Samson is the blue one that looks like it has more guts in it:
Also it is interesting to me to note the Behringer has nutted jacks on the back, but not on the front. The Samson is the opposite. Now, if you had to pick one wouldn't you rather have the jacks on the front nutted? This is a rack-mount device, so by design the rear jacks are likely to be less accessible, and connected on a more permanent basis...the front ones will see more frequent abuse...the should be nutted.
I actually like the labeling and screening on the Behringer better...it's easier to read and understand.
But MOST importantly, the Samson sounds...
...a helluva lot better than the Behringer. No I don't have quantitative measurements to present, but whenever I used the Behringer I was so used to having to put aside the noticeable noise floor and chintzy audio quality. The Samson is quiet and proper sounding. So I'm feeling good about the Samson. I got what I paid for with the Behringer.
So how do I feel about the purchase? Well, $80 is $80...and my fear was the Samson was the same under the hood as the Behringer (that created this need for a replacement headphone amp because the L channel died after what amounts to less than 40 hours of use) since the features and control layouts are nearly identical between the two. So I did what anybody would do and opened them both up to compare once I got it home.
They are NOT the same under the hood. There are definitely some similarities, but there are also some significant differences.
First of all notice the control surfaces of the two...almost identical:
But then you pull the covers off and wow. The Samson has an input and amp board almost the size of the bottom panel. This accommodates through-hole DIP opamps and logic switching chips rather than tiny surface mount parts. Behringer crammed the same PCB assembly onto a board less the 1.75" wide. The Samson also has a more robust power supply with more appropriate thermal management for the regulator transistors...see here...the Samson is the blue one that looks like it has more guts in it:
Also it is interesting to me to note the Behringer has nutted jacks on the back, but not on the front. The Samson is the opposite. Now, if you had to pick one wouldn't you rather have the jacks on the front nutted? This is a rack-mount device, so by design the rear jacks are likely to be less accessible, and connected on a more permanent basis...the front ones will see more frequent abuse...the should be nutted.
I actually like the labeling and screening on the Behringer better...it's easier to read and understand.
But MOST importantly, the Samson sounds...
...a helluva lot better than the Behringer. No I don't have quantitative measurements to present, but whenever I used the Behringer I was so used to having to put aside the noticeable noise floor and chintzy audio quality. The Samson is quiet and proper sounding. So I'm feeling good about the Samson. I got what I paid for with the Behringer.
The under the hood view is radically different in favor of the Samson.
Personally I always hate it when it looks good on the outside and the inside is empty and toy like.
As a kid I worked in a stereo store. Remember those??
Nothing but amps, turntables, speakers, tape decks, etc.
Anyway, my boss gave me a simple formula for determining if a piece of gear was junk.
If you could reach out, and with an extended arm pick it up, it was pure junk.
It had nothing good inside, no matter how pretty it looked in the outside.
Glad you got a good hp amp.
Personally I always hate it when it looks good on the outside and the inside is empty and toy like.
As a kid I worked in a stereo store. Remember those??
Nothing but amps, turntables, speakers, tape decks, etc.
Anyway, my boss gave me a simple formula for determining if a piece of gear was junk.
If you could reach out, and with an extended arm pick it up, it was pure junk.
It had nothing good inside, no matter how pretty it looked in the outside.
Glad you got a good hp amp.
witzendoz
Senior Member
That is exactly what broke on my old Behringer unit, I used to use a front jack in the control room with the rear one cabled to the recording room. The pressure with plugging the front jack in and out broke the circuit board and lost the channel, I move to the next jack and the same thing happened again.
Alan.
I remember a fellow who marketed a rather simple but quite high quality device. Said when it was 'ready- 'complete' as it were, it didn't feel right' and feared it would not give the right impression of 'quality'. So he stated he added some dead weight to the final package- to counter 'the perception'.The under the hood view is radically different in favor of the Samson.
Personally I always hate it when it looks good on the outside and the inside is empty and toy like.
As a kid I worked in a stereo store. Remember those??
Nothing but amps, turntables, speakers, tape decks, etc.
Anyway, my boss gave me a simple formula for determining if a piece of gear was junk.
If you could reach out, and with an extended arm pick it up, it was pure junk.
It had nothing good inside, no matter how pretty it looked in the outside.
Glad you got a good hp amp.
LOL Just flashed on that bit in 'Jurassic Park. The kid's messing with the night vision binoculars..
'Adult says 'Where'd you get those?
Are they heavy?
Then they're expensive.'
Put'em back.
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