I have a pretty simple rig, my iPad air 2 with auria. I use an irig pro interface, it's just me, I mic my acoustic, and electric, bass and keyboards are direct in. Drums are played on the keyboard. I have a set of focal spirit pro headphonea. I don't really have anywhere to set up a treated room, nor the $$$ to spend on it. No need to have multiple headphone feeds. So, my question is, will an external headphone amp provide me with any noticeable audible difference when mixing?
Headphone amp?
- Thread starter RickWaugh
- Start date
jimmys69
MOODerator
Nope. An external headphone amp will only give ability to have more headphone feeds and more output gain. And likely more added noise to your systems output.
That being said, why do you feel you cannot setup your room with acoustic treatment and monitors? Aside from the cost of it, it is a better investment that a monitor amp.
Just make sure to make decisions as to what you spend your money on by educating yourself on what is actually worth spending your money on in your situation.
I know that likely sounds vague as hell, but it really is very important. You need to decide how important it is for yourself to get the best you can create. Then find what it is you need to invest in in your particular situation.
That being said, why do you feel you cannot setup your room with acoustic treatment and monitors? Aside from the cost of it, it is a better investment that a monitor amp.
Just make sure to make decisions as to what you spend your money on by educating yourself on what is actually worth spending your money on in your situation.
I know that likely sounds vague as hell, but it really is very important. You need to decide how important it is for yourself to get the best you can create. Then find what it is you need to invest in in your particular situation.
TimN
New member
Are you asking is there going to be an improvement in the sonic quality of an out board (high-end) headphone amp? Compared to the phones amp on the iPad or whatever you're using? The answer is yes--but you'd need to spend an awful lot on a high-end amp (like a Grace, for instance). if you're serious about your music, treat the room. There are a lot of good resources out there that can help you save money on this. It's going to be money well (and better) spent.
Practicalities, guys. I don't have a room I can dedicate. I have a corner of my family room. And I don't have the dollars to spend on good monitors and the room treatment, and the room has so much crap in it, it wouldn't matter. Seriously, I write instrumental music, and only mic my acoustic, and it sounds pretty good. Everything else is direct in, or samples. I'm working on learning how to use what I have, the best I can. It's that simple. That's why I picked up the headphones, because it was the wisest allocation of resources. Thanks for the replies. So far I'd have to say that it's not worthwhile. The reason I asked is that I saw somewhere a while ago that a decent amp would be a solid step up.
dudernut
New member
The purpose of a headphone amp is generally not for mixing, but for monitoring while recording. It was one of my earlier purchases, an inexpensive one that still serves me fine. It provides me with four outputs allowing up to four people to listen simultaneously. However, the main reason I felt the need for one was for recording acoustic drums. I simply did not have enough gain without it to hear the click track and/or scratch track over a full drum kit. This purchase was prior to owning a digital interface; I was using a small mixer and routing it into the built in sound card of my computer. I'm honestly not sure if my current interface provides enough gain to get the job done because I still find the amp handy and use it nearly every time. This is mainly because I rarely record alone, and it's nice to have multiple outs with independent gain control for the musician, the engineer (whoever's sitting at the desk at the time), and whoever else may be in the room and interested in listening.
jimmys69
MOODerator
Well we all have to deal with the rooms we have. Sucks but that is the reality.
Just know that throwing anything after the room or instrument that is in it, will only give results based on what it is given. That being said, a headphone amp will only give more volume to what you already have. It will not improve the quality of the input signal chain in any way.
I don't wish to bring you down but your best course of improvement is going to be in the room itself. Then the quality of your monitoring will come into play when mixing what you have recorded. Which also starts with the room and what you are recording with...
Do the best with what you have. Throwing gear at an issue before stating at the source will just be a waste of $$ IME.