headphone amps

[Axis]

I've never really had to record anyone but myself most of the time but now that my band is recording i need help. I want to get a headphone amp not really sure what kind yet something cheap (very budgeted). What would be a good headphone amp with atleast 3 channels. NEXT question just so I can know now is where do headphone amps hook in to, the main outs ctrl outs, or the regular headphone plug in?

thank ye kindly

[Buffalo Bob]

You can use a regular stereo amp (receiver). Just split the signal out to your phones.
By the way, is Poe's still open there in C-Ville?

Bob

[Axis]

I've been using a splitter 1/4 - (2) 1/4's It gives a bunch of distortion to the sound.


uhhhh i think Poes is still open im not really sure. You've been to C-ville?

[Buffalo Bob]

If you do a search you'll get some suggestions for can amps. I used to hang in your beautiful town many moons ago. I played at Poes a couple of times. I love Charlottesville -especially in the winter!

Bob

[cjogo]

the easiest to use (passive no AC) four individual output --master gain and to stereo ins ---5in square by 1 1/2

Califone 1214AV-PS stereo
about $50.00

[TexRoadkill]

Do you need seperate mixes on the different headphones or do you just want the same thing in all of them?

[Axis]

The same thing throughout would be fine, just need it so they can hear whats going on.

The cheapest thing would probably be suitable just as long as it doesn't distort a lot

I haven't heard about Poes for a while but im assuming its still standing. Do you remember Trax? that closed about a year ago. The home of rock in charlottesville

[DigitalDon]

Take a look at the Behringer headphone amp. Go to http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/...nger+headphone to check it out. I have the HA4400 and love it. It has 4 headphone outs on the front and 8 more on the back. You can also do 4 seperate headphone mixes if you want. Has seperate volume, balance, Left/Right mute and mono controls for each channel. At about $99 it's a lot of bang for the buck. Might be able to find it cheaper elsewhere. There's a 4600 and 4400 on eBay right now sitting at about $75 each.

DD

[caretaker9]

I've used the Rolls stereo headphone amp with good results... Runs about $63 at 8th St... One stereo in, 4 stereo outs. Individual volume faders for the outs... DC power, and fits in the palm of your hand... A competent budget-minded solution!

[HangDawg]

I use the rolls as well. Pretty nice unit. Cheap and sounds good but nothing fancy.

[philsaudio]

Originally posted by DigitalDon
Take a look at the Behringer headphone amp. Go to http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/...nger+headphone to check it out. I have the HA4400 and love it. It has 4 headphone outs on the front and 8 more on the back. You can also do 4 seperate headphone mixes if you want. Has seperate volume, balance, Left/Right mute and mono controls for each channel. At about $99 it's a lot of bang for the buck. Might be able to find it cheaper elsewhere. There's a 4600 and 4400 on eBay right now sitting at about $75 each.

DD

I second that. I have one and it gets the main mix out to all four channels and then I can put my only 2 aux mixes ( would be 4 if I had four mixes) into two of the four also. The Aux can go to one ear and the main to the other or mono them. The musicians love the flexibility. I think they go new for 79.00 although I still think the 119 I spent was well spent money.

[Tom Hicks]

I have the Rolls unit also.Loud and clean little headphone amp.
Not having the Behr,I have still heard others talk about impedance issues with it, depending on how many phones are plugged in.My memory-like-a-sieve seems to be telling me that it was set up with Euro standards of impedance in mind.Perhaps those guys who actually have one will chime in on that issue.

[philsaudio]

Originally posted by Tom Hicks
I have the Rolls unit also.Loud and clean little headphone amp.
Not having the Behr,I have still heard others talk about impedance issues with it, depending on how many phones are plugged in.My memory-like-a-sieve seems to be telling me that it was set up with Euro standards of impedance in mind.Perhaps those guys who actually have one will chime in on that issue.

the behringer says 100 ohms min impedance on the back. I routinely plug Sony MDR 7506 phones in the back - to the musicians and then plug AKG K240 600 ohm in the front so I can listen to the mixes. There is plenty of volume and no audible distortion. I have plugged in two sets of 7506 to one amp with no problem too.

Wild Phil Harmonica.

[Wireneck]

I just got a behringer 4600 about a week ago. One feature that no one has really mentioned is the Bass and treble controls for each channel. I think this is a great feature because if you have a couple pairs of krap headphones ,you can kind of tweak the sound for each pair so they aren't near as bad as they really are. Unless you have 12 pairs of really nice headphones, i guess that won't be a factor. Then again you prob wouldnt be buying a behringer either though. The unit has more than enough volume as far as im concerned but ive only had 4 sets of headphones hooked up at once so far.

[darrin_h2000]

That can be Important because if the mix going to the singer sounds flat, they may compensate by not singing out.

[StevenLindsey]

I have the Behringer 4400. Very nice unit - good sound. Needs balanced inputs or you might get a bit of hum.

[philsaudio]

Originally posted by StevenLindsey
I have the Behringer 4400. Very nice unit - good sound. Needs balanced inputs or you might get a bit of hum.

I think what you mah have been trying to say is that it is a good idea to use the HA 4400 with balanced SOURCES driving the 4400's balanced inputs. I drive mine with unbalanced sources and it is dead quiet.

[StevenLindsey]

Yeah that ! Thanks for clarifying that. I did know what I meant to say. : > ) The unbalanced rcas out of my recorder were weak and did not work well directly into the 4400. Hummed. I got an Ebtech Hum Eliminator to convert it to a balanced signal and now it is quiet. If mine died, I'd get another one - well, a 4600, I suppose.

[philsaudio]

Originally posted by Axis
I've never really had to record anyone but myself most of the time but now that my band is recording i need help. I want to get a headphone amp not really sure what kind yet something cheap (very budgeted). What would be a good headphone amp with atleast 3 channels. NEXT question just so I can know now is where do headphone amps hook in to, the main outs ctrl outs, or the regular headphone plug in?

thank ye kindly

In my experience the best way to use the headphones is to have each pair or group of pairs have its own mix. At the foundation of each mix it works for me to have the rough mix for the entire group of mics connected to the board going to all the phones.

For instance in a studio with well isolated instruments, the drummer is going to bitch that he can not hear the bass. So in addition to the the foundation I crank the bass for the durmmer.

The guitar vocalist will bitch he can not hear his guitar or vocals si I boost this for him. Etc Etc.

To do this it is nice to have pre fader AUX sends for each set of mixes feeding each headphone amp channel.

The Behringer HA 4400 handels this well using the board out to the input in the back for the foundation mix and the AUX ins in the front for each of the four mixes.

Be careful when making the connector for the AUX in's in the front. I wired the tips and rings together at the end where the AUx'S connect to the 4400 so that the AUX is in the left and right headphones. With this configuration moving the 4400 balance control to the left gives more aux or to the right gives more foundation. Of course you can put the foundation in one ear and the AUX in the other if you like, but I find most musicians bitch when this is in their phones hence I made the T&R plugs for my boards AUX outs.

Hope this helps
Wild Phil Harmonica

[sessionselect]

if you want to get the rolls, i've been searching for the cheapest price around.....i got nothin better to do at work...

this is what i found (i'm not sure on the prices for shipping but i know that one of the is free)

http://www.bswonline.com/public/prod_item.asp?item=HA43 $49
http://www.sloca.com/home/html/products/blackboxes.html $59

hope this helps