help with headphone amplifier selection

[lostcausestudio]

So I have been recording for a while But I am new to owning my own rack mount gear, What I really need more than all the compressors/graphic equalizers/effects boxes that I have been eyeing up for a long time now, is a decent headphone amplifier. I am looking for something affordable, but that works well, I have some behringer gear and I'm not opposed to things like that, I want something with about 8 headphone sends, in the less than 500 dollar range for price. Does anyone have any suggestions, I've been trolling amazon, guitar center, sweetwater, musicians friend, and all the usuals, but I don't really trust reviews on these online stores, so if anyone has some personal first hand experience with something in that range and they would recommend it, let me know.

 

[bouldersoundguy]

Do you need 8 sends with the ability to have separate mixes, or all one shared mix?

 

[lostcausestudio]

separate mixes, Need everyone to be able to have custom feeds to their cans

 

[spantini]

I stopped with this Behringer setup, didn't look for less expensive units.

Is this something like what you're thinking of? Waaay over $500.

1 x Headphone Distribution Unit
8 x Personal Mixers
1 x Expansion Unit

Behringer P16-I Powerplay 16 Series Input Module P16-I B&H Photo

Behringer P16-M Powerplay 16 Series 16-Channel Digital P16-M B&H

Behringer P16-D Powerplay 16 Series 16-Channel Digital P16-D B&H

 

[lostcausestudio]

more thinking of just a rack box to send the mixes to, with 8 audio outputs, I can run individual mixes from the mix bus on my x32, I have 16 mix bus channels, so easy enough to send the mix direct to the amp channels

 

[rob aylestone]

We have a P16 system, but for this setup mentioned here, the simplest and cost effective system is the Behringer Power Play P2 - dirt cheap and rather nice - I use these sometimes for in ears where there's no need for wireless. Runs on AAA batteries, last a fair time, XLR or jack in, 3.5mm with volume control out. Where we don't use the P16's, these little gadgets work amazingly well. Audio quality is fine, and they're metal, not plastic.

 

[bouldersoundguy]

A pair of Behringer HA4700 units might be a good option. They offer a lot of features, four outputs each.

 

[ecc83]

A pair of Behringer HA4700 units might be a good option. They offer a lot of features, four outputs each.

+1 I have the simpler one pair in, 4 pairs out HA400 and I find it excellent. No noise I can detect even with very sensitivity cans such as AKG K92 (114dB SPL/1V) and more than enough level.

I had it apart (WIWWI!) and found it uses the same output amp chip as some vastly more expensive 'boutique' headphone amplifiers. I am sure the HA4700 would use same.

Dave.

 

[lostcausestudio]

that's great thank you so much everyone, this is great info, I don't want to drop a fortune on headphone amps, would rather put the money into effects processors, microphones, things like that, at the end of the day while they do play a part in the recording, I am not using cans for mixing, the sound quality while I want it to sound decent, doesn't have to be like hi fidelity sound, Just need something so they can hear what they need to hear.