Advice on headphone amp

  • Thread starter Thread starter zbert
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zbert

zbert

In the swamps of Jersey
I'm going to start recording situtations which will require up to 6 or 7 headphones at one time. I should add it will be for rock bands. I'm trying to stay budget minded (another word for cheap). I'm using an Alesis Studio 24 board so I sould be albe to get a couple of different sends. I know the one sold by Behringer is $100 that can run 4 mixes and 12 headsets. I can't believe for that kind of money it's any good (or is it) I know you guys hate the company. So, is it any good or what else do you suggest?
Thaks
Tom
 
Hi Tom
I have some Behringer gear and don't dismiss it out of hand.
What I have heard about their headphone amp is that there are problems using multiple headphones due to how the unit is set up to 100 ohm specs.Other more technical types might jump in and explain more fully why that is a design flaw.
I have the little rolls 4X box which a lot of folks dis,but I am happy with its ability to get a clean loud signal to the phones.
 
I use the Behringer Powerplay 4600 and it is a good unit. It is 4-channels,but you can have up to 3 headphones per channel.

You can patch in a "master" signal (stereo) as well as an aux. input and you mix between the two. You can do this on each of the 4 channels.

I will be using a pair of Sennheiser HD280 which rate at about 60 ohms. It shouldn't be a major problem.

For $98, can't come close.

It'll be interesting to hear if their 100 ohm limit recommendations poses problems.


Bowisc
 
Just ordered the HA4600.

This will be the first behringer product I have ever bought. I have no dilusions about being able to run 12 sets of phones off of it, but I like the fact that each amp has a bass & trble contoll. To me this means I can run different sets of headphones and adjust the tone tward each sets weaknesses. Otherwise with the rolls unit I would more than likely end up buying 4 identical sets of phones...???.... Nothing agains the rolls units though. I recorded in a studio that had them with High quality headphones and the sounded great!! I only hope the behringer unit sounds as good.

I will let you know.

Later

F.S.
 
Got my HA4600

Well I must say I am not too impressed. The sound quality is close to that of a old sanyo boom box with headphone outs.
The more you push it the worse it is. I am not saying I am sending it back or anything, but when I went to a studio that had the $79.00 rolls amps they sounded better. If you go the way of the rolls be sure and get multiple sets of the same headphones. Do not mix and match.

PS I would not try and power any more than 4 sets of phones with this unit, and make sure they are all have low ohm ratings.

Later

F.S.
 
I have a couple of the Fostex PH-5's as well as four of the Rolls. The Fostex has the feature of being able to handle two seperate mixes, plus 5 individual headphone outputs. The Rolls actually sounds slightly better though, IMHO.

But I've been using both regularly for years for tracking, and have never had any complaints. (Another engineer with far more expensive amps at his place was working in my studio once, and remarked after hearing them: "you know, I probably should have just bought some Rolls's.")
 
I have the 4400. I was disappointed in the sound when I first got mine. Had a slight hum and sounded kinda muddy. I was going from RCAs on a Korg D8 to the 1/4" ins on the 4400. I got an Ebtech Hum Eliminator, ran the RCAs to it and then 1/4" TRS to XLRs to the 4400. When I got the balanced signal into it, the sound changed dramatically. I am very pleased with it now. Plenty loud and clean. No hum. Definitely better than boombox.
 
Well, unheard I picked up a Q5 Samson headphone amp. I got it cheap enough on ebay. I hope it's good. Thanks for the advice and I'lllet you know how this thing works. Just came in the mail today and I'll try it out tonight.
 
Samson Q5's not bad. Not a lot of options, but it'll drive five just fine. Last I checked, they were going for about $125 new. There's probably better to be had for the $.
-kent
 
I got the Q5 for around $75 in the box, not a scratch on it. I'm running it from the Alesis studio 24 board. It does the job so far. I pushed this afternoon and got the thing louder than I would ever want my phones to be again. Thanks for all the input.
Tom
 
Try entering DIY headphone amp into your search engine. there are hundreds of kits availible for less than $25:rolleyes:
 
patty david

HAve you bought from full compass? I have thier catalog and was wondering how they are to deal with, and how competative they are.

Thanks

F.S.

PS I lovvvve the full compass catalog!! It follows me to every bathroom:)
 
And if its anything like mine, the pages are stuck together.:eek:
 
Freudian:
Full compass is good to deal with...find you a good price (BPM Music, 8th st)) and they will match or beat...the only negative thing about them is that they do not have a policy, that I know of, of trying out stuff for 30-45 days and then returning it...so if you can try out your stuff and then get a low price, they willbeat or match - their customer service (concern) is one of the best I've dealt with...
 
I use the DOD headphone amp, or maybe it is digitech, either way sam thing. I don't remember the number but you get 6 outputs off of one mix and they sound decent. The Behringer is more versitile, but I agree about the sound. I have never used the rolls. The DOD one is about 100 I think...I got it a few years ago.

MIKE
 
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