Headphone Amp/Crossfeed Circut (???)

[vocalizer]

Hey, I recently got a pair of AKG K240 Monitor headphones. So far I like them, but it seems like I'm going to need a headphone amp. I saw something in another thread that mentioned something about a crossfeed circuit. I have no idea what that is or if that is something that is built into the headphone amp or what, or what the purpose is. Anyway, does anyone know a good affordable headphone amp and/or can inform me about the crossfeed thing? Also, I will need this to connect to my M-Audio Fast Track interface, so what additional cables will I need to be able to do that? Thanks in advance!

 

[Lt. Bob]

http://www.headphone.com/

this is about the most informative place to get info on cans and amps in terms of sound quality.
They have amps from cheapish to a few grand.
Most of the Headroom amps have the crossfeed circuit and there should be explanations of how it works on the site somewhere.
It's built into the amp so there's no extra wires ...... just hook it up like you would any amp ...... it'll have RCA line ins.
Basically they come up with a formula as to how much your head attenuates high freqs and also the time delays when sound on the left side passes your head and also goes into your right ear.
They then take part of the signal from one side .... time delay it and attenuate the highs like your head would and add that to the signal going to the other side.

It does a pretty good job which is why I've gone from one Headroom amp to another thru the last 12 years or so.
My headphones sound VERY similar to listening to my monitors.

 

[vocalizer]

Thanks for the response. I have a better understanding now of the whole crossfeed idea. Right now, I'm looking at this particular amp: http://www.headphone.com/headphone-amps/headroom-total-airhead.php. I'm not sure if it's the model that you have, but it doesn't mention the RCA inputs. I think it comes with a mini-to-mini cable, so I'm guessing I'll need a mini-to-rca cable to connect to the interface? Also, just to make sure, but the headphone jack is 1/4, right?

 

[Lt. Bob]

Yeah on that one you'll need rca to mini but I'm betting the headphone jack is mini too.
Looking at the pics, the headphone jack looks the same size as the input which makes it mini or 1/8".

I've read some good reviews on the airhead.

Headroom stuff is better known in the audiophile community which is where I got turned onto it.
I love mine .................. wish i could afford their MaxHeadroom.

 

[John Willett]

I use the Grace m902 and it has the X-feed bilt in.

Basically the X-feed sends a bit of the L signal to the R and the R signal to the L, slightly delayed so it gives the impression of listening from loudspeakers outside the head.

The m902 is superb, by the way.