More Headphone Inputs

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zackformula

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I have a Mackie 1642 mixer. I'm wondering if anyone can suggest a good route to go for more headphone inputs. The mixer has 2 right now, but I need 4 to 5.

Can you tell me a good yet somewhat inexpensive ($150 max) headphone amp or distribution system?

Preferably something that doesn't need to be rack mounted.

I'm using ATH D40 and M40 headphones. I want something that won't take away from sound quality and that can handle some volume.

thanks to all for your help
 
First off -- they're headphones OUTputs, not inputs..... signals go out to headphones....

I use a couple of pieces - an OZ Audio HD-4, and an ART HPFX headphone amp. The OZ is a higher-end unit, but the ART does a respectable job as well.
 
Behringer makes some too; and though I'm not a big fan of their gear in general, the headphone amp seems to work fine. You can pick one up on ebay for around $100.
 
thanks Blue Bear Sound, sorry about my terminology, I'm new to this.

the ones you recommended look good, but they're a bit more than I'm looking to spend.

any recommendations on something a bit cheaper?
 
yeah $50 is definitely reasonable. I'm budgeting up to $150 for one.

Can that ART HeadAmp handle high levels (such as the level a drummer would need)?


thanks
 
That I don't know, I haven't used this ART unit myself. Lower cost headphone distribution units tend to be a little wimpy. But any $150 unit would have the same issue.

I did own one of those Behringer headphone distribution units and found it to be quite wimpy. Crapped out pretty early in my opinion. So you may just want to do some research on the ART and see if it has more oomph.
 
does anybody have any recommendations for a 4+ channel headphone amp thats 1u? i would also like to be able to send a outs to my monitors from it.
thanks!
 
I bought a Rane Mojo MH4 for like $60 on ebay. I can't turn it up past about 3 notches cause its so powerful. And the sound is better than that of any cheap to midrange mixer or recording unit. I don't buy into the argument that an inexpensive headphone amp has to suck, I can tell you mine works great and it was inexpensive. Just look on ebay for an inexpensive used unit and buy it even if it is a rack mount. Someday you migt want a rack anyway.
 
I'd just be a little worried that the Behringer is underpowered. I know mine didn't have a lot of oomph. When I turned it up, it got into hiss fairly quickly and the sound fell apart. I only say that in reference to your mentioning you need volume for your drummer. Also, the construction looks a lot more solid on that OZRaves unit.

http://www.ozaudiopro.com/products_hr4.htm
 
I have the Oz Audio HM-6 (aka the Q-Mix) and it's built like a tank, can crank up to 6 pairs of cans, has a stereo main input and 4 "inject" inputs so that each person can customize his own mix. It also has an effects loop. Very low noise when connected with balanced lines. But it's not cheap, and not a lot of companies carry it. It's also not rack mountable. http://www.ozaudiopro.com/products_hm6.htm
 
The OZ sounds much better than the other headphone amps mentioned in this post. For sheer volume though the behringer does a pretty good job, but you can definately hear the difference when comparing it to a nicer headphone amp. I like the sound of the Fuhrman's too, but they just don't output enough:(
 
thanks everybody, I'm really considering the OZ Audio HR-4. The OZ HM-6 is a bit more than I'm looking to spend.

Does anybody use, or know anything about, the Samson s-phones headphone amp?


thanks again
 
I'll second SonicAlbert's take on the Behringer unit. I have a 4700 that I think is pretty good and flexible, but it seems that whenever I'm at what I consider a comfortable headphone level I have the volume up to 3/4 or so. Mind you, I've never dimed the control or really run into problems with hiss. It's just that I don't feel like I have much room to get louder if I need to. It works for me, and seems a bargain for the $99 I paid.

Having said that, might I suggest that good isolation headphones might make a difference for the drummer? I've only tracked drums once with the Behringer. It was my band (loud hard rock/punk) and eveyone else (2 guitars, bass, vox) was going direct for scratch tracks (POD, Sansamp, etc.). When we got a headphone mix that everyone else was comfortable with the drummer couldn't hear his drums well enough. He was wearing a pair of Sennheiser 280 cans, which isolate pretty good as far as I can tell. I had to run his drum channels to an aux out and into the insert of his headphone channel to get them loud enough for him.
 
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