MR-8 headphone amp noise

[David Covell]

I'm using a new MR-8 for outdoor recording of acoustic guitar. I'm using a good mike and preamp to minimize the noise issue, but I'm getting a lot of hiss from the headphone amp and I find it annoying. I'd like to get an external headphone amp. I need it to be DC-powered since I'm toting a 12V battery for the MR-8 and mike preamp. The ART at $49 is the right price, but I've never been impressed with ART quality in their guitar effects. I'd welcome feedback about this issue. I use good headphones, with the headphone pot at about 11 o'clock. The hiss is significant, and indicates that the MR-8's headphone amp driver is as cheap as their input preamps. Fortunately it's out of the signal path to the line-outs, but I'd love to have quieter monitoring through the headphones.

That being said, I'm pretty happy with the sound I'm getting with a Shure Beta 57A and Rolls preamp. I laid down a pair of parallel tracks using the internal preamp's gain versus the external preamp, and the difference is huge.

 

[kdgospel]

I get rid of the hiss by either turning the unit off and back on or changing headphone jacks. Usually always works.

 

[Sublime]

I get rid of the hiss by either turning the unit off and back on or changing headphone jacks. Usually always works.

ditto. You'll find numerous complaints about the headphone amps in mr8's. But KD's suggestion is what works for most of us.
Good luck!