headphone amps?

calaverasgrandes · Post by **calaverasgrandes** » Tue Oct 12, 2010 7:29 am

I'm looking at getting an artists headphone system, or maybe just a plain old headphone amp. What are folks using? What sucks balls?

Peterson Goodwyn · Post by **Peterson Goodwyn** » Tue Oct 12, 2010 7:38 am

I have used numerous headphone distributors under $100 and they've all sucked for one reason or another.

I built four CMOYs in an aluminum tin and it was perfect. Way more power than needed, super portable, and under $100.

calaverasgrandes · Post by **calaverasgrandes** » Tue Oct 12, 2010 7:59 am

Meathands wrote:I have used numerous headphone distributors under $100 and they've all sucked for one reason or another.

I built four CMOYs in an aluminum tin and it was perfect. Way more power than needed, super portable, and under $100.

what is CMOY? I am totally comfortable building stuff. Is this a DIY headphone amp?
If it takes line level I could just buuild a few of those and do teh cue mixes with my MOTU's cuemix app.

Nate Dort · Post by **Nate Dort** » Tue Oct 12, 2010 11:15 am

Meathands wrote: I built four CMOYs in an aluminum tin and it was perfect. Way more power than needed, super portable, and under $100.

2x. I've got 5 separate mono CMOY boxes in small Hammond enclosures with xlr inputs and DC power jacks. I just send a mono line level cue mix from my interface to each one.

http://tangentsoft.net/audio/cmoy-tutorial/

calaverasgrandes · Post by **calaverasgrandes** » Tue Oct 12, 2010 11:21 am

nice, that looks fun and cheap to build. I actually have some chinese cookie tins I was saving for just this kind of project!
Looks like I may build some of those along with some GAR2520's to add more balanced outputs to my frankensteined PM180.

Peterson Goodwyn · Post by **Peterson Goodwyn** » Wed Oct 13, 2010 6:55 am

Cool!

Just to clarify, it is a stereo, unbalanced, line-level headphone amp. It is optimized for a really low level input like a walkman. So if you are coming from an interface, you will probably want to change the gain resistor to get the most play out of your volume pot. Tangent has a really good rundown of how to do that on his site.

If you are building a few channels, a regulated power supply might be a good idea instead of the virtual ground circuit in the original.

Sidenote: shall we move this to the DIY forum?

calaverasgrandes · Post by **calaverasgrandes** » Wed Oct 13, 2010 7:00 am

Well I would be interested in hearing about retail solutions still, as I often have more money than time (though it could soon be the converse).

farview · Post by **farview** » Wed Oct 13, 2010 8:35 am

The Behringer headphones amps are actually pretty OK. The only problem I have with the one the I bought (powerplay pro-xl) is that it has too many knobs and buttons. Clients can't figure out how to adjust the volume because there are three other knobs and a few buttons on each channel.

I'm pretty sure they make a simpler version with just a volume knob. I will get that one next time.

Best of all, since it isn't in the recording audio path, it doesn't matter that it's a Behringer.

evilaudio · Post by **evilaudio** » Wed Oct 13, 2010 9:12 am

I'll sell ya my barely used Presonus HP60 for $210.00 shipped!

chuckfurok · Post by **chuckfurok** » Wed Oct 13, 2010 10:17 am

I have 2 versions of the Behringer head amp and they both work great. The one with the switchable inputs is a little noisy but I still use it the most because of it's flexibility. The only Behringer gear I still own, cept for a cable tester which is also super handy.

Bro Shark · Post by **Bro Shark** » Wed Oct 13, 2010 3:42 pm

Presonus HP4 does what it says reliably and sounds good. Also doesn't appear to be too flimsy. Gets loud if needed.

evan · Post by **evan** » Wed Oct 13, 2010 4:41 pm

I have a Behringer as well, the HA4700, I acquired in a trade. Works fine, has direct inputs for each amp which could be useful if you want individual headphone mixes. Ditto on the too-many-knobs thing, which means I probably should just label it big and clearly.

studiodog · Post by **studiodog** » Wed Oct 20, 2010 9:10 am

same here with the Behringer - it works fine and never had an issue - it is true about the "too many Knobs" other than that they work great.

A.David.MacKinnon · Post by **A.David.MacKinnon** » Wed Oct 20, 2010 10:03 am

I'm using a big old Altec power amp into an 8 channel power amp->headphone converter box. I can't think of the brand off the top of my head but it works well. I'd been planning to build one for years but found this one on Craigslist before I got around to it.

ott0bot · Post by **ott0bot** » Wed Oct 20, 2010 10:10 am

the behringer stuff does work fine. I interened in a studio with one of the 4 output units...and if did the job fine.

I personally got a free 6 channel rolls headphone amp. No frills. I run one of the headphones out of a 003r into a patch bay, then just patch into the trs returns on my snake for musicians. It'd be nice to give them their own volume control...but not funds for that yet.

For critical listening though....i always go right out of the interface, which is clocked to a Lynx Aurora 8....and it sound pretty dang good. I'd love to get an Antelope Zodiac or a Grace Headphone amp someday, and utilize the spdif output for headphone listening and monitoring. but i don't have an extra grand laying around.

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