The SPL Auditor headphone amp + headphone recommendations

[Genevieve]

Hey y'all.

After a bit of deliberation, I've opted to get headphones to monitor on. But I'm not going to half-ass this.

I think I'm going to buy the SPL Auditor headphone amp, which is made for studio monitoring and features crossfeed technology, which mimmics the stereo-imagening of actual speakers.

In total (amp+headphones), this'll all run me about 800 - 900 euros. Lots of money. But I have a really hard to treat room and good monitors and treatment would cost me MORE money for the same quality as this, if I could even get the same quality in my small, really obstructed room.

So has anyone here worked with this particular amp and what are your thoughts on it?

I have a budget of 250 to 400 euros for headphones (220 to 340 in British pounds, 320 to 520 in dollars). My top contender right now is the Sennheiser HD 650, but I'm open for other suggestions.

[Genevieve]

Btw, my interface the TC Electronic Konnekt 6, has a 6.3 mm headphone (that has a little amp built in too) out and 2 XLR outs.

So...

I wanna connect some monitors to the XLRs later (for DJ'ing), what's the gain staging like from my interface's little amp into a proper headphone amp?

[Hashkey]

DON'T BUY THE HD 650.They've been revisited and bass boosted ( gearslutz info ) .
try to get some hd 600 those are perfect.
My 2 cents.

[SunkLo]

Heard many good things about the HD 650s and 600s. I've also been looking at the AKG 702s.

I dunno how heavily the crossfeed feature affected your decision on the headphone amp, but you can get plugins that do the same thing. I dunno what's good for headphone amps but I figured I'd point that out.

I just switched back to my heavily modified (read: ghetto) AKG K135/s cans. They have twin speaker cables taped together as wire, one earcup that broke off which is now tied to the headband, and rolled up wool socks for earpads. I just added some foam into the cups to sway them towards the bass end of the spectrum since they're quite treble biased. It's crazy the increase in detail though with even semi-open backs. If I can get studio cans with that precise detail but also an even frequency response I'll be really happy. It's kind of a bitch to have to amp them though, which kills my hopes of having primo mix headphones which are also portable. I guess I could get one of those little pocket amps for on the go.

[VirtualMark]

I have AKG K702s, they're crystal clear. But I think they could do with a bit more bass tbh, they can be a bit fatiguing as there's a lot of treble. They're ok for me as I have monitors too, but I don't think I'd want just headphones to listen on.

Alternatives to the SPL are Redline Monitor and Isone Pro. Both have crossfeed, and other options to create fake room spaces. I'd be careful with this sort of thing tho, could affect your mixes negatively. I tried them for a while but decided against using them. Instead I've just got a mono plugin on my output, and assigned a permanent button to my midi controller, so I can quickly check things in mono whenever I want.

[Genevieve]

I'm having a look at the 'AKG Q701' now. Quincy Jones signature model (adapted) 701s. That name on the cans doesn't do much for me, but they seem to be rather good and flat for monitoring. That they're great to look at (the lime green ones, oh my god) is a bonus, but that's the last on my list. Would like a bit more bass, though.

Why is headfi such a bitch to navigate?

I've read about those plugs too, but the amp seems to be more accurate from my reading.

Good shouts so far!

And hah @ your rig SunkLo, but if it works.

[Hashkey]

if you are going for accurate don't go with bassy headphones.

[Genevieve]

I'm not, I'm going for flat, just that most of the most neutral headphones I've found have a bit of a roll-off in the bass.

[SunkLo]

I've heard the Q line have a bass boost compared to the K's. The K702s seem to be flatter but I guess as long as you're aware of the bass boost and compensate.

I think the lime green ones are hideous personally. The sexiest ones are the anniversary K702s imo.

[Genevieve]

The Q is apparantly just a repackaged, sexier K702 with a detachable wire. AKG's attempt to make a more creddy Beats headphone.

I usually don't like colors like that on electronics either, but on the Q701 it was just too sexi to me.

Blah I hear so many contradictory things on headphones. But I've ruled out the the K701/2s cuz they roll off in the bass and especially sub. I thiink I'll go with the HD600.

[GenericNameHere]

I have these headphones; don't care to name them, but I recently -- see two days ago -- had a a near-deaf-experience because of these deaf-traps. I was just browsing presets on Massive so I could learn how to synthesise different sounds, when it happened. Granted I have a ... wait for it ... MASSIVE list of presets, but I was just listening for like half an hour, on the lowest friggin volume possible, when my ears suddenly felt warm, and I felt kinda disoriented by the weird feeling of every sound being muffled, and being suddenly "deaf" in one ear.

It was scary; I didn't know what to do. And I don't have medical aid, so I couldn't go see a doctor. Needless to say, I'm not using those pieces of shit anymore, and I'd advise everyone to stay away from those things: YOU COULD BE NEXT.

[SunkLo]

Stay away from which things?






Do you work for KRK or Adam by any chance?

[snappy]

I have these headphones; don't care to name them, but I recently -- see two days ago -- had a a near-deaf-experience because of these deaf-traps. I was just browsing presets on Massive so I could learn how to synthesise different sounds, when it happened. Granted I have a ... wait for it ... MASSIVE list of presets, but I was just listening for like half an hour, on the lowest friggin volume possible, when my ears suddenly felt warm, and I felt kinda disoriented by the weird feeling of every sound being muffled, and being suddenly "deaf" in one ear.

It was scary; I didn't know what to do. And I don't have medical aid, so I couldn't go see a doctor. Needless to say, I'm not using those pieces of shit anymore, and I'd advise everyone to stay away from those things: YOU COULD BE NEXT.

sue god not your headphones brand

[SunkLo]

Warranty probably ran out when you turned 3.

[GenericNameHere]

Stay away from which things?

Do you work for KRK or Adam by any chance?

Nah, none of that. All I'm saying is, if you value your hearing, don't mix or whatever with headphones. Use ur amps; your neighbours just gotta get used to your terrible taste in music. If you're a DJ, you're screwed. Unless you're the kind who just presses play and uses the headphones for show, you'll be fine.

[VirtualMark]

I have these headphones; don't care to name them, but I recently -- see two days ago -- had a a near-deaf-experience because of these deaf-traps. I was just browsing presets on Massive so I could learn how to synthesise different sounds, when it happened. Granted I have a ... wait for it ... MASSIVE list of presets, but I was just listening for like half an hour, on the lowest friggin volume possible, when my ears suddenly felt warm, and I felt kinda disoriented by the weird feeling of every sound being muffled, and being suddenly "deaf" in one ear.

It was scary; I didn't know what to do. And I don't have medical aid, so I couldn't go see a doctor. Needless to say, I'm not using those pieces of shit anymore, and I'd advise everyone to stay away from those things: YOU COULD BE NEXT.

Mate this is dubstepforum, not the x-files.

[VirtualMark]

The Q is apparantly just a repackaged, sexier K702 with a detachable wire.

My 702s have a detachable wire, I think most headphones do. Even my £70 sennheisers have a detachable wire. It's often the first thing to break and normally about a tenner to replace.

[SunkLo]

I think the 701s have a fixed cable, which sucks. User replaceable parts for the win. I guess you could mod it if you found one really cheap, but it's probably easier to go for a K702.

Nah, none of that. All I'm saying is, if you value your hearing, don't mix or whatever with headphones. Use ur amps; your neighbours just gotta get used to your terrible taste in music. If you're a DJ, you're screwed. Unless you're the kind who just presses play and uses the headphones for show, you'll be fine.

Or, I'll just mind my monitoring volume and not crank my headphones like a buffoon.

[AxeD]

Yes to monitoring on headphones.

If you decide to work with an HP amp (which is a good idea too), of course you have to watch the impedance of the cans you
want to buy. Use the advantages of high impedance!
So: high impedance, open back (in a studio environment).
When mixing on headphones keep in mind: You don't hear room, so watch your reverb times. Don't know about that amp, but
obviously your stereo imaging is going to be off compared to loudspeaker setups.

I'd say check out the DT-990 250's. I only heard them once, but people who really know their stuff said those are great.