SPL Phonitor se Headphone Amplifier

Everything under control

The volume is adjusted with a massive, milled aluminum, rotary knob. The Alps RK27 “Big Blue” potentiometer gives a pleasant “spoon in the honey” rotary feel.

In addition to an analog source, three additional digital sources can be connected to the Phonitor se with the optional DAC768xs.

Headphone Output with Power

The Phonitor se offers a 6.35 mm jack for connecting headphones with jack plug.

Up to 2 x 5 watts of output power is available at this socket. This allows even very power-hungry headphones such as magnetostats or electrostats to be driven effortlessly.

Phonitor Matrix

Thanks to the Phonitor Matrix, music can be experienced on headphones as if it was played on speakers.

Crossfeed

Listening on headphones is different from listening on loudspeakers. The biggest difference is the lack of crossing signals of the sound signal form the left speaker to the right ear and from the right speaker to the left ear.

Conventional

This results in an unnaturally wide and wrong stereo image. The various sound sources of the audio signal are not localized as the sound engineer intended them to.

Correct

The SPL Phonitor Matrix will correct this false stereo image with an analog circuitry and ensures a correct representation of the stereo image and a relaxed listening experience.

The Revolution: Phonitor-Matrix

The Phonitor Matrix is the revolution in the headphone amplifier. Thanks to the Phonitor Matrix, music can be experienced on headphones as if it was played on speakers. The tiring super stereo effect is a thing of the past. Enjoy music without listening fatigue and exactly the way it should be heard.

Unlike the bigger Phonitor models, where the “Angle” switch can be used to select the opening angle of the stereo stage, this parameter is fixed at a default value of 30° for the Phonitor se. The “Crossfeed” parameter can be set in two stages – “C1” and “C2”. “C2” provides higher crosstalk/crossfeed than “C1”.

Optional DAC768xs

The Phonitor se is equipped with gold-plated RCA sockets for the analog input.

The optional DAC768xs adds three more digital sources:

• USB
• COAX
• OPTICAL

PCM audio is received in S/P-DIF format, both coaxial (RCA) and optical (Toslink F06).

Both PCM audio and DSD audio can be converted via USB.

The DAC automatically picks up the sampling rate and resolution of the digital playback source. No matter if a streamer, computer or CD player is connected. No further settings on the Phonitor se are necessary.

The DAC768xs

The converter chip in the optional digital-to-analog converter is the highly acclaimed AKM AK4490 Velvet Sound™ premium DAC chip, which thanks to its architecture reproduces the finest sound details.

It converts PCM audio at 32-bit resolution and a sampling rate of up to 768 kHz, which is 16 times the resolution of a CD. Direct Stream Digital is also supported up to a resolution of DSD4 or DSD256.

Unlike the DAC768, which is built into the Director Mk2 for example or available as an option for the Phonitor xe, the DAC768xs does not offer an AES/EBU digital input. The SPL DLP120 with VOLTAiR technology was also not included in the DAC768xs. Nevertheless, it offers a great performance that is unparalleled in this league.

The VOLTAiR Technology

The 120V technology is our reference technology. The 120V technology is unique in the world. It operates at a DC voltage of 120 volts. This is four times that of IC-based semiconductor op-amps. In our Professional Fidelity series, we refer to this unsurpassed technology as VOLTAiR technology.

The highest possible audio quality requires the highest possible audio operating voltage.

The 120V technology works with +/-60 V. To be able to handle such high voltage, we have developed special proprietary operational amplifiers that can operate with a DC voltage of +/-60 V: the SPL 120V SUPRA operational amplifiers. This high voltage would destroy conventional components and operational amplifiers.

The 120V technology achieves exceptional technical specifications and sonic benefits.

• Technically, in terms of dynamic range, signal-to-noise ratio and headroom.
• Sonically, in terms of richness of detail and an absolutely relaxed listening experience.

By the way, the “120V” in the name of the technology has nothing to do with the local mains voltage from the mains power socket. This is about the operating voltage inside the device with which the audio signals are processed.

The mains voltage from the mains power socket is transformed to the required secondary voltage in the device’s internal linear power supply with toroidal transformer. Rectifiers convert this AC voltage into DC voltage required in the audio device.

Internal Linear Power Supply with Shielded Toroidal Transformer

Operating voltage for analog audio: +/- 60 V
Operating voltage for relays and LEDs: +12 V

Mains Power Supply

Mains voltage (selectable, see fuse chamber)
230 V AC / 50; 115 V AC / 60 Hz

Fuse for 230 V: T 0.5 A
Fuse for 115 V: T 1 A
Power consumption: max. 30 VA
Stand-by power consumption: < 0,3 W

Dimensions & Weight

W x H x D (width x height incl. feet x depth)
278 x 57 x 300 mm
11 x 2.24 x 11.81 inch

Unit weight
2,8 kg
6.17 lbs

Shipping weight (incl. packaging)
5 kg
11.02 lbs