Phonitor x

The headphone amplifier with preamplifier.
The Phonitor x is both an outstanding headphone amplifier and an excellent preamplifier that can be used to drive power amplifiers or active speakers directly. With the optional DA converter, it can play back not only from analog but also directly from digital sources. The Phonitor Matrix enables speaker-equivalent listening via headphones.

Thanks to VOLTAiR technology, it offers all of this in the highest sound quality.

Great sound – For all headphones
The Phonitor x features connections for standard headphones with a jack plug and for balanced headphones with a 4-pin XLR connector.

Thanks to its high output power, it drives all headphones effortlessly and without strain, thereby leveraging the advantages of SPL VOLTAiR technology and rewarding the listener with an honest, detailed, and lively sound experience.

Headphones or speakers
The OUTPUT switch – simply switch between headphone and speaker playback.

In the middle position (Mute), no signal reaches the outputs. The VU meters light up red.

To the power amplifiers
or active speakers, you can connect either balanced via XLR jacks – for long cable runs, or unbalanced via RCA jacks. The source signal is always available at both speaker outputs.

Via AMP CTL, the standby mode of devices with a 12V trigger input can be switched on and off. This allows, for example, the SPL Performer s800, Performer m1000, or Performer s1200 power amplifiers to be ideally integrated into the set-up.

Solid craftsmanship
The solid, 45mm volume knob, milled from aluminum, is a haptic highlight. Its mass, in combination with the motorized Alps RK27 "Big Blue" potentiometer, creates a wonderful "spoon in honey" rotation feel.

The red LED marker ensures high visibility of the volume parameter even in darkened environments.

Remote control
The volume can be controlled using any infrared remote control.

The Phonitor x learns to communicate with it at the simple push of a button.

Free choice
Up to five stereo sources can be connected to the Phonitor x:
XLR, RCA, and, via the optional DAC768xs, also USB, COAX, and OPTICAL.

The Phonitor x accepts a variety of different audio connections.
Balanced via XLR or unbalanced via RCA jacks.

With the optional DAC768xs, three additional digital sources are added.
PCM audio is received in S/P-DIF format both coaxially (RCA) and optically (Toslink F06).
Via USB, both PCM audio and DSD audio can be converted.

The DAC automatically adopts the sample rate and resolution of the digital playback source. Regardless of whether a streamer, computer, or CD player is connected. No further settings on the Phonitor x are necessary.

The DAC768xs
The converter chip used in the optional digital-to-analog converter is the highly acclaimed AKM AK4490 Velvet SoundTM Premium DAC chip, which reproduces the finest sound details thanks to its architecture.

It converts PCM audio with a resolution of 32 bits and a sample rate of up to 768 kHz, which corresponds to 16 times the CD resolution. Direct Stream Digital is also supported up to a resolution of DSD4 or DSD256.

Unlike the DAC768, which is installed in 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 omitted in the DAC768xs. Nevertheless, it offers great performance that is second to none in this class.

The good old days
Two mechanical VU meters visualize the input levels for the left and right audio channels.

Finding the center
is not always easy. Naturally, one's hearing can be oriented more to the left or more to the right. This becomes particularly evident when listening with headphones.

Therefore, the Phonitor x features a uniquely fine-resolution laterality control. This brings the stereo image back into balance.

Use the MODE switch to select between stereo or mono playback.
This switch also activates the laterality control.

Analog inputs and outputs: XLR (balanced), RCA

Maximum input and output level
32.5 dBu

Input impedance (RCA)
20 kΩ

Input impedance (XLR)
20 kΩ

Output impedance (XLR)
75 Ω

Common-mode rejection
82 dB

Frequency response (-3dB)
4 Hz – 300 kHz

Crosstalk (1 kHz)
-106 dB

THD + N (10 Hz – 22 kHz, 0 dBu)
0.00085 %

Noise (A-weighted)
-103.8 dBu

Dynamic range
136.3 dB

Digital inputs: DAC768xs (optional)

Coaxial SPDIF (RCA), PCM sample rates:
44.1/48/88.2/96/176.4/192 kHz

Optical SPDIF (Toslink F06), PCM sample rates:
44.1/48/88.2/96/with fiber optic < 1m: 176.4/192 kHz

USB (B), PCM sample rates:
44.1/48/88.2/96/176.4/192/352.8/384/705.6/768 kHz

USB (B), DSD over PCM (DoP), sample rates
2.8 (DSD64), 5.6 (DSD128), 11.2 (DSD256) MHz

0 dBFS calibrated to
8 dBu

Balanced headphone output: 4-pin XLR

Pin assignment
1 = L (+), 2 = L (-), 3 = R (+), 4 = R (-)

Source impedance
0.36 Ω

Damping factor at 40 Ω
180

Frequency response (-3dB)
10 Hz – 300 kHz

Crosstalk (1 kHz)
-90 dB

THD + N (10 Hz – 22 kHz, 0 dBu)
0.00091 %

Noise (A-weighted)
-98 dB

Dynamic range
130.5 dB

Output power (1 kHz, 1% THD, 600 Ω)
2 x 8 W

Output power (1 kHz, 1% THD, 250 Ω)
2 x 3.5 W

Output power (1 kHz, 1% THD, 32 Ω)
2 x 0.7 W

Standard headphone output: 6.35 mm TRS jack

Pin assignment
Tip = left, ring = right, sleeve = GND

Source impedance
0.18 Ω

Damping factor (40 Ω)
180

Frequency response (-3dB)
10 Hz – 300 kHz

Crosstalk (1 kHz)
-90 dB

THD + N (10 Hz – 22 kHz, 0 dBu)
0.00091 %

Noise (A-weighted)
-103 dBu

Dynamic range
135.5 dB

Output power (1 kHz, 1% THD, 600 Ω)
2 x 2.7 W

Output power (1 kHz, 1% THD, 250 Ω)
2 x 5 W

Output power (1 kHz, 1% THD, 32 Ω)
2 x 1 W

Internal power supply; linear power supply with shielded toroidal transformer

Operating voltage for analog audio electronics
+/- 60 V

Operating voltage for relays and LEDs
+12 V

Operating voltages for optional DAC768xs
+7 V, +3.3 V

Power supply

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

Fuse for 230 V
T 500 mA

Fuse for 115 V
T 1 A

Power consumption
max. 40 VA

Standby power consumption
< 0.3 W

Dimensions & weight

W x H x D (width x height incl. feet x depth)
278 x 100 x 300 mm
11 x 4 x 11.81 inches

Weight of the unit
4.4 kg

Shipping weight (incl. packaging)
5.65 kg

Herstellerangaben:

SPL electronics GmbH
Sohlweg 80
41372 , Niederkrüchten
Germany
info@spl.audio