SPL 1320 User manual

Phonitor mini
120 Volt Amplier for Headphones
Modell 1320
Manual

2Phonitor mini
Content
Content 2
Scope of Delivery 5
Introduction 6
Phonitor 6
Phonitor 2 7
Phonitor mini 8
Home Listening 9
Sound Engineers 10
The end of ear fatigue 11
Applications 12
Special Features 13
Tech Talk 14
120 Volt Technology 14
The advantages of the 120-Volt operating voltage 15
Specifications 18
Inputs 18
Headphone Output 19
Power Supply 20
Measurement & Weight 20
Hook Up 21
Connecting to the mains 21
Placement 22
Before You Begin 23
Warning 24

3Phonitor mini
Control Elements 25
Input: XLR or RCA 25
Matrix: On or Off 26
Mode: Stereo, Mono or Mute 27
Crossfeed: Low, Med or High 28
Angle: 30°, 22° or 40° 29
Center: -0,6 dB, -1,2 dB or Off 30
Volume 31
Headphone Connection 32
Rear Panel: Power 34
Voltage Select 34
Power Connection 36
On/Off Switch 37
Rear Panel: Signals 38
XLR Sockets 38
Operation 39
Setting up the Phonitor Matrix in three steps 39
Symbols 44
Security Advices 45
Declaration of CE Conformity 50
Notes on Environmental Protection 51
Contact 52
Content

4Phonitor mini
Developer: Bastian Neu
This manual contains a description of the product SPL Phonitor mini,
Model 1320. In no way it represents a guarantee of particular cha-
racteristics or results of use. The information in this document has
been carefully compiled and verified and, unless otherwise stated
or agreed upon, correctly describes the product. Sound Performance
Lab (SPL) continuously strives to improve its products and reserves
the right to modify the product described in this manual at any time
without prior notice.
This document is the property of SPL and may not be copied or repro-
duced in any manner, in part or fully, without prior authorization by
SPL.
Phonitor mini
Version 1.0 – 6 /2014

5Phonitor mini
Scope of Delivery
Phonitor mini, Model 1320
Power cord
Scope of Delivery

6Phonitor mini
Introduction
Phonitor
When we brought out the first Phonitor — the first ever headphone
amp with 120 Volt technology — back in 2008, the professional
audio world seemed to have been eagerly awaiting it. The success
of this unique headphone preamp was overwhelming. In hindsight,
we also had to wonder how none of us had come to the idea of com-
bining basic monitoring options, speaker simulation capabilities
and a headphone preamp. Ever since we call this new species a
„Headphone Monitoring Amp,“ which inspired the product name its-
elf: Phonitor.
Interestingly enough, the Phonitor not only became best friends with
thousand of professional users, it also won a lot of fans in the Hi-Fi
market segment. But that was by no means a coincidence — ulti-
mately, the Phonitor can be counted among the best headphone pre-
amps in the world thanks to our unique 120-Volt technology.

7Phonitor mini
Phonitor 2
Many Phonitor users told us they wished they could also use the
unmatched signal quality that the Phonitor provides to feed their
speakers.
And so began to take form the idea of making its successor a full-
fledged stereo preamp that could become the heart of modern pro-
fessional and home systems alike where headphones have a pree-
minent importance.
We have further achieved new progress regarding the 120-Volt circuit
technology, so the technical specifications of the Phonitor 2 have
been improved in almost all areas, setting new standards.
Other improvements concern, particularly, the use of virtually any
type of headphone with any impedance. The Phonitor 2 is comple-
tely indiscriminating with low-impedance headphones starting at 10
Ohm and balanced headphones with load impedances starting at 40
Ohms.
Introduction

8Phonitor mini
Phonitor mini
The outstanding technical and sonic characteristics of the Phonitor
2 were translated into a more compact and less-expensive format to
create the Phonitor mini.
Its ease-of-use, small and sturdy housing and affordable price, make
the Phonitor mini the perfect headphone amp for home studios, hi-fi
enthusiasts and mobile recording and mixing.
The Phonitor mini is our high-end/low-size version of a premium
headphone amplifier. And it obviously features the Phonitor Matrix
too, to recreate speaker-like working conditions, plus the develop-
ments of the second generation of our 120-Volt amplifier technology.
Introduction

9Phonitor mini
Home Listening
Home users can now get — for an unheard-of value for money — a
headphone amplifier to enjoy an authentic sound reproduction with
headphones.
Headphones usually provide a 180-degree stereo image (the Super
Stereo effect), and that‘s exactly where the problem is rooted.
Generally speaking, music is mixed so that all instruments are repro-
duced correctly in their position when the loudspeakers form a ste-
reo triangle.
Thus, headphone reproduction is not the same as it was intended
during recording. The side component becomes too important during
playback, and effects like delay and reverb are reproduced in an
exaggerated way. The position of instruments and vocals in the ste-
reo image is pushed further apart. All in all, the sound is not authen-
tic anymore. With our Phonitor Matrix, music playback with headpho-
nes becomes a real delight thanks to an authentic perception of the
stereo width, a more precise localization of the sound sources and a
correct balance between effects and other elements.
Introduction
0°
30°30°

10Phonitor mini
Sound Engineers
Studio engineers will find in the Phonitor mini a high-quality head-
phones amplifier.
On the one side, there is the traditional, analytical work with head-
phones as with a magnifying glass, which can be done always bea-
ring in mind the lack of room influence. Working with a magnifying
glass has its advantages when it comes to discovering noises, clicks
and crackles, assessing edits, or spotting problems of single tracks.
On the other side, the Phonitor Matrix makes it possible to correctly
determine the position of sound sources in the mix. Spatial informa-
tion and effects are also more easily appraised, since the impression
of the stereo width created is not the 180-degree one usually heard
with headphones, but rather that of music being played back through
monitoring speakers in the control room.
Introduction
0°
30°30°

11Phonitor mini
The end of ear fatigue
The initially impressive „Super Stereo effect” with headphones can
become tiring with time.
Besides the unnatural ambience impressions, other disadvanta-
ges also lead to an early ear fatigue when mixing or listening with
headphones.
A cheap headphone amplifier can also be a good reason for early
hearing fatigue.
Ordinary IC technology is used in almost all of today‘s headphone
amplifiers. In the best of cases, they work with a balanced voltage
supply of +/-15V and up to +/-18V, otherwise, they work with an unba-
lanced voltage of 9V or 12V from external wall warts.
Introduction

12Phonitor mini
Applications
Headphone amplification for two sources
Headphone amplifier for all headphone systems and impedances
Loudspeaker-like reproduction with headphones
Monitoring alternative in studios and mobile units
Mobile reproduction of usual monitoring conditions
Headphone monitoring live or during recording
Introduction
•
•
•
•
•
•

13Phonitor mini
Special Features
The Phonitor mini combines the new technical and sonic standards
of the Phonitor 2 with a compact, competitively priced design
Optimally suited for all dynamic headphones from 10 Ohm
Mount-stand compatible with VESA adapter
Ideal for mobile applications
•
•
•
•
Introduction

14Phonitor mini
Tech Talk
120 Volt Technology
The foundations of this high-end-development is our 120 Volt refe-
rence technology: specially developed and manufactured op-amps
that run on an operating voltage of 120 volts, which corresponds to
approximatelytwicethatofmostmodern analogaudio semiconductor
technologies.
Thanks to our 120-volt circuitry and processing we reach outstanding
performance levels, especially in terms of dynamic range and head-
room. As such, the technical specifications exceed all known analog
and digital standards.

15Phonitor mini
Tech Talk
The advantages of the 120-Volt operating voltage
These diagrams clearly show how our 120-volt technology compares
to other circuits with a lower operating voltage. The direct relation
between operating level and maximum level is fundamental for the
classification:
the higher the operating level, the higher the maximum level a circuit
can handle.
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
dBu
OPA 134@30 V OPA 134@36 V SPL-OP@120 V
21,5 22,5
33,2
Comparison Maximum Levels
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
Volt
+/- 15 Volt +/- 18 Volt +/- 60 Volt
30 V
36 V
120 V
Comparison Operational Voltages

16Phonitor mini
Tech Talk
The advantages of the 120-Volt operating voltage
Since virtually all essential acoustic and musical parameters depend
on this relation, a higher operating voltage also has a positive impact
on the dynamic range, distortion limit and signal-to-noise ratio.
120
125
130
135
140
145
dBu Comparison Dynamic Range
OPA 134@30 V OPA 134@36 V SPL-OP@120 V
124,2
129,1
141,4
-115
-113
-111
-109
-107
-105
dBu TL 071@30 V OPA 134@36 V SPL-OP@ 120 V
106
111,7
114,2
Comparison THD&N

17Phonitor mini
Tech Talk
The advantages of the 120-Volt operating voltage
Do bear in mind that dB scales do not represent linear but rather
exponential increases. A 3dB increase corresponds to doubling the
acoustic power, +6dB correspond to twice the sound pressure level,
and +10dB correspond to twice the perceived loudness.
When it comes to volume, the 120-volt technology exhibits a perfor-
mance, in regard to maximum level and dynamic range, that is twice
that of common components and circuits given that its values are
approximately 10dB higher.
THD measurements of the SPL op-amp show a difference of more
than 3dB compared to the OPA134 at 36V — in terms of sound pres-
sure level, that corresponds to an improvement of more than 50%.
The operating level most commonly used for audio equipment is
30 volts.

18Phonitor mini
Specications
Inputs
XLR connectors:
XLR connectors, electronically balanced
Impedance: bal. ca. 20 kΩ, unbal. ca. 10 kΩ
Max. Input Level: +32,5 dBu
RCA connectors:
RCA connectors, unbalanced
Impedance: ca. 10 kΩ
Max. Input Level: +20 dBu
Considering that the RCA input is raised from -10dBV to +4dBu (approx. 12.7dB), the input level is
comparable to that of the XLR inputs: +20dB + 12.7dB = 32.7dB
0dBu corresponds to 775mV. Subject to modifications.

19Phonitor mini
Specications
Headphone Output
6,3-mm TRS connector
Pin wiring: Tip = Left, Ring = Right, Sleeve = GND
Impedance: 0,18 Ω
Attenuation Factor: 180 at 40 Ohm
Frequency Range: ‹10 Hz to ›300 kHz ( -3 dB)
CMR: -88 dB at 1 kHz
Crosstalk: -80 dB at 1 kHz
THD&N: 0,00052 % at 1 kHz
At 0dBu input level and unity gain, 1 kHz, 100 kOhm load
Noise: Unweighted -100 dB
A-weighted: - 103 dB
CCIR: -94 dB
Dynamic Range: Unweighted 133,62 dB
Power Amplifier:
2x 1W (+30dBu) at 1 kHz, 600Ω
2x 2W (+30dBu) at 1 kHz, 300Ω
L GND
R

20Phonitor mini
Specications
Power Supply
Voltages: 230 V AC, 50 Hz / 115 V AC, 60 Hz
Power Consumption: max. 15 W
Fuses: 100-120 V AC: T 1 A /220-240 V AC: T 500 mA
Measurement & Weight
Height x Width x Depth: 44 mm x 144 mm x 257 mm
(1,72" x 5,76" x 10,12")
Weight: 2,03 kg / 4,48 lbs