SPL Phonitor se headphone amplifier: cross-feed signal and optional DAC768x DAC module
The German company SPL Electronics (Sound Performance Laboratory) presented the Phonitor se. Inheriting technology from the older x and xe models, it features proprietary Voltair technology. It uses a voltage that is raised to 120 V in the amplifier circuit. Voltair analog stages, according to SPL, show parameters that are beyond the measurement limits, for example, the Audio Precision system. The analog output of the Phonitor se is ready to deliver up to 5 watts per channel with a 250 ohm headphone impedance.
Another technology used in Phonitor se is the Phonitor Matrix cross-feed system. It allows you to get rid of the hypertrophied “headphone” stereo and listen to music through headphones with the feeling of the sound of the speakers facing the listener.
The original Phonitor se is a pure analog device with gold-plated RCA inputs and a 6.35mm jack output. The volume is adjusted with the help of a massive aluminum knob of the Alps RK27 “Big Blue” potentiometer made on metal-cutting equipment.
The AKM AK4490 Velvet Sound DAC, integrated in the optional DAC768x module, will add Phonitor se to a DAC / Headphone Amp configuration. It works with PCM at 32 bit/768 kHz and DSD256. SPL’s Phonitor se headphone amplifier in a purely analog configuration costs 1,000 euro, and the version with an integrated DAC is 400 euro more.
