On Headphones.com you’ll find a review about the SPL Phonitor x.
“The SPL Phonitor x is a premium, feature-rich, headphone amplifier, and pre-amp, billed as having features and performance that lend it equal facility in professional/studio settings as well as in the role of an audiophile headphone system.”
“The unit provides both balanced and single-ended source inputs and headphone outputs. A configurable cross-feed/speaker simulation feature, a granular balance/stereo/mono control, VU meters with configurable sensitivity and enough power to drive almost any headphone with power to spare.”
Build:
“The Phonitor x has a very solid feel to it; all of the switchgear is wonderfully tactile and engages firmly and positively with a satisfyingly solid “thunk”. The large, central, illuminated volume dial is buttery-smooth. All sockets mate solidly with both input and headphone connectors. Labels are clear and concise, with the functions they indicate being entirely unambiguous. The overall impression is that this is a very high-quality and entirely “premium” device.”
“In common with a lot of high-end headphone amplifiers, the Phonitor x has both balanced (3-pin XLR) and single-ended (RCA) inputs. Unlike most of the competition, however, these inputs can accept high professional-gear signal levels without clipping.”
Sound:
“How does the Phonitor x sound? In a word … fantastic!”
“For a start, it is clearly both an entirely neutral and highly transparent performer. Using a variety of sources and headphones there’s no tonal shift beyond what those components impart by themselves.”
“It covers up nothing, makes excuses for nothing, and lets the source show its true colors without omission or editorialization.”
“Huge dynamic swings in the most powerful musical performances don’t even begin to phase this thing, while micro-dynamic nuances are fully resolved, even when they’re occurring together.“
“… nothing is getting rounded off, rolled off, or otherwise fiddled with. It’s fast, precise and … impactful.”
“Treble is delightfully smooth, but without any loss of detail and maintains an excellent sense of air, space and, where called for, delivers any sparkle present in the source material.”
“Bass is reproduced with excellent drive, slam and control and yet retains its texture.”
“So … I said this thing sounds “fantastic”. But I’m not sure “it” actually “sounds” at all. Unless you engage the “Matrix” function, it just seems to disappear completely … serving only bring what you feed it up to an appropriate level to drive your chosen headphones. Which is about the highest praise I can give an amplifier…”
Conclusion:
“Simply put, the SPL Phonitor x is the best “sounding” solid-state headphone amplifier I’ve heard.”
“It maintains a neutral, accurate, extremely transparent rendering while providing ample drive to the most demanding headphones I own.”
“Its features, and sonic performance make it easy to integrate into studio scenarios and still able to satisfy audiophile sensibilities.”
“If you’re looking at high-end headphone amplification, then the SPL Phonitor x really deserves to be on your audition list.”
“I am sufficiently enamored with the Phonitor x that I have decided to buy one; which is the highest recommendation I can give any component.”
Find the complete review here.
