SPL Phonitor 2 Headphone Amplifier and Monitoring Controller, Black

Phonitor 2

The headphone amplifier and monitoring controller with 120V technology

Phonitor 2 is the ultimate headphone amplifier and monitoring controller with 120V technology for demanding sound and mastering engineers. The Phonitor Matrix enables mixing and mastering on headphones in the highest quality – just like on loudspeakers.

Great sound – for headphones

The Phonitor 2 offers connection for a standard headphone with a stereo jack plug on the front.

Thanks to the enormous output power, all headphones are driven effortlessly. Thus, it plays out the advantages of the SPL 120V technology and rewards the listener with an honest, detailed and at the same time vivid sound experience.

Great sound – also for loudspeakers

On the rear panel, the Phonitor 2 offers a stereo output which makes it a high-quality monitoring controller for any monitoring situation. Active speakers with an integrated power amplifier or passive speakers in combination with a power amplifier can be connected at this output.

Monitoring at the highest level

The signal quality of the Phonitor 2 offers the same quality as the big SPL DMC and MMC mastering consoles.

Headphones or Speakers

The OUTPUT switch – simply switch from headphone to speaker playback.
In the center position (Mute), no signal reaches the outputs. The VU meters light up red.

Slave Thru

With a dip switch on the bottom of the device, the volume control for the rear stereo output can be switched out of the signal path.

The SPL Expansion Rack is not only a 19” rack housing for the Phonitor 2, it also expands the connection possibilities.

A passive four-way switch integrated into the Expansion Rack allows the Phonitor 2 speaker output signal to be switched between up to four stereo speaker pairs.

On the input side, three stereo analog inputs are offered.

XLR inputs 1 and 2 are optimal for connecting balanced sources, such as for example a high quality DA converter or audio interface.

RCA input 3 is perfect for connecting, for example, a CD player or other similar sources with RCA outputs.

When a CD player or other hi-fi equipment is connected to the RCA jacks, the consumer level can be increased from -10 dBV to 0 dBu with a dip switch on the bottom of the device. In this way, the sources are better comparable in terms of their level.

Milled from solid

The massive 45mm volume control knob milled from aluminum is a haptic highlight. Its mass together with the motorized Alps RK27 “Big Blue” potentiometer enhances the “spoon in the honey” feeling even further and provides perfect control of the monitoring level.

Remote Control

The volume control can be remotely controlled with any infrared remote control.

The Phonitor 2 learns to communicate with it with the simple push of a button.

Learning made easy

This video explains how to use any infrared remote control to remotely control the volume.

Monitoring without any compromises

The Phonitor 2 is a full-fledged monitor controller:

• Sources: 2x XLR, 1x RCA
• Mono/Stereo
• Solo L/R
• Phase inversion for L and R
• Output switchable to headphones or speakers
• Mute
• Phonitor Matrix with Crossfeed, Speaker Angle and Center Level (the latter can be switched off)
• Laterality control
  
  

Finding the real center

Naturally, hearing can be directed more to the left or more to the right. This becomes particularly clear when listening on headphones.

Therefore, the Phonitor 2 has the uniquely finely resolved laterality control,
which rebalances the stereo image on the monitoring side.

The Mono/Stereo switch not only selects between stereo or mono playback.
This switch also activates the laterality control.

M/S – Center or Side?

By using the mono/stereo and L/R phase inversion switch in combination, it is also possible to only monitor the center or side signal. When the switch is set to “Mono” and phase inversion is active for L (or R), only the side signal is played back. If the phase inversion is switched off, the mono signal corresponding to the “M” signal is played back. Separate monitoring of the M and S signals has become a widespread standard for many mixing and mastering engineers.

Everything at a glance

Two mechanical VU meters visualize the input levels for the left and right audio channels.

The “VU Cal” switch can be used to reduce the signal visualized on the VU meters by -6 dB or -12 dB.

Thus, the VU meters operate in the ideal display range even at very high input levels.

The Revolution: Phonitor Matrix

The Phonitor Matrix is the revolution in the headphone amplifier.

One of the unique features of SPL headphone amplifiers is the SPL Phonitor Matrix. It enables mixing and mastering engineers to create perfect mixes on headphones, which will translate perfectly to all types of stereo speaker systems.

But the Phonitor Matrix is not only designed for professional use in the studio. It also enables the hifi enthusiast to enjoy music on headphones, like if it was played back on speakers.

The 120V 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.

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 a 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.

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.

The idea for SPL 120V technology and the SUPRA operational amplifier based on this technology were developed in the 1990s by SPL founder and chief developer Wolfgang Neumann.

With the goal of building the best mastering console ever, this basic technological philosophy then took shape for the first time – thus the SPL MMC1 Mastering Console for Galaxy Studios saw the light of day in 2000.

The outstanding sonic and technical features quickly got around in the scene – so further orders were not long in coming.

Besides the MMC 1, another legendary product with 120V technology was created with the PQ, the “King of Parametric Equalizers”.

Since that time, 120V technology has been the foundation for all SPL premium products. Meanwhile, not only for mastering applications, but also for the, studio or hifi use.