The crossfeed control on the SPL Phonitor is truly special, and it really opens up possibilities for tweaking the imaging of your headphones with the turn of a knob. For starters, let’s get familiarized with the available controls:
On the left of the volume knob, there is a toggle switch that says: CROS./SPK (OFF, ON). This turns on or off the crossfeed feature. Below it are two knobs that says CROSSFEED and SPEAKER ANGLE. Both the crossfeed and the speaker angle knobs work together to create a simulation of the stereo image, and by making adjustments on these two controls, you can obtain an ideal image simulation for your particular headphone and music combination.
The crossfeed intensity goes from MIN, 2, 3, 4, 5, and MAX. Technically speaking, this setting adjusts the interaural level difference between the direct and the indirect sound wave. In layman’s terms, it adjusts the intensity of the crossfeed filter.
The speaker angle control goes from 15º to 75º, and it adjusts the interaural time difference between the direct and the indirect sound wave. Again, in layman’s terms, this is the control that will let you determine how wide the simulated image should be. While the manual clearly draws that as you turn the knob clockwise, the speaker angle will increase from 15º to 75º, the actual markings on the amplifier is actually reversed. I asked the SPL people about this discrepancy, and turns out that they produced 15 faceplates with the wrong numerical indicator for the speaker angle. I’m sure that they will gladly replace the faceplate for you, but I don’t see it as a big issue. The simple thing to remember is that turning the knob clockwise will give you a wider image, and vica versa.
These CROSSFEED and the SPEAKER ANGLE controls are the main parameters for creating a precise speaker image simulation, and just by using those two controls should get you a fairly good simulation of speaker placements. But the Phonitor doesn’t stop there. Another control is provided to further fine tune the exact imaging that you want out of your headphones, and that is the CENTER LEVEL knob. Sometimes with the crossfeed on, there seems to be too much music coming from the center, and the center level knob lets you dial the appropriate reduction to achieve the ideal balance between the center level to the left and right levels. The center level knob has dB marking numbers that goes from -2.0 (meaning you want the least amount of sound coming from the center), to -0.3 dB (you want to really hear the center sound).
In music listening, the main benefit that you get from the crossfeed filter is the bridging of the gap between the left and the right channels. When using headphones, there is always a gap right at the center (right in front of your head), even with headphones such as the HD800. The crossfeed filter fills this gap. While a Meier crossfeed would also does the job, it offers no control over the simulation parameters, and sometimes I feel that the crossfeed filter is too intense and it diffuses the music. This is where the Phonitor really shines: control. Of course that if you put the crossfeed intensity at the Max, the music will get very diffused, but that’s an extreme setting that will be used only in extreme cases.
I do find the soundstage width to decrease when you turn on the crossfeed filter, and that the widest soundstage is still achieved with the crossfeed off. Kinda weird, don’t you think? I may not have an explanation for it, but at least that on the Phonitor, we can adjust the crossfeed intensity so that we achive the best balance between filling the center gap and not affecting soundstage width and signal purity too much. I do find that even if the soundstage width is reduced a little, the overall result is still preferable because the center gap is now filled.
While these crossfeed adjustments work great with a high end headphone like the HD800, what about lesser headphone users? I did try the Phonitor with “lesser” cans such as the AKG K500 and the Superlux HD662, and I’m happy to report that the crossfeed is still very effective with these headphones.
YpoCaramel
I’ll be honest and say that the Phonitor’s VU dials almost had me sold right away 😉
Ivan Nadeau
Do you recommend OPPO CD player???
When the upgraded HiFiMAN 801 will be available??? …I mean the one with a upgraded amp.
How with it sound with HD800 & JH16???
From your personal choice which desk top amp would you recommend for an optimized HD800 listening ???
Thank you your site is great
Ivan
Mike
Hi Ivan. The Oppos are supposed to be good for the price, but I never really tried them myself.
I believe the HM801 with the GAME amp is already available, and the amp is optimized for IEMs. Please contact Hifiman about that. The HM801 combo with the HD800 and JH16 sounds very good and will challenge many desktop systems.
As for a desktop amp, wait for the Burson HA-160 review, perhaps you will like it. 🙂
Cortes
Mike,
how do you compare the Auditor/Phonitor with the CEC HD53n ?.
In particular for pop, jazz, and female voices what would be your take?. thx.
Mike
Hi Cortes,
Pop, Jazz, and Female voices, I would take the CEC HD53N over the Auditor/Phonitor. The CEC is tuned to be colored in a pleasing way, where the Auditor/Phonitor is a very neutral colorless amplifier.
Mike
Hi Victor,
Unfortunately I don't have the Phonitor anymore. It's a very neutral amplifier. What headphone are you using it with currently, and how do you like the combination?
The LCD-2 is a very easy to like headphone, and I feel you can enjoy it with the neutral sounding Phonitor. Just make sure that the Phonitor can do a good job of driving the orthodynamic driver.
yoav tzfati
Hey mike, great review. Since I don’t have enough money for the Phonitor, what crossfeed plug-ins would you reccomend for use on a Mac? Windows?
Thanks.
Anonymous
Hi Yoav,
I’m mostly a Mac user, and for Mac I use the Canz3D. The amount of
control you have with that plug in is quite in depth, perhaps even more
in depth than the Phonitor.
http://www.midnightwalrus.com/Canz3D/
Harj
Hi Mike,
Could you tell how the auditor paired up with hd800? I’m getting mixed views from a different forum.
FYI
I will be using the cambridge audio 840c (similar to dacmagic) as my source.
Thanks in advance.
Harj
Anonymous
Hi Harj,
The Phonitor and Auditor amp has what I would call an ultra-colorless, sterile in nature sound. It would be perfect for monitoring, but usually music listeners would like a little more color in the bass, in the mids, and would find them too flat. Pair it with the HD800 which is also semi-colorless, semi-sterile, and you’re looking at a very flat presentation.
The Cambridge 840C, if I am not mistaken uses an AD1855 (or AD-something chip), rather than the WM8740 in the Dacmagic. I may be wrong though.
Steve
I now own this unit and the Senn. HD-800. These are a great combination for me.
Mike
Awesome, Steve.
Sickdrummer182
Hey, can you let me know if the Auditor has enough power to drive the Hifiman HE-6 to high volume without clipping?
Zombie_X
Yo,
The Auditor does not have enough output current to drive them well at all. I’d recommend something like the Schiit Audio Lyr or Violectric V200.
Mike
Yes or a speaker amp.
Zombie_X
I own the Auditor and it’s an exceptional amp with the most neutral sound I’ve ever heard out of a headphone amp before.
Mike
Have to agree @Zombie250:disqus
Jaro
Hi Mike,
would you recommend SPL Auditor for AKG K702?
thank you in advance
Mike
Jaro,
If you are looking for a super-neutral set up, then yes. Otherwise it may lack a little musicality for music listening.
Jaro
Hi Mike,
sorry I forgot to be more specific. I meant in term of driving them properly. If I am not wrong Auditor output impedance is quite high, so I am worring about damping factor.
Mike
Sorry it’s been so long since I did the review. All I can remember is that the Phonitor / Auditor amp is extremely neutral. Good for monitoring but not really my favorite for music listening.