SPL Phonitor 3 Desktop DAC with Rack Expander

Combining professional-quality monitoring control and headphone amplification with hi-fi DAC and 120V technology, the Phonitor 3 DAC from SPL is the ideal centerpiece for any audio monitoring solution. With Phonitor 3 you get the same monitoring quality as the big SPL mastering consoles, but with the added benefit of spatial perception of the stereo image for perfect headphone mixing, avoiding the tendency for headphone mixes to differ greatly from their playback on loudspeakers.

The Phonitor 3 sports a high-quality AKM4490 DAC and the op-amp-based SLP120 low-pass filter for the finest digital and analog audio details. Combined with versatile I/O ranging from analog XLR to digital AES, S/PDIF, and USB connections, you can achieve a blistering, high sample rate of 32-bit / 768 kHz and DSD256 effortlessly. And with 120V technology, the Phonitor 3 delivers greater headroom, dynamic range, and sound quality compared with your average DAC. The Phonitor 3 includes a 19", 2 RU rack expansion with extra connections for up to four stereo speaker pairs and a power cord.

The Phonitor 3 DAC offers connection for a standard pair of headphone with a stereo 1/4" jack on the front. Thanks to the enormous output power, all kinds of headphones can be driven effortlessly.

On the rear of the device, Phonitor 3 DAC offers a stereo output, which makes it a high-quality monitoring controller for any situation. Active speakers with an integrated power amplifier, or passive speakers in combination with a power amplifier can be connected at this output.

Phonitor 3 DAC offers the same key technology�SPL 120V technology�and signal quality as the big SPL DMC and MMC mastering consoles.

Up to six stereo sources can be connected to the Phonitor 3 DAC. Use the Source switch to select between two different XLR stereo pairs, USB, coaxial S/PDIF, optical S/PDIF, and digital XLR AES input.

On the analog side, two analog stereo inputs are offered, each with two XLR line inputs. Professional analog players with balanced line-level outputs can be connected here.

On the digital side, the Phonitor 3 DAC offers four digital stereo inputs. You can connect XLR AES, two types of S/PDIF, and USB. The USB-B input supports the highest audio streaming bandwidth on the Phonitor 3.

The USB-B input can be used to directly connect the DAW. No driver installation is required for operation with a Mac or an iOS device. Via USB, the Phonitor 3 DAC converts PCM audio signals with a resolution of 32 bits and a sampling rate of up to 768 kHz as well as DSD signals with a resolution of up to DSD256.

The S/PDIF coaxial input can receive a two-channel signal (PCM audio) with sampling rates up to 192 kHz and a bit rate of 16 to 24 bits. Unbalanced, 2-wire 75-ohm coaxial cables with RCA connectors are used for signal transmission.

The S/PDIF optical input can receive a two-channel signal (PCM audio) with sampling rates of up to 192 kHz and a bit rate of 16 to 24 bits. The input jack is a TOSLINK interface.

The AES input provides an input jack which corresponds to a standard XLR input. An AES signal can transport two encoded PCM audio channels with a maximum sampling rate of 192 kHz and a bit rate of 16 to 24 bits.

This standard is defined under IEC 60958 Type I. Balanced, 3-core, 110-Ohm twisted pair cables with XLR plugs are used for connection.

The converter chip in the Phonitor 3 DAC´s digital-to-analog converter is the highly acclaimed AKM AK4490 Velvet Sound premium DAC chip, which thanks to its architecture, reproduces the finest sound details. It converts PCM audio at 32-bit resolution and a sampling rate of up to 768 kHz, which is 16 times the resolution of a CD. Direct Stream Digital is also supported up to a resolution of DSD4 or DSD256.

The analog output of any DAC chip must be filtered by a low-pass filter when entering the analog world. In contrast to all other DACs in the world, the low pass filters here are built using SPL 120V technology, which provides a plus in dynamics and headroom. The DAC in the Phonitor 3 DAC is equipped with the SLP120, an analog single low-pass filter with 120V technology.

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

The Mono/Stereo switch can be used to select whether the output signal of the Phonitor 3 DAC is a regular stereo signal or whether it is summed to a mono signal.

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 3 DAC has a unique finely resolved laterality control, which rebalances the stereo image on the monitoring side.The Mono/Stereo switch can not only be used to switch between stereo or mono playback. This switch is also used to activate or deactivate the laterality control.

You can solo either the left or right stereo channel for sussing out problem audio or for comparisons. When this switch is set to the middle position, it deactivates the solo function, feeding standard 2-channel stereo audio to the output.

A special feature is the L/R channel-swap function. This function inverts the stereo image, causing left to become right and right to become left. This is especially time saving, such as when you are monitoring samples in video dubbing that should match a scene with direction of movement.

If the direction is not correct, you usually have to load the sample into the DAW to switch channels before you can judge whether the sample matches the image. With the L/R Swap function, this is no longer necessary. You can now adjust the direction of movement on the Phonitor 3 DAC while prelistening to an audio sample.

With this switch the phase of the left or right channel of the audio signal can be inverted. If the three-way selection switch is in the L position, the left channel is inverted, if it is in the R position, the right channel is inverted.

By using the mono/stereo and L/R phase inversion switch in combination, it is possible to only monitor the mid or side signals. 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 mid signal is played back. Separate monitoring of the mid and side signals has become a widespread standard for many mixing and mastering engineers.

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 or -12 dB. Thus, the VU meters operate in the ideal display range even at very high input levels.

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 optimally 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 hi-fi enthusiast to enjoy music on headphones, as if it was played back on speakers.

With the Angle switch you adjust the interaural time difference, which is related to the placement of the speakers. The interaural time difference is frequency-corrected because the sound is reflected and absorbed by the head in a nonlinear fashion.

With the Crossfeed switch you can adjust the interaural level difference. The level difference is comparable to the influence of different room sizes and their reflection and absorption characteristics. The interaural level difference is frequency-corrected because the sound is reflected and absorbed by the head in a nonlinear fashion.

With a DIP switch on the rear of the device, the volume control for the rear stereo output can be switched out of the signal path. It is also possible to output the Phonitor Matrix to the stereo output on the rear panel of the device, regardless of whether this is configured as Preamp Out (with volume control) or Direct Out (without volume control).

If headphones have a rather low sensivity, no problem. With DIP switch 1 on the rear of the device, the level at the headphone output can be increased by 12 dB.

The 120V technology works with +/-60 V. To be able to handle such a high voltage, SPL has 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. The 120V technology achieves exceptional technical specifications and sonic benefits; technically, in terms of dynamic range, signal-to-noise ratio, and headroom, sonically, in terms of richness of detail and a relaxed listening experience.

The SPL Expansion Rack is not only a 19" rack housing for the Phonitor 3 DAC, it also expands the connection possibilities. This allows the Phonitor 3 DAC to become a monitor controller for up to four stereo speaker pairs.

Key Specs

Connectivity