Help Me Choose a Big Knob

[watchnerd]

I want to get a new desktop monitor controller / headphone amp for my desktop to go with my new monitor speakers.

I'm leaning towards options with big knobs.

Current candidates are:

Grace Design M900

JDS Labs The Element

Power output is pretty similar in the 32-50 ohm range.

Cost is within $150 of each other.

Any opinions?

Or other big knobs you'd recommend?

 

[watchnerd]

Oh, here is the third candidate.

Behringer Monitor 2 USB:

Significantly cheaper (only $150), but I can't find any stats for it.

 

[Blumlein 88]

Of those you list I would go with the Grace.

I do wonder though, wouldn't you want balanced outs for the monitors? If you don't need anything over 96 k, I might suggest the Audient ID14 for $275. Has more than you need, but has a big knob, balanced out.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/prod...nt_id14_usb2_interface_monitoring_system.html

For cheap I might go with the appropriately named Mackie Big Knob monitor controller over the Behringer. Why? Well it has balanced out, and it isn't a Behringer.
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/BigKnobStu

 

[Blumlein 88]

Or maybe an SPL Creon. Works to 192 khz and functions with or without a computer attached.
https://spl.info/en/products/interfaces-converters/creon/overview.html

 

[oivavoi]

For cheap I might go with the appropriately named Mackie Big Knob monitor controller over the Behringer. Why? Well it has balanced out, and it isn't a Behringer.

Behringer: The eternal ugly duckling of the audio world.

 

[Vincent Kars]

Because of the looks

http://www.tcelectronic.com/level-pilot/

 

[Kal Rubinson]

I use one of these:

 

[Jinjuku]

 

[watchnerd]

Behringer: The eternal ugly duckling of the audio world.

The Behringer is also shockingly limited to 16bit 44.1/48.

 

[watchnerd]

Of those you list I would go with the Grace.

I do wonder though, wouldn't you want balanced outs for the monitors? If you don't need anything over 96 k, I might suggest the Audient ID14 for $275. Has more than you need, but has a big knob, balanced out.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/prod...nt_id14_usb2_interface_monitoring_system.html

For cheap I might go with the appropriately named Mackie Big Knob monitor controller over the Behringer. Why? Well it has balanced out, and it isn't a Behringer.
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/BigKnobStu

Yes, balanced would be preferred for the monitors.

The only downside to most of the pro interfaces are that the power output on the phone jack is often wimpy, not sufficient to drive planars.

The SPL Phonitor series are a notable exception, but they're more headamps than interfaces.

 

[RayDunzl]

 

[wgscott]

Not sure what it says about me, but I use this to control volume, play/pause, etc (via http-issued IR commands):

 

[Thomas Savage]

Not sure what it says about me, but I use this to control volume, play/pause, etc (via http-issued IR commands):

I’m not sure either but you might inspire some knob envy with this ..

 

[wgscott]

https://griffintechnology.com/us/powermate

Looks like they also have a bluetooth version now.

I originally bought these many years ago to rotate/translate molecules in molecular graphics display programs (essentially to replace the dial boxes on my then-ancient SGIs).

 

[Blumlein 88]

I have one of these. It is very good. However, the headphone output is on the wimpy side. Sounds very good with phones that aren't a tough load, but I think it maxes out at about 32 milliwatts into 32 ohms.

Monitor outputs are good. Close to 5 volts out. It does have true actively balanced monitor outs. What you'll find with probably the majority of below $1k interfaces is the monitor outs are impedance balanced, but actively only single ended. That works to still have common mode noise rejection on cables, but it isn't really fully balanced. One of those little things where corners are cut you don't hear much about. For recording this unit is very quiet. The microphone pre's have 75 db of gain and enough dynamic range to really make use of that without noise problems. The new Clarrett line essentially uses the circuitry they developed for this.

These are discontinued, but available for $250 or so second hand.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

Not sure what it says about me, but I use this to control volume, play/pause, etc (via http-issued IR commands):

I have been tempted by this for a while but I cannot see it compatible with my apps. Griffin is of no help.

 

[Blumlein 88]

Thinking out of the box. How about two big knobs.
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/RedNetAM2

https://us.focusrite.com/ethernet-audio-interfaces/rednet-am2/specifications

Just short of 100 milliwatts into 600 ohms on the headphone out. Not sure if it meets your needs there. How much do you need for your phones?

 

[watchnerd]

Of those you list I would go with the Grace.

I do wonder though, wouldn't you want balanced outs for the monitors? If you don't need anything over 96 k, I might suggest the Audient ID14 for $275. Has more than you need, but has a big knob, balanced out.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/prod...nt_id14_usb2_interface_monitoring_system.html

Headphone amp:

30 ohm output impedance
101 mW into 30 ohm

 

[watchnerd]

Thinking out of the box. How about two big knobs.
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/RedNetAM2

https://us.focusrite.com/ethernet-audio-interfaces/rednet-am2/specifications

Just short of 100 milliwatts into 600 ohms on the headphone out. Not sure if it meets your needs there. How much do you need for your phones?

My hardest to drive cans are some HiF Man 400i planars:

Frequency Response: : 20Hz-35KHz
Sensitivity : 93dB
Impedance : 35 Ohms
Weight : 370g
Cable Length : 1.5m
Plug : 3.5mm/6.35mm

https://www.hifiman.com/products/detail/178

Based on that, I need a headphone amp with:

Output Impedance: <4.375 ohm

Output power: >200 mW (to hit 95 db peak level -- not normal listening for me, but for rare peaks)

Based on:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...5wZOP7KnBVO6SyvG9yZEJ-smI/edit#gid=1006269980

 

[watchnerd]

Decided to forego all of these, upped my budget a significant amount, and bought an RME ADI-2 Pro, instead.

Hopefully will have it next week...