Sound Devices HX-3 Headphone Amp

[ozpeter]

I've just gone a little mad and added a Sound Devices HX-3 headphone amp to my kit.

See http://www.sounddevices.com/products/hx3master.htm for details.

Admittedly inproving the output of my NH900 when recording on location was but one of the motives in making the purchase, but it sure is the ultimate in that respect.

Good points:-

- Huge output, makes even a minidisc headphone output perfectly usable under noisy conditions. If using it with balanced outputs from other kit, it's even better.

- No noise at any bearable level

- The feeling that what you are hearing is what you've got.

- Runs from a pair of AA batteries for about ten hours on location - no need to take yet another wall wart.

- Supplied connector enables distribution of other devices' headphone outputs whether 1/8 or 1/4"

- Pass-through socket allows one to tap headphones into a line and then pass it to another (unbalanced) input.

- Mono/stereo switch is dead handy for checking mono compatibility and informing balance decisions.

- You can invite a couple of friends to bring their cans along and be amazed too! The outputs are not fazed by having very different headphone types connected.

Bad points:-

- Not cheap! But build quality makes you feel it will outlive you. Well, me anyway.

- Pity there's no switching for two input devices, but that would be simple to provide externally.

Edited August 12, 2005 by ozpeter