Looking for a AVB Headphone amps for use with Motu audio interfaces

[dustinkay]

Hello kind folks,

I am a soon to be motu user. I am currently have a small home studio where I record my own music and do the occasional recording project with multiple musicians. I am planning a to change my studio hardware and I am looking at getting the motu 16A as I would like more analog ins and outs. 16 in and out for me is perfect as I like to use 500 series preamps and a small amount of outboard gear, as well as re-amping etc. I love the expandability and price point of the motu gear with AVB

I have been using the RME UFX + and for most of my projects its worked out well with the 2 headphones amps and some outboard ones I have borrowed for larger sessions. I've thought of purchasing the motu monitor 8 for headphones amps and additional I/O but I like having movable and portable headphone amps that I can drop right by the musicians. Especially with MOTUs control app so they can adjust their mixes via a tablet.

I have seen the presonus boxes but i dont much like the sound quality Ive heard when working doing live sound with presonus boards in the past. Ive also seen the pivitec AVB boxes they make which is the form factor Id want but I dont want to to deal with the additional pivitec software that is involved.

SO I came here to ask people who have been wrkign with MOTU and AVB if they know of any other solution for an AVB headphone amp possibly something that is POE for remote headphone drops to musicians. Any info or suggestions would be Greatly appreciated.

Thank you
Dustin K

Very soon in Future Purchase:
Motu 16A
Possibly MOTU monitor 8

Current Gear:
RME UFX + via TB 8ch analog I/O plus tons of digital
Various 500 series gear pres comps eq
Windows 10 custom built desktop PC with TB

Side note I have no issue with RME's products but expandability with RME is expensive and most of their stuff is MADI expandible and not a lot fo things have madi anymore. They have recently released Dante and AVB equipped equipment but MOTU's price point for me is better as music is a side job and hobby for me

[HCMarkus]

No input as far as AVB headphone amps, but I run the 6 monitor mixes I have available in my studio all over the place with all the headamps in the control room feeding other areas by ethernet (used as analog audio) cables. I have to provide the initial level for each performer, but as long as I start out with some headroom in the AVB Mixer, each performer can gain up if their ears sag over the course of a day using their tablet or phone via the web app.

It would be elegant to have AVB-connected headphone amps, I must admit. If you find something cool, please let us know!

[dustinkay]

so you run your headphone amp signal down cat 5 successfully? no issues with impedance or signal loss? i was thinking about this but wasnt sure how it would work out.

[HCMarkus]

Seems to be OK... still have plenty of gain for performers. I wouldn't necessarily use one of those runs to make critical mix decisions, but for tracking, I haven't had any complaints. The longest run is about 50 feet, plus the captive headphone cables.

Since every CAT 5-6 cable has four twisted pairs and I had lots of extra ethernet cable when wiring my studio, I doubled/tripled up on wires to each conductor when wiring to headphone amps and jacks. Don't know if it makes a difference, but figured I might as well use the wire that's there.

Assuming crosstalk issues don't arise, you could feed three pairs of cans using a single 8 conductor ethernet cable. L and R Hot x 3 + Common Ground. Or use shielded to carry 4 sets of headphones; the shield could carry ground. Look at the gauge of wire used in captive headphone cables... pretty minuscule. Not a lot of current there.

Not sure it will work? Test before committing the wire permanently.

[EMRR]

I’ll only add the Monitor 8 headphone outs are not loud enough if you have a rock drummer.

[motugearhead]

Funny thread ...Im buying a MOTU 828 to be used as a DAC Headphone amp!

As I looked for DACS Headphone Amps, the cost was crazy and the MOTU units offer Clock displays and 192khz....and of course the entire Audio Interface if a person wants to record.

I was told by Tech Support the MOTU can handle 250ohm headphones with no problem and the 828Hybrid can read/play any audio HiRES file from 44.1 to 192khz or more (828mk3Hybrid)....so paying the same amount $450~$700 for a Hi-End Headphone Amp , the MOTU seemed to be a much better deal for a HiEnd Dac.

Ive had one Headphone amp that had LED displays for the Audio file being played and it was great but limited to 96khz and yet the LED clock kept me aware visually if Windows updates had screwed something up and played everything at 44.1.....so then I'd have to reset the Windows stuff back up manually because Windows Updates can mess with things.

but looking for another 192khz Headphone DAC with Display of Clocking....the MOTU was my choice. Most units dont show the Clocking visually.

[HCMarkus]

I’ll only add the Monitor 8 headphone outs are not loud enough if you have a rock drummer.

I always ask drummers to bring their in-ears just in case they might prefer them to cans. Better isolation and generally more efficient as well.