just curious. while i love the da7, i don't find it nearly as flexible as my old analog mackie 8-bus was for dealing with headphones while tracking. for one, the mackie had a very powerful headphone amp, while the da7's is a bit weak to say the least. how are some of you folks set up in that regard? thanks

-d. gauss

I use a Samson headphone amp that'll drive 4 sets of headphones. It's running off the Monitor B outputs and I'm getting plenty of level.

--Jeff

The Behringer Powerplay is ridiculously cheap and V loud too!

Lizardpoint

http://www.furmansound.com/HDS-16.html

http://www.furmansound.com/HA-6A.html

Check the impendence on your phones. It might have something to do with the SPL differences you're experiencing.

I use a Furman HA-6A.

It's a little more expensive than the Samson and Behringers but it has a built in 20 (jumbo) Watt amp that drives my near fields. There are also remote stations available for it.

I have been using the Furman HA-6A headphone distribution system with five remote mix stations for three years. All of my clients have been impressed with the sound quality and find the flexibility of a personnel mix great.

1) Each remote mix station has input for four mono channels and one stereo channel; six channels total

2) During tracking/playback I use DA7 AUX 3 - 6 to feed Furman's mono channels 1 - 4 and take the stereo out of DA7 Monitor B and feed the single Furman stereo channel. For example, Aux 3 - 6 could feed individual instruments/vocal and Monitor B could feed a stereo drum mix during tracking

3) I use AUX 1 -2 to return any effects to the talent during tracking

4) Each musician can then mix the session to maximize their performance

5) I also use Sony 7506 headsets

Have never had a problem with volume or sound quality and this is from Heavy-Death-Metal to Country & Western clients.

Radovic

I've been using a Rane HC-6 for at least 10 years.
It works/sounds good and always has.
Regards

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very funny. since every reply here has mentioned an external headphone amp in conjunctione with the DA7 vs. the internal amp i used to use on my old mackie console... i don't think impedence is an issue, it's the da7's lame amp. oh well, looks like i'll be spending even more money this weekend...

-d. gauss

Lame amp? The 7s head phone amp is designed to drive 1 headphone, not 6. I also use the mon B out to drive 2 sampson amps for 10 headphones and it works great.

I can also drive a pair of akg 240 headphones with plenty of level on the 7s amp. Lame? Not really.

Yo D ! ,
Jeremy makes a good point. Obviously , you can't drive too many headphones off the headphone output on the DA7 ( two with a Y cable would be max for me ). I have 12 headphone jacks throughout my studio so a seperate distribution amp is a necessity.
Regards

Impedance does have a lot to do with it - 600 Ohm 'phones like the AKG K240 DF are very quiet, even with the headphone level dimed (and this is the case even with a dedicated distribution amp like the Samson). Sony 7506s, whose impedance is in the double digits, are so damned loud, you'd implode your brain far before hitting "10".

If you're doing headphone distribution, then of course you're going to want to use an external box - I wouldn't want to drive even two headphones off the DA7's amp, simply because someone will want it softer, someone else will want it louder, and you've got one knob to do both.

It's possible that the Mackie boards just have a seriously powerful headphone amp, too. Again, check the impedance of your cans, because you may find the same issue, even with distribution amps. If that's the case, you may want to hook up a real amplifier to drive your 'phones.

charlie