Need high‑quality but portable headphone amplification for both engineer and artist? Elysia may have the answer.
Elysia’s aim is “the development and production of high‑quality audio equipment featuring that certain something”. In pursuit of it, they do everything in‑house at their base in Nettetal, Germany — and I really do mean everything. They design, develop and prototype their products there, they make their own PCBs, have their own SMD manufacturing equipment, machine their own metalwork, and carry out final assembly and testing. It’s an integrated approach that has resulted in the creation of some wonderful products, and the latest is the xpector, a desktop, Class‑A, dual‑channel headphone amplifier that’s an innovative headphone and monitor control solution for the DAW‑based engineer/producer and provides a separate, well‑featured artist headphone mixing facility too.
Head Lines
The rear‑panel layout confirms that although the xpector shares the general form of Elysia’s qube range, it’s not actually a 500‑series module.
Despite sharing the form, styling and chunky aluminium housing of Elysia’s qube range of 500‑series devices, the xpector is a desktop device and not actually compatible with the 500 series. Its front‑panel controls are laid out in three vertical rows, the outer two of which control independent engineer and artist headphone mixes. The inner row handles monitor and headphone switching duties. Each mix has its own front‑ and rear‑panel quarter‑inch (6.35mm) stereo headphone output. The rear panel also carries balanced quarter‑inch jack sockets for L‑R audio inputs (L also caters for mono) and pass‑throughs. Those labelled Direct will normally be connected directly to the outputs of, for example, mono mic preamps or stereo processors, and looped through to your audio interface’s inputs. The DAW pair carries two of your interface’s outputs. Balanced L‑R XLR outputs are provided to drive active loudspeakers. Finally, there’s the power switch and a non‑locking connector for the supplied 1A, 18V DC PSU.
Assuming you have the necessary leads to hand, setting up the xpector is simple, as its audio inputs and outputs accept balanced or unbalanced jacks. Apart from the Swap switch that’s associated with the engineer channel’s trim function, no mystery surrounds any of the front‑panel controls. The bottom three knobs on either channel allow the setting up of individual mixes of the direct and DAW signals and headphone volume levels for both engineer and artist, each of which can be muted individually.
In addition, you’ll find ±6dB high and low shelving EQ at the top of the artist channel, allowing artists to tailor their own sound. The knobs’ opposite numbers in the engineer channel are a Mode switch that sets the format (stereo, mono/Mid, Sides, left, or right) of the signal in the engineer’s headphones or the loudspeaker output, and a ±12dB trim control. The last of those, via the Swap switch I mentioned earlier, allows you to trim the signal levels going into your headphones or out to your monitors relative to each other, to avoid abrupt changes in volume when switching between the two with the Speaker switch.
Great xpectations?
Once you’ve got everything set up and understand that Swap switch, operating the xpector and creating engineer and artist headphone mixes is entirely intuitive. I was very pleased to discover that the rotary pots’ very fine detents lined up precisely with the scales around them and the notch on every knob — it’s a level of attention to detail I’ve not seen before and is to be commended. From an engineer’s perspective, the Swap function integrates headphones and monitors into a level‑matched system. On the monitoring side, in addition to stereo, mono, left and right, the Mode switch also allows you to monitor the Sides component of a stereo signal; the mono mode provides the Mid component, of course, to deliver a basic M‑S monitoring capability — handy, for example, for quickly checking the Sides for phase issues that might affect mono compatibility.
The xpector’s stunning audio performance is first rate, delivering the high levels of clarity, nuance, detail and accuracy associated with Class‑A amplification.
But what about the sound? I hear you ask. The xpector’s stunning audio performance is first rate, delivering the high levels of clarity, nuance, detail and accuracy associated with Class‑A amplification. Put simply, the xpector is an outstanding headphone amp and one of the best‑sounding monitor controllers I’ve used or heard to date. Sadly, for my own prospects of ownership, the xpector’s price tag is commensurate with these levels of performance — but it is fully justified.
If you work on projects where accurate, high‑quality, mobile headphone monitoring is a prerequisite, such as recording classical music, or critical recording with vocalists and/or acoustic instrumentalists in domestic or other non‑studio environments, or you are simply looking to upgrade your personal studio’s monitoring facilities, the Elysia xpector is an investment worth your consideration.
Pros
- Innovative combination of headphone amplification and monitor control.
- Includes basic M‑S monitoring facilities.
- Did I mention the stunning audio performance?
Cons
- None.
Summary
This innovative product combines a two‑channel headphone amplifier and monitor control, and delivers a very high level of audio performance.
Information
$1449.99
MusicMax Distribution +1 614 897 0007.
When you purchase via links on our site, SOS may earn an affiliate commission. More info...
