Griffin Powerwave - headphone out quality?

rc · « **on:** 15 May 2004, 04:45 pm »

I found out about the powerwave in this forum, and have really enjoyed
playing it through speakers. However, the headphone jack is such bad
quality I'm wondering if I got defective unit. I notice that whenever I
play anything that has any low end to it and pan it to one side or the other,
the opposite side, instead of getting quieter, has a very noticible distortion. I can connect the RCA outs to my amplifier, and listen to that
through headphones without any problems.

Can anyone else confirm the same experience?

I have a few day's left to return the unit, but if it's not going to make
any difference, I'll work around it.

Thanks

Smeggy · « **Reply #1 on:** 15 May 2004, 06:28 pm »

I didn't notice any strange effects like that unless I was using the USB instead of the RCA inputs. The USB doesn't sound as good unless you drop some extra cash for a decent driver (ASIO?) with a compliant media player like J River media center. I had no problems with the RCA inputs. The headphone out is a little sucky (not terrible though) which is why I just bought a ASL headphone transformer which, unfortunately, is more expensive than the powerwave itself but the results through the speaker outputs is way better than the headphone socket on the PW. I'm buying one of the Tripath evaluation boards to test out against the Powerwave to see which is the better headphone amp. It'll be another week or so before I order it as I ran out of spare cash for this week.

Your unit may be defective, it should sound pretty good as-is despite the sucky connector.

hmen · « **Reply #2 on:** 15 May 2004, 09:54 pm »

I'm using my powerwave through the headphone jack and I've noticed no problems.

rataploom · « **Reply #3 on:** 21 May 2004, 09:08 pm »

I have exactly the same problem. Last month, I bought a powerwave to use it as headphone amplifier after reading rave review on audioCircle. Since I received it, I noticed left channel distortion on quiet passages in my grados & sennheiser. Griffin sent me back a replacement but the new unit is worst. Instead, the second unit has stronger distortion in both channels. It sound like little crackling over music. I did not try it as regular amplifier because i dont have high efficiency speakers.

I think Griffin have a quality control problem. Ask them a replacement. I am still waiting a reply from Griffin regarding the second units they sended me.

I am glad to see that i am not alone with my powerwave problem.

Rataploom

Smeggy · « **Reply #4 on:** 21 May 2004, 09:15 pm »

Yeah, sounds like a QC problem. Guess I was lucky with mine.

CELT in AR · « **Reply #5 on:** 22 Sep 2004, 01:09 am »

Yep. I'd have to say it's a QC prob too. I've bought two PowerWave's. Both work fine, but one of them has a headphone jack that is slightly intermittent. They should have used better mini-jacks on them and personally, I think their breakout cable (dondle) for speaker hookup is idiotic.

hmen · « **Reply #6 on:** 22 Sep 2004, 01:41 am »

I'm still having no problems using it as a headphone amp. The dondle is horrible. When I try to play it through speakers I get a loud hiss.

CELT in AR · « **Reply #7 on:** 22 Sep 2004, 02:09 am »

Well, I don't get any hiss thru my dondle, it's just the idea of running speaker level signals thru four feet of ultra-teensy wire only to have it end at a crappy plastic junction box with spring clips. And for what? To have to add yet again more cable.