N22H | Reference-Grade Headphone Amplifier for Studio and Stage
  • Two balanced combi jack inputs
  • Two balanced XLR and 1/4” jack outputs
  • Reference-quality headphone amplifier
    • THD+N: <0.0009% (-100.4dB) @ +6dBu, 1kHz, A-weighted, 100 kOhm load
    • Output Wattage (1kHz): 252mW x 2 @ 600 ohms, 502mW x 2 @ 220 ohms, 950mW x 2 @ 100 ohms, 470mW x 2 @ 32 ohms
    • Frequency Response: 1dB, <0.8Hz to >200kHz
  • Switchable High and Low Power Modes
    • High Power optimised for maximum power and performance for high-impedance, over-ear, and open back mixing/mastering headphones
    • Low Power optimised for maximum battery life for low-impedance, in-ears and closed back tracking headphones
  • 9V Battery compartment
    • Up to ~10 hours battery life (Low Power Mode)
    • Up to ~2 hours Battery life (High Power Mode)
  • 9V DC Power Inlet
    • Includes a 9V DC (centre negative) power supply 
    • Can be powered with any 3rd party 9v DC (centre negative) guitar pedal power supply (1000mA supply recommended)
  • C.A.S.T IN RRTT Port
    • For connecting to the C.A.S.T. Output of N22 or other C.A.S.T. enabled devices
  • C.A.S.T OUT TTRR Port
    • For connecting to the C.A.S.T. Input of 500R8, 500ADAT or other C.A.S.T. enabled devices
  • Cat5 snake connectivity with N22 or second N22H
  • Compatible with any shielded Cat 5e/Cat 6/Cat 7 cable with distances up to 100m/330ft
  • Improved crosstalk performance with high-performance Cat 6 and Cat 7 (recommended)
  • Ruggedised metal enclosure
  • Fixing holes for permanent installation
  • Cable-tie holes for cable management
  • Non-slip rubber feet
  • ⅜” mic stand thread mount on bottom

All specifications are typical performance unless otherwise noted. All specifications are subject to change at any time. Tested with Audio Precision APx555.

Headphone Amplifier (High Power Mode)

Test Signal Path

APx555 (Line Out) - Input 1-2 - Headphone Output - APx555 (Line In)

Max Input Level

+28dBu

Input Impedance

44 kOhms

Frequency Response

-0.5dB, <1.2Hz to >200kHz

 

-1dB, <0.8Hz to >250kHz

THD

<0.0017% (-95dB) @ +20dBu, 1kHz, A-weighted, 300 Ohm load

 

<0.0005% (-105dB) @ +6dBu, 1kHz, A-weighted, 100 kOhm load

THD+N

<0.0018% (-94.8dB) @ +20dBu, 1kHz, A-weighted, 300 Ohm load

 

<0.0012% (-98.4dB) @ +14dBu, 1kHz, A-weighted, 100 kOhm load

 

<0.0009% (-100.4dB) @ +6dBu, 1kHz, A-weighted, 100 kOhm load

Output Impedance

0.33 Ohms

Output Wattage

252mW x 2 @ 600 Ohms, 1kHz

 

502mW x2 @ 300 Ohms, 1kHz

 

950mW x 2 @ 100 Ohms, 1kHz

 

470mW x 2 @ 32 Ohms, 1kHz

Dynamic Range

114.7dB A-weighted, AES17 method, 20Hz - 20kHz, 600 Ohm load

 

116.5dB A-weighted, AES17 method, 20Hz - 20kHz, 100 kOhm load

Noise Floor

-97.5dBu A-weighted, 20Hz - 20kHz,  32-100 kOhm load

 

-99.9dBV A-weighted, 20Hz - 20kHz,  32-100 kOhm load

Headphone Amplifier (Low Power Mode)

Test Signal Path

APx555 (Line Out) - Input 1-2 - Headphone Output - APx555 (Line In)

Max Input Level

+21.7dBu

Input Impedance

44 kOhms

Frequency Response

-0.5dB, <1.2Hz to >200kHz

 

-1dB, <0.8Hz to >250kHz

THD

<0.0002% (-114dB) @ +6dBu, 1kHz, A-weighted, 100 kOhm load

THD+N

<0.00045% (-107dB) @ +14dBu, 1kHz, A-weighted, 100 kOhm load

 

<0.0008% (-102dB) @ +6dBu, 1kHz, A-weighted, 100 kOhm load

Output Impedance

1 Ohms

Output Wattage

46mW x 2 @ 600 Ohms, 1kHz

 

73mW x2 @ 300 Ohms, 1kHz

 

112W x 2 @ 100 Ohms, 1kHz

 

71mW x 2 @ 32 Ohms, 1kHz

Dynamic Range

110.1dB A-weighted, AES17 method, 20Hz - 20kHz, 600 Ohm load

 

112.9dB A-weighted, AES17 method, 20Hz - 20kHz, 100 kOhm load

Noise Floor

-100dBu A-weighted, 20Hz - 20kHz, 32-100 kOhm load

 

-102.3dBV A-weighted, 20Hz - 20kHz,  32-100 kOhm load

Power Consumption

All power consumption measurements are estimates. Actual power consumption will vary depending on headphone impedance/sensitivity, source material and it’s frequency content, as well as overall headphone volume. 

Current Consumption

110 mA idle, 390 mA peak, High Power

 

30 mA idle, 80 mA peak, Low Power

Average Battery Life

~ 2h (High Power)

 

~ 9h 30m (Low Power)

Battery Low Indicator Threshold

6.8v

Unit Off Threshold

3v

Real-World Battery Life Tests

Actual battery life will vary depending on battery type being used, headphone impedance/sensitivity, source material and it’s frequency content, as well as overall headphone volume. 

Test Signal Path

500ADAT C.A.S.T. Input - N22H C.A.S.T. Output - Headphone Output

Audio Technica ATH-M50x (38Ω)

1h = Battery Low Indicator, 2h = Unit Off

(High Power Mode, Max Volume, Energizer Max Battery) 

 

8h 10m = Battery Low Indicator, 10h 25m = Unit Off

(Low Power Mode, Max Volume, Energizer Max Battery) 

Shure SE215 (17Ω)

45m = Battery Low Indicator, 1h 44m = Unit Off

(High Power Mode, Max Volume, Duracell Plus Battery) 

 

7h = Battery Low Indicator On, 9h = Unit Off

(Low Power Mode, Max Volume, Duracell Plus Battery) 

Power Adapter Requirements

AC Requirements

100V – 240V AC, 50 – 60 Hz

Adapter Requirements

9v, 500mA, DC (Centre Negative), (Included Supply)

 

9v, 1000mA, DC (Centre Negative), (3rd Party Supply)

Environmental

Operating Temperature

+1 to 35 degrees Celsius

Storage Conditions

-20 to 50 degrees Celsius

Dims/Weights

Unit

Width

150mm (5.9”)

Height

46mm (2.2")

Depth

120mm (4.7")

Unit Weight

0.91kg (2lb)

Shipping Carton

Width

250mm (9.8")

Height

120mm (4.7")

Depth

200mm (7.9")

Carton Weight

1.4kg (3.1lb)

Hear Your Headphones Like Never Before

Good headphones need an exceptional headphone amp, great headphones deserve an exceptional headphone amp - N22H gives you all of the reference-power you will ever need in a portable and indestructible package

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Designed For The Studio With Award-Winning Pedgiree

N22H's headphone amplifier circuit is the same design lifted from our multi-award winning 500R8 audio interface. It has a super low noise-floor, tons of clean headroom, a vanishingly-low output impedance and enough output wattage to drive high-impedance headphones with ease.

Having a headphone amplifier with these attributes means that you can drive your headphones cleanly without adding distortion and without the frequency roll-off that you would hear with other, lower-powered designs. N22H isn't about driving headphones louder, but driving them cleaner (but it's also very loud if you need it to be!). 

To integrate it with you studio, you simply connect the outputs of your audio interface/mixer directly into to N22H's inputs and you are ready to experience true studio-quality headphone monitoring!

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N22H vs Your Audio Interface

Ever bought a lovely new pair of high-end headphones, plugged them into your audio interface and been left... underwhelmed?

The headphone amplifier powering a set of headphones is vitally important to the overall sound and feel of your headphones - much more so than you may think! When you choose to upgrade a set of headphones and buy bigger, higher-impedance designs, they are actually highlighting the weakness in the headphone amplifier and making the problem worse in some cases.

Common signs of an underpowered headphone amplifier may include:

❌ Low output volume even at max level

❌ Dull and uninspiring tone

❌ Undefined stereo image

❌ Inconsistent sound between headphones and at different volume levels

N22H is a reference-grade design that combats all of these symptoms and allows you to drive any headphone type effortlessly. Before, you may have felt listening to headphones was a chore and something that you would never rely on during mixing or mastering over your speakers. The truth is, headphones are another tool in the tool kit for any mixing or tracking session and great headphone amplifier will get the best out of any set of headphones and enable you to mix in confidence.

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The Technical Bit...

N22H has a flat Frequency Response from 0.8Hz to above 250kHz and ultra-low distortion (0.0009% THD+N, 100 kOhm load) which is well beyond what the human ear can perceive. In terms of power, it can deliver up to almost 1watt per-ear to 100ohm headphones. Having this much power means that N22H is barely working when monitoring at normal listening levels ensuring minimal distortion is being added to the signal and giving you the cleanest output. 

N22H's output impedance is only 0.33ohms which ensures that N22H will work flawlessly with any set of headphones be it high-impedance mastering beasts, or low-impedance tracking headphones. 

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Ready For The Road

More than a headphone amp for mixing, mastering or tracking in the studio, the N22H is also ready for the road!

We know that reliability is key when you're on tour and whilst N22H sounds amazing, it needs to perform night after night. Here are some of the other features beyond the headphone amplifier that are included to make your show run smoother and sound better than ever before.

✅ Bent steel chassis with tough, powder-coat finish

✅ 9v Battery compartment for remote tracking

✅ Seamless 9v Battery switching if power drops

✅ Carefully calibrated High and Low Power Modes to match the amplifier to your headphones

✅ Custom logarithmic Headphone Level control for fine adjustment

✅ Underside 3/8" thread mic stand mount

✅ 4 fixing holes for permanent installation

✅ Cable tie holes for cable management

✅ T-bar to secure the power supply into the unit

Did we mention that this unit is made of steel???

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Cranborne Audio Authorised Dealers

Not based in US? Contact Us

 

Buy Cranborne Audio From Sweetwater

Buy Cranborne Audio From Vintage King

Buy Cranborne Audio at Alto Music

 

Buy Cranborne Audio at Front End Audio

 

Cranborne Audio at Zen Pro Audio

 

Cranborne Audio at Pro Audio LA

 

Perfect_Circuit

 

CAST_R8_Family

Breakout Using C.A.S.T. 

If you're feeling adventurous, you can investigate N22H's extra features... including its C.A.S.T. capabilities!

C.A.S.T. uses a shielded Cat 5e, Cat 6, and Cat 7 cable instead of 4 XLRs to not only reduce cable spaghetti in your studio but also distribute audio around studios or stages using affordable, readily available network cabling whilst achieving the highest sonic results due to their strict design standards.

Each C.A.S.T. connection on a Cranborne Audio product features unique optimisation to ensure that the maximum signal integrity is transmitted over shielded Cat 5, Cat 6, and Cat 7 cables for distances of up to 100m(330ft) without high-end roll-off and with very low-crosstalk.

CAST_Diagram_R8+N22H

C.A.S.T. Expander

Connect N22H into 500R8/500ADAT's C.A.S.T. Input connectors and then mic/line sources connected to N22H’s inputs are sent directly to the interface's inputs ready for recording via C.A.S.T. Meanwhile, a stereo monitor mix generated by 500R8/500ADAT is carried down the same C.A.S.T. connection and directly into N22H’s headphone output.

CAST_Diagram_N22+N22H

Standalone Cat 5 Snake

Replace cumbersome and expensive analogue multicore systems by using one N22 and a N22H to send and receive balanced analogue audio between two locations. Connect N22 to your current audio interface and send a monitor mix directly to the N22H in the vocal booth using a single shielded Cat 5e, Cat 6, or Cat 7 cable cable.

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