PreSonus HP4 4-Channel Headphone Amplifier

Feature:
Not many features, no. The features it DOES have are exactly what such a unit should have. If anything, it could use a second main out for another set of studio monitors for A/B sound testing.

Quality:
It's tough figuring out which section deserves a ten more ... the sound quality or the build quality. This is all metal. Everything. Jacks, knobs .. front, back, sides, top, bottom. All metal. Rock solid. It's quite heavy especially for it's size. I'm not expecting it to malfunction any time soon. The parts you've come to expect to be plastic are all metal on this.

Value:
It's expensive for what it does. I'm giving it a nine because you can get something cheaper, probably FAR cheaper, and get the same results. Products that come to mind are the Samson C-Control and the Behringer MINIMON MON800. The Samson does more but costs a touch more I believe. The Behringer (once released) will be a copy of the Samson at a third of the price. I can say one thing though, with either of those, you're guaranteed to get sub-par sound quality. I can't stress enough how crystal clear this keeps the signal that passes through it. Completely beautiful.

Desirability:
I wanted a high quality invisible headphone mixer with control for main monitors. This is what this is. It sounds awesome and looks very nice too. I definitely wanted it and it is why I purchased it.

Sound:
Compared to a Behringer 1204 mixer I've been using to spread the signals prior to obtaining this unit, this is heaven. Totally transparent sound. Huge difference. The ONLY way, I repeat, the ONLY way this changes the signal is by changing it's volume! Perfect.

Support:
Haven't dealt with them and I doubt I'll need to. I'll give this a ten because the other catagories lend me to believe this section should have a ten as well ;)

Overall:
I can't believe how clean this sounds. I've said this a few times already and I need to say it again. It it totally invisible in the signal chain. It sounds like it's not there. It's how I want it to be. If anyone needs a physical control for the DAW and aren't in a giant studio environment with a physical console, then this is a very simple, elegant, and VERY high quality piece of gear. I highly advise it. I suggest anyone with doubts to go to a local music store, ask them to hook this up and then TRY to hear it. I bet you can't! It's that clean.

Sound:
the main sticking point is that the monitor level control, which is active, degrades the sound quality of your signal. your monitors will sound a little "funky" and "veiled". I upgraded to the SM Pro Audio M-Patch 2, which is a passive device, only slightly more expensive, and crystal clear. The presonus I will keep to use as a headphone amp. it's decent for that. all of the pots are a little weird though. at the lower range, the left/right balance is skewed, you can hear it shift back and forth as you turn them up. this is true on all 5 of the controls. but if you need a solid headphone amp for tracking, this will do the trick. just don't expect professional sound quality as a monitor controller. for that, use the Mpatch 2 or Nano Patch, or the A Designs ATTY for the same price