Lake People
G108
Balanced headphone amplifier
The Lake People Phone-Amp G108 combines the advantages of the G105 MKII with a four-channel amplifier to deliver truly balanced playback via headphones. We call this ‘True Balanced’. The 4-pin XLR socket on the front panel is therefore fully functional and not merely a ‘convenience feature’.
Whilst balanced headphone operation, with all its advantages, has now gained widespread acceptance amongst discerning music lovers, this type of playback is not yet very common in the studio. The Lake People G108 aims to change that.
Like the G105 MKII, the G108 also features useful additional functions such as a balance control, which acts as a mixer between the two inputs when set to ‘MONO’, and the ‘PHASE’ function, which reverses the right channel to check the stereo image.
This functionality, combined with genuine four-channel headphone operation, makes it unique on the market.
Features
- unbalanced inputs via gold -lated RCA connectors
- balanced inputs via gold-plated Neutrik XLR connectors
- PRE-GAIN: internal gain adaption in seven steps
- robust, indestructible amplifiers with high transmission quality
- TRUE BALANCED: True balanced headphone operation via four output stages with OPA551 power op-amps
- compact and extremely rugged aluminium case
- long-term stable Alps RK14 potentiometers for volume control
- 25 mm volume knob milled from aluminium
- more than adequately dimensioned internal power supply
- Made in Germany
Gehäuse und Bauteile in höchster Qualität
The housing of the G108 is made of black anodized aluminum, including the front and rear panels. This provides high mechanical stability and resistance to rough handling. The housing surfaces provide excellent electrical conductivity for optimal EMC characteristics.
The front panel is 3 mm thick.
The solid, milled 25 mm aluminium rotary knob stands out with its clean design and forms the centrepiece of the Lake People G108. Thanks to its well-balanced weight and the Alps RK14 potentiometers, it offers a smooth, highly precise turning action for accurate volume control.
Lake People PRE-GAIN
7-way adjustable gain for optimum adaptation to all sources and headphones (internal, -18, -12, -6, 0, +6, +12, +18 dB).
Unlike other headphone amplifiers, the overall gain can be adjusted to suit the headphones being used by means of jumpers on the rear panel. Thanks to this unique Lake People technology, the headphone amplifier can be used with almost all known headphone impedances from 8 to 600 ohms, and is as low-noise and dynamic as possible.
Perfect protection for your headphones
Lake People headphone amplifiers are equipped with several protection circuits to prevent headphone failure. These circuits protect against overvoltage, sudden current spikes or short circuits that could damage sensitive headphones. By incorporating these protections, the amplifier ensures that the headphones always receive a safe and stable supply of power, significantly extending the life of the headphones.
Lake People TRUE BALANCED
When you listen to music through speakers, you experience the sound just as a listener would in a concert hall, surrounded by the room’s acoustic atmosphere. With conventional headphones, on the other hand, you take on the role of the conductor – the sound seems to come from a clear, centred perspective. But the real leap into the world of sound only comes when listening with balanced headphones: here, the listener literally becomes part of the orchestra, enveloped in impressive detail and precision.
Symmetrical headphones offer a particularly high degree of channel separation, resulting in an even more spatial and nuanced listening experience. They are usually fitted with specialised connectors such as a 4-pin XLR plug or a Pentaconn plug, which enable optimal signal transmission. However, true balanced operation requires considerable technical complexity: four separate power amplifiers amplify the signal to reproduce the sound faithfully and precisely.
But caution is advised – not every amplifier with balanced connectors actually offers fully balanced operation. Whilst some devices do have the relevant connectors, they use only two power amplifiers, which means that the full sound quality cannot be achieved. Only true balanced systems with four power amplifiers can realise the full potential of this technology and deliver an unrivalled listening experience. That is why we label our headphone amplifiers with balanced outputs as “TRUE BALANCED”.
Technical Data
- Dynamic range: >126 dB
- Output impedance: < 0,125 Ohm (unbalanced) / < 0,25 Ohm (balanced)
- Input sensitivity: +6 dBu
- Input inpedance: 10 kOhm
- max. Input voltage: +20 dBu
- Noise: <-100 dB (unbalanced) / < -94 dB (balanced)
- Frequency range: 5 Hz - 150 kHz (-3 dB)
- Crosstalk: < -95 dB (1 kHz) / -85 dB (15 kHz)
