Outboard DACs

SPL's initials stand not for 'sound pressure level' but 'Sound Performance Laboratory'. The company was founded in 1983 by Hermann Gier and Wolfgang Neumann, the latter with his own recording studio in the late '70s, as well as designing and building technology for recording. Faced with declining fees for studio rental, he sold up his share to concentrate on manufacturing, bringing in bass player and sound engineer Gier to help market the products after Neumann had built him a bass preamp. In fact, their first project together was a mixing desk for a relative of Gier's, who worked in a hospital. It was commissioned for the recording of operations for training videos...

Since then, SPL has specialised in 'audio gear for multimedia, film, music, hi-fi and broadcasting'. And for a company with roots firmly in pro audio, where many would have you believe that accuracy is all, SPL's approach is refreshing. Yes, it says it's all about innovation through advances in technology and design, but 'Experimenting and listening is more important to us than designing by the book'. One of Neumann's real passions is filtering, and the way it can be implemented – as you may have guessed from the facilities on offer in the Phonitor xe.