Headphone amp?
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Posted on Jun 05, 2005 02:18 am
kivi
Member Since: Feb 25, 2004
Hey there. Quick question. I am without monitor speakers at the moment, and never really thought about my mixer only having one spot for headphones. Now I need at least the ability to hook up another set.
Is this where a headphone amp comes in? Do I hook it up to the mixer headphone out and poof I now have the ability to plug in two sets of headphones.
I know this probably sounds like such a simple question, but just never had to contemplate it before.
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pjkPrince CZAR-mingMember
Since: Apr 08, 2004
Jun 06, 2005 09:45 am makes sense to me. I wouldn't plug the headphone amp input to your headphone jack though, the headphone jack does not put out line level signal. You should plug the headphone amp into a line output, like the Control room out, or sub group out, or tape out, or something like that. Heck, even mains out would work, if you're not using them for monitors.
Plug the engineer's headphones into the board headphone jack, then the other trackers into the headphone amp, which is plugged into one of the ones mentioned above.
Jun 06, 2005 10:29 am I run my headphone amp daisy chained with my main outs, main outs into headphone amp ins, headphone amp outs to main amp ins...if the headphone amp is on or off it passes the signal thru to the main amp...works great like that.
pjkPrince CZAR-mingMember
Since: Apr 08, 2004
Jun 06, 2005 10:53 am mccarty; sure could, though the power to each will be approx half, or uneven if the two headphones are not of the same impedence (32 ohm, 64 ohm, whatever) or the two sets are not the same efficiency (likely not if not the same kind).
headphone amps let you change the level for each set of cans. plus other options the higher you go.
Admittedly this would probably not be that big of deal, but I figured I'd mention it.
now i gotta think:
1 watt into 1 set of cans at 32 ohms equals X db.
1 watt into 2 set of cans at 32ohms each, would be a reflected impedance of 16 ohms to the driving circuitry.
would this mean that the power out of the circuitry would be 2 watts at the same setting because it's seeing half the load?
anyone know for sure?
Jun 06, 2005 10:57 am running them in parallel with cut the resistence in half (ohms), as you stated, and, at least with power amps would be a sure cause of overheating and wrecking the amp. to much resistence (running too many speakers in serial) or too little resistence (running to many speakers in parallel) can both cause overheating and burnout.
Can't say as though this would apply to headphone amps since one is typically talking about significatly less power...but, they are enough to burn up a set of cans, I've done it...I've also burned poweramps by spreading them across too many speakers...
The lessons hardest learned are typically the longest remembered ;-) I'd go with the headphone amp myself before running the cans in parallel, just for the handiness of a volume control for each set.
mccartyeeeeeeemo.Member
Since: Oct 30, 2003
Jun 06, 2005 11:01 am would running them through this
www.studiospares.com/prod...d=&hidden1=
which says contains protective overload resistors be more suitable than the simple y splitter?
editeditedit: just found one called the mtr ps-4V which has volume controls on each of the 4 outputs.
pjkPrince CZAR-mingMember
Since: Apr 08, 2004
Jun 06, 2005 11:02 am well put
pjkPrince CZAR-mingMember
Since: Apr 08, 2004
Jun 06, 2005 11:16 am seems only 1 and 4 have volumes.
i'd still wonder though, being passive: where's it get it's power from?
Jun 06, 2005 11:19 am i think a headphone amp has 4 individual power amplifiers, one for each channel...maybe?
well in your case two.
mccartyeeeeeeemo.Member
Since: Oct 30, 2003
Jun 06, 2005 11:19 am ahh woops, yep volume control is on 1 and 4, i misread it.
and i really dont know how passive elctronics works so hopefully someone else can guide us on that one....
mccartyeeeeeeemo.Member
Since: Oct 30, 2003
Jun 06, 2005 11:20 am wait a sec - with that box just being a signal splitter and not actually an amp, does it need power?
Jun 06, 2005 11:22 am passive means 'no power' nothing is amplified, the signal just runs through the circuit on it's own power....weras active means 'powered' which usually requiers a power source, say a battery, or plug into the wall.
that just means, it dosn't boost the signal at all, it uses the power from the original signal, and devides it. errr i think.
pjkPrince CZAR-mingMember
Since: Apr 08, 2004
Jun 06, 2005 11:55 am that's what i was thinking, are the volume controls only detractive? meaning it can't get any louder that the source signal, only quieter. If that's the case, then I'd keep shopping. If you're going to drop 30 pounds on something, just buy a real headphone amp. they aren't much more spendy.
Jun 06, 2005 12:38 pm i have the behringer HA4700. it is probably the most versatile headphone amp for under 100 bucks.
service.bfast.com/bfast/c...mp;bfmtype=gear
between the input gain and the gain per channel you can make this LOUD.
