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JohnRice
- John Rice
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Re: Headphones and Speakers at the same time?
There is no splitter or adapter to do this. You just need a receiver which doesn't turn off the speakers when headphones are plugged in. There are dozens if not hundreds of models with this capability. If the one you have now turns off the speakers when headphones are plugged in, there is no way to make it NOT do that.
Alternatively, you can have a headphone amp hooked up to a tape loop, which will give you dual volume controls. Whether or not you can do that will depend again on the receiver. Headphone amps aren't a very common item, but you can find them if you look.
They flutter behind you, your possible pasts.
Some bright-eyed and crazy, some frightened and lost.
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Re: Headphones and Speakers at the same time?
Well, in "olden days" a tape loop was the stereo in/out connections for a tape recorder of some kind. Receivers don't have them anymore, but any source connection with both "ins" and "outs" (like for a VCR or DVD recoder) will work. Actually, all you need is the "outs," which would feed a separate headphone amp. And you actually don't need a specific headphone amp. Any old receiver you can find for cheap will work. Pay a visit to your local pawn shop or garage sale.
Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt
My Equipment List“A nice mid-fi system,” according to an audiophile acquaintance.
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Re: Headphones and Speakers at the same time?
Quote:
| I'So I would plug this headphone amp (or old receiver) into the some unused "outs" of a source on the receiver? Wouldn't this only work if the main receiver was on that source? |
Whatever source you've selected on the main receiver is what you'll get going to the headphone amp. That's the same way it would work if you could use the headphone jack on your main receiver. That shouldn't be a problem, since you indicated that the headphone user will be in the same room listening to the same thing everyone else would be.
Quote:
| And assuming this would work, what would the extra headphone amp/receiver be doing here? What if I just plugged in an RCA to headphone jack adapter into the "outs" on the back? Wouldn't the main receiver amplify the headphones enough? |
Headphones actually require a small, low-powered amplifier to operate. The receiver does not amplify the "outs" jacks - it passes the line-level signal straight through from the source components to the "outs" jacks. A line level signal requires amplification for any kind of speaker. Plus, it is a fixed-level signal - there is no volume control for it.
Quote:
| And assuming this wouldn't work, is there any other way to make it work short of a new receiver that anyone could think of? |
It will work, as long as you have those "outs" jacks. To perhaps contradict John a bit, I don't think many receivers these days will operate the headphones and speakers at the same time, but I could be wrong about that. Probably your best bet for finding that feature, short of auditioning everything in the store yourself, is to look for one with front-panel "Speakers A/Speakers B" switches.
However (and I'll bet you haven't considered this), even if you have the capability to use both headphones and speakers at the same time with the receiver, there is only one volume control. With the separate headphone amp, the headphone volume can be adjusted independently from the main speakers. And tone control, too, if you use a second receiver for the headphone amp.
Bottom line, its the best way to go.
Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt
My Equipment List“A nice mid-fi system,” according to an audiophile acquaintance.
My Tech / DIY Articles and Reviews
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Re: Headphones and Speakers at the same time?
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Wayne A. Pflughaupt
Any old receiver you can find for cheap will work. Pay a visit to your local pawn shop or garage sale.
|
Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt
My Equipment List“A nice mid-fi system,” according to an audiophile acquaintance.
My Tech / DIY Articles and Reviews
- Joined: August 1999
- Location: Katy, TX
- Post Count: 5,823
Re: Headphones and Speakers at the same time?
Yup, your MD/Tape and Video 1 sections both have audio outputs. You're in business! 
Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt
My Equipment List“A nice mid-fi system,” according to an audiophile acquaintance.
My Tech / DIY Articles and Reviews
- Joined: August 1999
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- Post Count: 5,823
Re: Headphones and Speakers at the same time?
Those jacks will output sound from whatever source component you've selected on the main receiver. The only caveat is that you must have the source connected via analog connections. So, say if you have your DVD player connected via digital optical or coax only, you'll have to add the analog connections as well (i.e., red/white jacks).
Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt
My Equipment List“A nice mid-fi system,” according to an audiophile acquaintance.
My Tech / DIY Articles and Reviews
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JohnRice
- John Rice
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Re: Headphones and Speakers at the same time?
I hadn't thought of just getting a stereo receiver to use as a headphone amp. A large, but cheap solution. also, Wayne is probably right about the speakers shutting off. I've been living in a house for 15 years and haven't used headphones in that time, so I just haven't paid attention to that function.
As an alternative to a receiver, if you find a pre-amp or integrated amp, that will work too. You only actually need a pre-amp.
They flutter behind you, your possible pasts.
Some bright-eyed and crazy, some frightened and lost.
- Joined: August 1999
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Re: Headphones and Speakers at the same time?
Ditto to what John said - a pre-amp will be much smaller than a receiver (but most likely harder to find dirt cheap).
Another idea might me a mini-stereo. Back in the 80s and 90s a few companies sold miniature component systems with a small integrated amp, tuner and maybe CD player. You might be able to eBay something like that for cheap. Must make sure it has tone controls and a headphone jack.
Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt
My Equipment List“A nice mid-fi system,” according to an audiophile acquaintance.
My Tech / DIY Articles and Reviews
- Joined: August 1999
- Location: Katy, TX
- Post Count: 5,823
Re: Headphones and Speakers at the same time?
Quote:
| Would something like this work? |
Don't see why not. Nice find! 
Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt
My Equipment List“A nice mid-fi system,” according to an audiophile acquaintance.
My Tech / DIY Articles and Reviews
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JohnRice
- John Rice
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- Joined: June 2000
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Re: Headphones and Speakers at the same time?
Yeah, that will do the trick. You'll need a 3.5mm to RCA stereo adapter cable, which is available almost anywhere such as Radio Shack, Target, Wal-Mart and so on. You might also want a USB/AC adapter so you can easily charge it up. Meritline.com typically has them for only a few dollars.
They flutter behind you, your possible pasts.
Some bright-eyed and crazy, some frightened and lost.
