Audio from surround sound speakers and Sennheiser RS 170 headphones simultaneously? (1 Viewer)

[SRB2017]

We are trying to add Sennheiser RS 170 digital wireless RF headphones to our home theater setup, to allow one person to listen at higher volume than everyone else. We use a Yamaha RXV377 receiver with audio output by conventional wires to surround sound speakers, and video output by HDMI cable to a Benq digital projector.

When the RS 170 transmitter is connected to red and white RCA audio outputs at the back of the receiver, there isn't sound from the headphones, although the surround sound speakers work normally. When the transmitter is connected to the headphone jack at the front of the receiver, the headphones work but the speakers don't.

How do we get sound from the RS 170 headphones and the surround sound speakers simultaneously? Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

It will only work if the source components are connected to the receiver via the same red/white analog RCA cables that the headphone transmitter uses.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

 

[SRB2017]

It will only work if the source components are connected to the receiver via the same red/white analog RCA cables that the headphone transmitter uses.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

Thank you for your quick response. All the other inputs to the receiver (from a Roku, BluRay player, cable television) are via HDMI. Could a different wireless headphone make/model work? We can return the Sennheiser RS 170s and go with something else.

 

[Al.Anderson]

There may be devices specifically made for "dual use", but I'm not aware of them. To get you want from a standard setup, I think what you'll need is a receiver that has a line-out zone-2. In the Yamaha RXV line, the 681 has this. And then you'll need a stereo to 1/8 converter: https://www.amazon.com/Hosa-CMR-206...1482841492&sr=8-2&keywords=stereo+to+1+8+inch.

 

[SRB2017]

Thank you for your helpful response. Would something like this HDMI audio extractor/splitter/converter enable me to run the HDMI input from receiver, HDMI output to projector and 3.5mm stereo audio output to the RS 170 transmitter? Specs below.

Input Port: 1 x HDMI IN, 1 x Micro USB Power Port, 3 x EDID Audio(Pass/2CH/5.1CH)
Output Port: 1 x HDMI OUT, 1 x SPDIF (Optical), 1 x 3.5mm audio jack
3.5mm jack audio output format: 2CH PCM
SPDIF output format: PCM, AC3, DTS, 5.1CH Dolby Digital​

 

[Al.Anderson]

It sure looks like that device would do it - learn something new all the time. One caution, similar converter boxes sometimes had problems maintaining the digital "link". (One of the points of HDMI was to prevent people from tapping into the signal, so they made it hard.) But Newegg is reputable, so if it doesn't work I bet you can return it, and the price is right. Let us know how it works out.