how to use a headphone output as a line input?

[Lisa Davidson]

Hi all,

Does anyone know how you can use a headphone output as a line level source? I don't understand much about impedance matching, but I think that is involved here. If you put in a stereo headphone adapter that splits the signal into two rca cables, the signal they carry does not behave properly when you send it into ordinary line ins. I tried it through a direct box and that was even worse. It sounds great through the headphones, so you would think you could use it for something . . . .
Thank you for any thoughts or experience on this.

[chief lutt]

what are you using and where are you sending it to?

check out:
http://www.sweetwater.com/expert-cen.../d--10/26/2000

and

http://www.transom.org/tools/basics/...logbasics.html

hope this helps.

[Barnabas]

Have you tried it with the headphone volume really low?

Try Radio Shack cable# 42-2461. It attenuates the amplified signal to a line level. Unfortunately it’s a mono cable. I wonder if they make a stereo one.

Another thought.
Some direct boxes (DI) have a switchable pad on the input. Whirlwind Director does. This switch is designed to allow you to connect an amplified output, like the speaker output of a guitar amplifier or a headphone amplifier and convert it to a mic level.

[Lisa Davidson]

Originally Posted by chief lutt

what are you using and where are you sending it to?

check out:
http://www.sweetwater.com/expert-cen.../d--10/26/2000

and

http://www.transom.org/tools/basics/...logbasics.html

hope this helps.

Thank you.

I'm going out of a Nagra 4.2, and into either a little Mackie mixer or a Manley dual mono mic pre direct input. It "worked" through the Mackie input but sounded staticky and far-off, but through the direct input on the Manley it didn't give any sound at all, just a steady level on the meters depending on my input volume, but not anything that changed with sound, just an electronic noise or hum.

[Lisa Davidson]

Originally Posted by Barnabas

Have you tried it with the headphone volume really low?

Try Radio Shack cable# 42-2461. It attenuates the amplified signal to a line level. Unfortunately it’s a mono cable. I wonder if they make a stereo one.

Another thought.
Some direct boxes (DI) have a switchable pad on the input. Whirlwind Director does. This switch is designed to allow you to connect an amplified output, like the speaker output of a guitar amplifier or a headphone amplifier and convert it to a mic level.

Hi, Chris. That's an interesting idea about the cable. I hadn't thought about my signal being too high-level. I thought it was more or less line level, and I think my mic preamp didn't mind, but maybe it did (it's a Manley Dual Mono). Are you supposed to use some special cable, not TRS but something like a Monster Cable guitar cord, or . . . ? For everything else I use XLR, and I'm not sure of the 1/4-inch stuff. Maybe the cable is my problem. I was using a banana plug to 1/4-cable, but that 1/4-inch might not be the right kind of 1/4-inch. Or maybe my signal is too high. I'll try the attenuation too.

Thanks.

[zilver]

This is strange, their shouldn't be a problem sending the headphone out to a line input....especially if you don't set the output gain too high.

Is the cable really stereo jack (in the headphone output) to the 2 rca's ? Maybe it's wired strange with the tip and ring together or something like that....
Can you measure that ?

Good luck, Hans

[Matti]

Why should you use headphone output when you have line output ?
Plug bananas to 45 for signal and 46 for ground.
Matti

edit: As you know Nagra 4.2 is a mono machine, so the outputs are also mono incl. headphone out. ( use mono plug there )
This line output is +4db line level.
The preamps are of really good quality, you could use it as a preamp straight to your interface for best
quality.
M.

[Chris Nighman]

At some point that headphone output signal should be line level. Take a TRS to TRS cable and measure the output with a meter. Increase it to about 1 volt and there you go.

[chief lutt]

yeah. use the line out. unless there's no signal coming out of it and you're stuck with the headphone outs. as suggested, if you must use the headphone outs make sure levels are low. i'm not familiar with the build quality of your recorder/player but the noise you're hearing is probably being amplified by your mixer. get the cleanest signal you can get then maybe use a software to clean it up.

[Lisa Davidson]

Originally Posted by MATTI

Why should you use headphone output when you have line output ?
Plug bananas to 45 for signal and 46 for ground.
Matti

edit: As you know Nagra 4.2 is a mono machine, so the outputs are also mono incl. headphone out. ( use mono plug there )
This line output is +4db line level.
The preamps are of really good quality, you could use it as a preamp straight to your interface for best
quality.
M.

********

Thanks, Matti, that was it. One thing, though -- if I were to send it straight to the interface, it has to be changed from 1/4" to XLR. Is there a better way to do this than by running it through a Mackie mixer, which people say is noisy (but I don't know if that means it's only noisy when amplifying but quiet when at unity gain)?
Thanks, Matti, and thanks all too.
Lisa

[Matti]

Hi. Lisa!
I think you should make this kind of cable for the line out for best
results and put the direct-tape switch to direct if you are not
transferring a tape.
Does your interface have xlr line inputs, if so this is the way.
If not, make simliar cable with a stereo plug.

Matti

[Lisa Davidson]

Originally Posted by MATTI

Hi. Lisa!
I think you should make this kind of cable for the line out for best
results and put the direct-tape switch to direct if you are not
transferring a tape.
Does your interface have xlr line inputs, if so this is the way.
If not, make simliar cable with a stereo plug.
Matti

Hi, Matti - - - -

Are you saying to solder it this way:
take pin 2 to banana plug 2, pin 3 to banana plug 3, solder pin 1 to the shield and solder a third banana plug to the other end of the shield, effectively making a balanced line? So does this mean the two banana-plug outs on the Nagra are 180 degrees out of phase with each other? That would be brilliant.

[Matti]

Yep!
Regards
Matti