Looking for a simple solution to sum two headphone outputs

[Rod S]

Greetings....

 

Here's the situation. I want to be able to practice with a headphone with a keyboard along with an mp3 player.

 

What I want is a simple device to sum the two outputs into single one that I can plug my headphones to.

 

I've done searches for "headphone mixer" but that seems to lead me in the opposite direction, a single input that's distributed to several outputs.

 

Any suggestions? Thanks...

[Joe Muscara]

Some keyboards now have inputs for this purpose. There are also regular mixers that have RCA or other inputs for mp3/CD type devices. Just look at the feature lists of mixers in this case.

[Sven Golly]

Any small mixer will do what you want. A lot of keyboard amps will also offer a headphone output to allow you to listen to multiple items.

 

[TechEverlasting]

Although I don't know of such a product, a cheap little mixer with one mini headphone jack input and two or three 1/4" headphone jack inputs, along with volume and maybe tone controls for each is something I would find quite useful.

 

There are lots of great little mixers from Mackie, Behringer and others that will get you what you need.

[Sven Golly]

Although I don't know of such a product, a cheap little mixer with one mini headphone jack input and two or three 1/4" headphone jack inputs, along with volume and maybe tone controls for each is something I would find quite useful.

 

Why would you limit your options by having an 1/8" input? That's what they make adapters for...

[J. Dan]

Rolls

 

The above will work.

 

I didn't see it on their site, but I have one I use for practice that has stereo RCA I/O, XLR in, (2) mono 1/4" in, 1/4" out and headphone out, and runs on a 9v battery - pretty handy.

[Jeff_D_in_MD]

I have the Rolls Mini Mix VI, which works with AC adapter instead of 9V battery. http://www.rolls.com/product.php?pid=MX28

For stereo headphone outputs you need an adapter to get 2 mono signals.

[TechEverlasting]

Why would you limit your options by having an 1/8" input? That's what they make adapters for...

 

Because I can never find a stinkin' adapter when I need one, no matter how many dozens of them I buy from Radio Shack.

 

What I'm picturing is a little box the size of a deck of cards. You could run from the headphone jack of an ipod and a synth or two and practice to Jamey Aebersold all day long without unplugging anything.

 

I should just be grateful for synths that have audio in jacks.

[Bobadohshe]

Why would you limit your options by having an 1/8" input? That's what they make adapters for...

 

Because I can never find a stinkin' adapter when I need one, no matter how many dozens of them I buy from Radio Shack.

 

What I'm picturing is a little box the size of a deck of cards. You could run from the headphone jack of an ipod and a synth or two and practice to Jamey Aebersold all day long without unplugging anything.

 

I had the same problem, so I went and dropped a little cash on a handful of stuff at the shack that I swore to myself would be used solely for this dedicated purpose. I use:

 

- an 1/8" stereo splitter

- two stereo 1/8" male to male chords

- a stereo 1/8" coupler

- an 1/8" to 1/4" stereo adapter

 

You plug your headphones into the coupler, plug the coupler into the male end of the splitter, plug the two 1/8" cords into the two female ends of the splitter, and use those two chords to connect to your keyboard and to your ipod.

 

Cheap and easy. Keep it all together for that dedicated purpose. Cheaper than any mixer.

[Sven Golly]

Why would you limit your options by having an 1/8" input? That's what they make adapters for...

 

Because I can never find a stinkin' adapter when I need one, no matter how many dozens of them I buy from Radio Shack.

 

What I'm picturing is a little box the size of a deck of cards. You could run from the headphone jack of an ipod and a synth or two and practice to Jamey Aebersold all day long without unplugging anything.

 

I should just be grateful for synths that have audio in jacks.

 

So rather than develop better organizational habits (for free), you'd rather hunt down a boutique solution (for $$$)? Interesting approach.

[Dglavko]

If you don't want to spring for a mixer, there are a lot of guitar products which will do this and maybe serve a dual purpose.

 

I picked up a pocket pod to do this for keys and guitar on occasion and just use the clean setting on the pod. But that'll cost about $100. You can also use the effects on keys if desired. The newish bigger pod has one too I think and lots more effects than the pocket.

 

http://line6.com/pocketpod/

 

Vox amplugs do the job I think for about $35 new

 

http://www.voxamps.com/amplug/

 

Failing that you could pick up a small amp with a line in/cd/mp3 input, and headphone out. The little Line 6 amps do the job and are all over Craigslist. Just don't expect a nice warm tube sound out of the actual amp.

 

The new Electro and Stage 2's have an mp3 in on them too but that's another issue...

[Bobadohshe]

My solution will cost you about $12

[Sven Golly]

My solution will cost you about $12

 

Yes, and runs the risk of damaging the low-impedance outputs on both pieces of gear.

 

Why Not Wye?

[Bobadohshe]

I'm not worried too much.

[Sven Golly]

I'm not worried too much.

 

That's fine, but how do you feel about giving out bad advice?

[Bobadohshe]

It's true that I didn't know that about the impedances, and I appreciate you pointing it out. I've used that solution for many hours though and my gear is just fine. We're not talking about driving speaker cabinets or summing to one mono subwoofer, we're talking about low level signals driving cheap headphones. Maybe that matters, maybe it doesn't, but it's never given me problems, ever. And again, $12.

 

But there's that risk which I didn't know about and you did point out.

 

But yep, I'm still not worried about it too much.

 

I guess you can treat this BAD advice, along with my personal experiences, like you'd treat all advice on the internet: take it or leave it.

[Mike Warren]

But there's that risk which I didn't know about and you did point out.

 

But yep, I'm still not worried about it too much.

 

Some headphone amps have series resistors to help keep the power reasonably constant with different impedance headphones, but some do not. There is also the fact that it is not uncommon for headphones to short out, so the designer of the headphone amp will often (but not always) include current limiting protection in the amplifier.

 

Between these two things you probably have a better than 50% chance that no damage will occur, but an amplifier that is current limiting will also be distorting.

 

As a general rule: do not attempt to mix outputs with 'Y' leads. Y leads are for splitting a single signal to 2 inputs.

 

 

[J. Dan]

As a general rule: do not attempt to mix outputs with 'Y' leads. Y leads are for splitting a single signal to 2 inputs.

 

Absolutely! Splitting, not summing!

 

This is loosely related: I used to run both my keys into a DI that had parallel inputs with one XLR out. Now these are line outs, not headphone. But it didn't "mix", they were just wired together. I mixed with the volumes on the keys. It seemed to work well. Well after a while, I replaced an output board on one keyboard and an output jack on the other (don't know if the latter was related). Eventually I changed to a DI that had "summing" input - resistance mixer to sum stereo outputs, or in my case, two keyboards. No problems since.

 

And being an Electrical Engineer, I knew about the potential problems and took my chances due to the ease of the solution. I was HOPING that the output impedances were such that I'd be OK. A lot of manufacturers add resitors to the output for short circuit protection. Took my chances and lost. Better to spend $75 and be safe than $12 and take the risk in my opinion.

[Bobadohshe]

Well, guess I lucked out.