Jonathan Hughes Posted February 13, 2003 Share Posted February 13, 2003 I'm tired of having the cheap headphone extension cables with the molded plastic ends crap out on me, so I want to make some of my own. I was able to find the right jacks at Radio Shack, but I've been unable to find a source for three-conductor headphone cable on a spool. Does anyone know of a source? Would it be possible to use mic cable (that has three conductors, doesn't it?)? Any ideas? thanks Jonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mats Olsson. Posted February 13, 2003 Share Posted February 13, 2003 I'm using microphone cable (Canare Star Quad). I would avoid very long extensions though, impedance might be an issue. /Mats http://www.lexam.net/peter/carnut/man.gif What do we want? Procrastination! When do we want it? Later! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fantasticsound Posted February 13, 2003 Share Posted February 13, 2003 I highly doubt you'll find a product called, "headphone cable". I've never seen it advertised except as a complete cable with stereo male and female ends, or wired to a set of cans. 3 conductor mic cable will work fine. It's easiest to find me on Facebook. Neil Bergman Soundclick fntstcsnd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mats Olsson. Posted February 13, 2003 Share Posted February 13, 2003 This thread just gave an idea, I will make adaptors so that whenever I need an extension for headphones I'll just grab a microphone cable and the adaptors. Ta-da! /Mats http://www.lexam.net/peter/carnut/man.gif What do we want? Procrastination! When do we want it? Later! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fantasticsound Posted February 13, 2003 Share Posted February 13, 2003 (Mr. Burns voice:) Excellent! It's easiest to find me on Facebook. Neil Bergman Soundclick fntstcsnd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Hughes Posted February 13, 2003 Author Share Posted February 13, 2003 Thanks for the info, everybody! Mats' idea sounds quite intriguing. My extensions need to be about 30-40 feet. Do you think I'd run into any impedance problems? Jonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
not Cereal Posted February 13, 2003 Share Posted February 13, 2003 it should work fine. just physically use the mic cable wire/jacks, don't use any impedance converters or anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fantasticsound Posted February 13, 2003 Share Posted February 13, 2003 Yeow! 30 - 40 ft.?!? What do you need that much cable for? It will be problematic to run unbalanced low-power-level signals that far for headphones, but it should work. I wouldn't recommend it, however. It's easiest to find me on Facebook. Neil Bergman Soundclick fntstcsnd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sign Posted February 13, 2003 Share Posted February 13, 2003 [quote]Originally posted by Mats_Olsson: [b]This thread just gave an idea, I will make adaptors so that whenever I need an extension for headphones I'll just grab a microphone cable and the adaptors. Ta-da! /Mats[/b][/quote]Yeah Mats, but don't connect a very hot cable to an expensive microphone. It will make a lot of noise for a very short time, ahhh..... of course you know the difference between male and female XLR's :D The alchemy of the masters moving molecules of air, we capture by moving particles of iron, so that the poetry of the ancients will echo into the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanYmaL X Posted February 13, 2003 Share Posted February 13, 2003 Try wireless? DX Aerodyne Jazz Deluxe Pod X3 Live Roland Bolt-60 (modified) Genz Benz GBE250-C 2x10 Acoustic 2x12 cab Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mats Olsson. Posted February 13, 2003 Share Posted February 13, 2003 For longer distances it is probably better to use a small headphone amp with balanced inputs. For this purpose I'm using Samson Q-5's, they don't cost very much and they can be daisy-chained. /Mats http://www.lexam.net/peter/carnut/man.gif What do we want? Procrastination! When do we want it? Later! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yuri T. Posted February 13, 2003 Share Posted February 13, 2003 [quote]Originally posted by fantasticsound: [b]Yeow! 30 - 40 ft.?!? What do you need that much cable for? It will be problematic to run unbalanced low-power-level signals that far for headphones, but it should work. I wouldn't recommend it, however.[/b][/quote]I don't see any problem with it. It's higher than line level, much higher than mic level and it's a speaker line so sheilding won't be as much of an issue. The other option is to buy small individual headphone amps and run a line level signal to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Hughes Posted February 13, 2003 Author Share Posted February 13, 2003 "Yeow! 30 - 40 ft.?!? What do you need that much cable for? It will be problematic to run unbalanced low-power-level signals that far for headphones, but it should work. I wouldn't recommend it, however." I record in my house and have the equipment in one room and the performer(s) down the hall in another room. I currently daisy-chain two store-bought headphone extension cables (to give me about 40 feet) to a Samson headphone amp (sounds like the same one Mats has). Aside from the fact that connections on those cables are always crapping out, it works fine. Is 30-40 feet really that unusual? I seem to recall equivalent lengths in several pro studios I've been in. Jonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PBBPaul Posted February 13, 2003 Share Posted February 13, 2003 When I did my band's last recording, I ran a headphone extension from my basement studio up to the first floor where the organ was located. It was around 40 ft. and we had no problems at all. BTW, Radio Shack also carries spools of the raw cable. Our new and improved website Today's sample tune: Lonesome One Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Hughes Posted February 13, 2003 Author Share Posted February 13, 2003 "BTW, Radio Shack also carries spools of the raw cable." Which cable? "Headphone" cable or mic cable? I looked around in there and the only three-conductor cable they had was some really thin stuff for (I think) some kind of outdoor speaker system. thanks Jonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PBBPaul Posted February 13, 2003 Share Posted February 13, 2003 [quote]Originally posted by Jonathan Hughes: [b]"BTW, Radio Shack also carries spools of the raw cable." Which cable? "Headphone" cable or mic cable? I looked around in there and the only three-conductor cable they had was some really thin stuff for (I think) some kind of outdoor speaker system. thanks Jonathan[/b][/quote]I'm not sure how they labeled it. I'll take a look when I get home tonight and post a SKU number for you. I still have spools of the various cables hanging around. I think I made mine out of the shielded cable for the added strength and to reduce the possibility of noise (even though it shouldn't be a factor with the headphone level signal, we have an obnoxiously strong NPR station nearby that seems to bleed through everything). Our new and improved website Today's sample tune: Lonesome One Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fantasticsound Posted February 14, 2003 Share Posted February 14, 2003 [quote]Originally posted by Jonathan Hughes: [b]...Is 30-40 feet really that unusual? I seem to recall equivalent lengths in several pro studios I've been in. Jonathan[/b][/quote]I don't know what you consider to be a "pro" studio, but I know of no professional studio with need for those lengths that doesn't run balanced lines from control room to studio, then amplifies the mixes using a headphone amp in the room. I can see using your method in a home or hobby studio, but would rather use the other method for several reasons. A headphone is NOT speaker level, in the sense you can drive most monitors on the levels produced by headphone amps. They ARE subject to outside interference in runs that long. But if it's working, who's to say you're wrong to use it? It's easiest to find me on Facebook. Neil Bergman Soundclick fntstcsnd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
not Cereal Posted February 14, 2003 Share Posted February 14, 2003 i routinely run 20' of headphone cable. no problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prague Posted February 14, 2003 Share Posted February 14, 2003 First, did you cut off the cheap connectors and put on some good ones? You just saved a cable. If you look at a few schematics you will find a lot of headphone jacks are directly tapped off the speaker outputs with a series resistance. Signal levels are high enough to rarely be disturbed by not being differential. [i]Headphones are speakers.[/i] Separate from the impedance, I wouldn't know where to find a single to differntial transformer for headphones (never heard of one). You'll be fine. My only concern with mic cables would be the small gauge (24?) of the conductors creating a bit of signal loss. If just a 20 foot extension, no problem. As with any line level signal, differential is preferrable [i]all[/i] the time since your s/n is inherently lower and for noise rejection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fantasticsound Posted February 14, 2003 Share Posted February 14, 2003 [quote]Originally posted by paostby: If you look at a few schematics you will find a lot of headphone jacks are directly tapped off the speaker outputs with a series resistance. Signal levels are high enough to rarely disturbed by not being differential. [b][i]Headphones are speakers.[/i][/b] Separate from the impedance, I wouldn't know where to find a single to differntial transformer for headphones (never heard of one). You'll be fine. My only concern with mic cables would be the small gauge of the conductors creating a bit of signal loss. If just a 20 foot extension, no problem. If I were worried about signal loss I would just use a larger gauge conductor, 20 gauge would be fine for 80 feet. Heck, use 18 gauge.[/QB][/quote]I agree with most of your response. However, to say that headphones are speakers, as though you could detach each side of a set and place them on stands to be used as near field monitors is ludicrous. Even low powered home stereo speakers require more power than any headphone amp I've seen can drive. So yes, signal loss, high frequency loss, and yes, noise are all going to increase over 20' of headphone cable. Why run 30 or 40' for headphone cable when you [i]own[/i] a headphone amp? Run balanced line level inputs to the box and plug your headphones directly into the amp. Am I the only one who's thinking, "Duh!" when reading the preceeding statement? It's one thing if you don't own a headphone amp and use the headphone jack of your mixer. It's another to own the headphone amp and deliberately do things bass-ackwards. :D ;) It's easiest to find me on Facebook. Neil Bergman Soundclick fntstcsnd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryson Posted February 14, 2003 Share Posted February 14, 2003 I often daisy chain up to four cue boxes with no problem. That's eighty feet of mic cable, plus the twenty feet from the power amp to the wall panel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
where02190 Posted February 14, 2003 Share Posted February 14, 2003 Our cue system is powered by a rane HC-6, which resides in the control room. Each of 3 locations has HP breakout boxes that (via patchbay) can be patched in numorour configurations. Length from control room ot break out boxes is 25-75 feet, and we have no problems whatosever. Cabling is 22ga Belden, switchcraft and Neutriks connectors. I'd stay away from the rad shack junk. Call CBI (Rome NY) 800 346-3462 for connectors and cabling.Nice people and great pricing. Hope this is helpful. Hope this is helpful. NP Recording Studios Analog approach to digital recording. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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