2 monos to 1 stereo: Audiophile 192 to headphones

Hi guys!

I'm in dire need of some help!

My cabling ignorance is burning a hole into my tiny student wallet.

I have ATH-M50 headphones and an Audiophile 192 soundcard (which has two 1/4 mono female outputs, for Left and Right channels).

I am looking for a solution to connect the headphones to the card directly, no amp, no mixer.

Basically, I need a cheap way to combine both L/R mono outs from the card into a single stereo out.

I currently can connect my headphones via my speakers' headphone jack, but I'm trying to get away from the hissing the jack produces. Plus, the M50 really doesn't need an amp.

So I bought a Y cable, two 1/4 stereo males to one 1/4 stereo female, but it's not working properly.

I get sound and no hissing, but the spatialization is lost. Everything is panned to the center, no difference between left and right channels.

Maybe because the cable splits channels but does not combine?

I'm at a loss here.

Is there a way to combine left and right mono channels into one stereo channel via cable/adapter?

And what would I need in my specific case?

I thought something like that would work too.

Yet, like I said in the original post, the Y cable didn't work for me, for a reason I don't know.

This cable specifically: http://www.long-mcquade.com/products/5278/Keyboards/Cables/Apex_Electronics/TRS_Female_to_2x_Stereo_1_4.htm

Are they different somehow (except the different jack size and gender)?

Thanks for your help. I think I can find that cable.

I still have some doubts though, since I don't quite understand why the cable I have is not appropriate.

I thought stereo/TRS would also work as a mono balanced connection, so I don't see the difference.

I'm guessing the cable I had duplicated the stereo signal instead of splitting/combining them?

Also, while I was searching the net, I found posters saying that combining signals in a Y cable could be dangerous to your equipment. What about that?

Sources: http://www.rane.com/note109.html; http://www.gearslutz.com/board/geekslutz-forum/453415-wye-not-wye-combining-signal-y-cable.html

Allright then. Acquiring.
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by snaps11 

I do see this as a more temporary solution as you will most likely want to upgrade your source and amp to external units after you get addicted........

hehe I already bought a Fiio E5 as a cheap way to introduce myself to amps. It should be arriving soon.

Just got cables shipped in.

The Hosa YMP-434 works great.

Thanks for you help mate!

For anybody that sees this thread and needs help, there are other models that work with the Audiophile 192, called "Stereo Beakout" by Hosa:

*CMP-153 or CMP-159 (1/8 male end)

*YPP-136 (1/4 female end)