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3.5 mm male to dual 3.5 mm female cable with soundcard questions.

post #1 of 4
1/16/12 at 9:07pm
Thread Starter 

Pardon my ignorance about audio gear, but I have a echo indigo io soundcard attached to my desktop coming out of the back of my pc. The card has 1 input and 1 output. The card is attached to an old Sansui 2000X receiver via a 3.5 mm  male <-> RCA male cable.

 

I was considering purchasing  a 3.5 mm male <--> dual 3.5 mm female cable and attaching it to the souncards output, so I don't have to get behind the pc when I want to switch between my headphones and receiver. I would then connect the receiver via the 3.5 mm male <--> RCA male cable to one female., and use the other female to leave a 3.5 mm female cable at the front of the PC, or on my desk, to attach headphones to.

 

I would then turn off the receiver when attaching the headphones, or detach the headphones when using the receiver. I want to know will the receiver "take power away" from the headphones, even if it's turned off? I assume it would "take power away" if it were on. Does it depend on the type of receiver? Are there any major disadvantages from the setup I'm describing, other than trying to use both devices at the same time?


Edited by asymptote - 1/17/12 at 2:15pm
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post #2 of 4
1/17/12 at 2:39pm

Probably won't affect the headphones much.

I have my desktop output through a Y-cable, one side to speaker one side to headphone. By turning on/off the speakers I don't hear any notable changes to my headphones.

 

My soundcard is built-in.

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post #3 of 4
1/18/12 at 3:05am
Thread Starter 

I remember using such a cable long ago for 2 pair of headphones on a laptop, or something similar, and it decreased the volume.  Looks like I stumped the audiophiles ;) I guess it depends on how much "power" the receiver uses?


Edited by asymptote - 1/18/12 at 7:41am
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post #4 of 4
1/18/12 at 10:59am

That was how I remembered my set-up did as well... but for some reason when I tried yesterday it didn't have such a problem.

 

Yes, it probably does. The headphones I tried it with yesterday was 32ohm impedance; my old setup was with a 60ohm impedance headphone. As for my speakers... they're just cheap Altec Lansing ones, apparently 4ohm. With both plugged in, I usually have the headphones singing louder than the speakers at max, with both sitting on the table... yeah these speakers aren't very powerful.

Anyway. I will try again... *goes to try*

 

Aha... looks like I was testing the wrong thing.

No, the headphones seem to output the same levels with speakers plugged in or out of the Y-cable.

The SPEAKERS are what's dropping in output level... quite considerably too.

 

Considering your Sansui has an amp to it (if it's similar to what I have at home) then you probably won't have too much trouble with it. Especially if you plan on unplugging your headphones when you'll use the receiver. Just remember to not unplug the headphones while listening at high volumes already to avoid scaring the neighbors!

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